e amount of thought and labor applied to useful
subjects would make them all that I desire them to be. A thorough reform
in the education of woman is necessary for this. What is their education
now? Even the girls of the richer class get next to none. They are
taught to say "How d' ye do" in two languages, and to irritate the
nervous system of their relations for some hours every day with a
piano,--the most gigantic, useless, and expensive instrument of torture
ever invented. These for serious work. A little drawing, worsted-work,
and catechism are added as accomplishments; and then at eighteen--the
age when a boy really begins his training--their education is completed,
they are told; and they are turned into the world to devote their time
and talents to trimmings, novels, and idle tittle-tattle.

_Aristippus._ There can be no objection to good gossip, or even to a
little scandal, when its teeth have been drawn. If the noblest study of
mankind is man, surely his sayings and doings cannot be improper
subjects for conversation.

_Hipparchia._ Education is not the teaching of this thing or that. It is
the training of the mind for the work of daily life. The few women of
fortune who pride themselves on their cleverness get a parrot-like
acquaintance with the contents of books, enunciate charmingly, and are
very learned on the syntax and spelling of an invitation to dinner; but
of the great topics of the day, political, social, economical,
financial, scientific, mechanical, theological, they are utterly
ignorant and careless. I know some brilliant exceptions, who show what
women might be if they chose.

The consequence of no education, no thought, no practical experiences,
and no real responsibility is, that, whenever moral questions are
disconnected with feeling, a woman's moral standard is lower than a
man's. Truth, rare in both sexes, is very rare in women; not that they
love truth less, but that usually they love exaggeration more,--truth is
so often commonplace and tiresome; they dress it up to hide its
nakedness.

_Aristippus._ What does it matter? We all understand them when they say
"Splendid!" "Shocking!" "Awful!" "Glorious!" in describing a walk or a
tea-party. We believe in the vivacity of their impressions, if not in
the accuracy of the terms they use. And besides, there are many things
pleasant to listen to, even though we know them to be false.

"When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I d