righter intervals which make one willing to suppose
that if the wife had been a little more patient, more tolerant, more
cheerful, less severely addicted to her sterile superstition, there
might have been somewhat more happiness in the house. One misery of the
present social ideal of women is that, while it keeps them so
systematically ignorant, superstitious, and narrow, it leaves them
without humility. "Be content," said the great John Wesley to his
froward wife, "be content to be a private insignificant person, known
and loved by God and me. Of what importance is your character to
mankind? If you was buried just now, or if you had never lived, what
loss would it be to the cause of God?" This energetic remonstrance can
hardly be said to exhaust the matter. Still it puts a wholesome side of
the case which Madame Diderot missed, and which better persons are
likely to miss, so long as the exclusion of women, by common opinion or
by law, from an active participation in the settlement of great issues,
makes them indifferent to all interests outside domestic egoism, and
egoistic and personal religion. Brighter intervals shone in the
household. "I announced my departure," writes Diderot, "for next
Tuesday. At the first word I saw the faces both of mother and daughter
fall. The child had a compliment for my fete-day all ready, and it would
not do to let her waste the trouble of having learnt it. The mother had
projected a grand dinner for Sunday. Well, we arranged everything
perfectly. I made my journey, and came back to be harangued and
feasted. The poor child made her little speech in the most bewitching
way. In the middle there came some hard words, so she stopped and said
to me, 'My papa, 'tis because my two front teeth have come out'--as was
true. Then she went on. At the end, as she had a posy to give me, and it
could not be found, she stopped a second time to say to me--'Here's the
worst of the tale; my pinks have got lost.' Then she started off in
search of her flowers. We dined in great style. My wife had got all her
friends together. I was very gay, eating, drinking, and doing the
honours of my table to perfection. On rising from table I stayed among
them and played cards instead of going out. I saw them all off between
eleven and twelve: I was charming, and if you only knew with whom; what
physiognomies, what folk, what talk!"

Another time the child, whispering in his ear, asks why her mother bade
her not remind h