will immediately disperse, and his language will become as clear and precise as his thoughts." It is readily admitted that since M. de Tocqueville wrote many Americans have written to whom his censure is inapplicable.
It would be unjust to our authoress to overlook the practical purpose of her book, which is the noble and humane one of trying to improve the condition of woman, and through her to raise the whole scale of social and domestic comfort and enjoyment, and to remove the obstacles that prevent her attaining to the highest development of which her nature is capable. If the manner in which she has attempted this have any success in promoting so desirable an end, it needs no other justification.
Since these articles were first published (1869), we read that "there are now sixteen ladies studying in the Medical Faculty of the University of Michigan, twelve in the Arts Faculty, and one as a law student. The University was opened to women less than a year ago, so that prompt advantage has been taken of the facilities offered."
But it is to be hoped that women will not rest content with the higher end only of their programme attained. The need of systematic training for the duties to which the great proportion of them are by nature destined far outweighs in importance the higher education. How little does the happiness or comfort of Society depend upon whether a few hundred, or it may be a thousand women can practise medicine compared with whether several millions are competent housekeepers?
The Editor has only further to add that the Articles are reprinted as they first appeared, with such slight modifications as are not worth specifying.
Edinburgh, 1st November 1870.
