hether
in novels of incident or novels of character, treating historical or
social subjects, didactic or imaginative themes, with the plot in any
period of time, among any people or set of conditions, women writers
appear to be equally at home.

While the vast majority of literary women have been writers of
fiction, every branch of literature numbers in its promoters the names
of eminent females. In poetry and in dramatic literature women have
not achieved the fame of men. Lord Byron gave as the reason for
women's apparent lack of imaginative and creative power that they had
not seen and felt enough of life. As translators, editors, compilers,
as writers on social topics and current questions, as well as on
educational subjects, memoirs, travels, literary studies, they have
been prolific and excellent workers. Besides which, they have given to
journalistic and magazine work their special capabilities.

Women no longer fear to write under their own names, and do not resort
to pseudonyms as did Charlotte Bronte, and Mary Ann Evans--George
Eliot. It was at one time thought that the demands of research and
study outside of the range of ordinary feminine acquaintance precluded
the sex from doing many forms of intellectual work which were open to
men. Fiction did not present special difficulties; and as the line of
least resistance, as well as that of especial adaptation, women took
to this form of writing.

At the present day, however, there is no question as to woman's
faithfulness, accuracy, and ability to attend to detail; and so there
are no lines of research or of authorship in which women are not
engaged. This is in part due to the similar lines upon which women and
men are now educated. Their broad acquaintance with the whole range of
intellectual subjects eminently fits the sex for special work in any
department. To distinguish by their method of treatment the writings
of women is no longer possible. Their pens have the same grace
and vigor of style as those of men, while there is no fineness or
daintiness of touch in their writings which does not find counterpart
in those of men.

The fiction of the century reveals woman intrepidly discussing
political, economic, and labor questions with a large degree of
assurance, and others with a great deal of acuteness and insight.
Although there is intense competition in the realm of literature, yet
the complexity of modern society, the universality of education,
the opp