her inmost self.

There is no getting away from the truth that there is this vital
organic distinction between woman and man; and further, that this
sexual difference does, and it is well that it should, find its
expression in a large number of detailed characters of femaleness and
maleness, various in value, some, perhaps, trivial, and some
important. These characters are natural in origin and natural also in
having survived ages of eliminative selection. But the point I want to
make clear is that, side by side with these fundamental differences,
have arisen in women a number of what may be called coercive
differentiations, inconsistent with, and absolutely hurtful to the
natural distinctions, being destructive to the love and understanding
of woman and man, and not less destructive to the vigour of the race.
This misdifferentiation of women, it is true, is passing, but the
progressive gain in this direction is counterbalanced by a new and
hardly less grave danger.

I am dealing here with what seems to me to be a perilous quicksand in
woman's struggle for free development. To hear many women talk it
would appear that the new ideal was a one-sexed world. A great army of
women have espoused the task of raising their sex out of subjection.
For such a duty the strength and energy of passion is required. Can
this task be performed if the woman to any extent indulges in
sex--otherwise subjection to man. Sexuality debases, even reproduction
and birth are regarded as "nauseating." Woman is not free, only
because she has been the slave to the primitive cycle of emotions
which belong to physical love. The renunciation, the conquest of
sex--it is this that must be gained. As for man, he has been shown up,
women have found him out; his long-worn garments of authority and his
mystery and glamour have been torn into shreds--woman will have none
of him.

Now obviously these are over-statements, yet they are the logical
outcome of much of the talk that one hears. It is the visible sign of
our incoherence and error, and in the measure of these follies we are
sent back to seek the truth. Women need a robuster courage in the face
of love, a greater faith in their womanhood, and in the scheme of
Life. Nothing can be gained from the child's folly in breaking the
toys that have momentarily ceased to please. The misogamist type of
woman cannot fail to prove as futile as the misogamist man. Not "Free
_from_ man" is the watch-cry of women