taken before one
could hope to effect any efficient combination among women. The time for
this was at hand, but had not yet arrived. Insensibly, I came to devote
my time and strength to the promotion of the women's clubs, which are
doing so much to constitute a working and united womanhood.

During my stay in England, I received many invitations to address
meetings in various parts of the country. In compliance with these, I
visited Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and Carlisle. In Bristol
I was the guest of Mary Carpenter, who gave me some friendly advice
regarding the convention which I hoped to hold in London. She assured me
that such a meeting could have no following unless the call for it were
dignified by the name of some prominent member of the English
aristocracy. In this view, she strongly advised me to write to the
Duchess of Argyll, requesting an interview at which I might speak to her
of my plans. I did write the letter, and obtained the interview. The
Duchess, with whom I had had some acquaintance for many years, invited
me to luncheon on a certain day. I found her, surrounded by her numerous
family of daughters, the youngest of whom carried round a dish of fruit
at dessert. Luncheon being at an end, the Duchess granted me a short
tete-a-tete. "My only objection to a lady's speaking in public," she
said, "is based upon St. Paul's saying: 'I suffer not a woman to teach,'
etc." I replied, "Yes; but remember that, in another place, he says that
a woman may prophesy wearing a veil." She assented to this statement,
but did not appear to interest herself much in my plan of a Woman's
Peace Congress. She had always been much interested in Dr. Howe's work,
and began to ask me about him, and about Charles Sumner, for whom she
entertained great regard. Messages were presently sent in to the effect
that the carriage was waiting for the afternoon drive, and I took my
leave, expecting no help from this very amiable and estimable lady.

Before the beginning of my Sunday services, I received a letter from Mr.
Aaron Powell of New York, asking me to attend a Peace Congress about to
be held in Paris, as a delegate. I accordingly crossed the Channel, and
reached Paris in time to attend the principal seance of the congress. It
was not numerously attended. The speakers all read their discourses from
manuscript. The general tone was timid and subdued. Something was said
regarding the then recent Franco-Prussian war, and t