terfering
with her sacred rights; and _after_ he has done this, he may
safely leave the rest to her.

It is humiliating indeed that numbers of well-disposed persons
should not recognize so plain a duty. I have no patience to argue
it. The moral logic of this movement is as patent as the simplest
rule in arithmetic. Every argument brought against it resolves
itself into a sneer at woman's capacity, or an anxiety lest the
distinction God has established between the sexes will not bear
testing; or, what is more common still, though covered up in a
thousand ways, the brutish assertion that "might makes right."
There is but one answer to these impertinences, and that is the
success of individual women in the work they set about. The
current ridicule at "doing justice to women" will pass for the
sheer vulgarity it is, when so many women shall do justice to
themselves, that they can not be taken as exceptions to prove the
rule. And this success depends on their own wills. The noble use
of God's gifts shall make its mark in this world. As sure as God
lives, it shall compel a becoming respect. For more and more of
these lessons in true honor do we pray; for the very name of
manhood must make us blush, so long as it is identified with
these airs of patronage and control, these insulting obeisances,
these flatterers of what is childish in women, these sarcasms
upon what is noblest; worse than all, this willingness to derive
gain from the degradation and suffering of the sex it professes
to adore. And words are poor to express the gratitude that shall
be forever due to those women whose moral energy shall rebuke
this littleness, and stir true manliness in man.

With sincere respect, I am truly your friend,
SAMUEL JOHNSON.

ERNESTINE L. ROSE remarked, that in the letter read by Mr.
Higginson there was one sentence that struck her with great
force, viz: that it is of far greater importance what woman does
than what man thinks; and, she would add, what woman thinks. The
influence of what she had done was felt not only in this country,
but throughout the entire continent of Europe.

The author of that letter had expressed another sentiment to
which she wished briefly to advert. He said th