Go work in my vineyard! That vineyard I
understand to be the world, embracing all the varied
responsibilities of life. Whether man shall pursue science,
literature, or art, whether he shall engage in agriculture,
manufactures, or mechanics, is for _him_ to determine, and
whether woman shall engage in any of these things is for _her_ to
determine. Nothing but an internal consciousness of power to
perform certain work, and that it will be for her own good, can
aid her in her choice. If a woman can write vigorous verse, then
let her write verse. If she can build ships, then let her be a
ship-builder. I know no reason why. If she can keep house, and
that takes as much brains as any other occupation, let her be a
housekeeper. They tell us that "eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty"; eternal vigilance is the price of a well-ordered home,
and every woman before me knows it. (Applause). I know that the
conservative, in his fear, says, Surely you would not have woman
till the soil, sail the seas, run up the rigging of a ship like a
monkey (I use the language of one of your most distinguished
men), go to war, engage in political brawls? No! I would not have
her do anything. She must be her own judge. In relation to
tilling the soil, the last census of the United Kingdom reports
128,418 women employed in agriculture. Examples are by no means
rare where a woman carries on a farm which her deceased husband
has left, and I have, seen much skill evinced in the management.
"In Media, Pa., two girls named Miller carry on a farm of 300
acres, raising hay and grain, hiring labor, but working mostly
themselves." I have been on a farm in your own State where I saw,
not Tennyson's six mighty daughters of the plow, but I saw
three[166] who plowed, and not only that, but they plowed well.
Doubtless, some of our fastidious young ladies would be greatly
shocked at such an exhibition, and I must acknowledge that it was
to me a novel sight; but the more I considered it, the more I
thought that I would rather see a young woman holding the plow,
than to see her leading such an aimless, silly life as many a
young lady leads. I would rather see a young woman holding the
plow, than to see her decked out in her finery, and sitting idle
in the parlor, waiting for an offer