he father, and
therefore she has the best right to them. And where there is
property, it ought to be divided equally between them, with an
additional provision from the father toward the maintenance and
education of the children.

Much is said about the burdens and responsibilities of married
men. Responsibilities indeed there are, if they but felt them;
but as to burdens, what are they? The sole province of man seems
to be centered in that one thing, attending to some business. I
grant that owing to the present unjust and unequal reward for
labor, many have to work too hard for a subsistence; but whatever
his vocation, he has to attend as much to it before as after
marriage. Look at your bachelors, and see if they do not strive
as much for wealth, and attend as steadily to business, as
married men. No! the husband has little or no increase of burden,
and every increase of comfort after marriage; while most of the
burdens, cares, pains, and penalties of married life fall on the
wife. How unjust and cruel, then, to have all the laws in his
favor! If any difference should be made by law between husband
and wife, reason, justice, and humanity, if their voices were
heard, would dictate that it should be in her favor.

No! there is no reason against woman's elevation, but there are
deep-rooted, hoary-headed prejudices. The main cause of them is,
a pernicious falsehood propagated against her being, namely, that
she is inferior by her nature. Inferior in what? What has man
ever done, that woman, under the same advantages, could not do?
In morals, bad as she is, she is generally considered his
superior. In the intellectual sphere, give her a fair chance
before you pronounce a verdict against her. Cultivate the frontal
portion of her brain as much as that of man is cultivated, and
she will stand his equal at least. Even now, where her mind has
been called out at all, her intellect is as bright, as capacious,
and as powerful as his. Will you tell us, that women have no
Newtons, Shakespeares, and Byrons? Greater natural powers than
even those possessed may have been destroyed in woman for want of
proper culture, a just appreciation, reward for merit as an
incentive to exertion, and freedom of action, without which, mind
becomes cramped and stifled