olution, which, above all its wars, national or civil,
its struggles for or against freedom, above all its discoveries in the
world of matter and of force, above all its inventions, its new arts and
its improved old arts, its philanthropies, its religious agitations, is
destined to command for the nineteenth century the respect of the coming
ages. Dion's star upon its forehead, already the dim and distant future
diaphaned in its light, comes up to cheer our waiting, wandering eyes.

It is only woman who can state woman. The unknown quantity falls not
within the terms of any equation to which man can reduce her. Master,
teacher of all other lessons in nature, here he must be the taught.
Leader of all other movements, here he must be follower. Greater must
not only include, it must conduct less.

Whence?

Out of the peaceful, still waters below: no longer stay possible there.
The _vis vitae_ overruling the _vis inertia_, we take up the line of
march. Fold the napkin away from your eyes, O daughter of the ages, and
behold, there lies your road--a throng already pressing their way where
you thought you were alone. Upward, as well by the universal as by the
special law of the case. Many a tearful eye turned backward to the land
we are leaving--land beloved by woman, though stained with oppression,
darkened by slavery, impoverished by lack of action, dwarfed in its
proportions, devious in many of its loveliest lines--some of its
sweetest paths leading those who set feet of innocent trust in them
down to hell at last; beloved despite all, because the heart of the
traveller is tender and loving; cherished, because her repressed soul is
timid and doubting. We have lacked light, freedom, space for action and
growth, yet are there pleasant places there. All these are now before
us. Dry your tears, O tender souls, suppress your sighs, stifle your
groans. Let us press forward in courage and hope. Forty years, it may
be, in the wilderness, but deliverance at last. The gentle cloud will be
over us by day, the path of duty will shine as a fire upon us by night.

Farewell, then, Africa, land of despot and victim; farewell, Asia, land
of satrap and slave; farewell, Europe, land of monarch and subject:
welcome, broad, varied, exhaustless New World, spreading inviting fields
before longing eyes that falter while they gaze.

Whither?

Two thoughts naturally result from this new attitude: first, to go
straight to the kingdom already la