Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical note
- Selections from Nature: Introduction
- Selections from Nature: Language
- Journal entries: 1837
- The American Scholar
- The Divinity School Address
- Uriel
- Concord Hymn
- Letter to Martin Van Buren, President of the United States
- Self-Reliance
- Compensation
- Concerning Brook Farm
- Man the Reformer
- Politics
- Journal entries: 1840 and 1844
- Ode: Inscribed to W. H. Channing
- Address to the Citizens of Concord
- Webster and 1854
- Journal entry: 1851
- Woman. A Lecture Read Before the Woman's Rights Convention, September 20, 1855
- Napoleon; or, the Man of the World from Representative Men
- Speech at a Meeting for the Relief of the Family of John Brown
- John Brown. Speech at Salem
- Fate
- Power
- Journal entry: 1862
- Index
- CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Journal entry: 1851
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical note
- Selections from Nature: Introduction
- Selections from Nature: Language
- Journal entries: 1837
- The American Scholar
- The Divinity School Address
- Uriel
- Concord Hymn
- Letter to Martin Van Buren, President of the United States
- Self-Reliance
- Compensation
- Concerning Brook Farm
- Man the Reformer
- Politics
- Journal entries: 1840 and 1844
- Ode: Inscribed to W. H. Channing
- Address to the Citizens of Concord
- Webster and 1854
- Journal entry: 1851
- Woman. A Lecture Read Before the Woman's Rights Convention, September 20, 1855
- Napoleon; or, the Man of the World from Representative Men
- Speech at a Meeting for the Relief of the Family of John Brown
- John Brown. Speech at Salem
- Fate
- Power
- Journal entry: 1862
- Index
- CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Summary
October 14, 1851
Today is holden at Worcester the “Woman's Convention.’’
I think that, as long as they have not equal rights of property & right of voting, they are not on a right footing. But this wrong grew out of the savage & military period, when, because a woman could not defend herself, it was necessary that she should be assigned to some man who was paid for guarding her. Now in more tranquil & decorous times it is plain she should have her property, &, when she marries, the parties should as regards property, go into a partnership full or limited, but explicit & recorded.
For the rest, I do not think a woman's convention, called in the spirit of this at Worcester, can much avail. It is an attempt to manufacture public opinion, & of course repels all persons who love the simple & direct method. I find the Evils real & great. If I go from Hanover street to Atkinson street – as I did yesterday – what hundreds of extremely ordinary, paltry, hopeless women I see, whose plight is piteous to think of. If it were possible to repair the rottenness of human nature, to provide a rejuvenescence, all were well, & no specific reform, no legislation would be needed. For, as soon as you have a sound & beautiful woman, a figure in the style of the Antique Juno, Diana, Pallas, Venus, & the Graces, all falls into place, the men are magnetised, heaven opens, & no lawyer need be called in to prepare a clause, for woman moulds the lawgiver. I should therefore advise that the Woman's Convention should be holden in the Sculpture Gallery, that this high remedy might be suggested.
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- Emerson: Political Writings , pp. 155 - 156Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008