A history of English sexual morals / by Ivan Bloch ; translated by William H. Forstern.

  • Iwan Bloch
Date:
1936
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A history of English sexual morals / by Ivan Bloch ; translated by William H. Forstern. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    George Eliot (1819-80) was perhaps the most important of all European women-novelists: in her novels (Scenes of Clerical Life, The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, Middle- march) she endeavoured to solve contemporary problems, both philosophical and social, by bringing her genius to bear upon them; she was a poet whose name ' posterity will mention in the same breath with Dickens and Thackeray1 '. As regards art, English women have only excelled as painters during the last century. Fanny Reynolds, the por- trait painter, ' merely imitates her famous brother's faults ', his pupil, James Northcote, remarked; Mrs. Conway dis- tinguished herself as a miniature painter, Mrs. Carpenter as a painter of landscapes2. In 1859 Miss Herford, Mrs. Grote and Mrs. Lind- Goldschmidt founded the Society of Lady Artists, which held its fortieth exhibition in 18953. There were opera-singers in England from the beginning of the eighteenth century, and composers from 1780, amongst others Mrs. Beardman, Kate Fanny Loder, Eliza Flower, Mrs. Barnard, etc.4 Ever since the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the Duchess of Marlborough played such an important part in political life, English women have taken a lively interest in politics and have been especially active at elections. Moreover, the ladies of the eighteenth century delighted to discourse on political topics in their letters5. In May 1738 there was an interesting debate, behind closed doors, in the House of Lords, to which only members of the Commons were to be admitted; a group of ladies determined to flout the order. At 9 a.m. they appeared at the door and Sir 1 Ernst von Wolzogen, George Eliot. Leipzig, 1885. P. 228. 2 G. Hill, loc. cit., Vol. I, pp. 294, 296. 'Ibid., Vol. II, p. 168. 4 Ibid., Vol. II, pp. 172-174. 6 Ibid., Vol. I, p. 336. [43]