Sanitary and social lectures and essays / by Charles Kingsley.

  • Charles Kingsley
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sanitary and social lectures and essays / by Charles Kingsley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/320 page 7
    I.] right itThis, as many a beautiful Middle Age legend tells us, has been woman’s function in all uncivilised times; not merely to melt man’s heart to pity, but to awaken it to duty. But the man must see that the woman is in earnest: that if he will not repair the wrong by justice, she will, if possible (as in those old legends), by self-sacrifice. Be sure this method will conquer. Do but say: “ If you will not new-roof that cottage, if you will not make that drain, I will. I will not buy a new dress till it is done; I will sell the horse you gave me, pawn the bracelet you gave me, but the thing shall be done.” Let him see, I say, that you are in earnest, and he will feel that your message is a divine one, which he must obey for very shame and weariness, if for nothing else. This is in my eyes the second part of a woman’s parish work. I entreat you to bear it in mind when you hear, as I trust you will, lectures in this place upon that Sanitary Reform, with- out which all efforts for the bettering of the masses are in my eyes not only useless, but hypocritical. I will suppose, then, that you are fulfilling borne duties in self-restraint, and love, and in the fear of God. I will suppose that you are using all your woman’s influence on the mind of your family, in behalf of tenants and workmen ; and I tell you frankly, that unless this be first done, you are paying a tithe of mint and anise, and neglecting common righteousness
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