CHAPTER IV

THE INFLUENCE OF POSITIVISM UPON WOMEN 227

Women represent the affective element in our nature, as philosophers and people represent the intellectual and practical elements--Women have stood aloof from the modern movement, because of its anti-historic and destructive character--But they will sympathize with constructive tendencies; and will distinguish sound philosophy from scientific specialities--Women’s position in society. Like philosophers and people, their part is not to govern, but to modify--The united action of philosophers, women, and proletaries constitutes Moral Force--Superiority of the new spiritual power to the old. Self-regarding tendencies of Catholic doctrine--The spirit of Positivism, on the contrary, is essentially social. The Heart and the Intellect mutually strengthen each other--Intellectual and moral affinities of women with Positivism--Catholicism purified love, but did not directly strengthen it--Women’s influence over the working classes and their teachers--Their social influence in the _salon_--But the Family is their principal sphere of action--Woman’s mission as a wife. Conjugal love an education for universal sympathy--Conditions of marriage. Indissoluble monogamy--Perpetual widowhood--Woman’s mission as a mother--Education of children belongs to mothers. They only can guide the development of character--Modern sophisms about Woman’s rights. The domesticity of her life follows from the principle of Separation of Powers--The position of the sexes tends to differentiation rather than identity--Woman to be maintained by Man--The education of women should be identical with that of men--Women’s privileges. Their mission is in itself a privilege--They will receive honour and worship from men--Development of mediæval chivalry--The practice of Prayer, so far from disappearing, is purified and strengthened in Positive religion--The worship of Woman a preparation for the worship of Humanity--Exceptional women. Joan of Arc--It is for women to introduce Positivism into the Southern nations.