LIFE OF COBDEN, fan
1861. may depend on it they can only rise by similar efforts, snd
Zr. 57. the more plainly they are told so the better,”

810

(16.) To J. Parkes.
Arlds-Dufour—The Rights of Women.
“ Feb. 11, 1860.—1It is charming to see him at sixty-five
with his heart still running off with his head! He would
not allow the word ‘obey’ to be used by women in the
marriage ceremony, and has other very rebellious notions
My doctrine is that in proportion as physical force declines
in the world, and moral power acquires the ascendant, women
will gain in the scale. Christianity in its doctrines, though
not yet coming up to its own standard in its practice, did
more than anything since the world began to elevate women.
The Quakers have acted Christianity, and their women have
approached nearer to an equality with the other sex than
any of the descendants of Eve. I am always labouring 0
put down physical force, and substitute something better,
and therefore I consider myself a fellow-labourer with your
danghter in the cause of women’s rights! And yet, strang®
to say, women are the greatest favourers of soldiering and
sailoring and all that appertains to war.”

It was the 6th of May before Cobden arrived in Paris on
his way home. On the 12th, he had an audience of the
Emperor at the Tuileries—the last interview that they bad.
“ May 12.—~The Emperor spoke upon the Turkish question
and the affairs of Syria, and seemed to regret the misunderstandings
 which arose upon the subject between himself and
the English Government. I suggested that the two countries
should come to a frank agreement; that neither of them
would take a hectare of territory from Turkey in Europe
that the same policy should be enforced upon Russia and
Austria; that then the doctrine of non-intervention which