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and for such reason, with them, they would no longer be considered fit even for a gentleman.

These folks have only sympathies with the past. They love to contemplate the world with their heads over their shoulders, turned as far backward as anatomy will permit to them that surpassing luxury. Nevertheless, there is a tenderness at times, in the regret of these folks, for vested interests a tenderness that makes it touching. Tell them, for instance, that this city of London is about to be veined with the electric telegraph; that wires vibrating with the pulse of human thought are about to be made messengers 'twixt man and man, and these people "beating their pensive bosoms," will say, "Yes, it is all very well," -with these whispering wires-this electric telegraph; "but if wires are to run upon messages, what—what is to become of the vested interests of the ticket porters? Why with these people the rising sun itself should be to them no other than a young fiery revolutionist, for he comes upon the world trampling over the vested interests —that is, the darkness of the last night. However, to briefly scan the various purposes of our institution, we intend to use two club-houses-two to begin with-whose members may obtain meals and refreshments at the lowest remunerating prices. Well, surely men threaten no danger to the state by dining. On the contrary, the greater danger sometimes is when men can get no dinner. In the most troublous times, knives are never to be made so harmless as when coupled with forks. Hence I do not see why the mutton-chop of a duke at the Western Athenæum might not be imagined to hold a very affable colloquy with the chop of a clerk, cooked at the Whittington. We next propose to have a library and a reading-room. We intend to place the spirits of the wise upon our shelves-and when did evil ever come of wisdom?

It is true our books may not be as richly burnished as the books of Western clubs-our library may not have the same delicious odor of Russian leather-in a word, our books may not have as good coats on their backs; but it will be our own fault if they have not the same ennobling spirit in their utterances. It is also proposed to give lectures in the various branches of literature, sci

ence, and art. Well, I believe I am not called upon to say anything in advance of this intention.

There was a time, indeed, when lectures addressed to the popular mind were condemned as only ministering to popular dissatisfaction. The lecturer was looked upon as a meek Guy Fawkes dressed for an evening part; and his lectures, like Acre's letter, were pronounced "to smell woundily of gunpowder." This is past. Literature, science, and art are now open sources; the padlocks are taken from the wells-come and drink! Languages, mathematics, music, painting, will be taught in the classes—in classes that I hope will, like the gourd, come up in their fulness in a night. Occasional entertainments, combining the attraction of music and conversation, will be givensuch attractions being enhanced by the presence of ladies.

And here I approach what I consider to be the most admirable, as it is the most novel, feature of the institution -the admission of females to all its privileges. I think the Whittington Club will enjoy the rare distinction of being the only club in London popular among its fair inhabitants. I know that this rule-the admission of ladies -has been made the subject of somewhat melancholy mirth. The female names already numbered best rebuke the scoffers; for have we not Mary Howitt-a name musical to the world's ear-a name fraught with memories of the gentlest and tenderest emotions of the human heart, voiced by the sweetest verse? Have we not, too, Mary Cowden Clarke, whose wonderful book, the "Concordance to Shakespeare," is a votive lamp lighted at the shrine of the poet-a lamp that will burn as long as Shakespeare's name is worshipped by the nations?

But I feel it would be more than discourtesy to such names, further to notice the wit made easy of those who sneer at the principle which admits ladies as members of the Whittington Club. "To employers and employed alike," says the prospectus, "the Whittington Club appeals with confidence for support."

Certainly to employers the institution offers the exercise of a great social duty, namely, to assist in a work that shall still tend to dignify the employed with a sense of self-respect at all times the surest guarantee of honest performance 'twixt man and man. Nevertheless, whilst

all such aid on the part of the richer members of the community must be cordially acknowledged by the less rich, the institution must depend, for a flourishing vitality, upon the energy of the employed themselves. Without that the institution cannot permanently succeed; and, further, it will not deserve success.

Yes, I am sure you feel this truth—a truth that, it is manifest, has been widely acknowledged, from the fact that, at the present moment, the Whittington Club numbers upwards of a thousand names, and the list is daily, hourly, lengthening.

May the spirit of Whittington wait on the good work! Yet, of Whittington, our patron-as I think we may venture to call him-how little do we truly know, and yet how much in that little! We see him, the child hero of our infancy, on Highgate stone-the orphan buffeted by the cruelty of the world-cruelty that is ever three parts ignorance-homeless, friendless, hopeless. He is then, in his little self, one of the saddest sights of earth-an orphan only looked upon by misery! And the legend tells us-and I am sure that there are none of us here who, if we could, would disbelieve it-the legend tells us that suddenly Bow bells rang out from London-from London, that stony-hearted mistress, that with threats and stripes, had sent the little wanderer forth. A voice flew from the far-off steeple-flew over field and meadowsang to the little outcast boy a song of hope.

Childish fancy dreamt the words, but hope supplied the music—“Turn again, Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London!" And the little hero rose and retraced his steps, with new strength, and hope, mysterious, in his little breast-returned to the city-drudged and drudged— and we know the golden end. In due time Bow bells were truest prophets. Such is the legend that delights us in childhood; but as we grow to maturity we see in the story something more than a tale. Yes, we recognize, in the career of Richard Whittington, that Saxon energy which has made the City of London what it is; we see and feel in it that commercial glory that wins the noblest conquest for the family of man; for the victories are bloodless. And therefore am I truly glad that our club carries the name—that when the idea of this institution rose in my

mind, rose instantly with it-the name of Whittington. And I cannot think it otherwise than a good omen that one of our houses already taken-the house in Gresham street-is a part of the estate of the little Highgate daydreamer. Yes, we are, so to speak, tenants of Richard Whittington. And in conclusion, let us hope that as, in the olden time, voices from Bow steeple called the hopeless wanderer to a long career of usefulness and fame, so may voices from this present meeting find their way to the hearts of many thousands of our mercantile and commercial brethren, crying to them: "Join us-join us, Whittingtons!"

DAVID STARR JORDAN

HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN

[Address of David Starr Jordan, President of Leland Stanford Junior University since 1891 (born in Gainesville, N. Y., January 19, 1851; −), delivered in 1895, at Pasadena, Cal.]

The subject of the higher training of young women may resolve itself into three questions:

I. Shall a girl receive a college education?

2.

Shall she receive the same kind of a college education as a boy?

3. Shall she be educated in the same college?

As to the first question: It must depend on the character of the girl. Precisely so with the boy. What we should do with either depends on his or her possibilities. No parents should let either boy or girl enter life with any less preparation than the best they can give. It is true that many college graduates, boys and girls alike, do not amount to much after the schools have done the best they can. It is true, as I have elsewhere insisted, that "you cannot fasten a two-thousand-dollar education to a fifty-cent boy"-or girl either. It is also true that higher education is not alone a question of preparing great men for great things. It must prepare even little men for greater things than they would otherwise have found possible. And so it is with the education of women. The needs of the times are imperative. The highest product of social evolution is the growth of the civilized homethe home that only a wise, cultivated, and high-minded woman can make. To furnish such women is one of the worthiest functions of higher education. No young woman capable of becoming such should be condemned

Copyright, by David Starr Jordan. Published by permission.

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