... these great improvements of modern times are blessings or curses on us, just in the same ratio as the mental, moral, and religious rule over the animal; or the animal propensities of our nature predominate over the intellectual and moral. The spider elaborates poison from the same flower, in which the bee finds materials out of which she manufactures honey.
Harriot Kezia Hunt... the prevalent custom of educating young women only for marriage, and not for the duties and responsibilities consequent on marriage--only for appendages and dead weights to husbands--of bringing them up without an occupation, profession, or employment, and thus leaving them dependent on anyone but themselves--is an enormous evil, and an unpardonable sin.
Harriot Kezia HuntIt is high time that the women of Republican America should know how much the laws that govern them are like the slave laws ofthe South.
Harriot Kezia Hunt... bringing up daughters for nothing but marriage, mingles poison in the cup of domestic life, is traitorous to the virtue of both sexes, for neither suffers alone--is adverse to the happiness, to the development of conscience and to religion, and introduces to the dwellings of wretchedness and despair. The result of this degradation is pride, intemperance, licentiousness--nay, every vice, misery, and degradation.
Harriot Kezia HuntHow can the physique be braced if no fresh breath from the outer world is suffered to permeate the languid, enervating air of thedrawing-room? How can the grasp of the mind be vigorous, without action? Daughters of inherited wealth, or accumulated labor! the wide door of philanthropy is open peculiarly to you! Your life-work lies beyond your threshold: your wealth has placed you above the sorrowful struggle for daily bread which takes up the whole time of so many of your brothers and sisters. You are the almoners of God. A double accountability is yours.
Harriot Kezia Hunt