Abstract

England has had many learned women not merely readers but writers of the learned languages in Elizabeth s time and afterwards women of deeper acquirements than are common now in the greater diffusion of letters and yet where were the poetesses The divine breath why did it never pass even in the lyrical form over the lips of a woman How strange And can we deny that it was so I look everywhere for grandmothers and see none It is not in the filial spirit I am deficient I do assure you witness my reverent love of the grandfathers 1