[811] For example, see DR. STRAHAN, "The Struggle of the Sexes: its Effect upon the Race," _Humanitarian_, III (Nov., 1893), 349-57; replying to an article entitled "Sex Bias" in the same journal for July of that year; EDSON, "Women of Today," _North Am. Rev._, CLVII, 440-51; who is criticised by ICHENHAEUSER, _Die Ausnahmestellung Deutschlands in Sachen des Frauenstudiums_, 8 ff.; an article entitled "'Woman's Rights' Question Considered from a Biological Point of View," _Quart. Jour. of Sci._, XV, 469-84; which is effectually disposed of by WARD, "Our Better Halves," _Forum_, VI, 266-75. Ward is attacked by ALLEN, "Woman's Place in Nature," _Forum_, VII, 258-63. ROMANES, "Mental Differences of Men and Women," in _Pop. Sci. Monthly_, XXXI, 383-401, takes a conservative or intermediate position. A liberal view is held by BROOKS, "The Condition of Women Zoölogically," _ibid._, XV, 145 ff., 347 ff.; and by WHITE, "Woman's Place in Nature," _ibid._, VI, 292-301.
[812] CAIRD, _Morality of Marriage_, 13, 174, 175.
[813] Quoted by CAIRD, _op. cit._, 14. For a trenchant discussion of this point compare MILL, _Subjection of Women_, 38-52, 111 ff., _passim._
It is vain for "scientific optimism" to seek in "nature" a justification for woman's sexual subjection. "Independently ... of its false facts and false premises, this pretended scientific defense of the undue inequality of the sexes in man is fundamentally unsound in resting upon a thoroughly false assumption, which is only the more pernicious because widely prevalent. It assumes that whatever exists in nature must be the best possible state.... The only practical use to which we put science is to _improve upon nature_, to control all classes of forces, social forces included, to the end of bettering the conditions under which we inhabit the earth. This is true civilization, and all of it."[814]