The Report of the British Association for 1850, in summarising the paper above referred to (Note 1), says of Dr. Tilt that, “in discussing what he calls the intrinsic causes which have been supposed to influence menstruation, his observations are rather of a suggestive character, for he considers such causes highly problematical and requiring further investigation.” Dr. Tilt rightly emphasises the question as “a matter equally interesting to the physician, the philosopher, and the statesman; and it behoves them to know that this epoch (of menstruation) varies under the influence of causes which for the most part have been insufficiently studied.” But the negligence or carelessness reprobated in the verse has again supervened.
Buckle says, concerning this same paper of Dr. Tilt’s: “We take shame to ourselves for not having sooner noticed this very interesting and in some respects very important work; the author unknown,” (?) “and yet the book has gone through two editions, though written on a subject ignorantly supposed to be going on well. That women can be satisfied with their state shows their deterioration. That they can be satisfied with knowing nothing, &c.” (sic.) (“Miscellaneous and Posthumous Works,” Vol. I., p. 381.)
The whole passage seems somewhat incoherent, and is unfinished as above, as if left by Mr. Buckle for further consideration. The last two remarks as to women are certainly not written with his usual justice; when we remember how assiduously men have striven to prevent woman’s pursuit of physiological knowledge, especially as applied to her own person, it is manifest that the blame for woman’s ignorance, or her presumed “satisfaction” therewith, is more fittingly to be reproached to man than to her.
XXXI.
1.—“Her intellect alert ...”
“Intellectus prelucit voluntati.”—“Intellect carries the light before the will.”—Cardinal Manning (Review of Reviews, Vol. V., p. 135).
5, 6.—“... body still is supple unto mind,
By dint of soul is fleshly form inclined.”
Reflecting Plato’s teaching, our second worthy Elizabethan poet has said:—
“Every spirit as it is most pure,