The next letter refers to my Lectures on the Duties of Women which I had just delivered.
“24, Grosvenor Square, W.,
“May 14th, 1880.
“Dear Miss Cobbe,
“... I admire your Lectures. But do you not try to make, ‘the sex’ a little too pugnacious? And why do you give ‘truth’ to the men, and deny it to the women?
“If you mean by ‘truth’ abstinence from fibs, I think that the females are as good as the males. But if you mean steadiness of friendship, adherence to principles, conscientiously not superficially entertained, and sincerity in a good cause, why, the women are far superior.
“Yours truly,
“Shaftesbury.”
“24, Grosvenor Square, W.,
“May 21st, 1880.