Thoughts and Things

Clare begins with a discussion of the bust of Hawthorne sculpted by Lousia Lander currently on view at the Dusseldorf Gallery. Clare also mentions some of the artist's other work. Clare then engages in a lengthy discussion of women and men's "very vaugue and eccentric notions about morals" (2). Clare claims that men, especially "the professionally moral ones," "suppose women to be virtuous only because they are slaves to custom" (2). Clare argues that virtue cannot exist for women (or anyone) unless there is "freedom of action" and that virtue is what makes women good, not rigid moral standards (2). She also claims that a woman cannot be virtuous until she has "fully loved," and insists that virtue consists of love and freedom (2). Clare highlights the differences between the moral woman and the virtuous one, claiming that one honors laws while the other honors God (2). Finally, Clare includes a note about an inquiry she received from the Editor of the Sunday Courier about the writer she feels is superior to Hawthorne. Clare names Miss Harriett Prescott as Hawthorne's superior.