ion of their rights and an equal start with men in the race of life have been their "battle ery." To-day they are able to compete with "men in almost every walk of life: they have proved themselves in many ways their equal and it has nowadays be-Jcome almost a commonplace to read of some daring exploit by a woman, This change has come about slowly. How slowly, Shanghai was reminded on October 21. ina. lecture delivered by Mr. L. Gronvold, the Consul General for Norway, at the American Women's Club. He made his hearers. throw their minds back to so long a period as a century ago to discover the source of wo-ion. The spark that set the flame alight was that ideal istic, yet vivid and forceful personality, Camilla Collett the Norwegian woman pioneer, is doubtful that her name is! very, well known in England, but to Norwegians abe is the ideal of womanhood. Behind the Royal Palace in Oslo Norwegian women have erected a most beautiful monument to her, a lasting tribute of their love and admiration. She had beauty that defied deseriptio coupled with the highest intollectus gifts—a rare combination. Like most of those who devote their lives to a "cause," she sacrificed her own happiness for her ideals. Tew only towards the end of her life that her most daring ambition was realised—the Universities of Norway were at last opened to women!
It was inevitable that so gracious! and beautiful a woman should have wonderful love in her life. This!
was the key-note of her whole existence, and was comparable with that of Dante and Beatrice, She met Welhaven, the twenty-two year old oct, who inspired this great love, When she was but a romantic young girl; but the love lasted her lifetime. And here lies the great tragedy of her life—the young poet did not return her love. But Camilla was too forceful a personality to allow this great sorrow to warp her life or interfere with her aspirations In 1829 another man came into her life, Jonas Collett, whom she subsequently married. "He encourages her literary talents, which developed greatly under me fluence. Later she came under the spell of Georges Sand, the French for whom she had the highest. inspired by hor noble character and the former was her staunch supporter in her fight for the rights of humanity. She was the heroine of) some of his finest plays.
For all her greatness, in the-end she was, a sad and lonely figure, bit she set the flame of progress alight, consuming the old prejudices that: stood in the way of her happiness And that of countless other women. The flame is still burning.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.