Letter from Mary Lee, 8 January 1896 [Transcript]

South Australian suffragist, Mary Lee, writes to her friend, Robert Dawes on 8 January 1896:

'Your views about women made me think you are a convert to my favourite author Emmerson (sic). Have you been reading his book "Sesame & Lillies" It is a lovely book - he says to us women "There is not a war in the world, no nor an injustice, but you women are answerable for it, not in that you have provoked, but in that you have not hindered. Men, by their nature are prime to fight, they will fight for any cause or for none. It is for you to choose their cause for them & to forbid them when there is no cause. There is no suffering, no injustice, no misery in the earth but the guilt of it lies with you. . . .Men are feeble in sympathy & contracted in hope, it is you only who can feel the depths of pain & conceive the way of its healing."'

The letter is incomplete.

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