ABSTRACT
In every department, therefore, of women's work and women's claims, we have reason to feel that the close of this year shows progress. Other years may have given us more brilliant records, but few have given greater promise for the future. The advance of this year lies chiefly in the greater facilities and freedom, which it offers to women to accomplish good work. "Get leave to work," said Mrs. Browning, ''in this world 'tis the best you get at all." Women's work has been hitherto cramped in every direction by artificial restrictions; one by one these restrictions are being removed, and their right to labour in the social and industrial field on an equal footing with men is being more widely recognised. "New occasions teach new duties" ; new rightR bring new responsibilities,· but if some women are less free to lead idle and pleasureloving lives than formerly, they may find compensation in feeling that by their efforts the lives of the vast majority of women are made less hard, leBS dull, and less cramped, and they will not grudge the responsibility that the nobler and fuller life brings with it.
