ABSTRACT
Although the past session of our English Parliament has been unproductive of any laws advantageous to the condition of women, it is very satisfactory to find that this inaction is confined only to one country, and that in another land, distant only by a two days' journey, and closely allied to our own in descent and language, a very considerable advance has been made. Till lately, very little has been done towards improving the position of women in Norway. The ancient customs of the Scandinavian races, it is true, accorded higher respect to women than was the case in the southern nations of Europe, but the laws in modern times kept them in a great degree of subjection. When a few years ago Mies Aasta Hansteen, a Norwegian lady, commenced giving lectures upon the natural equality of women with men, she met with little or no support, and, by the Church particularly, was sternly opposed on the grounds of the woman's share in the original curse. Sweden, for the last generation has been gradually freeing herself from this relic of barbarism—the subjection of women. Denmark also has made progress, and now a really satisfactory movement has commenced in their sister country, Norway, and owing to the unflagging 413exertions of an earnest friend to women, Mr. H. E. Berner, a distinguished member of the Storthing or Norwegian Parliament, and Stats-Revisor, or Auditor of Public Accounts, the University of Christiana has been completely thrown open to women, and that highest of rights—the right to a good education, has been secured to them. Mr. Berner's good work began m 1882. In that year Miss Cscilia Thoresen decided to try to take an academic degree. Her father applied to the Minister of Public Instruction for the necessary authorization; the latter referred the application to the University Authorities, who in their turn submitted the portentous question to the Faculty of the Law School. In due time Miss Thoresen received the reply; " The admission of women to the University is denied, but we recognize the necessity of changing the law on this subject." Hereupon Mr. Berner introduced a Bill to enable women to take the two first degrees—Arts and Philosophy. The committee reported unanimously in favour of it. On March 30th, 1882, it passed without debate the Odelsthing, one of the two chambers of the Storthing, with only one dissentient voice, a clergyman's. On April 21st it received the unanimous vote of the other house, the Lagthing, and became law on June 15th, 1882.
