[Illustration: "_Broke the engagement off because the young man said
he had never heard of Browning._"]
Women exercise a great deal of influence upon the affairs of the
country, even without taking part in business, politics, or anything
of that sort. For all I know, there may be some girls here who will
affect political and many other movements in connection with the
welfare of the nation. Girls ought to be made to think that they will
have great power in the future, and to realise that they may be able
to influence some one for good, not by their great learning so much as
by the power that a good girl or a good woman exercises over men. I
heard the other day of a young lady who was engaged to be married, but
who broke off the engagement because the young man said he had never
heard of Browning. I am glad to be able to tell you that she thought
better of it afterwards.... It was said of the great Queen Cleopatra
that when the Roman Emperor fell in love with her she was the means of
altering the history of the world. Some say that if Cleopatra's nose
had been shorter, the face of the world would have been different. The
fate of some young men may depend upon the noses, as well as upon the
learning, of some of the girls present.
_Re-opening of Howell's School, Llandaff,
June 26th, 1900._