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                          JOSEPHINE E. BUTLER


            [Illustration: _Swan Electric Engraving Co Ltd_
                    (_after_) _G. Richmond, A.R.A._
                            _circa 1852_.]




                         _All rights reserved_

                          Josephine E. Butler

                     _AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR_

                               EDITED BY

                     GEORGE W. AND LUCY A. JOHNSON

                        _With Introduction by_
                       JAMES STUART, M.A., LL.D.

                           SECOND IMPRESSION

                                BRISTOL
                   J. W. ARROWSMITH, 11 QUAY STREET
                                LONDON
          SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & COMPANY LIMITED

                                 1909




PREFACE.


It is very difficult worthily to record the history of one of the
noblest women who ever lived, but, having been asked by the Ladies’
National Association for the Abolition of Government Regulation of Vice
to prepare a Memoir of Mrs. Josephine Butler, we have tried to tell her
life story as far as possible in her own words, by means of extracts
from her writings, with just sufficient thread of explanation to hold
them together. The present volume is therefore to a large extent an
autobiography, taken chiefly from her _Recollections of George Butler_,
and from _Personal Reminiscences of a Great Crusade_; but selections
have also been given from most of her principal publications, so as to
give some idea of her extensive literary work. We have not included any
_private_ letters, as it was her strongly expressed wish that these
should not be published.

Many of the quotations have been abridged, but they have not otherwise
been altered, except in a few cases where dates, etc., have been
corrected. We have however ventured, for the sake of securing a
continuous narrative, occasionally to combine passages taken from
different sources.

As this volume is intended to give an account of Mrs. Butler’s own life
and work, it has not been possible fully to sketch the history of the
movement, with which her name was specially identified, or to allude to
many of those associated with her in that movement, whose labours she
so heartily appreciated, and whose friendship she so greatly valued.

We are much indebted to the editors of _Joséphine E. Butler: Souvenirs
et Pensées_ (Saint-Blaise, Foyer Solidariste, 1908), having in many
cases used the same extracts as are given in that volume. We have also
to thank Mrs. Butler’s representatives and various publishers (Horace
Marshall & Son, Macmillan & Co., and others) for permission to quote
from copyright works.

  G. W. J.
  L. A. J.

_May 1st, 1909._




CONTENTS


  _Page_

  INTRODUCTION      ix

  CHAPTER I.
  DILSTON      1

  CHAPTER II.
  OXFORD      17

  CHAPTER III.
  CHELTENHAM      44

  CHAPTER IV.
  LIVERPOOL      56

  CHAPTER V.
  EDUCATION OF WOMEN      74

  CHAPTER VI.
  WOMEN’S REVOLT      87

  CHAPTER VII.
  COLCHESTER ELECTION      98

  CHAPTER VIII.
  APPEAL TO MAGNA CHARTA      113

  CHAPTER IX.
  MISSION TO CONTINENT      128

  CHAPTER X.
  THE FEDERATION      148

  CHAPTER XI.
  GOVERNMENT BY POLICE      165

  CHAPTER XII