Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-06-07
AMERICAN WOMEN.

We copy this paragraph from long article on
the subject, "Do American WOn'en converse
weU :"
"Napoleon the First is said to have made the
remark that France needed mothers. friend
of ours after travelling in Europe gave us as the
result of his observations, :hat no man who had
not travelled haG seen tDoman. We asked one OF
the most intelligent ladies Of our acquaintance,
who has visited Europe more than once, and
who, indeed, resided there for some time, wheth-
er the remarks Of our friend were true, and she
replied in the affirmative. The same persons
thought that the American women are prettier
and naturally more attractive than those q.
broad"
Two reasons IRE given why this natural at
Effectiveness of American women is not practi-
cally felt in society: first, the young are frivo-
lous and secondly, as consequence the mature
are common place. The writer then asks how
many ladies can converse intelligently and in
teresting1y in comparison with the men who
can and makes the grave charge that much of
the "rowdyism and blackguardism" Of our young
men, is owing to the intellectual and conversa-
tional deficiencies Of the young ladies. Young
men, be says, with ''any force of character, "
soon tire Of the merely frivolous gossip Of female
society, where no topic higher is discussed than
the last fashion, or the last concert, party or
ball; and betake themselves to "rowdyism"
for entertainment!
Now, without eulogizing the mixed society Of
our country in the least, young men with "any
force of character" will find more that is really
attractive" in the intercourse Of our maidens-
assume them to be as weak and frivolous as we
may-than in the company of rowdies and black
guards. The fact is, our experience conVinces
US that ordinarily there is q greater amount Of
intelligence, taste and refinement displayed in q
company made up of young men and young la'
dies, than in one composed entirely of young
men. How that force of character which would
drive young men from American female society,
would suffer them to run into American rowdy.
ism, is something beyond our comprehension
The cause of .he evil referred to, must be found
in something e.se. We believe any young mar
who is pre-disposed to be "wild," or 'fast,
can, if he will, always find counteractive, il
the society of one or more females Of his &C
quaintance, who are at least his equal in conver
sational ability. Some of the best and certainly
some of the most entertaining conversers VI
have ever known, were "American women
The London "ITamizy Friend" in serio-humor
Gus strain Of noralizing on this subject, says:
"It is a matter of common remark how superio,
American sDomen are generally TO the men snt
who can tell how far the marked Difference t
women has preserved those rude republicans from
lower state of social morals? What the inau
ence Of an aristocracy is upon public opinion
upon taste and manners, and all those things ir
life and feeling that are connected with them
such in measure is the true influence of women
affecting the whole current of acive life, withou
mingling in it"
The writer first quoted says again, that "men
ore made intelligent in America by politics, re
ligon business, and generally, by the grand scale
on which things must be done. The collisions
of the time make them emphtically men - while
the women knit and doze as old-fashionedly ant
gossip as garrulously as their grandmas did (
hundred years ago. We are ofopinion that these
"collisions of the time" when not participated
in or sympathized with, by woman, constitute
upon the whole the very bane and rottenness O
modern civilized society because they place mar
beyond the purifying and elevating influence o.
women. Rather, in order to attain the ends O.
his ambition, to carry out fully his worldly poll
cy, man thinks it waste of time to cultivate
the graces and amenities of life, growing out of fe
male intercourse. He rushes on in his own blinG
self reliance; and leaves woman to struggle
alone also, up the rugged paths Of life. HI
then blames her for not being able to entertain
him, when he has simply rendered it impossible