Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-15
How - TeIk 10 women.

There is good sense in the following,
which We copy from a Washington letter
to the New York Independent, the CORES
pendent being a lady;
at a small select party, the other even
ing, a learned Senator made me wonder
how old the world would be when great
men should speak to women as if they
wero sensible beingsl This gentleman
had been conversing with a brother Sena-
tor on a subject of public moment, which
interest us all, touching as nearly the wo-
men who love their country as the men.
Anybody with a tolerable knowledge of
the English language could have under
stood that conversation. AT least
the wife Of the Senator stood listenen-
ing with keen interest. But when the gen.
tlemen turned to address her, he altered
MS voice, he changed his manner, as with
one vast effort he dropped TO the level of
small talk. And, oh! what do you think
was the first thing he told herr A fb, of
course. He told her she "looked charm
ing the poor thing, standing there faded
and faded, in the pitiless gas light. Then
he asked her how many receptions she
had attended during the season. Then he
remarked on the weather Then he
hadn't anything more to say. Then he
looked awfully bored. Then he wondered
when supper would be ready. The lady
felt instinctively that the learned man
supposed, as a matter of course, that she
had neither knowledge nor interest in any
subject which could possibly interest him.
Timld and sensitive, she did not dare to
destroyt supposition by broaching Sub
iect, or expressing an opinion. lest this very
masculine man should change his mind,
and think her strong minded and un-
feminine. This lady had read much, and
thought more, and felt most keenly on
every subject of public and private veal.
And this wise man, in showing what he
supposed to be his superiority, showed
only how very stupid ever a wise man
may be. Thus, l am afraid that the
world will be very old before men will
realize that they can talk aught but the
smallest of talk to women whom they
meet in society. But, Monseigneurs, pray
do not make too great an effort to de-
scend to the level of our comprehension.
A woman need not be formidably strong
minded, nor frightfully literary, nor pain
fully scientific, to have common sense,
and to be able to talk sensibly on all gem
eral subjects. Women read newspapers
with as much avidity as men; and who
can read newspapers and remain ignorant
of the great questions of the day. With
ali our schools, the press is an ever-present
educator. Thus, my dear sir, very often,
when you are making yourself ridiculous
for the special benefit Of a lady, she is
silently gauging your comprehension, and
touching bottom all the while.
1t Is lamentable that our fashionable
Soirees and receptions, in their social and
mental tone, are thin, fimsy and frivo-
lous. Bad dressing, bad air and bad hours
mako them almost damnable. Where
fore is il that, will all the gifted and Gull
tivated men and women who gather here
every year, we do not renew, in our re-
publican capital, with purer morality and
finer enthusiasm, the buredsGr desprit of
the eighteenth century? Those polished
and elegant assemblies which did so much
in the highest sense to make Paris the
capital of the world, how they would soft
en- away the crudeness and ~coarseness of
Washington l I'M not talking of set
literary and art gatherings, where people
talk nothing but books and high art"
in phrases which neither themselves nor
any body else can understand; but of
those assemblages of the gifted and the
good, where, in genial intercourse and
free exchange of opinion, theinteIlect is
aroused, thought quickened, talent en-
Outraged and genius won from the soli-
tudes; where politics, philo ophy and
poetry, religion aud beauty, may meet and
commingle.