The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-16
WOMA NLLNESS.

We hear it sometimes said that men depre-
cate learning and genius in the opposite sex
because they are afraid of brilliant women.
But the men thus charged with mental pusil-
lanimity in regard to intellectual women are
not commonly supposed to exhibit similar
dread of learned and accomplished persons of
their own sex. No man withholds from a
club because great men belong to it, No
man is afraid OF a career at the bar, in lite
rature, or in politics, because distinguished
persons are connected d with those professions,
whom it will probably be his destiny to meet
and perhaps professionally to encounter.
Men, If any thing, are over-confdent in all
intellectual struggles with their fellows; self
respect, or pride, or conceit-some motive
either worthy or unworthy-prevents them
from acknowledging inferiority, even if they
are conscious of it. 1t cannot, therefore, be
that men dislike learned women because they
are apprehensive of intellectual force. People
are usually too unconscious of defeat In all
encounters of wit to dread it much. Their
very insensibility to the palpable hits and the
verbal triumphs Of an opponent give thom
no fear of the conversational arena. The
dulness or the indifference of men in this par
ticular is alone sufficient to prevent them
from disliking ability in women; and then
every man is SO profoundly assured of the
intellectual inferiority of the other sex that,
in the abundance of his confidence, he has
no doubt. Clever men know that the most
brilliant women are always vulnerable in
argument, and stupid men talk on without
ever knowing they are defeated. Why, then,
is conspicuous ability disliked in women
1t may be asserted by some people that We
are assuming our ground, and that it is not
certain that men are offended at the evidence
| of talent IN the other sex. We think it must
! be conceded they are-not but what every man
imagines women of genius in whom he could
| find delight; but, whatever learned women
may say or think about the matter, the first,
the second, and the third essential quality
that every man admires in his mother or
seeks for in wife is womanliness. If genius
and learning can enhance this supreme grace,
genius and learning will be admired in
women; but so long as it is believed that In
tellectual force extinguishes or diminishes
delicacy, gentleness, and sweetness, men will
dread its manifestation in their wives and
daughters. Frivolity and insipidity, which
men are accused of liking in women, are sim
they are accompanied by those
charms of sex that make women de-
liphtful. and which compensate for
so many shortcomings. Judgment, taste,
discretion. vivacity-all good qualities OF
sound minds, are excellent things; but even
these in women must be fused into har.
monious, mellow, unobtrusive unity. Deli
cacy OF apprenebsl0h, qhoAuess Oh PeioeP
tion, capacity of ppreciation-these supreme
womaniy qualities Of mild every man of taste
delights in; but loud argument, boisteroui
assertion, clamorous talk, these things men de
most decidedly dread 10 women, and these
things have too commonly. marked oar intel
lecrual Amazons. Do not let our ladies lay
the fiatteriDg JUNCTION to their souls that mel
fear their mental superiority; let them rathe
believe that there is gallantry enough amonl
Il ek.aar xr1nf.k
ourselves; but let them understand that, 81
long as man inberits the nature of Adam, tn
primal delight of his heart will be fresh, fair
and gentle women, and every honest man vii
confess that he does fear In woman whateve
may tend to rob her of these graces.
A maiden lady, alludlpg to her yo1thfu
v accomplishments, said that at six months OF az
= che went alone, malicious individual preseu
: remarked. Yes, you have been going alon
X ever since