The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-09-18
TIE EPICENE SEX.
From the Saturday Revlew.l

The latest development of the Impulses
which animate the eplcene Sex has taken It's
expression in aiter-dinner oratory. IL we
were as malicious TO women Us these whose
follles we rebuke would have the world De-
lieye, we should encourage them to fight It
ont with womanly modesty and the worlds
esteem on this line. Their worst enemies
could not wish 10 see them infllct on them
selves a greater annoyance than the obliga-
ton of getting on their legs alter the cheese
has bepl removed, to Turn on a stream OF YER
bal iDs!pidiLy for. q quarter OF an hour az a
stretch. None but men who have something
10 saw on the subject that may be In hand,
and so are glad or every opportunity no mat,
Ter how unsatisfactory, or men who are eaten
no with vanity. take pleasure III. speechitylng
alter dinner. It's useIessness is apparent; lls
mock hiiarity is ghastly; even NJ political
..bapuuets," when words are supposed 10 haVe
some deep meaning, we get very lltLle realty
In IT: while oil the funny part Of the business
is of the drearlest comedy, Inc mosC als-
tracing pretence imaginable. III anytnlng
were wanting TO show now much VaulGy
nrnmnts a certain class oil women In their
wavs nnd works. and how tremendous their
passion Tor notoriety and personal display, IL
would he This assumption of the functions Oh
lhe post-prandlal orator. Indeed, they nave
taken greatly Of lale to public speaking all
round; and some among them seem only easy
when they are standing before q crowd 20 De
admired II they are pretty, applauaea II tney
are pert. and, In any case, the centre OF attrac-
tIon for line moment. We do not look forward
with pleasure to the time when ladies will rise
after their champagne and port. with flushed
cheeks and ewes more bright than beautiful,
sIeadylpg themselves adroitly against The back
Of their cnairs, aud rolling out either those In
terminable periods with no nominatiVes and
no climax, under which we have all 30 often
suffered, or systematically Jerking lorLh O lew
unconnected sentences OF which the sole merit
ia their breyity. In the beginning OF things,
when the wedge has to be introduced, only
the hest of It's kind puts Itself forward, and
doubtless the ladies who have already varied
the dull routine of atter-diDner oratOry
by their liYelIer utterances, have done the
thing comparatively well, and avoided o break
down; but we own that We tremble at the
thought of the flood of, feminine eloquence
which will be- let loose II the fashion spreads.
Fancy the heavy British matron rearing her
annie shoulders above the board, as she lays
down Lhe law on the duties of men towards
women-especially sonS.luQ W-and the ad-
vantage to all concerned If wives are literally
dealt with in the matter Of housekeeping mo-
new. and let 10 60 their " Without martial
hIndrance. Or think OF the woman's rights
m with her hybrid costume and her hard
face. showing society how it can be saved
from destruction only by throwing the balance
of mower Into the hands OF women, and
swampipc that rude, rough, masculine ele-
ment which has so long mlsmanaged matters
| by the nobler and brighter Instincts Of the OPP
pressed sex. Or even think OF the coquettish
| and allurlng little woman getling up be-
fore a crowd OF men and frlng on the
| neatest and smartest park OF verbal ar
| tlllery posslble-every shot of which tells
ana ia applauded to the echo. How will
men take It? For ourselves, having too sin
| cere q respect for women as they ought 10 be,
| and "a nature meant them 10 BE-, We do not
| wish to se them turned INTO social buffOons, the
mark for ieering comments and angry Misses
when what they say dlspleases their hearers,
| and told TO ''sit and "sbut up" VIII
entreaties to some strong man to take them
| out of That and carry them home TO the nurse.
ryn by a hundred voices %ruughened with
drink and shouting. But II women expecl
that hostile feelings and opinions Will DC
tanned or altogether suppressed In tnelr hOnol
because they choose 10 thrust themselves
where they have no business, they VIII nnG
ont their mistake perhaps when too late. l
thew abandon their sale cover and come Out
into the open. they must look 10 be hill JUS
ike the rest, We cannot too oflen repeat thai
If thew will mingle in the specialties OF mems
lives thew must put up with mems treatment
and not cry out when they are struck home
In Difference to them, plain-speaking hal
been banlshed from the drawing room
of society; but 1t is too much TO expec
men to sit under heavy boredom or tatuou
rabble without winciDg, and it Ia childish Il
ask us to make a free gift of our truth ami
time to women who outrage one and vast
the other. On the other hand, the cheers tina
wonld follow If they hit the hnmor ofthe hour
or if, being specially pretty or specially smart
thew afforded 30 much more excitement to tn
guests, would. TO our minds, be just as offer
sive as the rougher truth, and. perhaps, NOR
80. The leering appreciation of men neve
oyer-nice in thought and now heated viii
wine, such. as are always TO be found at publ
dinners, is an inflction from which we Shout
have Imagined any woman with purity 9
seltrespect would shrink with shame and dh
NAV. But women who take to after.dinne
aIeechese cannot expect to be fastidiOus,