The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-02-23
ONE TYPE OF MANHOOD.
BY CONSTANCE.

There is n class of men who do not
hesitate to declare that they could not
enjoy the society of women possessed of
intellectual capacity equal to their own.
Perhaps it is worth while to remark
that such persons, being the only judges
in the case, would, in all probability,
never find women equal to themselves.
1t seems to annoy this type of man.
hood exceedingly to perceive any de-
gree of mental ability in woman; he
seems to think that in proportion as she
is intellectually endowed that he is
robbed of his birthright-just as though
All Wise Providence did not know upon
whom to bestow his jewels.
o, man, if thou hast been parsimon-
iously dealt with, having received but
one talent, whereas thy sister has re-
ceived ten, we pray thee do not hide it
in the ground, lest when thy Master
calls thee to account therefor, it, too,
shall be taken from thee and given unto
her.
1t is a well known fact that intellec-
tual endowments, combined with moral
culture, render the possessor more noble
and magnanimous in his nature than
those who are not thus favored. 1t is
ever the really gifted and cultivated
whom trifies do not annoy, and who
ever meet misfortune with brave heart
uncomplainingly.
But how is it with man in regard to
/ the associations of his own sex? Docs
he choose those as companions whom
he considers inferior to himself? Were
he to answer that question in the af-
firmative, he would virtually acknowl-
edge that the tendency of his soul is for
ever downward (which we hope is not
true in many instanees). Nay, rather
does he strive to ascend the ladder of
greatness by holding to the hands of
those who are above him. If this is the
case with regard to the inclinations of
men toward each other, why should not
the society of intellectual women be
more desirable also. Can it be that
they think as did Dean Swift, that in
proportion as woman is educated her re-
spect for man will diminish? Or that,
considering herself his equal, she will
cease to worship at the shrine of his
greatness, thus depriving him of that
pride which he has heretofore enjoyed
on account of his supposed superiority? I?
We would have more sympathy with
this class of men were it not that, while
they deplore the encroachment of wom-
an upon their heritage-or that which
they claim to be theirs-they never fail
to numerically criticise her ignorance
and folly, and often accuse her of such,
when in reality her conduct is worthy
the highest commentator. ALAS"
they say, speaking of an associate whom
they consider unhappy in his domestic
relations, "what man he might have
been-what a wealthy and influential
citizen-had it not been for his ignorant,
extravagant, ungovernable wife, They
grow eloquently pathetic over the mis-
cries Of hen-pecked husbands, just as
though such a class of men really exist,
which we do not believe any more than
we believe that there really existed in
ancient times that class of women called
An'dzOHs, who perpetrated all the acts
of cruelty upon their husbands and chill
dren of which they are accused. Now
these men tell us, with the most ago
nizing terror depicted in their counte-
nances, that the women who advocate
wOman's rights are nothing but verita-
BILE Amazons, who, when their rights
are obtained, will render the men of the
nation as physically deformed and men,
tally degenerate, as they are now NOR
/ ally so.
While we would not have men with
, draw their sympathies from those OF
their own sex who have been unfortu-
D nate, we would have them consider that
while man has all the avenues to for.
tune and fame open TO him, woman is
4 not thus favored; and if his vices anG
follies are excused on account of his
i misfortunes, how much more ought her:
G to be on account of her condition in
life. Does he ever think, while ponder
ing over the DEFICIENCIES of womankind
r of what she might hare been had hel
soul been led from the depths of folly
and mental poverty by the inspiration
4 of some grand theme for thought anS
4 action i'm life? Man cannot know by
experience-and we fear that he seldom
a tries to imagine-the misery that sou
must endure having the consciousness
n Of power, and at the same time beint
q debarred by the usages of society from
exercising it in the way that the divin
ity within dictates.
There is nothing more destroying 4
II the human organization, both mental.
Il and physically, than a continual devO
], ton of the energies to labor which
uneongenial or distasteful to the per
II iormeri and the women of the world
/ whose occupation in life is optional wit
,e themselves, are remarkably few; an
> we VIII venture to say that where phys
cal hunger numbers its victims by tn
thousands, that starvation of soul mum
e bers them by tens Of thousands.
2 We fain would believe as divine
i sometimes tell us, that each sacrifo
/ here prepares us to enjoy a nobler exist
10 enee hereafter; but we cannot thin
that God delights in human sacrifie,
,e and reason tells us that each worthy or