Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-03-13
Blue-Stockings.

Mrs. Somerville showed how high 4
woman's scientific requirements would
carry' her in the estimation of men and
no one would venture to apply any epi-
thet of detraction to such ilustrious
names in literature as George Eliot, or
George Sand, or Jane Austen. 1t can
not, therefore, be the mere fact of Il
woman taking up a branch of study
not IN the ordinary course of young
ladys education that constitutes the
crime of being blue" Still less is it
the fact of woman being '.strong-
minded" There is a fond idea that
men prefer women of weak minds.
The truth is, that brains count with a
woman more than physical beauty, ex-
cept when that attains a rare pitch of
perfection. One has only to consider
the large number of married women
who bave no pretensions to good looks,
to see that their excellence must, if
anywhere, be in their minds. Nor is
1t rare thing to find 4 plain woman
master of half-a-dozen situations at
the same time. The cpithet strong
minded would be nearer the mark if it.
were "strong-mannered." 1t is not Il
strong mind that tells against woman.
1T is an offensive manner; and whatey-
er truth there may be in the objections
entertained against blue-stockinrs, i,
Is to be sought in their manner, not in
their mind. SO far as men are con
ccrncd we believe that to be the case,
but we are not so sure about women.
" omen are only too fond of getting
handle against each other and to the
mass of stupid, insipid girls, the dis
covcrv of the easy virtue of not being
49," --..-' ho..~ t-~-, - e-,-,--r I.
they have nothing else to recommend
them, they can warrant themselves ut
terly destitute OF strength of mind
Unfortunately, some ladies, who I'M.
doubledly possess strong minds, have
allowed themselves to play into the
hands of their less gifted but more
cunning sisters. Clever men, occa-
slona!iy. have odd ways. They exhibit
an aversion 10 clean linen, or an un-
wholesome prediIcction for mis-shapei
coats, or an affection for al old hat
that time never withers nor custom
stales. Sometimes they have an odd
lty of manner, a torgettulness Of their
social duties, and general bearing,
that mark them aS the chartered liber-
tines of social regulation. OF course
some able men are eccentric, and We
should be sorry to lift voice against
them but we DO not regret the rapid
disappearance of the social prlg, whose
eccentricitv is 4 sham, and his learning
not any letter. Undoubtedly women
have fallen into the mistake Of con-
founding oddity with genius. AS soon
as the ''bluc-stocKing" is discovered, a
certain number of girls with very little
intellect, but with morbid anxiety to-
be taken notice OF, affect strong-mind-
edness ; just as there are always peo-
pie who would sooner be kicked than
entirely neglected. But such girls are
necessarily few, and we believe the
social dislike concentrated in the word
"bue-stocking" has done, and is do
ing, great harm. 1t creates ridicu-
lous aversion to certain useful studies,
although we believe it is fast disap-
pearing in the attention now given to
the education of girls. While it lasts,
it does great mischief to those girls
who have plenty of intelIect-if it were
| properly cultivated, but which wants
encouragement for of course the giant
| intellects among women, as among
men, burst all barriers. This tells es-
pecially in the faculty Of invention, in
which as a rule women are so painfully
| deficient. Invention needs deal Of
encouragement, for it produces gener
ally ninety-nine failures for one sue
cess. If therefore, the first buds Of
originality are nipped by the frost of
criticism because they do not display
perfection of form, there will be a
wretchedly small crop. If we encour-
age even the waywardness of boys for
the sake of developing force of char
acter, so must we do with girls, if we
want to gather the proper fruits Of
their lmpressible minds. If, for the
sake OF indulging in laughter at few
odd ladies', We keep up the bogy of
"blue-stocking," we shall have the sat
isfaction of gaining little or nothing
and losing the rich fruits of woman's $
genies. 1t would, therefore, be no
misfortune if "blue-stockings" were
placed along with "Old Nick" as a
specimen of ancient superstition
London Examiner.
Whit tier being asked for an auto
: graph, at once complied by penning:
The name is but the shadow which we find