Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-09-19

Nomanly dignity.

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From ihc London saturday Review.
Romanly Dignity.
Nature. which la- given weapons Of as
-it,It ormcau~ ol defence 20 almost all liy-
inc ,reature~. La- made man audaciou>, and
has endowed woman with dignity. And
dignity has the ht~tOf it. In fact womanly
dignity may De accepted as one among many
explanations Of that legendary power which
turned the brayc,t man TO stone, and made
the might Of the strongest like water in
their bones What can any one do against
r2 As well Try To penetrate the arnadil-
lbs coat of mail 10y needle, or make hole
iu Iachvderm bv o popcun, as fire a wo-
man tl passion or melt her To pity when she
has once cntrcnched herself in the strong
hold OF her dignity. No argument can
shake her, no reasoning convince her; des-
pair dies away to qucrulou>ncsS and the
pcldiu.- of love itself fall dull and bluntcd
from her stately ~el-posee->ion like 50 many
tlv shafts hurled against polished and I'M
peuetmhle surface. Indeed how can you
rage in anger. o- aba~c yourself in cntrcatv,
q, 90 creature who is icily polite. lottily un-
moved not % hc rolded into the smallest de
m0uStmtion which would put her in the
wrong and give vou 1antare-p0int against
her, and whose calm eyes look mt YOU with a
Kind of superior sc,m which, while 1t mad
den~ you, offers no point of attack? What
can you do2 Simply nothing. The means of
defence which nature has given are unaS~lil-
able. and digniicd woman Is mistress of
the situation by the very power OF uegation,
if by none other. But there are various
kinds of dignity. and if some are more eX-
asperating than others. some are very lovely
and among the greatest charms Of woman
hood. There is in particular that soft dig
nitv which belongs 10 women who are atiec-
touatc by nature and timid br temperament,
but who have a reserve of scli-respect that
defends them against themselves as well a.
against others. These have a quiet dignity.
tempered bv much sweetness of speech and
manner. that is the loyeiieSt kind of all, and
tie most subtle as well as the most beauti-
iu. They are like the Lady in ComuS, and
seem to cast the spell of respect on all with
whom they are associated. oman save of
the c0ar~e~t fibre. and such as only physical
strength can control. could he rude 10 them
in word or brutal in deed for there Is
something about them very indefinite but
very strong withal. which seems to give
;hcm special protection from insalencc; and
q loving woman of soft manners. whose
mind Is pure and who respects herself, Is
armed with a power which none but the yilc.t
can dc~pi-e This Is the woman who ge's
Irr.ise obedience from her servants without
expecting it, ami whose children do not
dream Of di-mting herwi~he- . who, though
81, gentle and alahlc. stops short of that
kind of familiarity which breeds contempt.
and with whom no one takes liberty. For
tii- one can scarcely give "a reason. She
would not ramp or rave IL she was displea--
l she would not sc0ld, she would not
strike: hut there Is "a certain quality in her
which we may not be able to lomularize.
ret which would make us ashamed 20 pass
l-voul the boundaries of the Stricte~t res
rtct and which rcstraiu~ Others less con-
~.iuu-lv critical than ourselves as certainly
a- fear. 1t is the respect We pay to those
who respect themselves the consideration
and honor which all real purity of nature
demands and obtains This Is womanly dig
nifty IN its loyelie~t aspect. and the kind we
a.. desire 10 see in women, whom it would
mott harden. nor render less than loving.
Then there Is the more aggressive. strut
ti4., stage kind of dignity, which we meet
BOO historical romancc- chiefly where ''ayaunt,
base eaitii- is phrase of power, and where
100 unprotected dam,el. in a robe of d" rich
~lmite bright with her back hair down
and carrying small jewellers shop on her
person, is able by the magic of her dignity
alone to defend herself from the base designs
of mamuding har1ns and the depredations
ol meaner kuavcs tanning the wild beasts
among men as ma tanned her lion. This is
@ picture cxquiSitciy fascinating to the Young.
and firmly believed in. We doubt, however,
if any enthusiastic girl would find she pos
~es~ed the gift If She went into the thieves
quarter in London with her purse in her
pocket and her dignity aS her soleSaieguard
and We think She would do better to trust
10 the police This kind of dignity. trans
atei into the home life, Is troublesome
sort of thing. bat sometimes it Is intensely
odd. If one can afford the time to beamused
and dignifcd woman Of the stage heroic
Sind. who " draws herself up to her fall
height. as novelistS say, and speaks in an
octave below her usual voice when she Is
offended. is pretty sure TO have plenty of oc-
H-irs for the exercise of her talent.
There Is another kind of dignity-the
i grim kind. repellcnt and ironb0und-where-
ly sou feel yourself pushed back before you
have made advance where indeed the whole
rule Of life seems to be to rcpel ON all sides
/. Women afflicted with this species of dignity
are always on the lookout for assaults. and
Consequently are always thrusting their
shield of defence in your face You do not
want 10 trouble them in their dignity You
are not thinking of invading that or this
>lcred province vet you are suddenly met
/ - d Ii D.. "a.
makes you feel as if you had received blow.
Some playful word, some laughing and ridi-
culous accusation, OF quite innocentallusion,
and you are treated as misdemeanant
who has grieyously offended against good
manners and womanly dignity. There are
some women constitutionally incapable Of
understanding anything like playfulEcss and
who can make no distinction between fan
and impcrtincnce. laughing humor and
taking liberties They wrap themselves up
IN robe OF majesty. and resent aS rudeneSs
any homely touch which ignores their state
ly drapery. They are women about whose
affairs You know absolutely nothing. though
You may be their friend of a lifetime You
never hear them tell the most harmless anec-
dote frankly, butalways with a severe air of
mystery and something hidden YOU never
hear them discuss the least important sub
icct freely You would not dare To ask
them. friends as You are, things which You
would ask comparative stranger without
hesitation and they never volunteer inl0raa-
4 ton. They would consider it liberty if
8 You wanted particulars as to the treatment
a they had pursued. say in such or such case
OF illness and they are far too disnifed to
help the inexperienced Of their youngers
"a by their own acquired store. One often
n wonders what these women are as mothers
81 with young daughters TO instruct and
4 whether their dignity can unbend 50 far as
4 TO give lessons to girls who have everything
to learn. They are 50 grim, 50 far removed
4 IRON any of the kindly iamiliarities, the ma
4 ternal tenderneSses OF ordinary women, that
We find ii hard To believe there can ever be
moments in which, or persons to whom. they
3 can eondescend To be natural. Akin to
these, but not identical, are the coldly dig
nifed women-those who keep themselves
x apart from their world for want of warmth
to eoalesce. They are not 50 aggressive as
81 The grim ones, and not 80 apt to take offence
81 OF 10 see an insult where none was meant /:
- Dut they are as impenetrable, and as imper-
~ Nious TO humor. The difference between the
Two KINDS hes in the temper the dignity
Isl oi 'he grim being dignity soured by ill-ha-
NOR, that OF the cold being dignity harden
III ed by Indifference. Neither Is admirable,