The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-10-18
We@saly Dignity.
London Saturday Review

''''"''" '"N"'"'s Ass'N"'
Nature. which has given weapons of a.
ssult or means Of defense 10 almost all living
creatures. has made man audaciOus and GU.
'!"wcl woman with dignity. Aud dignity
has The hes. of it. In fact. womanly disni
| ~ may bc accepted rs one among many
! explanations Of that Legendary power which
turned the bravest man to stone, and made
, the might Of the strongest like wafer in
their bones. What can any one do against
it: As well try to penetrate the urunadiilu'-
coat Of mail ly II needle, or mike hole IN
pSchylcrm bya pOpyun. - fire u woman
10 passion or melt her m pity when she has
once intrcnclc'i herself in the stronghold "f
her dignity. No argument can shake her.
u" reasoning convince her; despair dies
away in qurruloasness. and the plcad,nss Of
love itself fail dull and bIunted from her
stately self possession like SO many toy
-hafts hurled against . polished and impcn
"uablc surface. Indeed. how csn you rage
in singer, or abuse yourself in entreuiy to "a
creature who is iciIy polite, loflily unmovc.l.
not to be gouled into the smallest demon
s'rs.Wn which would put her in the wrong,
and give you a vantage point against her.
and whose calm eyes look ut you with N
kind of superior scorn, which. while it
msjdens you. offers No point Of attack ?
What can you do? Simply nothing. The
means Of defense which nature has given ure
unssss'lable. and . dign,fcd woman is
mistress Of the situation by The very power
Of ncga.ion, il hy none other But there
are various kinds "f dignity, and # some
are exaspeTaiing more than others. some are
very lovely and among the greatest charms
Of woma"I"ssi There Is in particular tia,
soft dignity which belongs to women who
are xffectiOna,c by nature and timid by
temperament, but who have reserve Of
self nspcc. that defends them against them
selves Is well rs against all others. These
have quiet dignity tempered by much
sweetness OF speech and manner that il the
lovclics: Of them all. the must'subile rs well
rs the most beautiful. They are like the
Lady in COmus. and seem to Cast the spell
M respect on all with whom they are 1850.
GATED. No man, say Of the cuSrsest filer.
and such rs only physical strength can con.
troll. could bc rude to them in word Or bru>
al in decd for there is something about
them. very indefinite. hut very strung wi,hal
which seems 10 give them special protection
from insolcnce; and = loving woman Of soft
manners, whose mind Is pure and who r.
sptr,s herself. is armed with power which
none bu, the vilest can despisc. TINS is the
woman WHO gets y prcc. Sc obedience from
her servants without exHcling il. and whose
children 40 no, dream Of disputing her
wishe-; who, though ~ gentle and af.be,
stops short Of tia; kind of familiarity which
breeds contempt. ard with whom, no one
takes liberty. For this one can scarcely
give Reason. She wOuld not ramp or rave
if she VA, di>picas ii. she would not scnll.
she would not strike: hut there is certain
quality in her We may not bc able 10 for. ,
mulnriz". vet which would make us a-ilam.
cd 10 pass beyond the boundaries of the
s,rir,csi respect. and which Restraints others
less consciously critical .h"n ourselves as
certainly ns frar. |, il NJ" respect We pay
t. those who rcsiWc, iht m.'lvc>; the con
si,leratiOn nnd honor w..ich all real purity
VI nature demands and Obtains This Is |
wOnanly dignity in its hvcIies' a-p"ci, AM!
the kind We NIL desire 10 see IL women.
whom il wOWll 10! harden, nor render less
loving