Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-15
MEN AND WOMEN.
Are They Fond Of Each Other?

The Pan Mall Gazette is exercised over the
question whether "men are more interesting to
more in women to interest thu m than they do in
men, The Gazette comes to the unwelcOme
conclusion that the pretended fOndness OF the
TWO sexes Tor one another Is the great funtia-
mental hypocrisy OF the race. 1t would be un-
fair to dwell too much on the circumstance that
tLey make one another uncomfortable i'm a way
that men never make men nor women women,
taking that fact by itself. This might be a mere
result OF their being different. But review of
the whole case tends to establish a general
incOmTatibility between the two. Things will
have to alter very much il M N and women are
To get along well together. The pretence that
they are dying of sheer liking for one anOther
IS not only not proved. it is disproved. Not
merely Il that kind of mortality wholly absent
rom the returns, but after all these centuries
the two sexes greatly keep alOof from one
another Whenever Won can get glimpse OF
Their true tendencies. IL comes out clearly
enough that men and women are domestic crea-
tures under ccmpulsion. All kinds OF social
eohtrlVances have been tried, the real purpose
81 which, no matter how it may be disguised,
Is to separate the sexes, and 80 secure for each
the pleasure OF being only in its own society
There Is no sacrifice men will not make to get
this luxury. They viii support tie cOstlicst
clubs, they will smoke, they viii pretend any
recreation from cards down to billiards, sooner
than not be apart from women for portion Of
their time. The like thing holds of the ladies'
in their own way. The inability of the men 10
stay at home allows their wives to assemble
mutual clubs in their ovE drawing ro0ms, and
4
women have hdndrcis-jUst as many as there
are houses
The truth il. the tastes Of The sexes radically
differ AT home feminine lkiBgs prevail and
ttere Is no man who - not more OF less aware
that the minor arrangements ard the wonder
Ini, ana, to him, superhuous filigree-like orns-
mehtan1n OF hrs house, are not for him, nor for
his sex, hut for the other. just as little can il
be doubted that men and women dress each for
their own Sex; that it is the admiration of their
own kind, not OF the opposite one. they lay
ssf M
at each Others styles, both always seif-com-
placent, and altogether emitting criticism OF
Conversation equally betrays this natural
opposition. IL the sexes had real respect for one
another, would they indulge in those unbelieya-
Die compliments? Neither does it to those OF
their own Kind whom they honestly like. The
artificial kind of talk which H. the Evolutionary
custom OF the sexes is plainly that OF creatures
who do not understand each other and have
mutual suspicious. Being strange, they be:ake
themselves to compliments. =
A quaiihcation in reference to family rela-
tlons has 10 be made. To man his mother is
not wOman-she Is a divinity; the like partly
holds In girl of her father; and brothers and
sisters are not Of any sex. But get outside this
non-sexual circle, and the antipathy quickly
comes INTO play. Boys nearly hate girls and
the feeling is returned; old men care nothing
ior women OF any age, except "a nurses; Old
women women srsfp tSss,sheI n Is only during the
to be civil to one another, In fact. If nature
had not forced men and women 10 leave eaci,
otner curing that portion wfliy-niily, and given
them that incredible and pcrpieNing bribe of
cDildr,n. IL is doubtful whether they would any
mutual liking. Love is al that exists between
the IN.
IL Il astonishing, considering what cOml.lJte.
Intricate. long association the brinsing m a
family ties couple 10, that theydo not become
more really intimate than they do event the
best cases. Doubt may well be felt that there
are few husbands and wives who, in spite OF All
the trials they have shared, have not at the
bottom OF their hearts a sense OF grievance one
against the other.
lt Is all very sad; but IL cannot be helped
The sexes are partial failure, and somehow
mas risen an enormous eNaggcratiOn OF their
hk ng for one another. Looked at calmly, the
interest with each has for the other is woflily
lacking in versatility; il is alike monOtOnous
and small-mere love, in tact.