The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-05-22
WOmen's Want or Intuition.

VOmfn ffant VI lUtuItlUHs
II j. very generally believed that women
have intuitions which, In some things. are
more trustworthy than the slow inductions
OF the masculine intellect. Without ques-
tiOning the truth of this theory a. whole,
we are inclined 10 inquire how far il j. valid
in one OF the most important exigencies of
woman's life.
In the selection of husbands il Is obvi-
Gus. we think. that women are either too
anxious To escape a life of celibacy, and
hence neglect To obey their intuitiOns, or
that the gin TOO often altogether fails them.
I'm the ordinary intercourse Of life, women
are not prone To err in their judgments of
men, bur in the selection OF lft-partners
they seem 10 fall quite below the judgment
exhibited by men in the exercise OF this
function. Very young men are often
hopelessly fascinated BY women who are
entirely untitled for the duties of matri-
monlal life; but men Of matured age do
not. a. a class. lack discernment in judg-
ing Of the characters Of women. There
arr al all times OF life many delusiOns with
each sex pertaining 10 the other: these de-
lusions are more abundant with both men
and women under the age Of twenty-five
than with those above il; but, take what
age we will. il j. evident. We think. that
superior intuitiOns. are more prone 10 mis-
takes and false Judgments than men are.
In truth. tie illusions that women rest
under are sometimes very painful. The
obstinate persistence with which a girl
viii cling to lover whom those not
blessed with mtuitiOns. but having only
reason and logic a. their guides. know 10
be unworthy, all have seen. The mis-
takes that are continually made by young
women, whose intuitions are altogether
misleading. make up some of the most
direful and wretched pages OF domestic
history. So tar from intuition being of
the least aid 10 women I'm their contact
with men. II would seem very generally 10
play them false. Where the passion of
love is concerned, intuition rarely gives
them correct perception of chara ter.
Those women who choose well, choose AZ
men choose-by their judgment and the
exercise OF those just perceptions which
we all bring To that which we study; but
very rarely does the badness Of man. his
prOclivities. his weaknesses. his hidden ma
ture, reveal themselves to woman more
than 10 the other sex. Some bad men inn
press everybody with their evil tendency;
some false men are easily read by every
Observant eve; but il would seem a. If or
binary intuitions commonly failed a wo-
important step OF her life. She falls in
love against reason and against all
trustworthy instincts. She is for
ever insisting upon marrying the
man she ought not 10 marry. She
will not or cannot see that her lover is
unsteady in disposition. and will be prone
10 be led away into dissipation; or that he
is OF a cold temperament. and will be sure
not TO reward her devotion with warm
affection: or that lac is "A greedy money
getter who will forget his hearth-stone in
his passion for gain or that he j. indolent
and self-indulgent, and may even bring her
10 want; or that lac lacks steadfastness,
and may become weary of her; all or any
OF these phases OF character Others observe
or discover. but intuition. we may venture
To say. never finds them out.
Ii all this were not true. we would not
see so many unhappy marriages. Women
simply do not know men before they
marry them: their intuitions give them
no insight whatever; and hence they hur-
nv into relations which too often utterly
wreck their happiness. l. there any RENE
DIV. Nothing can. of course. prevent IN
happy marriages. Whether the free choice
exercised by women here, or selection by
parents. a. i'm Francc-which of these
methods gives the greater number of hap
py marriages il i not our present purpose
10 inquire. Wehave simply attempted 10
show that the much-talked-of and the
much-trusted intuitions of women are,
a. a rule. worthless in the important act
of selecting husband. and this evidence
may lead to the inquiry Of how tar they
may be trusted in other things. Perhaps
il may be- demonstrated that reason at AL
times is safer than instinct.--Appieton's
T,uyUof