The Portland daily press., 1875-06-10
[From the New York Tribune.
Damon and PytLia.

II is one of the Oldest philosophical specula-
tions whether true friendship, in the usual
sense of the word, can exist between Man and
Woman. 1t is easy to see that there must TO
certain elements in such affections as we are
discussing, not reierable directly to love, and
yet distinct from anything to be observed in Or
dinary friendships of men for men or women
for women. 1t is impossible for a gentleman
to be fond of woman and forget that he is a
gentleman. He carries the gallantry of all his
grandfathers in his mind and heart and man
ner No more than Don Quixote can he di-
vest himself of a certain Difference toward the
sex. He wears cloth and not iron, carries a
cane instead of IL lance, goes in hat aud not
a helmet, does not know gules from fesse.
plays upon no instrument of music, reads no
romances, frequents no touIneys-yet he is
knight still, and knightly in all his ways. We
wonder sometimes whether the idea of the pro
lection by the stronger of the weaker will ever
utterly disappear from our social arrangements,
1t shows itself in the street car, the drawing
room to-day as plainly as it was seen of old
in Spain or in Provence. As last reminis-
cence of careful manners, man still takes off
bis hat to woman, and all women, though
they may deny it, are pleased with the atten-
ton. And so in q mans friendly intercourse
with ladies' fair or not fair, is he not, meta
phorically speaking, always takip e off his hat:
The platforms have not reformed us out of that
pretty custom yet. But there are so many pure
and innocent pleasures out of which the fright
of great scandal may cheat us that it seems
really WOrLn WnlIo 10 revise 1uOgmeDt, anu
to inquire il hereafter we must 90 about ia mail
OF perpetual precaution, as courtly and stately
as Sir Charles Grandson, as apprehensive and
vigilant as Pamela, thus making the dance of
life one long minuet?
Now, let US at once eliminate from this dis
cussion all fools, knaves, blackguards, tlirts,
ravaging wolves, and silly little lambs. Let US
pus ourselves upon our honor, and remember
that We are responsible TO God ana cur own
souls for our good behaviour. Several things
in ano of Oon n Aisha tnna tn
believe in, and among them are the purity of
woman and the honor of man. We are old
fashioned enough to think that not only IS it
best to be right and to do right, but that a
considerable portion of our fellow creatures are
of the same mind, both in theory and prac-
tlce, so far as natural infrmity of will and of
conscience may permit.
We have heretofore discussed the friend
ship of men for men. That which they may
entertain for women must, of course, he modi-
fed by obvious considerations; aud, as TO
many matters. it must be Invested of extreme
familiarity Still, we are not sure that this
does not give to it one of its charms To
man tired of the toll and hustle of lfe's
endless collisions, good woman offers a new
atmosphere. and the ministry Of her soft
ness and quiet, of her self-abnegation and svm-
pathy. She is outside the fields of battle.
She proffers change of association, and
change for the better. Her voice manners, and
gentle ways; her wonderfully intelligent SYM
pathies and community of tastes; her feminine
methods of thought and intuitons which are
perpetual surprise; her confiding and uncon-
taminated nature-all these make her friend
ship such as a mans cannot be and ought not
to be- 1t is different but for that reason it is
not less but more delightful. Its value in the
economy of life is incomputable-lt is recrea-
tion, rest, encouragement, and stimulus A
great many of these honorable associations are
never formed, and many of them are reluc-
family abandoned, because the world pleases
to be talkative. When shall we begin to have
little more confidence in the virtue, self
respect, religion, and forbearance of one an
other? Why should Damon be forced to give
up his pleasant evening with Pythia, because
silly people wag their heads aud look wise and
whisper: 1--WE could an we would?" Is it,
then, concluded and settled that there is moth
ing true and honorable left ON earth? If those
who affirm this did but know half the mis-
chief which they are thus doing, not only TO
themselves but others, might they not possibly
stop talking for at least a quarter of an hour?