New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-08
DAMON And PYTUId.

Z
lations whether true friendship in the usual
sense of the word, can exist between Man and
Woman. 1t is easy to see that there must be GER
tain elements in such affections as we are dis-
cussng not referable directly to love, ana YET
distinct from anything to be observed IN ordl-
nary friendships of men for men or women LOT
women. 1t is impossible for gentleman TO DC
fond of a woman and forget that he is gen.
tleman. He carries the gallantry Of all his
erandfathers in his mind and heart and man
ner. No more than Don Quixote can he divest
himself of a certain Difference toward the sex.
He wears cloth and not iron, carries cane
instead of lance. goes in hat and not
helmet, does not know gules from Jesse, plays
unon no instrument of music, reads no ro-
mances frequents no tourneys-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.
II shows itself in the street, the street-car, the
drawins-rOOm to-day as plainly as 1t was seen
of old in Spain or in Provence. AS last
reminiscence of careful manners, man still
takes Oft his hat to woman, and all women,
though they may deny it, are pleased with the
attention. And 80 in q mans friendly inter
course with ladies' fair or not fair, he not meta
phorically speaking, always taking OIL his nat
The platforms have not reformed us out or that
pretty custom yet But there are so many pure
and innocent pleasures out OF which the fright
of q great scandal may cheat us that
il seems really worth while to revise our Judg-
ment, and to inquire if hereafter we must 90
about in mail of perpetual precaution, a.
courtly and stately as Sir Charles Grandson,
~ apprchensiye and vigilant as Pamela, thus
making tho dance of life one long minuetf
Now. let us at once eliminate from this
discussion all fools, knaves, backguards,
firts rayaging wolves, and silly little
lambs. Let us put ourselves upon our
honor, and remember that we are Responsible
to God and our own souls for our good be-
hayior Several things in this age of general
disbelief we continue to believe in, and
among them are the purity of woman and
tbe 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 considerable
portion of our fellow creatures are OF the same
mind, both in theory and practice, so far as
natural infirmity of will and of conscience may
permit.
We have heretofore discussed the friend
shin of men for men. That which they
NAV entertain for women must, OF
course, be modified by obvious considerations
and. rs 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 a man tired of the toll and hustle of life's
endless collisions, good woman offers
new atmosphere, and the ministry of her soft
IL ,1,,oc f,nn opHa m
pathy. She is outside the fields OF battle
She proffers change OF association, anu
change for the better. Her voice, manners,
gentle ways her wonderfully intelligent sym
pathies and community of tastes; her feminine
methods of thought, and munitions which are
a perpetual surprises her confiding and uncon-
taminated nature-al these make her friend
shin such as u mans cannot be and ought not
to be. 1t is different, but for that reason 1t IS
not less but more delightful. Its value in the
economy of life is incomputabe-it il recrea-
ton, rest, encouragement, and stimulus. A
great many of these honorable associations are
never formed, and many OF them are
reluctantly 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
another7 Why should Damon be forced to
give up his pleasant evenings with Pythia, be-
cause silly people wag their heads and look
wise, and whisper: 1--WE could an we wouldf"
Is it, then, concluded and settled that there is
nothing true and honorable left on earth Ii
those who affirm this did but know half the
mischief which they are thus doing, not only
to themselves but others, might they not pos
sibly stop talking for at least quarter OF an
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