Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-02
The Changing Ideals.
{ From the LyHJOa WOrlLl


The iGcal man as q OtIng possessing all the
qualities proper 10 control, particularly
strength and courage. seems to be going out
OF fashion. The supposed wish Of our grand
mothers TO be mastered" III marriage, their
longing for the conviction that In their life
partners they had 10 deal with creatures OF
stronger Will, If not OF clearer Intellect than
themselves. Is thing unknown 10 their
granddaughter. Il fingers as Il tradition OF
state Of mind in popular proverbs in that
one especially about the woman and the
walnut tree, IN which the beating which IS
said TO be so conducive TO The imprON sneut
of these products Of nature is At the same
time implied 10 be not nnsuited TO the Wo-
mans taste. HeGcc the error OF the typical
Skies; for there can be lit'.e doubt that mach
OF the brutality Of the men Of the lower ciaS-
ses 10 their wives i due 10 the notion that
Iii" best way OF p!cSerTllz5 q wOmau's atlec-
lion = 20 snow her tIaJ NOu know bow tUeX-
cite her fears. Skies cannot 10 this by the
mllut of his intellect; hc therefore has re
course TO the might ofhis arm. lie bluuJeTS,
because The ideal is changing, and w0msa
no longer care TO be subdued, but ne deserves
q certain amount of pity "a victim 20 his
inability TO read the signs Of the tim rs
With every deSi re 10 do ri -ht GnSn he takes
up the poker, lac is doing wrong, because he
is wanting in latest intelligence as TO the
historic development of the fem nine ideal.
His mother liked ii, and why should uoS mis-
VIE! Inc best OF men might fail from the
same cause, are constantly falling In one de-
Iarl'ncni or other Of me work OF life. II
Skies had but the faintest ttHcture OF phil
pacIty for physical nor fJr moral dOn;ra-
lion over themselves are women now dis
poset 70 find the best title of The oppo= Ite sex
TO their gard. They dispute with man o.
every platform the supremacy OF might, in
the only form III which 1t is now permitted
10 exhibit its pTeteDsiOEs. They compete
with him in the work of life; they ask only
for fair play and "A free course
The awful question arises, What shall We
be when they nave entirely disabuscI Us AMI
themselves of the notion that We ought 10
frTuHN GgNt low 10 IlG4Tr
that; IL would not be prudent 10 carry their
victory too far, and, besides, il is l.CJ az all
certain that II would delight them 10 see as
In condition OF perfect dependence. Their
companions? That is more likely: but as 20
the kind OF companiOnship We, and probably
they, are Ia the DARK. The novels OF the day
give us no hint OF this future. They follow
a mere tradition. Their authors are as far
aStray, la their way, as poor Skies in ms
literal reading of the proverb. The strong
man glCrified in "Jane Eyre" has become a
theme for the wits in Guy Livingstone"
and the rest OF that series. When the first
Tamed book appeared, some poor fellow,
who had the iil-fortuue 10 be blessed with
neltheT spirit nor strength, complained that
all the men were "giVing themselves RDch-
ester airs" To become duly sensible OF the
change that has taken place. 10 would be
enough 10 Imagine the effect of Livingstone
airs al the present time. Ia the expressive
DhrasfOlOgy of the theater, ii simply
wouldn't draw" But what WouldP An!
who shall reyeal il 20 us? Mere prettiuesS?
fancy? the ardOr OF passionate sour bril-
ltaucy? mere beauty Of the body? The last
might have some chance; in Spain the wO-
men will hardly look at a man VINO has not
shapely foot. Who can tell Us o. The com
ing man? No one, We have a notion that
he will be person capable OF writing in-
Structivelyon EtruScan remains; but we are
forced to admit that we have little or moth
ing TO show for il. All that we can
affirm for certain is, that he must be COM
ing. For men and for women the world or
their joint ideal is changing, changing: they
can say 10 more on either side.
For this, too, is not 10 he forgotten-swe IT.
cCDiidiBg, innocent, Ignorant Dully-the ma
turaI com llement TO the strong, protecting
ma G, is ''going out" like him. AT one tins
Ii re seemed 70 he some likelihood that she
was to be succeeded by a young person with
power Of outrunning the field In a fox chase,
and of correcting an insoleut groom with
strokes OF the whip. But this was mere
whim OF fashion that established nothing:
and the representative young person Is still
10 be built up i'll the work shop offancy by q
selection of the best of all feminine attri-
butes that shall be found pleasing in the new
time. We think-itiS but guess On a point
of detail-that she will wear glasses; not
spectacles, mind but simply pince-neZ, and
That she Will he expected not 10 scream at The
sight OF spider, and not 10 do without false
hair. AS 10 the rest, we frankly confess 1t is
all CimmeTian night.
MOTHER IN-LAw.-Why Is it that the
English spes klng man loves not the presence
and is Indifferent 10 the memory of the
mother in Law? And why, as a general
at this?
at was the night on which John Todd
made hiE great speech 10 the coiored popu-
iation on Munjoy Hill. Capt. Morrill, from