Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-02-09


Ideal Men.
A treatise upon ideals, in two parts
namely, l. Mans ideal woman; and 2.
Woman's ideal man-could hardly fail
TO contain much matter not only in
structive to the philosopher, but also
in the last degree useful ''tO persons
intending to marry;" and we strongly
recommend the idea 10 the notice
of any young aspiring author in
search of a subject. Part two Will OF
course be the one most interesting 10
the male reader and what a vista, when
we come to reflect upon ii, does II not
open out, There is often an attractive
ndirete about lady novelists which ena-
bles us TO see more deeply into their
views ON these subjects than Is possible
with their male compeers, who are too
apt i'm their character sketches TO allow
their imaginations to be hampered by
impertinent considerations of natural
ness and reality. From the lady novel;
ist. therefore, there is much to be
CLEANED on the subject of ideals. The
true specimen of idealism, however, Is
scarcely to be met with among the lady
novelists of our own day. We find the
ideal man in his perfection in such
novels as Miss Burney's and her imita-
tors, for Miss Burney had crowds OF
imitators, who have since been con-
signed TO a complete and happy obliv-
ion. Such ideals a these may well put
a man of any mOdesty TO the blush Can
it be possible that these sweet unsoph-
iscated souls ever expected to find such
walking catalogues of virtue among asP
The thought seems too overwhelming
till we observe that the ideals of these
days were always nobleman. We have
ground for hoping that even then no
commonor could have been found to
conform to such a standard. We may
trust, therefore, that when these de-
lightful authoresses got married, the
awakening was not 80 complete, nor
the disappointment so bitter, as might
have been supposed. However that
may be,this type which we may call the
romantic. or rOmantic-chivalrous, ideal,
seems to be dead among us now. Moth
ing, so far as we can judge, could be
more completely out of fashion. This
is, however, by no means saying that
he may not suddenly turn up again, if
not in the same, in a very slightly al
tered form. For not only does our
study of ideals show US that these airy
creations have their changes and fash
ions Just as much as coats or bonnetS
have-indeed Is it not.this very fact
which lends such importance to the
study we are but we
also find that the ideal man changes
from age to age with a rapidity and alb
ruptness i'm no way inferior to the
changes in ladies' costumes. Now in
mems costumes we know that there is
certain traceable order of modification.
The evolution of the hat has been trea-
ted of by philosophers: but who has
ever dared to predict or in any way ac-
count for the fashion of the next years
bonnets: All we do know is that we
shall be surprised. If very small bon
nets are the fashion one gear, we may
safely swear that very big hats will take
their place next: but to say whether
these will be vast in height or length
or breath defies augury. 1t is just so
with the ideal man. Who could have
fOrseen that when the romantic type
began to get tedious, Jane Eyre would
have arisen with her inimitable. though
often initiated. Rochester: No hero of
romance, before or since, has had such
time OF il as this great picture of ideal
lied brutality, or has been hOnored by
one 1.-THE of the number of imitatOrs.
His popularity supports Thackeray's
theory, that women always adore the
husbands who beat them; a doctrine,
however, which, in view of the expec-
ted legislation touching offenses against
the person, it were better perhaps
not to promulgate too widely. He is
still alive and flourishing among us,
this iron-jawed hero. Only the other
day we met with gentleman ''devour-
ing his meal in complete silence" and
only taking notice of those about him to
'sternly motion away the mustard-pot'
the mustard, we suppose, not being
TO his liking. There is no mistaking
real greatness. 1t will out. Whether
he be quelling untamed bloodhounds
by glance, or only quelling offending
mustard-pots, the true hero stands con-
fessed. In revenge for the iron-iawed
style of hero, however, we have the ut
terly bldSe and effeminate hero, who
seems to be rather a favorite just at
present; and heaven only knows what
new types our lady novelists may have
in store for us. 1t must be admitted
that these violent changes of fashion in
in the case of ideal man are little diff
ficult to account for. 1t does not seem
clear TO the eye of reason why all the
lady novelists of one generation should
have fancy for uniting themselves
with the high-flown, the accomplished,
the, i'll fact, elegant nobleman who has
all those polished virtues which We
know are never found in perfection but
under cOrOnet, and why all the ladies
of the next generation should be seized
with an unaeeOuntable passion for the
man with the iron jaw and iron muscles,
who seems ready to knock down the
heroine at moments notice. and, in
deed, commits toward her every sort of
brutality short of personal violence.
The reason of this, we say, is not plain
TO the philosopher, but the fact itself
cannot be too strongly impressed on the
minds of the ingenious youth ofthe pc
riod. 1t should provoke them to much
more careful and serious study of wo-
mems ideals than they give at present.
And the duty is more imperative now
adays because we have no writer of
fiction, male or female, who forms the
ideas of all the young ladies of the pc
Rod. In former times-in the good old
Byronic days, for instance, the days of
the Books Of BeGaty-the ideal man was
not difficult to arrive at. He required
almost no making-up. A loose collar,
long halr, bend of the shoulders, and |
the thing was done. But now it is a
more difficult matter. The young as
pirant has good many ideals to choose
from, and he can scarcely hope without |
careful study to hit upon the right one. |
-Sdturdry Rerieto.
Father and Son.