, 1881-04-10
HAVE WOMEN~1NTUITIONS? :?
Do They Sec Deeper into Fla:stunc
Than EIe1a.

10 4HeS sec 0EesaGF INTO Il ElAssS1Anc
ti,:s1e EIe1a!
-tpptetons JDurnat for March.
1t is very g2ueraliY assumed that women .1.rc
superior to i1en III their intuisions. We=lre
told continually by novelists, social essuyi i'ts,
ana wo:1lu-be philosophers of tho trAwin.-r.om
that, while tnnu Is forced to reach conclusions
by lae)nrious processes OF reasoning, wos.lan
leaps to hers by swift and unerrinS intuition.
Tais tiiu:: has been asserted So often that m:iny
people acccpt it It's matter Ut course; We do
not remember, indeed, of ever herring the as
scrtion disputed.
Nevertheless we believe the theory to be .ten-
titcy wi1hant support There is not only not
the slightest evidence in its fuvoc but all the
tacts distinctly Indicate that there is no s,lch
thing. 70 declare thut women have the r,.Iser
of EcrccsviuY facts OF nct1ui ring true kn,wl-
edge by intuition Is to enduw then, with ri xtil
sense; to equip ihena in way that must ns.;t:s-
sarily give them :tn advantage over rucu iii
nearly all the affairs OF life. III such q else,
women would be safer guides than men III ai-
most everything. and especially in tEosc things
unsusccptbc of proof, in which we are nsscs-
sary governed by our Mnressions.
Women ought to TT. admitting. this thcuso- to
be true. muth better Judges of character tnnl
men. They wo,id be furnished with n1cai,.s for
more prutnpt decision in many emcrges'sics
They would make fewer mistakes i1s social .4eS-
tions. They would be- better protected ag.Hnat
the designs Of sconndrels:. They would be less
easily led away by false logic. lutuiuonnl per
cept1ons be.g tho operation Of 1t natural f.rce.
women wht, possess thcn w0utl 1lot only bt able
to reach results sooner than men, but their sttl
cllsit,.s would he ustrc sound and trtsIwntlhy.
For To reason rightly requires trimming En'i cx-
I'crience,. and, consequently. white men >'ith
ltiG experience anu no trAtll, Eulllsl StllitIblc
:.reatiy in their efforts to str evidence an,t- ar
rive ut the truth, women would commonly bc
really To proyc its al,sur.iity. But let j see
how intuition serves women III Affairs EeNtrAtly.
We have never been able to detect In tho t:thcr
sex special fitness for dealing with tho !',ob-
lens OF life, big Or little.
II women hive i:,taitionai perceptions, shey
ought to be very successful spectators, snd,
though they canDI well go in1u Wall =, reef
themselves. WAtt-strcet men would te, slso in
such Il case to act solely by the advice AMI di-
,v.,ilrd themselves Of this power their hind.
they would soou drive bachelor brokers tLt OF
the field. or 1T least int" Inatrnony II were
true, no poiitciHn would ever make = Hlovs
without having first consulted the futuito15 OF
some accomplished wo1IsHn.
Women have sometimes ncted wise parts III
politics. ind some successful mcn hnve ack .{,wi |
cdgca tho happy aid rendered. by their wlses:
but In these occusion;u instances the wymcn
sUniny powers; they have. VT may be sure,
aidcd the men ;,lons the lines the men .laEc
worked; they hnrc helped them to their cnsJs by
the highway of reason and judgment, nntt not
scduccd them into tnorasses BY promises Ut tnys~
tcrou5 short cuts.
In orouary business there is no evidence that
intuition is worth uuythtnu. much less equal in
value TO-. experience. or that it can III any: why
be substituted fur it. The trader. min Or w.nan,
who, instead ut studying tho market. b'.,lght
aud sold By intuition, would soon 80 to w.ack.
In domestic life women do not secure ulorc
trussy friends than men do: they are not ijtore
successful thau tncn in selecting servnts: they
to not adjust themselves more happily IT, tho
1empcrs aud fnittnYs of companions. nor sflurc
quickly perceive the consequences OF i.-nis-
spoken wurd read character tnUTt. ncctl{ {7ttC
IT, nor exhibit more insight into tho future thin
tho masculine sex docs
In ndiviJunls, hut there is no evidence or rcc-
ord attniiubie to show that the differruce =ep:1-
rates ulong the line Of tho sex; and it Is nIlor1
ous!y tho woman and nut tho mum VIM T. de-
ceivcd by tho soft manners and oily prcteli slon5
of the quuck: 1t Is tho woman always Mino Is
overcome By tho hypocri1ica1 unctions "} the
Rev. Honcyrnnns.
And now we reach tho n,at decided test * all
The rnost fnportautevcnt in the life OF Il xznar
would the power OF tntultionut perception have
Il hctter opportunity tt evtncc Itself, or &c OF
greater service to the p1sscssor.
This may be fairly called critical test: and
the moment we 9pply it VIC see thst tho t.eory
falls to the ground utterly. That men. VII. .cot.
fesscdty are without ,ituit}ons Prs! often nh "a
women do? Nen are often fascinaied y: n:sd !
women; but of uh hopclesly blind crc:tures |
there Is none 10 equal IL young woman enai,:oEcd
of al unworthy man. I
sometimes snowy. innnteiy vulgar fellow, with
bud habits, uIld atrocious tastes; sometimes 4
man whose fibre Is conrse, and who is stte to |
develop into II brutal und tyralnnIcal ns4ster; !
sometimes it is svhose cold and s4:lash !
beg ri Is for rhe moment concealed undt7 tho ]
ntrectuuon of sympathy and affection. III yhut- |
ever gui5e it cumes, the wn1EAn, in q majority
OF instances, Is utterly 'aeiudcd.
She falls to see the mask. nr to detect tbs real
that it hides. She refuses to ss en- IL
reuson; she will not believe the wise cauti rs Of
her friends: she rejects evidence; she wiz not !
listen to nflnlouitions OF warnings: she ,z;sals
upon trusting to her i..tu!aons- calets alsi.
Us consequence, her happiness IS wrecked FOR