Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-19

feminine accomplishment OF wheedlIng, they
| insist on claiming as original sexual superior
| tiles. However, philosophy declares, With
1 the most brutal candOT, that these qualities
owe their origin to the animal instinct OF
| self-preservation, working under conditions
which happily differ widely from those which
/ at present prevail. A woman's desire to
| fascinate must have received a considerable
stimulus from the sense that safety OF life
and limb from the fury of a U'orose bar
| barian depended on the success OF her
| efforts at ingratiation; and it is safe to con-
clude that her powers of interpreting the
moods of her savage mate or OF depressing
exhibitions of feeling likely to give him
! ofieGse were marvelcusly quickened by the
| reflection that her lord and master Rlight
resent any error in the one direction or in
discretion in the other by dashing her brains
| out, and not improbably eating her alter
ward. "When Adam delved and Eve span,
| where was then the gentleman fairly ex-
| presses feeling which is common among
| ignorant opponents of social distinctions.
The traditional mother OF mankind might
have echoed this sentiment, but in very
different sense. 1t is conceivable that some
| of the amenities OF later civilization might
| have proved a welcome relief to the harsh
ness of her ordinary life. We can imagine
| that Adam, after days delviDg in the earth
cursed for his sake, or toilsome war Of ex
| termination against thorns and thistles, may
! have required some little managing" in the
| bosom Of his family; and it is hard to sup
| pose that the domestic harmony OF this
| primitive circle can have been largely pro-
NOTED by the presence OF such a person as
Cain. However, with the habits OF these
early times we have no further concern than
| to mark their contrast with those of the
| present day. We no longer habitually
butcher our wives, nor even subject them TO
that Hodici cdstigatio sanctioned by Roman
law. On the contrary, the tables have been
| completely turned: Woman has made good
| use of the weapons which her wants have
fashioned; the arts which originated in self
defense are now employed for subjugation;
and from the covering squaw of antiquity
| natural selection has evolved in the lady OF
civilization "a fearfully efficient man
wheedling machine" Theoretically, then,
woman's claim to the courtesy and homage
| of man is now admitted on all hands, but
| practical experience makes it difficult TO re-
| sist the conclusion that the Silvius Of the
nineteenth century is not "all alteration,
| duty and Observance in his attitude to the
| other sex. Without reviving in full detail
| the practices of the times when woman was
"half wife, half chattel," we are careful to
| keep alive the relics of their actuating
| spirit. In ballroom, for instance, we may
be seen appropriating their fans to ourexclu-
sive enjoyment. We "give" them dances in
! our own lordly way, and If a mistake arises
| in respect of dance SO "given," We some
| times express our convictions with an en-
| gsging frankness which savors less Of the
retort courteous than of the lie direct.
| We leave their invitations answered or
unanswered at our own sweet will (prob-
| ably a token of suzerainty), and we
| repay our hostess efforts to entertain us by
| the graceful tribute Of looking bored. Mr..
Trollope has recorded a protest against the
men and the manners that can endure to
| discuss ladies openly by their christian
4 -
| growth of i'll weeds and thrives upace.
| Feminine views on the subject of tobacco
! have OF late years been so far modified as to
| partially vitiate any comparison with the
past; but it would be instructive to know
| how many men yet adhere to the graceful
custom OF removing the cigar from the lips
| on meeting a lady. The easy grace OF cour-
tesy is too often replaced by a slangy famil-
iarity not seldom tinged with strain of in
! delicacy, and In all ways there Is probably
less inward respect, and certainly less out
| ward Difference to woman than an older ideal
| of manners demanded. 1t is sometimes
urged that whatever be the defects OF mod
ern manners, they contrast most favOrably
with those which prevailed in the good old
times" so often eulogized and so seldom I'M
! derstood. But here, again, we must take
| into account the different social conditions
of a century ago. Modern taste may
sicken at grossness OF speech and action
| which even the presence OF women was
| not always efiectual to restrain, but
it must not be forgotten that these
belong to the age when the culture
of tine average man was practically nal, and
| that of the average woman eliminated In
department and samples work. Coarseness
that would now be resented as an insult for
merly passed the merest badinage, and,
without defending dueling, it may be
| doubted whether intentional sights, especial
| ly 70 moi m 10 a
when the ethics of courtesy had their sane
| ton in the sword. Women, no doubt, are
| the principal victims OF the degeneracy OF
| manners, but at the same time they
partly responsible for its existence. The
| same progressive influences which have acted
so powerfully on men have had their eti,c
| on the opposite sex also. Woman has at
last awakened from the torpor OF ages and is
fain to be up and doing such share OF the
| common work OF humanity as falls TO her
| hand. The gain to the community, from
this accession to its working power is i'm
mense, but the wholesome impulse which
prompts it is mischievously perverted in the
present tendency of women to identity
| their activities OF mind and body
| with those of men. That there is much
common ground where man and woman
may proftably work hand in hand is
daily becoming more manifest; but it Is
| equally plain that there distinct social
| energies of either sex which at best can be
only imperfectly discharged by the other.
| So long therefore, as the activities OF woman
| kind do not encroach on the domain OF Pc
culiarly masculine occupations, the work OF
| the community is relatively well DONE and
| the social equilibrium remains mistaken.
But the moment this line is passed, not only
| does the sum total of work suffer, but man
| being constrained TO regard woman less as
! coadjutor and more as a rival, there ensues a
!. Il l, 4b,
! delicate graces OF life apt to go to the
| wall. That chivalry or defer. nee to woman
| should flourish in such an atmosphere is out
| of the question, for though these are not,
| the noisy advocates of her so-called rights
would have it, mere concessions accorded in
good-Datured contempt for her supposed
| inferiority, they are the outward and visible
signs of an inward, and we may almost say
| spiritual feeling of tender reverence for the
! beauty of her womanhood-a feeling which
becomes meaningless and impossible II men
and women are held to be in all respects alike.
| But, though the responsibility for this
| social disorder must be shared by both sexes,
| its remedy lies almost wholly IN the hand OF
woman. Where the instincts are faulty,
! direct appeals to the reason are not OF much
| avail To exhOrt a man not to be a sDob Is
| as idle as to recommend change of skin to
! the Ethiop. But beyond the power which
| belongs to woman as queen OF society OF eX-
| Guiding by her simple veto communicating
influences from the circles over which she
reIgns, she also enjoys, in virtue of her wo-
manfiness, the rare gift of insensibly REIN
ing by her presence the coarseness with which
she may be brought in contact. Mr.. Austin
Dobson has described one whose
purity doth hedge her
| Round with such delicate divinity, that men
| Stained to the soul with mOney-bag ana ledger
| Bend 10 the goddess manifest again"
! Beyond all doubt there are many such, and
it is to them that We must look for the re-
generating impulse which modern manners
demand. The value of their womanly quail
tiles to society should make us regard with
| jealousy all influences tending to their de-
structIon. Their total disappearance would
| be calamity with which We hope and be-
! lieve we may never be visited; but, should
time give the lie TO our predictions and the
evil days come upon US when, by the decay
of these qualities, society shall have lost its
! best bulwark against influx of corrupt
| ing elements, the world may grid up its
loins and prepare to enter upon a new phase
OF social development, for the age Of chiY-
airy will indeed have departed.
The Kiss in History,
Philadelphia Press
1t was by kiss that the dark-browed Ju-