The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-10

individuality in the man she gives her life to:
otherwise he is doomed to become what many
womens husbands area mere appendage.
Some OF the most pleasing pages Of this
book are those which treat Of the little follies
OF Moe women. The author says truly that
woman. subject az she Is to irrational caprlces
and incessant variability. fraught as she is
with ever-recurring charm and incorrigibls
weakness. is. after all. but human nature dis
titled and intensified 1t is true. also. that the
most captivating women are those who are
least perfect. Even the good woman, who has
been called IN understudy for an angel. is not
consistent. nor would men love her II she were.
What lover. for instance. ever found fault with
the impulse that leads the feminine mind
always to fall foul OF 1.-The other woman"
rather than OF the man. Lady Violet would
ascribo this idiosyncrasy to a distorted sense
OF loyalty to the beloved object But II might
BIO explained on more general principles H. "a
our. author asserts. tho hatred Of women for
their own sex Is as characteristic as their love
for the other. We are assured that, although
every woman has bosom friend, even she
cannot escape tho searching. scathng criticism
Of her second SELF Poor Lofty. she is 30
nico. isn't she3 Quite sweet woman. but it's
quite right In saying that were q man
to venture upon such o speech about
his comrade. their friendship would i'm
mediatey end. With women. on the other
hand. 1t serves Just to add little plQuant
sauce to m otherwise insipid morsel. The
author COOS on to surprise us with the In
formation that nothing gives some women
such exquisite delight as to steal away an-
others lover. although what she calls trifling
bit OF sport would seem to man very like
treachery. She does 1t, however. 80 smilingiy
and with such seeming innocence that for her
men find excuses. On the whole. Lady Violet.
who perhaps has Feuilet's novel; m. do
Camors," in mind. has arrived,at tho conclu-
sion that women are deficient In the keen
sense Of honor which often stands worldly
men In lieu OF religion. aud which makes it o
cardinal sin for one man to clrcumvent an
othor by intrigue and deception. Tho
author thinks that in love mems sense OF
honor may possibly suffer some eclipse.
though she admits that even In their love
affairs some mon have u mertorious regard
for TRUTH But women, che says. have often
queer idoas of what truth means. One will NIB
to hor husband. because to know tho exact
truth might annoy him: 30 that in some house,
holds code Of alleged truth. adapted to va
rious occasions. obtains. Another will think
1t no wrong to dissemble to her lover. her
dressmaker. her mother. or her hairdrcsser.
CLOSING over little fraities or imperfections.
OF course. no woman was ever known to ac-
knowledge that she squeezed hor waist. The
fact Is really" she ayers. that my gown is 80
large 1t positively hangs on me-" Neither was
q woman ever known to rouge. although to
make up is now. we are told. as common in
London society as OH the STAGE 1t is always
the heat Of the room. or the cold wind. that
has caused the becoming flush. The no.
ton that any woman was ever extrava-
giant must also be rejected for want OF evil
dcnce. My dear" the unjustly accused one
says. II am really positive miser: my hus-
band is always asking and imploring me to
spend more. But. then. Jack Is so reckless and
cigars are so expensive" Passing to the aph-
orism that women are made up Of contraries
Lady Violet warns US solemnly against the
little. gentle fearful creatu who look as II
they would scream at the sight Of q mouse
They are the stuff. she tells us, Of which ty-
rants are made. Their porcelain ehina deli
cacy is sham: they are really made OF cast
iron: they ALWAYS have strength to do what
they like. so where thoy like. and marry the
man they like. It may BIO doubted. however.
whether this type Of femininity is capable OF
love. Not without reason did Thackeray rank
Becky Sharp among tho little women: they.
according to our author.aro the really dan
gerous ones.
VII.
20. There are few pages In tits volume In
which are not interspersod some references to
flirting. but Lady Violet Greville recognizes
the gravity and completely OF the theme by
ultimately giving It a chapter to itself. What
would society be. she asks. without flirtatiop.
and she answers the question by averring that
all H. 1tL aAn1,, sr,,
for the purpose OF rendering filtration easy
aid agreeable. She puzzles us a little. how
ever. by first proclaiming flirting an art, and
then insisting that it requires no experience.
We will not dcny. however. that whether it DO
true or no that the little girl is born an ar
rant coQuette, she can at oil events laugh In
her sleeve at tho clumsy overtures OF love-
sick boy. Lady Violet. indeed. maintains that
it Is the greatest mistake to suppose that girls
are shy. They may pretend to be. but in
reality they are audacous to the verge OF
rashness. 1t is the boy who is diffldent:
who longs to declare his love. but dare not:
who distrusts himself: who given an inch.
will not take an ell: who sees only dangers
and difficulties ahead. As to women. whether
maids or wives. they all. according to our
authority. require in love one OF three things
amusement. sympathy. or alteration. Flirta-
tion combines the three and. when sagely
conducted. Is fraught with no untoward conse-
quences. We all know. says Lady Violet, tho
fraternal phase SO dear to some chilly natures
that arc incapable or afraid Of passion, the
myth OF intellectual brotherhood that satisfies
them. the pleasant intimate conversation that
seems to them 30 destitute OF harm. rs he
not quite like brother to me p the lady will
reply III innocent establishment to any re-
monstrance addressed to her. scouting with
wide blue eyes the notion that man
cannot feel toward any pretty Young
woman as no does toward his sister. And
when the man. tired Of fruitess wan
behring's In tho pays du tend,e. shows dissatis-
faction and demands his wages for all tho
time spent and signs exhaled. tho lady. appar-
emily surprised and shocked. gives him his
congo. leaving her victim to rail ever after at |
the GOODNESS and heartlessness OF women. The |
author OF this book AYERS. and no one. we fancy.
will dispute her assertion. that many women |
are congenitally incapable OF passion. but at the
same time they adore Its slmulacrum. They |