The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-15
4.

In the following extract Jean Paul Fried
rich kichter discusses tho influence OF the
passion OF love upon the female sex and pro-
poses q division OF labor In matters senti-
mental Love-" says Richter. Is tho perihe-
lion OF women Ay. 1t is the transit OF an
earthly Venus through the sun OF the ideal
world. During this period OF their highest re-
finement OF soul they love whatever we love.
even though II be science and the best world
OF beauty within us: and they despise what
ever we despise. even though, 1t DO dress and
gossip.
"These nirhtin gales sing up to the date OF
the summer %solstice: their marriage day Is
their longest day. The devil does nottake their
power Of song all at once. but piecemeal day by
day. The firm bands Of wediock tie Il the wings
OF poesy: to tho free play OF fancy marriage
means imprisonment on bread and water.
Many q time I have followed about ono OF
these poor birds OF paradise or peacccks or
Psyches during their honeymoon. and picked
UP the moulted feathers that were strewn
about: and when later the husband complain
cd that no had taken unto himself q bald and
~unlovely bird. I would show him the wasted
treasure. Why is this ? Because marriage erccts
q crust OF reality about the ideal world; 1t is
much the same case as with the sphere we live
on. which. according to Descartes. is n sun
enveloped in an earthly shell. A woman lacks
the power which q man has to protect the
inner structures OF air and fancy against the
entertainments OF the rough outside. Where
shall she seek rofuge2 In her natural keeper.
A man should ever stand guard with a spoon
over tho fluid silver Of tho feminine intellect.
to remove the scum as it rises. that the core Of
the ideal may shine the brighter. But there
are two kinds OF mon: tho Arcadians or lyric
poets Of life. who love forever. like Rousseau
when his hair was gray: second. there are the
boorish shepherds Of to-day. the plebeian
poetasters and practical men Of business. who
thank God whom their enchantress. like other
enchantresses. changes into q growing cat.
and keeps the house FREQ from vermin."
Richter goes on to show how little adapted
men OF tho latter class are to love-making and
how glad they should be to perform that func-
ton by proxy.
No one suffers from greater ennni and
anxiety than u fat. weighty. sloucliing. bass
voiced man OF business. who. like the Roman
elephants OF former times. is called upon to
dance upon the slender rope OF love. and
whose amorous pantomimes always remind
me OF dormice. that seem to be at n loss about
their every movement when sudden warmth
interrupts their dormant state. Only with
widows. who care less TO be loved than to be
married. can a heavy man Of business begin
his romance where the novelists end theirs
viz. at the steps OF tho altar. Such q man.
constructed on the crudest style. would have a
load of his mind II he could get some one to
love his shepherdess in his name until there
was nothing moro to be done but to have the
wedding: the taking upon myself OF such
crosses and burdens for another Is Just what l
should feel a calling for. have often thought
Of advertising in the public papers thad l not
feared it might be taken for a jokel. that I
ofier myself to serve as plenipotentiary to any
man Of business who has no time to properly
make love to O girl"