The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-30
WOMEN AID BRAINS.
SIR JAMES CREIGHTON BROWNIES LATE
uTrERANcEs REfuTEo.
a scfentist's Argument which Is an Ex-
ample OF the Folly soto which Learned
Man May BE Drawn--some Telling Illus
trktions ON the Main Point.

Sir James Crichton Browne has lately
brought forward anew the somewhat
thread bare argument that the brain OF the
average man is several ounces heavier than
that OF the average woman, and that hence
women must have smaller mental capacity.
A few parallel facts may be worth consld-
ering in this connection.
The brain OF an average elephant Is about
three times as heavy rs the brain or an av'
erage man, yet we do not find that the ele-
phant is three times as smart as the man.
The brain OF nm ant is indefinitely smaller
than the brain of sheep, yet the ant is
much more intelligent than the sheep. In
other words, the smaller creature may have
smaller brain without necessarily having
inferior wits The woman, being "A smaller
animal than the man, naturally has
smaller brain. but 1t does not follow that
rhe Is therefore more stupid. This view is
confirmed by the fact that If boys brain
is below certain weight the boy is inyari'
ably an idiot, while girls brain may fall
several ounces below that weight and still
the girl be rational.
Some scientists say that women's brains
are heavier in proportion TO the weight OF
their bodies than the brains OF men. 9th
er scientists SAY the contrary. But the rel
ative weight of the brain is not sure
guide any more than its absolute weight
There are certain small birds, built light
for flying, whose brains are heavier in pro
portion TO the weight of their bodies than
the brains Of human beings. But we do not
find that these birds are more intelligent
than human beings.
The only fair test of the comparative abil.
fty of two brains is TO see what they can nc
complish when placed under the same cir
cumstances All over the country in ouI
public schools boys and girls from the same
families study side by side, and the girls
average quite as we'll as the boys. In the
colleges the young women take rather more
than their share of the prizes. This is prob
ably due not 10 superiority of the feminine
brain, but TO the fact that many stupid
boys are sent to college by their parents be
cause it is fashionable, while IL girl goes
TO college IL is generally because she really
wishes TO study. But, however we mcy
account for IL, the fact remains that the al
legged mental inferiority Of women does not
show itself in any of the educational insti
tutions where the two sexes study together
After graduation, however. not nearly Sc
many women as men score brilliant sue
cess in business or in the arts. The reason
take it, is not because women have insuf
ficient intelligence, but because most o
them prefer to put their intelligence to
different use-namefy, 10 apply it torun
ming house and family. This is busi
ness fully as important and useful as an
other And to run house and family sue
cessfully under present conditions takes
much intelligence-one might almost sa
~ much statesmanship-as to run rail
road or q city government. If any MAJ
doubts this, let him send his wife Off for
holiday and try for week to do his owl
housework and take care of half a dozel
children
Sir James Crichton Browne again finds
m alarmin~ connection between feminine