The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-10-20

CAN Igenial souls were discuss
~ ling wOman's friendship
IN NfOr man when one of the
party, "A man. rather
sneeringly and mOcking-
D ! ly exclaimed:
~ What utter rot and
nonsense this is TO talk about PlatOnic
friendship when we all know there Is
no such thingr'
Thereupon / made some defensive
and dare say rather pointed remarks,
SO that the rest of the company good ma
turedly passed on TO another topic OF
conversation, as all people do when they
imagine a war of words Is impending
and endeavor to avoid it.
Not so with my opponent, for later
in the evening | saw him approaching
my corner and was prepared for some
thing of the cross questioning which
followed
II should have supposed that you
We're too intelligent a woman to have
chung to the exploded idea of Platonic
friendship" he began rather irritably.
"And my intelligence, if I have any.
has solved and proved the problem that
it can and does exist, " / answered, with
provoking decision. Now, yOu are
really talking of something you know
nothing about. / will admit, If you
like, that Platonism in the old accepted
form Is bygone theory. 1t might have
existed ages ago-in fact, have not the
slightest doubt but what the dear old
philosopher reveled in his particular
views and derived half the pleasure Of
existence out of his hundred and one
friendships for the opposite sex, but his
tory tells US he was dear, exemplary,
eminently respectable fellow 70 whom
the ordinary human weaknesses of life
meant very little. We are living in 4
totally different atmosphere at present,
and one must acknowledge there are
few, very few. modern Platos. Yes. this
il too material an era for the recognized
version of Platonic love TO exist, but
still stoutly maintain that an ideal
friendship between the opposite sexes
Is not only possible, but is an establish
ed vital fact, and there is no lOvelier
thing ON earth than such n friendship.
"A prominent divine recently ac-
knowledged from his pulpit that in his
career his best friends had been women.
and in the IL years of his ministry the
truest, best words of encouragement had
come from his women friends. We
need only take a mental glance ar those
idyllic friendships which have becor;c
historical. F"
''Oh. of course you are now going 70
quote the same couples every one docs
when they discuss this subject, " said
my friend. with resigned air.
''Well, / most assuredly intend IT,
ferring to- what are known as existing
facts. - rejoined tartly. 1.-The friend
ship of Mrs. Taylor for John Stuar;
Mill through 20 years of literary conf
munion ard the ideal companionship OF
Lydia Maria Child and Ellis Gray LOr
ing ought TO be sufficient proofs tina;
such n friendship Us contend exists can
also be genuine and of inestimable value
"A woman's faith in mans ability.
woman's interest, friendship and
fidelity to the man whose avowed friend
she is. will spur him on TO achieve
fame. fortune and all the good things
of life. "
''Then she is in love with him, that
Is all there il about il, " said my com
paniOn, still uncouvlnced- THE feeling
and interest you have described come
from love. not friendship. Many peO-
pie mistake friendship for love. They
love each other without knowing il, or
they love knowingly and maintain ST.
lence
We'll. what do you call that but the
height Of a noble. disintereSted friend
ship" i rejoined triumphantly. "A
person who, though possessing n deep,
intense affection for some man or WON
an, can yet efTace that love or hide il be-
cause the knowledge of its existence
might give that other pain has reached
the sublimity of self abnegating friend
ship / knew just such n case y man
whose literary achievements We're OF
the highest Crder possessed the friend
ship of n woman who was herself sue
cessful htterateur. The mans wife was
q sickly, uninteresting, irritable crea-
ture, toward whom he might have Justly
been excused for being Indifferent, and
yet so strong We're his ideas of duty ana
honor that for years the love for his
friend remained unspoken. Each knew
the other loved, but the loyalty of their
was paramount. -
1--WE French understand that much
better than you Americans, here Chin
ed in 4 distinguished French artist who
had been an attentive listener TO our
little discussion
The friendship of lie Fevre and
Mime. Dacier Is often cited, but they
were pair of pedants, and l am sure
were squabbling eternally and throw
ing Horace or Homer ut each others
heads literally or metaphorically every
moment of their lives.
.'VoItaire and Mime. du Chatelet did
much better. They contented them
selves during their long friendship with |
nangIing poor Newton between them,
and. satisfied with this amusement
never thought of marrying at all