The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-18
Our Special Contributors---ISo5.
Xxx By FRANCES E. WILLARD. *.*


IT seems that four leading ladies in
American literature, who are more
remarkable for intellect than beauty,
have recently been asked what they
would choose if they had the choice,
to be beautiful or clever, and four
ladies out of the four have replied
that they would choose to be beauti-
full.
An English journalist, commenting
upon these facts, makes this observa-
tion: II should like to address the
same question to four leading literary
men, say Mr.. Meredith, Mr.. Herbert
Spencer, Mr.. Swinburne and Mr.. Pin
ero. Would the answer be the same9
And if not, why not? If you can ex-
plain it you can solve the woman
question-if there is one"
This suggests an interesting sub
ject for symposium, to which half
dozen men and as many women
should contribute, and very likely the
answers to the questions would be
varied. For my own part, after look
ing out upon life with tolerably OBJ
servant eye for more than half CEN
tury, I have reached point of survey
that is comparatively Judicial and am
inclined to undertake brief reply.
l. The four distinguished En-
glishmen named are as little remark
able for physical beauty as any four
famous women that one would be
likely to meet in days journey, but
we agree with the writer in the opin-
ion that they would by no means ex-
change their genius, which is imper
ishable, for the good looks that last
such little time at best
2. No, their answers would not be
the same as those of the four women.
And if not, why not? Because per-
ception is mental faculty exercised
much more generally than reflection;
to perceive that which is pleasing to
| the eye is one of the simplest and
most frequent exercises of the mind.
Throughout the ages, uncounted mil
lions of eyes have served as mirrors
to whatever was fair in nature or the
human race, and the totality of these
perceptions has predetermined that
race in its pursuit of "the beautiful"
rather than "the Good and the True"
because the "good and the true"
lie deeper and are more difficult to
discern, hence more tardily admired.
| Whatever class is dominant in power
has for its most coveted perquisite
that which is most universally ad-
mired. Personal beauty, which
claims its homage on the instant, is,
as I have said, most quickly per-
ceived, hence most readily appreciated
and most widely admired. There
fore, conquerers and courts have al
ways levied on beauty and it has
been worn like rose in the caps of
the fortunate. But the whim of the
court becomes the fashion of the peo-
Pile; the preference of the conqueror
crystallizes into the custom of the
common classes; therefore, beauty
has held first place.
3. In the drama of society man has
been king and woman courtier. He
early decreed that she should not de-
velop mentally. If she had genius or
talent, these gifts were held as alto
gether secondary to personal appear
ance, because the dominant power
did not desire or expect talent or gen.
ius in woman, but it did expect
beauty. Therefore, the totality of
impression made through generations
has been that woman, hedged away
from the right to manifest genius,
talent, prowess, achievement in other
ranges of human experience, must
depend for success on her physical
gifts; hence the proverb, "Her looks
are her fortune" and so strong is this
impression still that the women of
genius to whom the English journa-
list refers, would gladly exchange
their rarer and more enduring gifts
for the gift of good looks.
4. do not believe this preference
to be necessarily related to sex nor
that it has involved 'the woman ques-
tion." If it did, we should not see
the male bird adorned with far more
attractive color than his mate; the
male lion much more beautiful than
the lioness; the Indian chief decked
out in bright colors while the squaw
goes unadorned; the soldier brilliant
with gilt and the king blazoned with
jewels. 1t is rather the outcome of
that repression to which women have
been subject since the thing that we
call civilization" began to rule the