The Indianapolis journal., 1896-11-24
A CHARGE DESTROYED.

The Taller lately begun and already de-
funct, had this to say in its final issue:
Why is il that there are so few writers
among women who possess the gift of
humor? Can ii be that this is a masculine
gift, and that those women who possess 1t
are exceptions? We see in everyday life
many women who have w.t. but few who
are really humorous, and among our Amer
lean writers the work of the men certainly
displays far more humor than is to be
found in the work OF the women
The charge that women are lacking In
humor has been made so often that il is
accepted by many as a fact when a little
thought would show it's lack of truth. Be
ginning with English women writer's Jane
Austen is distinguished for her keen sense
of humor. Charlotte Bronte, with all her
somber tendencies. had the quality in a
lesser degree; George Eliot possessed it in
good measure, though in her later work 1t
found little expression. Coming down to
present time. Mrs. Ward. most notable
among women noveists of her country, is
totally lacking in humor. Coming to this
side of the water. Mrs. Stowe first among
American women as story writer, had a
rich humor. without that sense highly de-
veloped she would not have given that
contrast of light and shade to Uncle
Toms Cabin which caused people to read
it. AS a tragedy it would have fallen fiat,
in all probability. Her New England tales
showed the same quality in hardly less de-
gree. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps has little if
any humor. Mrs. Burnett. who ought,
however, TO be classed as an English
woman. has the same defect. Otherwise
she would not have made such prig of
Little Lord Fauntleroy," and would have
recognized the absurdites in the character
of her Lady of Quality" But who could
have more delightful sense of humor
than Miss Jewett? 1t is an exquisite quail
ity and pervades all her work like an at
mosphere. Humor of the best sort is char
acteristic OF Miss Wilkinss writings 1t is
highly developed in Maria Louise Pool 1t
bubbles up in the happiest fashion in Kate
Douglas Virgins stories. Grace King
and Mrs. McEnery Stuart have each a not
ably humorous touch. The same is true of
Octave Thanet. Frances Courtney Baylor
Annie Trumbull Slosson and a dozen other
writer's of short stories who might be
mentioned. Among essayists Agnes Rep
piiei udiHty III TACT III IL
comes down to a counting of heads it is by
no means certain that literary women of
humor will not outnumber the men, for
the assumption that men without this sense
are the exception has a poor basis. They
are too numerous in print and out to be
regarded as phenomena. Charles Lamb is
lonely among English writers. Who is
there to approach him in a later day?
Thackeray was humorous; Dickens also in
more elephantine way; the new school
of Scotch writer's owe their popularity to
their humor, but Hardy and Meredith seem
almost devoid of the quality. Kipling the
cosmopolitan, has it in a high state of de-
velopment. Howells has it in fair degree
and of gentle sort, but of whom among
his male contemporaries can this be said
Marion Crawford shows few signs of its
possession; Henry James knows it not:
James Lane Allen is without it, Henry
Fuller understands that such a thing ex-
lists. but fails to bring it within his control
OF past generation Holmes and Lowell
had genius for humor; Emerson Haw-
thorne Thoreau lacked the trait. These
instances are those that first suggest them
selves, but they are enough to show that
humor is not exclusive masculine DOS
session, and that it will not do to accept
stereotyped assertions too readily.