The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-18
Whom Men Love
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
on the Ideal Woman.


women known as the Eclectic Club
AT a recent meeting OF this organization
I was fortunate enough TO be a guest
and to hear the animated and interesting
discussion of the question, Have Moral
or Immoral Women Had the Greater In
f1uence on History?'
In this discussion Joan Of Arc held her
own against Helen Of Troy; St Teresa,
who reformed the Carmelites, against
Catherine de Medici. who slaughtered her
opponents by the thousands. and Queen
Victoria against Catherine of Russia.
a few lines and words of my own used
in the discussion have been misquoted
and misinterpreted and have caused the
editor of the Journal TO ask a clear state
meEs Of my idea regarding the masculine
ideal of the perfect woman and Of her
influence on history-otherwise mani
Cosult almost any ma the subject
and he will say that his ideal of woman
has chastity as its principal jewel, and
the domestic virtues as the cluster about
a solitaire; wifely affection, motherly de-
votion, modesty, economy and neatness.
But carefully observe forty-nine men
out of fifty who have thus spoken, and
their actions, private and public, will belle
their words.
The model of all these virtues is often
neglected and deceived for the woman
who has neither chastity nor modesty,
and whose extravaganza makes economy
seem a mean quality; and where principle
prevents a man from showing the i'm
moral woman a preference, he will still
:,r or IN, har 4
and an ill-concealed admiration for her
personality that is. to say the least, dis
couraging to retiring virtue and modest
worth.
But it is my conviction that not more
than one man in one hundred is ever
attra cted to a woman because she is
immoral They are attracted because she
is interesting.
Throughout all the past the immoral
women who have made history were
women of great charm of manner and
great tact; women who understood how
TO interest men.
Ninon de FEnclos was as brilliant and
accomplished as she was liberal in her
ideas Of love She could talk philosophy
as we'll as sentiment, and she was critic
statenen and a comrade for men Of leis-
ure and fashion. Catherine of Russia
was masculine alike in her strength of
intellect and her passions.
Aspasia was woman of great culture.
and Cleopatra was versed in many arts
and sciences, and at sixteen could con-
verse in a score of tongues. Yet all this
learning would have served only to repel
and ALLEVIATE the majority of men had 1t
not been supplemented by charm of man.
ner, desire to please and sympathy and
emotion.
The greatest sorceresses in the worlds
history, the women whose influence over
men has been the most universal, have
not been remarkable for their beauty.
When they possessed beauty it was but
one of their charms.
1t is only the commonest type Of man
who is long held in bondage by a woman
who has nothing but beauty and i'm
morals Women of this order are soon
flung aside like the proverbial old glove.
or like a bottle of stale champagne-by
men of any ideals.
For the man of immoral conduct has
his ideals. This is where he differs from
the pronouncedly immoral woman. She
has only ambitions.
immortality is but an incident to many
men and does not seem to interfere with
their performance of duty or business;
but it permeates a woman's whole life,
distorts her vision and perverts her judg-
ment.
Just as each man has his standard Of
feminine beauty, which is unlike his
brothers. so each has his ideal which IS
unlike another's. Yet by observing the
lives and conduct of the great majority
Of men encountered along earth's high
ways and byways, we can make COM
posite photograph Of the ideal woman
which man pursues forever and finds only
in his dreams
First and always she is the keeper Of
the home, essentially domestic. She is
skilled in all feminine accomplishments
those arts which keep women at home
and she is a devoted mother. She is the
essence of economy.
Yet she Is brilliant when there IS need
for her 70 make him proud by any display
Of mental qualities Other women never
outshtne her when she is put in direct
contact with them.
Her tact and modesty keep these quail
ties in the background save when there
IS a necessity that they be displayed
like Jewels upon state occasions.
She is shy and innocent as a dove just
leaving the mothers wing. Yet she IS
as glorious q lover as CIeopatra's self
when he Is in the mood for affection
She Is beautiful and utterly devoid Of
vanity. She hides her charms as much as
possible from other mems eyes, or al
least makes no effort % win their admir-
ing glances.
For him she adorns herself with every
seductive lure and tempts him as a Ninon
might. 70 love her more and mora.
She is a vestal virgin and she is Venus.
She Is helpless and dependent until the
time he wishes her 70 be strong and
self-roliant. Then she Is
She IS not a. all advanced" but per
fectly "up-to-6ate."
She IS silence and eioqueace. She Is
tens with more readiness than she speaks.
but her speach reveals vast depths Of
coumon sense.
She Is absolutely practical and the
soul OF sentiment
Is * any wonder that 81 his pursBi-
- his contra dfctory ideal man ~aHSsrs
thro' devious and ofttines forbidden
paths7