The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-14

fascination which she admits she
was unable TO resist. In her letter
OF confession to her former husband
h describes her lover as illiterate.
coarse. and at times extremely brutal
In his treatment OF her. and yet. she
says:
II sincerely and earnestly be-
lieve he is the one human being
who can control me. AS his wife
shall have to endure rough Ian
guage and usage. but I shall
be happier than you made me.
for Williams Is n being OF my
own kind and species. I
believe in my soul that he Is the
man God intended for me.
We may as we'll face the brutal
facts. You were too much OF a
gentleman for me. Brutality Is
necessary for my control. This
man has IT,"
Love from Brutality?
Judged in the light OF existing
ideals of the relation OF the sexes.
such a statement sounds like the
merest insanity. II is not hard to
understand how a woman might be-
come so degraded as 10 be unaffected
by the moral status of such a rela-
tionship. But how can n woman
in her senses admit that she ceased
to love a man because he was too
considerate of her. and that cruel and
brutal treatment Is necessary to her
greatest happiness?
A satisfactory explanation OF this
attitude can be found only by recog-
MIXING. as psychology does. the i'm
naFaffUA fnrrn ~ 4hnGn fNpAap.anFa
elements of our mental lives that we,
call instincts. Much OF what we now
know as morality consists in the sue
cessful control and direction OF these
primitive tendencies. Conversely.
much or what we now consider bad IL
nothing more than the breaking out
OF their conventional bounds OF these
instincts. which originally consti-
tuted the only rules OF conduct.
The civilized "a differs from the
savage not because OF any essential
difference In the character OF his in
stincts. but only in the strength of
his control over them. Under stress
OF great emotions this control is. I'M
fortunately. too often lost. The law
abiding man will, n insult be offered
to those who are dear TO him, resort
to the primitive right OF private ven
geance. and Will very quickly find a
mob OF equally law-abiding citizens
ready TO help him. In a panic result
ing from a great disaster. as con
f~agration or shipwreck. considera-
ton for others is often lost. and the
socalled first law OF nature holds
sway. The man who under such con
ditions does not yield 20 his instinc-
tive tendencies is honored as being
more than a mamie Is a hero.
The Dominant Impulse.
Now. the instincts associated with
the relations OF sex are in their very
nature among the most ~imperious.
and consequently the most difficult
OF all TO be reduced 10 permanent
control. Existing ideals OF the sex
relations. at their best. are not 10 be
disparaged. But none the less they
constitute little more Than a thin
veneer. which IL all too easily broken
through by the force OF a strong emo
ton. Fortunate rather thar good.
perhaps. r. the woman who H. 30 sit
uated In life that she IL not obliged
60 reckon seriously with her instinc-
tive tendencies.
Existing methods Of courtship have
familiarized US with the idea that in
courtship the male is naturally the
aggressor or pursuer. while the fe-
male IL at least passive in the mat
ter. n not actually aver~c To the ~
~prOaches OF the male. This relation
has IT, origin In the practices q
primitive dimes. when all marriages
we're preceded by some form OF com
bat or contest. either between two
rivals for the woman's hand or be
tween the man and the object Of his
choice. In some Instances the cap
lures we're undoubtedly genuine. as
when the Roman soldiers carried or
the Sabine women b. main force. In
most cases. however. they we're prob
ably more or less playful or ceremO-
NAL In character.
In any event. the accepted lover
was obliged to dcmonstrate the pos
session Of the manly Qualities OF
strength, endurance. perseverance
and resourcefulness ia ovcrcoming
bis rival. or the resistance. feigned
or real. Of the woman herself. lie
thus proved himself 10 be in reality
a master. and was accepted By the
woman as such. To quote the words
% HavelOck Ellis. the weliknown
English psychologist. whether the
capture g. simulated or real. tho man
IN stll playing tho masculine and
aggressive art proper to the male.