Many men, Frenchmen especially, have thought
the trait peculiar to women. La Bruy?re declares that "Women have no
principles as men understand the word. They are guided by their
feelings, and have full faith in their guide. Their notions of
propriety and impropriety, right and wrong, they get from the little
world embraced by their affections." And Alphonse Karr says: "Never
attempt to prove anything to a woman: she believes only according to
her feelings. Endeavour to please and persuade: she may yield to the
person who reasons with her, not to his arguments"--opinions, however,
which apply to men as often as not, and only to the young, impressible,
passionate, and imperfectly educated of either sex. But there is
scarcely a generalisation for one sex which does not apply equally to
the other, so perfectly alike in nature are men and women. The
difference is only in circumstance. Reverse the position of the sexes,
require men to be modest and obedient, and they will develop every
woman's weakness in a generation. If a man would comprehend a woman,
let him consider himself; the woman has the same joys, sorrows, hopes,
fears, pleasures, and passions--expressed in another way, that is all.
Pages:
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124