Man Loves Womanliness In Women

We hear it sometimos said that men deprecato learning and genius in tho opjm sitü sex bccause they are afraid of brilliant womon. But the men tlius charged witb mental pusillanimity in rogard to intollectual women, are not comnionly supposed to exhibit a similar dread of learned and accomplished persons of their own sex. No man withholds fruni a club because great men bolong to it. No man is afraid of a career at the bar, in literature, or in politics, bccause distinguishod persons are conneeted with thosc professions, whom it will probably bo his destiny to meet and perhaps profcssionally to encounter. Men, if anything, are over-confident in all intelleetual struggles with their fellows ; self-rospect, or pride, or conceit - soine motive either worthy or unworthy - provents them from acknowlodging inferiority, oven if thc-y are conscious of it. It cannot, therefore, bothat men dislike learnod woman beoanae thcy are apprehenáTe of iatoUeotual fence. iJeople are usually too unconsoious of defeat in all encounters of wit to dread it much. Their very insensibility to the palpable hits and the verbal triumpha of m opponent gtve tliüin no fear of the convursational arena. Tlie dulhiiss or the indiffereneo of men in this particular is alono sumtiient to prevent them from digliking ability in women ; and thenevcry man b 8O profound)y aasured of the intellectual inferiority of the othersox that, in the abundanee of his oonfidenoe, he has no doubt. Clever men know that tho most brilliant women are always vulnerable in argument, and stupid men talk on without ever knowing thy are defeated. Why, tli:n, is conspieuous ability disliked in womeu 'i It may be asserted by some poople that we are assuming our ground, and that ït is not certain thut men are offended at tho evidonce of talent in the otber sex. We think it must be conceded they are - not but what every man imagines women of genius in whom he could find dolight ; but, whatever learned women may say or think about tho matter, the first, the second, and the third essontial quality that every man admires in his mother or seeks for in a wife is womanliness. If genius and learning can enhance this supreme grace, genius and learning will bit admircd in wonien ; but, so long as it is believod that intellectual force extinguishes or diminishes delicacy, gentlenêss, and sweetness, men will dread its munifestation in their wives and daughters. Frivolity and insipidity, whieh men are acOusëd of liking in women, are simply aoeepted with forbearance whon they aro accompanied by those charms of sex that make women delightful, and which compénsate for so ruany shortcomings. Judgmeut, taste, discretion, vivacity - all good qualities of sound minds, are excellent things ; but even these in wonien must be fused hito a harmonious, mellow, uuobtrusive unity. Delicacy of approhension, qmckness oí porception, capacity of appreciation - these supreine womanly qualities of mind every man of taste delights iu ; but loud argument, boisterous usscrtion, clamorous talk, these things men do most deeidedly dread in woinen, and fehese things have too cominonly maiked our intolleetual Amazons Do not let our ladies lay the flattering unction to their souls that men fear their mental aupcriority ; let them rather believo that there is gallantry enough among us yet oven to delight in their victories over ourselves ; but let them understand that, so long as man inherits tho naturo of Adam, the primal dolight of his heart will be in fresh, fuir, and gentle woracn, and every honest man will confess that ho does fear in woman whatovcr may tcud to rob her of theso graces.