in these frivolous feminine accomplishments the greater number never arrive at a tolerable mediocrity. Even supposing a girl to possess some skill, three years after marriage she does not touch her pencil or her piano once a month. These arts she spent so much time to learn are grown wearisome to her, unless she chance to possess the soul of an artist-an occurrence exceedingly rare, and not at all appropriate to domestic cares.

Thus, through a vain pretext of propriety, we teach nothing to young women which can guide them in the circumstances in which the progress of life will place them. We do more than this.

We

conceal from them the knowledge of these circumstances, so as to add to their influence and power: firstly, the effect of surprise; secondly, the effect of mistrust of all education as deceitful and insincere. Who will presume to say that, in our present state of society, girls of sixteen are ignorant of the existence of love? From what sources, then, do they receive the first idea of this principle, so important, and so difficult to inculcate properly?*

The lot of old age, both for men and women, depends on the manner in which youth has been employed. That goal is reached much sooner by women than by men. How is a woman of fifty received in society? In a manner severe and unworthy of her merit. At twenty we flatter, at forty

we desert them.

Where is the man who has the happiness of being able to communicate his thoughts, such as they arise in his own mind, to the companion of his life and the sharer of his name? He finds a good heart to participate in his troubles; but he is always obliged to put his ideas into small change, if he wishes to be understood. It would be ridiculous to expect rational

* Generally, I fear, from servants.

counsels from a mind which requires such a regimen to comprehend his meaning. The woman (according to the existing prejudices respecting education) the most perfect, leaves her partner isolated in the dangers of life, and very often runs the risk of boring him. What an excellent adviser a man might find in his wife, if she knew how to think! One of the most beautiful prerogatives of intellect is, that it gives consideration to old age. Witness the arrival of Voltaire in Paris to make the Royal Majesty grow pale. But, as for poor women, when they have no longer the freshness of youth, their sole joy is the privilege of nursing illusions on the part they have played in the world. The remains of youthful talents are but a mockery, and it would be a happiness for our actual women to die at fifty. As regards true morality, the more mind we possess, the more we see that justice is the only road to happiness. Genius is power; but it is, moreover, a torch to discover the grand art of being happy.

The greater portion of men have a moment in their lives when they are capable of doing great things-that in which nothing seems impossible to them. The ignorance of women is the cause of this magnificent chance being lost to the human race. Love, at the most, teaches a man now-a-days how to mount gracefully on horseback, or to choose a fashionable tailor.

In conclusion of a subject which demands a much more detailed discussion, it is a fact that men have greatly distanced women in intellectual culture; and until a nearer equilibrium be restored, happiness cannot be attained. The remedy appears to be, a greater assimilation of the education of women to that of men, so that there may not result that dead wall of diversity of thought which now separates the male and female mind. There is a great deal that is wrong in the actual education of young men: they

are not taught the two first sciences, logic and morality. But, taking it as it is, it is better worth while to give this education to young women, than to teach them only to practise music, to draw, and to work patterns. What men desire to find, is women who can think.

CHAPTER VIII.

LOVE.

CAPABILITY OF LOVING STRONGER IN MEN THAN IN WOMEN-DEFICIENCY OF WOMEN IN ENTHUSIASM -FATAL EFFECTS OF FLIRTATION ON MEN AND WOMEN-THE SORT OF MEN WHOM WOMEN LOVE -INFLUENCE OF FEMALE BEAUTY.

Capability of Loving stronger in Men than in Women.

IT is a question whether men or women, in the abstract, are most capable of love. La Bruyère gave the preference to women in love, to men in friendship. It is generally supposed that the rivalry of women hinders them from making those grand self-sacrifices in friendship which men have exhibited.

If the question be, not whether the male or female mind in a natural state be most capable of loving, but which of the two sexes, as we find them modified by an extremely artificial state of society, is superior in this respect, I am tempted to sayMan. That is choose out an equal number of men and women of average education, and I incline to think that the collective ability of loving deeply will be greater in the men than in the women. It appears to me that the nature of man being altogether more developed and better fortified by edu

*

* But in the lower ranks of life I should give the preference to women.

cation than that of woman, to contend against the debasing influences exerted by the world, men do feel this passion more strongly, comprehensively, lastingly, than women.

The Countess Hahn-Hahn, whom we have quoted in Chapter IV. on the intellectual superiority of men, adds this testimony also to their superiority in love:- "Under ordinary circumstances," said Faustina, " we may be superior to men in tact and fineness of perception; but when a man loves-and this happens oftener than women are willing to allowhe enfolds the beloved one like a sensitive plant, and feels sooner, stronger, every dawning emotion, every shade of feeling, every growing thorn of disagreement, every swelling bud of happiness. But then he must love in good earnest.”

In attempting, then, to demonstrate my firm conviction that the balance of loving is in favour of the men, I do not by any means deduce any results of praise or blame to either sex. This would be manifestly unjust. Men and women are, infinitely more than they imagine, under the influence of the moral law of the society of which they form constituents; and the simple fact is, that society does not exert so much pressure on men as en women. Thus, men are in a much greater degree free agents than women; and the result is obvious, that love springs more naturally in their bosoms. I beg my readers, then, to remember, that in laying down the broad general rule, that men love, women permit themselves to be loved, I recognise many signal exceptions.

The policy of women generally is, I think, very justly stated by a writer in the celebrated 'Encyclopédie,' thus :- "Nature appears to have conferred on man the right to govern. Women have had recourse to art to effect their emancipation. The two sexes have reciprocally abused their advantages, both of strength and beauty, these two means of rendering