* * * * *
My words need explanation. Yet from my own foul station I hesitate to
descend. Here, however, is an advertisement that sullied the pages of a
New York newspaper on October 4th:
“_Why does every girl have
to battle against love?_”
“Why does every woman have to feel the straining power of seduction in
one form or another—the hot, alluring breaths of deceits?
“This thing has been, time and again, from the beginning of history,
through all the ages. Man’s most beautiful property, most sought after,
most desired, has been woman. And through all these ages it was more
through passion than the better desires.
“Even the saints of past history fought bloody battles; worked, dreamed,
struggled through their love for women—not satisfied with one or two or
three. These almighty men demanded hundreds—every variety of beauty,
dainty little girls in their teens; blondes from the Northlands; strange
slant-eyed brunettes from the Southlands. Mighty wars, broken nations,
wrecked civilizations over the Helens-of-Troy and Cleopatras.
“Doesn’t the same battle go on today, though changed and modified? Is
not every little girl still pursued? Why? What is this great mystery of
love?
“There is the greatest revelation of a woman’s soul and a woman’s
temptation in a tremendous play that is shaking the world; the greatest
uncovering of a woman’s inner soul ever given. If you know, then you
know all love and all temptation, joy and sorrow. You will know the
DIFFERENCE between the alluring passion of deceit that leads to bitter
ashes; the great overwhelming, all-enfolding SOUL LOVE that looks
through the body and finds the great WOMAN-HEART; the love that every
woman wants, with peace and purity, leading on and up to the great
happiness, with the masterful, overwhelming bliss, all centered love of
the great ONE MAN.
“To learn the great lesson of ALL LOVE you must see ‘WAY DOWN EAST,’ and
WOMAN and ALL WOMEN, and the story of Anna Moore in this play. And of
David the farmer boy, greatest of all lovers. And Sanderson, with the
old polygamous idea of deceit and shame for those women who fall in his
clutches.”
* * * * *
May my respected ancestors forgive me the quotation. May the minions of
Evil temper their contempt as I repeat:
“_Why does every woman have to feel the straining power of seduction?_”
“_The hot alluring breaths of deceit._”
“_Even the saints of past history——_”
“_These almighty men demanded hundreds._”
“_Is not every little girl still pursued?_”
Mephistopheles—thy pardon! Boccaccio,—turn not from me in repugnance!
Mothers of Men—thy prayers!
Verily, I am the dross that dares tarnish the sweet name of Woman; I am
the ulcers of leprosy; I am the spawn of hellions;—I AM “SMUT.”