THE AMERICAN WOMAN--II
She walks first, Jonathan behind her--The educational system of
America explains the idiosyncrasies of the American woman.
The first time that I was in America, some twelve years ago, I one day
mentioned to a newspaper reporter that I could not find a cup of tea to
please me anywhere in America. The next day a paragraph about me
appeared in the paper, headed, 'Max is going to abuse everything in
America.'
A few days later I had an opportunity to mention to another reporter
that, however bad meals were in some hotels in the small cities, I
could everywhere get a cup of coffee quite as good as in France, if not
even better. The next day a paragraph appeared headed: 'Max wants our
dollars.'
I have many times lectured in the United States on women, including a
sketch on American women. After the lecture I have generally been
introduced to some ladies of the audience, who kindly expressed the
desire of shaking hands with me.
Almost every time one or two have taken me aside, and said: 'I have
read in your books and your magazine articles and heard in your
lectures all you have to say about American women; but now, tell me,
what do you really think of them?'
My dear ladies, there are some men who do occasionally speak the truth,
or what they believe to be the truth, and who do say what they mean,
and mean what they say.
The English, long ago, warned me that I would not be able to do in
America what I had successfully done in England, because the Americans,
they said to me, were much more susceptible and sensitive than the
English. They were mistaken.
No doubt the Americans had resented, and justly, too, the criticisms of
Trollope and Dickens (the latter had to write a permanent apology in
the preface of 'Martin Chuzzlewit'). Criticism that never offends, and
praises that never flatter, are, I believe, everywhere acceptable when
they are taken in the spirit of fairness and good-humour in which they
are expressed. I believe, and firmly believe, the American women to be
the most interesting and the most brilliant women in the world, and I
do not see why I could not proclaim it from the house-tops if I like,
even in America.
They are picturesque, vivacious, natural, stylish, smart, clever,
unconventional, and the best educated. They are typical, perfectly
labelled.
Take me to a drawing-room in Paris or in London, and, without being
introduced to anyone, I think I should be able to pick out all the
American women in the room.
* * * * *
Once, after a lecture in England, I received the card of a young
American lady who wished to speak to me. She came and brought in her
mother, and also a man, who all the time stood in the rear. When we
parted, she left, followed by her mother. Then I discovered the man,
who said to me most meekly, 'I'm the father.' Poor dear man! he looked
so small as he emerged from the background!
I cannot help thinking that there exists in some American women a
little mild contempt for that poor creature that is called a man.
And how is that in a country where the women receive such delightful,
and, for that matter, well-deserved attentions at the hands of the men,
and that throughout the length and breadth of the country?
Well, I think the educational system of America explains the
phenomenon.
In Europe the sexes are kept apart in youth--I mean at school, and, in
France especially, young boys and young girls entertain for one another
very strange feelings, most of them founded on ignorance.
In Europe even now the education received by girls cannot be compared
to the education received by boys. That's being changed now--some say
improved. H'm! we shall see.
It was not a long time ago that, in England and in France, when a girl
could read, write, add, and subtract, name the capitals of Europe, and
play 'The Maiden's Prayer' on the piano, her education was finished;
she was prepared for the world and ready for her husband--and her
neighbours.
Very often I have been invited to be present at the distribution of
prizes in large English public schools and colleges. When I was in a
girls' school, I never once failed to hear those poor girls told, and
by men, too, that practically the only thing they should think about
was to prepare to become one day good wives and good mothers.
I have been many times present at the distribution of prizes in boys'
schools in England, and I know that I never heard those boys told that
now and then they might think of preparing to become one day decent
fathers and tolerable husbands.
In America things are different. In every grade of educational life,
among the masses of the people, boys and girls are educated together,
side by side; on each bench a boy, a girl, a boy, a girl.
Now, the official statistics of the Education Department declare that
in every State of the Union the number of diplomas and certificates
obtained by girls is larger than the number obtained by boys.
When I heard that statement, I said this to myself (kindly follow my
little argument): 'Is it not just possible that the young American
boys, when they saw what those girls next to them could do, said to
themselves, "Heaven! who would have thought so?"'
Is it not also possible that the young American girls, when they saw
what those boys next to them could do, exclaimed, 'Good gracious! is
that all?'
Does not that, to a certain extent, explain to you the respect that
young boys acquire at school for young girls, and perhaps, also, that
little mild absence of respect that girls get for boys? I believe there
is something in it.
Ah, my dear European men, who clamour at the top of your voices for the
higher education of women, be careful! You will be found out, and, like
your fellow-men of America, by-and-by you will have to take the
back-seat.