Hippel, the author of the book "Upon Marriage," says, "A woman, that
does not talk, must be a stupid woman." But Hippel is an author whose
opinions it is more safe to admire than to adopt. The most intelligent
women are often silent amongst women; and again the most stupid and the
most silent are often neither one nor the other except amongst men. In
general the current remark upon men is valid also with respect to
women,--that those for the most part are the greatest thinkers who are
the least talkers; as frogs cease to croak when _light_ is brought to
the water edge. However, in fact, the disproportionate talking of
women arises out of the sedentariness of their labors: sedentary
artisans,--as tailors, shoemakers, weavers,--have this habit as well as
hypochondriacal tendencies in common with women. Apes do not talk, as
savages say, that they may not be set to work: but women often talk
double their share--even _because_ they work.