When modesty and frailty go hand in hand, there is no more delectable
combination known to men; and Aphrodite has not the subtle charm of a
Cynthia. Perhaps this is why such
A wondrous halo of romance hangs about the name of a Heloise, of a
Marguerite, of a Marianna Alcoforado; of a Concetta of Afragola; of a
Catalina; of Robert le Diable's Helena, of Isolde; of Lucia of Bologna,
the enchantress of Ottaviano; of Francesca; of Guenevere; of the sweet
seventeen-year old novice of Andouillets, Margarita, the fille who was
"rosy as the morn"; of the Beguine who nursed Captain Shandy; of the
fille de chamber who walked along the Quai de Conti with Yorick; of
Ameilia Viviani, the inspirer of Shelly's most ecstatic lyric; of
Dryden's masque-loving Lucretia. For, after all,
Is the star any the less starry to the rapt star-gazer when he finds it
to be a tremulous planet?
Cynthia may have blushed in heaven; bit did the blush make her any less
lovely to the Latmian?
Only in the clear and unclouded pool is the star undimmed embosomed.
* * *
They say a woman is capricious. But the consistency of woman's
capriciousness is only exceeded by the capriciousness of man's
consistency.
Man calls woman capricious simply because he is too stupid to comprehend
the laws by which she is swayed. Woman does not call man capricious.
--The inference is obvious.
* * *
To women the profoundest mysteries of the universe give place to two
things: a lover, and a baby.--But perhaps these are the profoundest
mysteries of the universe.
* * *
How many women there be who, deeming themselves fitted to be the consorts
of kings, yet comport themselves dutifully as the wives of wastrels! And
indeed,
Given beauty, cleverness, and grace, 44 there is no position to which a
woman could not aspire; for
Being Woman, she is ex officio Queen.
* * *
Speak to a woman disparagingly of her sex,--she is up in arms.
Speak to her disparagingly of a member of her sex,--well, she will not
be up in arms. The reason for her bellicosity in the former case is the
fact that
A woman always interprets abstract disparagement of her sex personally.
And she is perfectly right.
* * *
It is not only the woman who cannot be accounted quite as stainless as
the stars that sometimes trade on their charms.
* * *
When a strong-souled woman wholly and unreservedly loves, her love will
go to lengths passing the comprehension of man. For
Women prefer an despot to a dependent.
* * *
It is marvelous to what a pitch of demureness features by nature that the
most coquettish can be set.
(A Man's features are often a clue to his character; a woman's rarely.)
So it comes about that
The owner of a seraphic face is often owner of a temper satanic.
Nevertheless,
Often enough a spice of diablerie in a woman at once enhances all her
charms.
It is indeed fortunate for the men that so many women are unaware of the
power of their charms.
* * *
A woman would much rather you lied to her concerning herself than that
you told her something unpleasant to hear.
* * *
Some women seem to be envious of some men's familiarity with immorality.
* * *
It is by woman that a woman will be first suspected; and it is by a woman
she will be last forgiven. The last thing a woman will ask you for is:
your esteem. And yet
Cast a slur upon a woman's character and you are considered indiscreet.
Cast a slur upon a woman's personal appearance, and you are considered
culpable.
* * *