STILL THE CHARMER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 2

STILL THE CHARMER.

Feminine allure, despite nil controversy, was never stronger than ft is to-day, writes "Alien" in the "Otago Witness." Woman's allurement may have changed in its fashion, but in essence it is the same—a perpetual surprise, a pcrpetnnl charm, a perpetual inspiration—or reproach—to man. Her beauty, her winsomoness, her virtues (of which self-obliteration was once considered chief) liavo been the ilicme of poet and painter for more years than wo can count. And the self-obliterated woman had her use—infinite use—in alluring man by sweet subtlety from the grosser pursuits of an earlier day. Her timidity, her ignorance, her dependence upon him put his chivalry to the test. And there can he no doubt that- tlio early Victorian sentiment of men, the conqueror, and woman, the conquered, saint or sinner, according to the man who ruled her destiny, was a much more pictorial and emotional condition of the inequality of the sexes than' the status of to-day, when the Little. Emilys of Dickons and Amelias of Thackeray are regarded with more contempt than pity. The "hard, bright" college,girl of to-day does not weep herself blind over innocence betrayed. Rather she. despises the loser of her world for love. In t-ho days of old, man expressed his chivalry towards' woman by wearing her. colours in the tournament and in battle, by fighting for her in due! —and appropriating her in private. His personal loyalties and ambitions and chivalries were punctuated by her, although their main theme was not of Iter but himself. The ideal man. of to-day, according to Bishop Welldon, formerly head master at Harrow, in his address at tlio Church Congress, is. not of mere physical strength, j which in itself is not elevating, hut a brntalising sentiment. In tho progress of history the body came ever to count less and the brain more, and tho biggest battles to-day. are not won by man's vigour, nor by his courage, but by science, by tho brain. And. a man's ideal of chivalry towards woman has changed with his ideal of manhood. He ■ carries her colours none tho less because his tournaments are nioro of brain. _ . Mr. Arnold Wright, discussing woman's outlook, says: "It seems as though man, and not woman, were do- : nig the. important work of tho world Nothing am be further from the fac* Without female inspiration no iicton was ever gained over enemies, elements, or things. . . . Woman and wai are. inseparable, Bellona is female. Trafalgar was inspired by n. woman, ai d for ono Nelson who is glorious but not muto there, nro thousands of Nelsons (and Wellingtons) the-• source of whose gallant deeds is a silent and unknown Emirni."