WOMAN'S DESTINY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 19 October 1907, Page 4

WOMAN'S DESTINY.

MAlliJi COIUIiiLU OUmUSES MEN. A striking introductory note by Aliss -.Mario (Joroui, says tlio Itaily Chronicle, tonus the preface of her volume ol short stories, published by Messrs Constable, under t.ie title of "Welicia." The story which gives its name to the volume has alroady appeared as "The .Murder of JDelicia." It tells of a woman whose hea.ct was broken by a "cad of a husband." With this theme as her text, Alias (Jurelli writes eight pages oi a scathing indictment of the marriages made in particular sections of society, and concludes with a trumpet call to her sex at large. Thus, after averring that tlie two main characters in the story ot "Delicia" are both from the life, Miss (Jorelli tells of "lazy noodles of aristocrats who spend their time lirst iu accumulating debts, and then in looking about for a woman with money to pay them." "it is these men," she adds, -who at tlieir clubs, or auy other places where they can give themselves sublime airs of independence, frequently express regret in grandiloquent terms that there should be any women who 'want to be clever.' fcjucli women are always 'unsexed.'" 'This word 'unsexed,' Miss (Jorelli continues, is always east at brilliant women by every lialf-peimy ragamullin of the preus that can get a newspaper corner in which to hide himself for the convenience of throwing stones. The woman who paints a great picture is "unsexeil"; the woman who writes a great book is "unsexed"; in fact, whatever woman does that is higher and more ambitious than the mere act ol Hinging herself down at the feet of man and allowing him to walk over her, makes her in man's opinion unworthy of his consideration as woman. I

Looking at the other side of the medal, Miss Corelli asks, "What are the occupations man graciously permits to woman without all'ronting her by this opprobrious epithet? He is chielly willing to see her on the Stage. And he generally prefers the music-hall stage us the best one fitted to her "poor" abilities. It is no particular '"fun" to him to see her rise to the histrionic height of Rachel or a Sarah Bernhardt Nor does the exquisite grace of the finished "comedienne" delight hiin entirely. Nol Neither the height of tragedy nor comedy in the woman on the stage really satisfy men so much as the happy medium—the particular "no-man's-land" u.i. art, where nothing is demanded of her but —Body and lirin. A beautiful body trained to walk and look well—an tillable Urin, expanding at the sight of champagne and other mundane delicacies—these are all that is necessary. Now, if this beautiful body be well-nigh stripped to a man's gaze night after night on the boards, he will never call the woman who so exposes herself "unsexed," nor will he apply the word to her if she drinks too much wine and brandy. But if another woman, with quite' as beautiful a body, instead of exhibiting herself half nude 011 the music hall stage, prelers to keep her modesty, and execute some great work of art which shall be us good and even better than anything man can accomplish she will be dubbed "unsexed" instantly. 1 ask—Why is it that man elects to compass woman's degradation rather than her uplifting and sanctification?

From generalities Miss Corelli turns to actual instance-;. She alludes to "a certain individual, looked upon with a considerable amount of respect by the titled and monicd classes, xvlio married a bright little woman for her money, and since then has made, her life au hourlv misery. On the other hand, Miss" Corelli' speaks of the miserable position voluntarily held by certain "noblemen'' who, because they have placed themselves in the unnatural and unbecoming condition of owing everyiiiim; to their wives' money, permit those wives to plav fast and loose with their honor and good name, and apparently shut, their eyes to the shameless infidelities which makes them the byword and contempt of all self-respect-ing ''commoners." ''lt would be a wholesome and refreshing stimulus to society," she adds, ''if such blue-blooded 'lacqueys' could awake to the fact that manhood is better than money, and would by their own free will and choice go out to hard labor in the goldiields or elsewhere, and earn their own livelihood bravely and independently instead of lounging and Iritting their days away the silont and inactive spectators of their wives open and wanton degradation." Incidentally, Miss Corelli refers to the possible union b"tween beauty of form and of mind. It is not a sine qua. non that a clever woman must he old ami must be ugly. It sometimes happens so—but, it is not always so. She may lie young and she may be lovely: nevertheless men prefer to run after the newest barmaid or music-hall (lancer, who is probably painted up to the. eves, and whose tigure is eliietly the result of Hie corset-makers' art, under the impression that in such specimens alone of our sex will they find true beauty. Were they told that the sculptor whose massive marble group of classic figures adorns one of the galleries in Rome was a woman whose smile was ravishing, and whose figure was a model for Psyche, they "would shrug their shoulders incredulously. "No,"no!" they would say. ''Clever woman are always unsexed— give me the barmaid —the shop girl-the dancer—the 'living picture' —the aerial gymnast—give "me anything rather than a pure, iinolv-cultured, noble-hearted woman to be the mother of my sons!"

"It is certain." concludes Miss Corelli, "that the true intention of woman's destiny has not been carried out. She is lighting towards it-lmt, if t may venture lo say so, she is using her weapons wildly and in various wrong directions | II is not by opposing herself to man that she can be his leal helpmeet - neither is it by supporting him 011 her money whether such money he earned or inherited. And it is not by adopting his pastimes or apoing his manners. It, is hv cultivating and cherishing lo ihc utmost every sweet and sacred sentiment of womanhood —every grace, "very rt'lineineiil, every beauty; V>y taking her share in the world's intellectual work with force as well as with modesty, and by showing a faultless _ example of senile reserve and delicate chastity. When a man begins to understand that woman is not meant to he a toy or a drudge, but a comradc-the closest, best, and truest that /tod has eiven him—then the clouds will deal'; and marriage will he a blessing instead of (as it often proves) a curse.

All oak tree, (10ft high, has been estimaleil when in full leaf to have over li,DIM,(100 lea ves.

The lii'st Hnglisly canal connected the Trent and the Wjtliam. Tt was cut in Hot by Henry 1.

'the best cork comes from Algeria 'Here are two and a half million ucro of cork forests in that country.

A train going nt a rate of CO niilos nn hour can bo stopped within 120 yards from the first application of the brake; in doing this, enough power is lost to I'urry the train 13 miles over a level fHU'te,