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Page 11 text:
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WOMANLINESS. HE aim of this article is to inquire into the nature of the quality, or groups of quali- ties, which we term womanliness, with the purpose of aiding in a determination of the conditions which are favorable, and those which are unfavorable, to its development. It is first necessary to state the problem presented by the subject, and this may perhaps be as well done by comparing womanliness with manli- ness, and noticing resemblances and differences, if there be any, between the two. As we exhort a boy to be manly, so we encourage a girl to be womanly. Do we mean in the latter case that a different set of qualities should be culti- vated from those which are contemplated in the former, or are we only thinking of similar qualities seen by us through a different atmosphere, or, it may be, exhibited in relation to a different class of objects, and expressed with that difference that distinguishes all feminine activity from masculine activity of the same kind ? In other words, is there sex in character, or is character neutral and gender predicable only of the direction and shape which its expression takes? It would seem as if to state the question in this shape was to answer it, but it will do no harm to turn it over a little while longer in our thoughts. It is perfectly plain that a woman is not womanly by virtue of her sex, nor a man manly for the same reason, else how could we speak of a womanly woman, or a manly man; we might just as well say a feminine woman or a male man. Womanliness and manliness are qualities that one may be either a woman or a man and yet be destitute of. We may, perhaps, explain the terms by refer- ring them to the ideal; manliness is the sum of all those qualities that we could wish a man to possess, and womanliness the sum of all those qualities that we desire to see in a woman, and these
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Page 10 text:
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r ' OR JOHN 3 VAN METER
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Page 12 text:
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qualities in both cases carried to their highest developement and dissociated from all that might be incompatible with them. But this explanation does not help us to an answer to the question, are these qualities identical or are they diverse ? Etymology deserts us here, as so often; for by its tests to be womanly is to be womanlike; but in our usage of the terms the being womanlike does not secure the being womanly. Our language contains other terms that have a similar ring to those we are considering: womanish,mannish, effem- inate, masculine and others. We get no direct help from them. The first and third are applied by way of disapproval to the conduct or appearance of some men, and the second and fourth similarly to women. Indirectly we may get a little light, for what in a woman might be called mannish or masculine would not go to make the manliness of a man, and what in a man’s conduct, at least, would be termed effeminate would not be deemed womanly in a woman. So that there are womanish traits and mannish ones, that while they may not detract from womanliness and manliness, do not add to them. The history of a word sometimes helps us out in determining its contents, and it is not at all unlikely that substantial aid may be had from this source toward the solution of the problem we have set ourselves; but unfortunately the writer has no adequate apparatus criticus at hand, and the time he has allowed himself for writing this article will not permit him to set about constructing one. Turning to Mrs. Cowden-Clarke’s Concordance of Shakespeare we find that she uses womanly only three times as against manly nineteen times. Moreover womanly is in every instance used in a sense where to-day we should prefer womanish. Lady Macduff calls her plea of having done no harm, a womanly defense. Cleopatra is said to be not more womanly than Antony. Turning to Young’s Concordance of the Bible, we find that in its pages neither term is used. However, “quit you like men” may perhaps be taken as the equivalent of be manly; but we look in vain for “quit you like women ” or anything similar to it. Moreover, Bible heroines do acquit themselves very much like men. Has the distinct recognition of the class of qualities that is meant by womanliness, grown up during the period throughout which woman has been achieving a slow enfranchisement from a condition of subordination to man's whims and passions to a position of intelligent and self-directed activity at his side ? And has the word womanly been emptied of its signification of weakness in order that it might be freighted with the new and nobler sense ? If so, the fact looks in the direction of womanli- ness and manliness being not so very diverse. What qualities enter into manliness? Dignity, a keen sense of humor, readiness to sustain responsi- bility, boldness in enterprise, intrepidity in danger, courage in standing by unpopular convictions, fortitude in suffering, self-control, openness, frankness, integrity in thought and in conduct. Can a woman dispense with any one of these and her womanliness not suffer? What qualities enter into womanliness? Gentleness, patience, ministry, tenderness, piety and other such qualities?—(it is lo
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