FullReads

The philosophic world rejects the story of Joseph, having long ago learned that he-Dians live only in childish legend and Della-Cruscan poetry. As an ideal it reverses the natural relation of the sexes; as an example it is worse than worthless, for instead of inspiring emulation the young Hebrew’s heroic continence only provokes contempt. Men worship at the shrine of Solomon’s wisdom, of Moses’ perseverance, of David’s dauntless courage, but crown the altar of Joseph with asses’ ears. Such foolish Munchausenisms give to young girls a false idea of the opposite sex, relax their vigilance and imperil their virtue. From such ridiculous romances, solemnly approved by an owl-like priesthood, sprung that false code–so insulting to womankind–that a wife’s honor is not committed to her own keeping, but to the tender care of every man with whom she comes in contact. When a wife goes wrong a hypocritical world rises in well-simulated wrath–which is too often envy–and hurls its anathema maranatha at the head of the “designing villain,” as tho’ his companion in crime were born without brains and reared without instruction! The “injured husband”–who probably drove his wife to the devil by studied neglect that starved her heart and wounded her vanity–is regarded with contempt if he does not “make a killing” for a crime against the social code which he would himself commit.

I paint man as I find him, not as I would have him. I did not create him, or did his Architect ask my advice; hence it is no fault of mine that his virtue’s frail as ocean foam–not mine the blame that while half a god he’s all a beast. Mentally and sexually man is a polygamist, and, whatever its moral value may be, monogamy does violence to the law of his being. It is a barrier against which he ever beats like some wild beast of prey against restraining bars. Give him Psyche to wife and Sappho for mistress and he were not content–would swim a river to make mad love to some freckled maid. It is likely that Leander had at home a wife he dearly loved when he lost his life trying to reach fair Hero’s bower. That the Lord expects little even of the best of men when subjected to beauty’s blandishments is proven by his partiality to various princes and patriarchs who, in matters of gallantry, may be regarded as pace-setters.

I am not the apologist of the godless rake, the defender of the roue; but I have small patience with those mawkish purists who persist in measuring men and women by the same standard of morals. We might as well apply the same code to the fierce Malay who runs amuck and to McAllister’s fashionable pismires. We might as wisely bring to the same judgment bar Bengal’s royal beast, crazed with lust for blood, and Jaques’ wounded deer, weeping in the purling brook. Each sex and genus must be considered by itself, for each possesses its peculiar virtues and inherent vices. In all nature God intended the male to seek, the female to be sought. These he drives with passion’s fiery scourge, those he gently leads by maternal longings, and thus is the Law of Life fulfilled,–the living tide runs ever on from age to age, while divine Modesty preserves her name and habitation in the earth. A man’s crown of glory is his courage, a woman’s her chastity . While these remain the incense rises ever from Earth’s altar to Heaven’s eternal throne; but it matters not how pure the man if he be a cringing coward, how brave the woman if she be a brazen bawd. Lucrece as Caesar were infamous, and Caesar as Lucrece were a howling farce.