Hints for Lovers | Page 8

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.
* * *
Fashion is a woman's sole law. And
The surest evidence of strong-mindedness in woman is to fly in the fact
of fashion.
* * *
Ridicule is woman's keenest weapon; it is the poisoned arrow in her
quiver. Well is it for the men that she never, or so rarely, has recourse
to it.
* * *
A woman is quick to discern the quality of the admiration bestowed
upon her.
* * *
No one, not even herself, knows what a woman will do
next.--Doubtless this is trite. But it is true as trite. Yet men rarely find it
out till late in life--and forget it as soon as found out.

* * *
A woman can say more in a sigh than a man can say in a sermon.
* * *
Nothing piques a woman so much as indifference to her favors.
Indifference to her undiscovered passion she quite otherwise regards.
* * *
The woman knows the male heart probably better than does it itself.
She knows above all things, that to hold that heart she must never
wholly satisfy it. And many--and multiform--and marvelous--are the
ruses by which she accomplishes that end. And yet,
Women there are who firmly believe that, were they to try, they could
enthrall any man beyond possibility of extrication. And 48 so perhaps
they could; but the achievement would require as much
unscrupulousness as it would seductiveness.
The seductive and unscrupulous woman is hatred of women.
* * *
Under the gaze of a group of men whom she knows that her brilliancy
dazzles, a woman, like the snow-clad hearth, sparkles: Under the gaze
of a man by whom she knows she is passionately desired, like the same
earth under the lordly sun, she melts.
* * *
All women think they can cozen men: few women think they can cozen
women.
* * *
The women who perturb men most are those who combine too
effectively adorableness with desirableness.

* * *
As in nature, so in humanity, flight on the part of the lady is not always
symbol of unwillingness of pursuit. On the other hand
Feminine audacity by no means betokens feminine immodesty.
Feminine obduracy is invincible by man. Luckily, it is rare.
* * *
Men call women variable: did she not vary, men would tire. This,
women instinctively know.
Women rightly dislike and disgust variability in men. For
Women like best to be liked: to lead gives them but paltry and
temporary pleasure. (Though this they do not always instinctively know;
or, if they do, they conceal their knowledge.) And
Variability is incompatible with leadership.
* * *
How delicately a loving woman reproves! How defiantly an unloving!
* * *
How many lonely women--married and unmarried--the world contains,
only these lonely women know.
* * *
The feminine métier par excellence is: to allure. And
The subtle and elaborate means by which women will devise to
intensify the lure, passes the comprehension o f men. Yet
In all ages, to make herself attractive was as right and proper for the

woman as to make himself feared was for the man. Besides,
With women the art of attracting has long since become second nature.
* * *
Women are quick to recognize a rake. For
A rake always rouses curiosity, never aversion.
* * *
A worsted woman always, either silently or volubly, calls down a curse
upon her successful rival.--And 't is a curse that too often fails.
Many women handicap other women; and they handicap them in
multifarious ways. Probably the one most frequently used is lavishness
of favors.
The woman who is lavish of favors is hated of her stricter sisters. But,
before these, what an air of bravado she wears!
* * *
As a rule, women are far better readers of character than are men. A
woman will often startle a man by her penetrating insight into character.
And
Many a man has been put on his guard by female institution.
* * *
The fragilest woman will be ill content with suppressed embraces. And
The ablest-bodied woman loves being petted. Even
A prude is a shy coquette.
* * *

The man who judges of a woman by her letters is a fool.--Her gesture
will contain more matter than her journal. Besides,
The woman who could punctuate could reason.
* * *
The debut of a younger sister evokes mixed emotions.
* * *
The