distinctions between them result less from nature than from
education. Often we meet with women, especially the literary
sort, who seem veritable men, if not so, as the lawyers say, `to
all intents and purposes;' and often we meet with men, especially
town-dandies, who can only be compared to very ordinary women.

Almost all the ancients had the bad taste to speak ill of women;
among the rest even that delightful old Father `of the golden
mouth,' St Chrysostom.[94] So that, evidently, Dr Johnson's
fierce dictum cannot apply universally--`Only scoundrels speak
ill of women.'


[94] Hom. II.


Seneca took the part of women, exclaiming:-- `By no means
believe that their souls are inferior to ours, or that they are
less endowed with the virtues. As for honour, it is equally
great and energetic among them.'

A foreign lady was surprised at beholding the equality
established between the men and women at Sparta; whereupon the
wife of Leonidas, the King of Sparta, said to her:--`Do you not
know that it is we who bring forth the men? It is not the
fathers, but the mothers, that effectually form the heart.'

Napoleon seems to have formed what may be called a professional
estimate of women. When the demonstrative Madame de Stael
asked him--evidently expecting him to pay her a compliment--`Whom