just as little or as much phenomena of
degeneration as are womanish men (unethically considered). Intermediate
sexual forms are normal, not pathological phenomena, in all classes of
organisms, and their appearance is no proof of physical decadence.
Woman is neither high-minded nor low-minded, strong-minded nor
weak-minded. She is the opposite of all these. Mind cannot be predicated
of her at all; she is mindless. That, however, does not imply
weak-mindedness in the ordinary sense of the term, the absence of the
capacity to "get her bearings" in ordinary everyday life. Cunning,
calculation, "cleverness," are much more usual and constant in the woman
than in the man, if there be a personal selfish end in view. A woman is
never so stupid as a man can be.
But has woman no meaning at all? Has she no general purpose in the
scheme of the world? Has she not a destiny; and, in spite of all her
senselessness and emptiness, a significance in the universe?
Has she a mission, or is her existence an accident and an absurdity?
In order to understand her meaning, it is necessary to start from a
phenomenon which, although old and well recognized, has never received
its proper meed of consideration. It is from nothing more nor less than
the deep, her only vital interest, the interest that sexual unions shall
take place; the wish that as much of it as possible shall occur, in all
cases, places, and times.
. . After mature consideration of the most varied types of women and
with due regard to the special classes besides those which I have
discussed, I am of opinion that the only positively general female
characteristic is that of matchmaking, that is, her uniform willingness
to further the idea of sexual union.
Any definition of the nature of woman which goes no further than to
declare that she has the strong instinct for her own union would be too
narrow; any definition that would link her instincts t
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