MAN THE IDEALIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18173, 19 August 1922, Page 4 (Supplement)

MAN THE IDEALIST.

Men axe idealists. Much mora so than women. And the average man—unless he is that detestable thing a fortuneseeker—is fiercely determined to marry ".for love" or not at all (says a writer in the Daily Mail). Women, ! also, ardently desire to marry " for love." But, in many cases, circumstances do not permit them to add "or not at all." Sometimes they substitute a sincere liking and respect for love and marry on the strength of that—the next best thing. But the difference between men and women is that men are self-deceivers, as perhaps are all idealists, whereas most women draw the curtains of illusion around their own souls. They lay that soul on the table before them and examine it under a microscope. The result of the inspection they keep to themselves, but they know all about it Hence when the man boasts proudly that he married " for love " and points to a Darby and Joan existence to 'prove his statement, his wife sometimes smiles quietly. For she knows better. The man when he proposed did not, possibly, know the meaning of love. Nor, perhaps, did she. Bet, that did not prevent love from coming afterwards. Few men having: married honestly and gallantly " for love," and, with the exception of the inevitable little rifts in the hite, having found happiness afterwards, over trouble to ask themselves, "Why did I fall in love?" If they did they would be considerably startled. They roigJft find that the qualities they loved, or thought they loved, were entirely lacking, chat they were absolutely unable to reconstruct the picture or the passion. For a " love" proposal more often depends upon circumstance and setting than upon sincere admiration for a woman's qualities. The perfumed breath of sweet spring hours, the distant strains of a band, the golden light in Juliette's hair, or a bewitching little blue hat, may be responsible for that "love" declaration. After marriage Borneo may find his Juliette weary of moonlit paths, bored with golf, and, alas! the little] blue hat is worn out. But, if his marriage be a happy one, he does not miss those delights. Juliette has popped the dream Juiette into a cupboard and offers instead the real woman. As, when she was a little girl, she quietly laid aside her dolls and turned to serious " things, so now she tenderly tucks away Borneo s illusion* and takes up her real job—the job ot making him comfortable and happy.