BEAUTY AND BRAINS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144133, 1 July 1913, Page 8

BEAUTY AND BRAINS.

Solomon has recorded his very, had ofaiiiion of a fair woman without discretKm i.e., a woman who is as foolish as sire is fair. He assorted also that favour is deceitful and beauty is vain; but it is astonishing how often women disagree with the ideas of Solomon. When ifco “Women at Homo” lately debated the question whether beauty or brains should bo counted the most attractive asset, a-number of very frank opinions were collected from women who, like Solomon, have been makers of many hooks. Mrs. Penrose declares; that as ■ a general rule it is the pink and white girl who scores. ‘ ‘Put a pretty tool and a plain blue-stocking into a room •with an assorted dozen of subalterns, curates, etc. At the end of ten minutes ■ the girl with a beautiful complexion and Bjo brains will have at least ten men round her, while one, perhaps—it it should happen to be Lent—will be making polite and joyless efforts to - engage in conversation the girl with the cultured mind.” Marjorie Bowen is convinced that “the average man docs prefer looks to intelligence in his part£er_at least at the moment of choosing her” She adds the illuminating remark, “And I think the same is true of the average woman.” Mm'.v E. Mann is surprised that there should be any doubt on the subject at all. ‘Sure-, Jy no woman will be found bold enough to assort she prefers intelligence to looks? To the average man beauty is ! everything, and intellect a negligiblequantity, if not a positive offence, lae Spanish proverb quoted by Rachel Hayward states that “A woman is won by her ears;” but man, being different, in temperament, in- supposed to; bo won by ; his eyes “Personal beauty must- make ‘the first appeal, though it may not be 'the greatest or the mast lasting: Ana ■ c hrme of Venus will draw more worshippers than the shrino.of Minerva. Cecily iSidewick cheerfully admits tfwt a beautiful girl has twenty chances o-/marriage ■where a plain girl has one. But she proceeds, stiff more cheerfully, to point ci* that girls not strict y beautiful poetess often the iiw>nnable quality called -charm. Abo that sensible man would '(rather not marry a fool, because ho knows that fools are troublesome and dangerous. He looks for sense in his mate, and cheerfulness and good tera:per. If r*o is pretty too, so mucVthe 'better.” Mrs. L. Humphreys (‘Rita ) appears to consider it a-matter of ago, “Those who marry young invariably ‘■marry for. looks.” Mrs. He Horne : Vaizv. however, writes with zeal on the 'side of intelligence. “A dense and stupid person can never havo charm; even a stupid child loses its sway.” , Her verdict is that men undoubtedly prefer intelligence, “but they think they don t! 4nd May L. Pondered puts in a gentle .protest against such a division of boau- ! tv and brain-power. “Every pretty girl is not a fool, and every clever woman is not plain.”