SOVRAN WOMAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7232, 19 October 1901, Page 3

SOVRAN WOMAN.

Mario Oorolli and Sovran Man. The "Ladies' Realm" gives the following account of Marie Corelli's clever and thoughtful reply to the toast of " Sovran Woman" at a recent gathering of the Whitefrjars Club, at which she was the guest of the evening. . ; Miss Gorelli spoke as follows : — I find myself placed to-night in a rather strange and ureiqua position. It is <t(he fivsfc time I have ever sproken »t a. pubiic dinner. It is equally the first time that I ev<r had to thank a Lomdton club of literary men for any kindness or consdide-raitaon ! The experience is altogether new to me, and 1 need scarcely say that it is as pleasant as it is new. ... All women are acquainted with the dear old ball-room compliment — the worn and •threadbare thing which our partner at the d'amce *n r hispers us at the close of the evening, lioav he never, never, never will forgets— which, if we are wise, we- know that he forgets all about us the very next morning. Without wishing to be too sceptical, the phrase "Sovran Woman" , seeana to me. something like that— one of those delightful but ephemeral flatteries which '* sovran man " is prone to use when he wishes to make himself exceptionally agreeable. . . . We 'hear a great d«al nowadays of strife and competition between the sexes, but surely there should be no strife between two- halves of «, perfect whole. Man is king, as woman is queen, arid 'to do good work in the world the two must rule harmoniously together. One is nab grearter or less than, 'the other ; each has the qualities necessary to make both happy. And men and women are never seen to better advantage than when their total unlikeness to each other is most apparent. An effeminate man is contemptible ; a masculine, woman is ridiculous. It is not by asserting herself as the equal of man that "Sovran Woman" will best keep her sovereignty ; it is rather by emphasising amd insisting on the great difference there is between herself and him. Imitation, is, we kniow, the sincerest form of. flattery, but to flatter man. so much as to try and make ourselves in any way like him is carrying the compliment somewhat too far. . . . . It is not by copying man's dreiv, tis sports, or his customs, that we s.-}ni!J keep and hold our best influence over him. His costume — if the gentlemen will permit m>e to say ssi»o — i» really not worth iiraitatiin'g. His sports and customs are of his nature — nob of ours. No woman ever gains anytibing by asserting that she is as good as a mam . . . Rosa Bonheur has filled a court in the place of art ; George Eliot has built a corner of the temple of English literature. Woman can be either aRe pa Bonheur or a George Eliot, -without challenging an Edwin Land9eer or a Walter Scott. There should be no quarrel. Time as lost and temper is wasted discussing comparisons and equalities. The rewards of -art are the same for both sexes. Failure means | poverty a<rad contempt ; success means the 1 enivy of malignant minds. It has always, been so, and will always be so until tho I end of time. No worker in art or literature ever gathered the roses of 'triumph without the thorns. . . . And «s regards our love of dress, we really have to thank " sovran man " for it. He does not lika !to see us dressed in his fash/Don— he complains and strongly disapproves if anyone in his family should attempt to put on clothes the least like his. Therefore wo have to dirw3 more prettily to please him, and we do it. We do mot want, to be his rivals or combatants ; we seek Io be liis friends

and helpers. lam sure tha.t is what all the hest women wish. . . . Thw want to be. tho friends, 'the companions of nwn. and help them in even- fro-ud cause. And T repeat that, we shou'd be careful not. Io repel " sovran man " by our so-called- advancement. We should, "tin the' contrary, shmv him an increased' ©harm of manner, a. greater kindness, a greater helpfulness, for every man is our naturally bom admirer nivd worshipper, and it resis entirely wit,h mirwlvw to keep him so. . . . hncUe* and gentlemen. I have iro more to say except to 1-liank Dr Watson (Tan ]\lacla>rcn) for the somewhat doubting manner in which he pro pos f d Sovran Woman."— and also to thank our hosts of the Wliitefriars for the cordiality with which Ih«y responded' to that ratlher hesitatingly handled toast . i thank Dr Watson and the Whitefrm-rs Club on mv own. behalf and on beha.lf of my sex here present for their amiability towards us. However much, we women may be haled from our thrones to-morrow in the conflict of th : s work-a-dn.v world. il> is pleasant to remember thvifc we have been so graciousJy acknowledged the queens of to-nigat .