The Praise of Women.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 10

The Praise of Women.

A poet's compliment to a woman, or to women, is one of the prettiest and pleasantest exercises of words. Francis I. of France once said that a court without women would be like a year without a spring, and a spring without roses; and Malherbe, who was a poet, said that there are only two pretty things in the world, women and roses, and only two dainty morsels, women and melons.

Then. Chateaubriand said: "Man without woman would be gross, rude, and Solitary, and would ignore the grace which is the smile of love. Woman hangs around him the flowers of life, like those forest creepers which adorn the trunks of oaks with their perfumed garlands.’’ - < . ■ .

In his preity little book, "Opinion of My Friend Jacques on Women of Mind and the Mind of Women.” F. J. Stahl says: ‘‘Die mind of women has every

kind of relation to the diamond. It It fine, it fa precious, it haaa. thousand a thousand rays, it tuts fatete avhieh radfatc in every direction, it daafaes and betrays itself, even in the shade, - when the slightest opening ia made. "It cannot be shut up in the jewel-box; it must be seen"

Fontenelle said: "Among women modesty has great advantages. It augments beauty, and serves to hide ugliness." "A young girl was walking in a garden." said an enthusiastic French “and the flowers began to speak. ‘YoW.are prettier than we are, fair damsel,* said tbev. ‘Fresher,* said the rose of May. . ‘more vermilion,’ said the pomegranate; ‘whiter.’ said the lily; ‘sweeterJ said the jasmine; 'more graceful,” said the meadow-queen;’ 'purer,’ said the virgin-spike: 'chaster,’ said the orangeflower. The voung girl knew nothing of the language of the flowers: her fair, open countenance fell upon eaeh of them without blushing, and she admired them, all without knowing the praises they were giving her. But, perceiving halfhidden among the herbage the blue-eyed violet, she stooped toward it, gathered it with her delicate fingers, and after having inhaled its perfume, placed it near her heart. ‘How happy is the violet!’ said the other flowers."

We can hardly omit here the saying of Sehiller: "Honour to women! They scatter celestial roses on the pathway of our earthly life; they weave the fortunate bands of love: and under the modest veil of the graces they nourish with a sacred hand the immortal flower of noble sentiments.”