impatient question why women would "make such fools of themselves with clergymen":[1]
"They are quite right. They always like the strong men—the
fighters and the workers. In Voltaire's time they all ran
after the philosophers. In the middle ages, books tell us, they
worshipped the knights errant. They are always on the winning
side, the cunning little beauties. In the war-time, when the
soldiers had to play the world's game, the ladies all caught
the red-coat fever; now, in these talking and thinking days
(and be hanged to them for bores), they have the black-coat
fever for the same reason."
Thackeray also is guilty of the generalization not at his
time discovered to be fallacious:[2]
"Women won't see matters-of-fact in a matter-of-fact point
of view, and justice, unless it is tinged with a little romance,
gets no respect from them."
The generosity of "Little Sister" in condoning young
Firmin's unwise passiveness is based on "that admirable
injustice which belongs to all good women, and for which
let us be daily thankful." At this point the undevout
votary burns considerable medieval incense at the feminine
shrine,—not caring much if a little smoke should
blow into his idols' eyes:[3]*
- ↑ Yeast, 110. Elsewhere in the volume the author expounds his feministic philosophy: "She tried, as women will, to answer him with arguments, and failed, as women will fail." 29. "Woman will have guidance. It is her delight and glory to be led." 177.
- ↑ The Adventures of Philip, II, 42.
- ↑ Ibid., I, 237. Thackeray's patronizing smugness and antique attitude towards women come out with a beautiful unconsciousness in a letter to one of them, and that one a prime favorite with him, Mrs. Brookfield: "I am afraid I don't respect your sex enough, though. Yes I do, when they are occupied with loving and sentiment rather than with other business of life." His fair correspondent could not retort that he would have found a congenial soul in
