The Spinster Book

If "the proper study of mankind is man," it is also the chief delight of woman. It is notsurprising that men are conceited, since the thought of the entire population is centredupon them.Women are wont to consider man in general as a simple creation. It is not until theindividual comes into the field of the feminine telescope, and his peculiarities are throwninto high relief, that he is seen and judged at his true value.When a girl once turns her attention from the species to the individual, her parlourbecomes a sort of psychological laboratory in which she conducts various experiments; not, however, without the loss of friends. For men are impatient of the spirit of inquiry inwoman.The Phenomena of AffectionHow shall a girl acquire her knowledge of the phenomena of affection, if men are notwilling to be questioned upon the subject? What is more natural than to seek wisdom fromthe man a girl has just refused to marry? Why should she not ask if he has ever lovedbefore, how long he has loved her, if he were not surprised when he found it out, and howhe feels in her presence?Yet a sensitive spinster is repeatedly astonished at finding her lover transformed into afiend, without other provocation than this. He accuses her of being "a heartless coquette,"of having "led him on,"-whatever that may mean, -and he does not care to have her forhis sister, or even for his friend.Original ResearchOccasionally a charitable man will open his heart for the benefit of the patient student. If heis of a scientific turn of mind, with a fondness for original research, he may even take amelancholy pleasure in the analysis.Thus she learns that he thought he had loved, until he cared for her, but in the light of thenew passion he sees clearly that the others were mere, idle flirtations. To her surprise, shealso discovers that he has loved her a long time but has never dared to speak of it before, and that this feeling, compared with the others, is as wine unto water. In her presence he isuplifted, exalted, and often afraid, for very love of h