On The Excessive Influence Of Womem.

to travel beyond the precincts of their own concerns , or to be lifted to the height of great arguments from the petty premises aud conclusions of their own individual lot .

" From this same unfortunate deterioration literature has not escaped . Women read far more than men—they have more time for doing so—and , being the larger constituency , therefore it is they who decide for the most part what books shall be

written and what books shall be circulated . In former times they read the books men told them were worth reading ; now they read of their own accord the books they themselves know not to be worth rend in or

Hie books spontaneously read by the many are nearly always worthless ; the books spontaneously read by the few are nearly always worthy . Women demand novels , sensational travels , and shallow biographies . They are the majority

of readers , and literature is adapted to their tastes . And not only have they caused the supply of novels to be multi plied , they have caused their quality to be lowered . The extension of journalism as opposed to literature cannotperhapsbe laic ! at their

, , door . But of journals serious and journals frivolous , they prefer the latter , and their choice is for a daily paper which prints jaunty leaders , and for a weekly paper which is crammed with gossip , personality and scandal .

" But I am an old fogey , and perhaps I shall only be scoffed at as a grey-beard ancl a bald-head . Still , I have had my say , and I feel better for having liberated my mind . But before I . restore my pen to its stand , let me add just one word more . The influenceof women hasbeen andis excessive ,

but it is the fault of men that it has become so . In subjection to their unnatural , improper , excessive , ancl , I trust , transitory influence , men of to-day have lost the government of everything . They should reassert their headship in the interests of women and the world . "

Here is the bill of attainder I What is our reply 1 AVell , it is not women in our opinion who have done all this evil , and which we freely admit is patent on every side of us , but the " new generation , " and we are inclined to think that the " old fogey , " as he terms himself , is probably , after all ,

a " fast youth about town , who thinks woman a fair game alike for sarcasm and ridicule , for chaff ancl abuse . This is just now a very popular amusement with our " nova progenies" of golden ancl leaden young men ! In our humble opinion if

women betray the proclivities and take the course he asserts they do , and , above all exercise the evil influence , which he declares they exercise over contemporary life and art , it is because , in doing so , they think , poor souls , that they please and attract the men !

Yes , we repeat , the present position of conversation , society , the drama , dress , sestheticism , literature , and the like is mainly owing ; we firmly believe , to the depressing , deteriorating influences of a semi-educated , brainless , unthinking ,

apathetic generation of young heroes , who have no taste but the sensational , no aspirations but those of horse-racing , no hopes , no aims , no happiness but in questionable society , enervating luxury , and sceptical epicureanism .

these are hard words , " my masters , " but we fear that they are true words , ancl , above all , we think that to throw upon women the laches and perverted tastes of to-day is about as cowardly and disingenuous a proceeding as can well be imagined . It puts us in mind of a young

rascal of a footboy of ours who , when he was discovered reading our letters , coolly suggested that it was probably "the housemaid !"

As we have often asserted , ancl as we still assert boldl y , despite the witt y but unjust insinuations of the " old Fogey " in Temple Bar , we hold that " women are more sinned against than sinning , " and deserve our sympathy , not our scorn or

condemnation . All that is ennobling and high-minded , all that is hopeful and happy , all that is cheery and comfortable iu general society in . every department of life , we owe to them , and we ought to be very grateful alike for their pleasant

countenances ancl their kindl y interest . The " old Fogey " is only repeating the complaint of other generations and other writers , iu his enea irTeposvro , of to-day .

But women , happily , still live on , and will yet survive that prejudice and injustice which too ofteu are their lot in