The Merry Past 



Women are of necessity banded together in a 

 species of vast trades union, the objects of which are 

 to dominate man. Every woman tacitly belongs to 

 this secret confederation, which has come into exist- 

 ence owing to the weakness of her sex, which for 

 generations has been obliged to resort to the tactics in 

 question. Nevertheless, though women form a sort 

 of offensive and defensive corporation, they generally 

 have a very poor opinion of each other, and at heart 

 have a far greater contempt for the rest of their sex 

 than any misogynist. This applies more particularly 

 to good-looking women, the vast majority of whom 

 are not at all fond of their sisters. 



The main end of womankind in general is admira- 

 tion, which perfectly naturally they value most when 

 accorded to those physical attractions bestowed by 

 nature, in order to further its own weighty ends. As 

 a matter of fact, it is only when women reach a 

 certain age that most of them attach much importance 

 to the pleasures of cultivated and interesting conver- 

 sation. When, however, a pretty woman is clever 

 enough to add this powerful weapon to her armoury 

 of charms, she becomes the most delightful and 

 powerful being on God's earth, absolutely dominating 

 every man she comes across. This was the secret 

 charm possessed by beauties of the past such as 

 Madame de Pompadour, Louise de Querouaille, 

 Duchess of Portsmouth, and many others, who swayed 

 the fate of nations through the monarchs whom they 

 ruled. 



As a matter of fact, women in general are probably 

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