Human Physiology. j/7 



to know that there are still in the world such women as are 

 described in the Proverbs of Solomon; women whose strong 

 sensual natures have a magnetic power to inflame the desires of 

 those who come near them; women who are really dangerous 

 to men of a certain susceptibility to such impressions. An 

 atmosphere of lust is spread around them. It is real and pal- 

 pable. They can charm like serpents; throwing off magnetic 

 currents, which come from and act upon the amative nature. 

 It requires a certain force of character and strength of resolu- 

 tion to resist this fascination of the senses, which many women 

 delight to produce ; some for mere amusement, or the triumph 

 of exercising power, as men in riding or hunting, in what they 

 call innocent flirtations; some in abandoned voluptuousness. 

 Generally it is best to run away. The better part of valour is 

 discretion. Many such women seem to have a heightened plea- 

 sure, whether of ambition or lust, in the mischief they do. They 

 like to take a husband from his wife, or a lover from his 

 betrothed. 



The male flirt and the male seducer, are far more dangerous, 

 not, perhaps, as having more fascinating or magnetic power 

 than women, but in the more terrible social consequences that 

 may fall upon their victims. It is no disgrace to a man to get 

 in love with a woman, or to be seduced. Either may be ruin 

 to a girl or woman. And there are many men who want but 

 opportunity to make almost any woman they choose to act 

 upon love them, and any weak and loving woman yield to their 

 desires. Such men are the terror of families. Fathers, mothers, 

 chaperons, husbands, are in constant dread of them. In the 

 days of duelling they could be called out but it was at a 

 strong risk of the challenger being shot, for wicked men are 

 not always cowards. 



Such a man, dangerous to female reputations and virtue as 

 the man-eating tigers of India to the poor inhabitants, need not 

 be handsome. Very ugly men are often very successful. They 



