THE MALE AND THE FEMALE MIND 243 



which enable a man to write poetry or compose 

 music of the very highest grade, it is extremely risky 

 to form a definitive judgment. It is possible, 

 though by no means certain, that this superiority 

 has a mnemic origin, or depends on some other form 

 of superiority in respect to cerebral organization. 

 But there are some things about our methods of 

 education which we must not lose sight of in this 

 connection. Assuming that, in a given community, 

 there is an equal number of boys and girls of approxi- 

 mately equal gifts, it is certain that a far larger pro- 

 portion of the boys would be permitted or encouraged 

 to develop their powers than would be the case with 

 the girls. The boys would be encouraged by con- 

 ventional parents to make a fairly free use of their 

 gifts, and their irregularities of conduct in their ef- 

 forts to choose their own paths would be pardoned 

 them on the ground that they have careers before 

 them. But the girls would be suppressed at every 

 step, and the ideal of gentleness and personal attrac- 

 tiveness would be continually impressed on their 

 minds, thus effectually checking or diverting their 

 talents. Under such conditions it would not be 

 surprising if the most gifted boys made a better 

 showing in creative work than the girls. I do not 

 say that this is the explanation of the disparity be- 

 tween the most gifted men and the most gifted women 

 in poetry, music, and art. Indeed, I believe that it 

 cannot be the full explanation of the difference. But 

 until girls and women generally have opportunities 



