THE MALE AND THE FEMALE MIND 249 



though perhaps attracted by them, are able to make 

 an escape before committing themselves. Others are 

 less fortunate or, perhaps we should say, less gifted 

 in their amorous or sexual perceptions, and find 

 themselves linked by matrimonial ties to women 

 whose main attraction has been their coquetry. 

 These are, of course, the marriages that yield the 

 highest percentages of divorces. Men are perhaps, 

 in general, not so well fitted as women to steer then* 

 way safely among the shoals and rocks of flirtation. 

 The advantage of women in this direction lies, I 

 think, in their better intuitive responses (or to ex- 

 press it in physiological terms, in their more correct 

 nervous reactions) to elementary human qualities - 

 an advantage which may have its basis in mnemic 

 heredity. The egotism and self-confidence of men 

 carry with them many little vanities which are easily 

 played upon by clever women, determined to please, 

 and willing to stoop to conquer. Men of affairs, 

 who have learned to triumph over other men, are 

 especially prone to mistakes in dealing with the fair 

 sex. Those who are shy by nature and modest, and 

 have had little chance to observe women, are apt to 

 get into unfortunate matrimonial situations, espe- 

 cially if they readily react in emotional ways. Great 

 intelligence does not protect them, as the somewhat 

 pathetic but amusing case of Abraham Lincoln clearly 

 shows. One of the most eminent German scientists, 

 to whom mankind owes a large debt, is quite under 

 the domination of a wife far inferior in capacity, who 



