George Jean Nathan, my 'find' of the month, had so many smart things to say that I could probably use him as a source for my weekly bon mots for another 2 or 3 months. However, I thought I'd better move on to new inspirations for my Monday epigrams from next week; so here is a round-up of the leftovers, GJN's most penetrating comments on men, women, and love.
"A man reserves his true and deepest love not for the species of woman in whose company he finds himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company he may feel tenderly drowsy."
"Love demands infinitely less than friendship."
"Women, as they grow older, rely more and more on cosmetics. Men, as they grow older, rely more and more on a sense of humor."
"So long as there is one pretty girl left on the stage, the professional undertakers may hold up their burial of the theater."
"A man admires a woman not for what she says, but what she listens to."
"A man's wife is always a compromise with the illusion of his first sweetheart."
"I know many married men. I even know a few happily married men. But I don't know one who wouldn't fall down the first open coal hole running after the first pretty girl who gave him a wink."
7 comments:
That first one particularly gets me.
With The Poet I had both the electrification and the enkindlement, and - on other occasions, perhaps - the feeling of being tenderly drowsy.
That's why it was such a 'disturbance in the ether' kind of relationship.
what's with the sudden onslaught of comments on love and women. is this backlash for Madame X's unresponsiveness?
Surely, with or without Madame X, your life has in it other women you might want to respect (and not piss off).
Ah, but, I suppose we all get a bit cynical every now and then, eh? And perhaps you get cynical more often then others?
Then getting it out of the system does a body good, I'd say. So, yes, bring on all the George Jean for the month, for next month will be new and George Jean-less.
Any male commenters care to pipe in?
TBC?? I think Froog would like some companionship in his male angst and I doubt he'll get any from any of us ladies...
I hope you're not "pissed off" by GJN's observations (or mine), Tulsa.
His remarks are descriptive, not prescriptive. He just tells it like it is.
I don't see anything here as apposite to the Madame X situation, though. Except perhaps (ruefully, wistfully) "Love requires infinitely less than friendship".
on these notes, I'd like to add that if there is any truth to what GJN says, then I am a happy girl, unmarried and pretty!! This way I don't get the sticky end of the straw....or what is it they say?
short end of the straw.
and happy to hear you're happy!
An 'end' doesn't really have length! It is just a "short straw" (as in "drawing the...."). Although we do sometimes hear of getting the "short end of the stick" (there's perhaps a joking implication of perceived disadvantage where in fact there is none). However, that may be just a polite variation on the expression I think Earthling was searching for: "getting the shit-end of the stick".
Froog, I didn't know that last one, but now I do. Thanks.
By the way have any of you been in and seen the total stranger I had a comment from? I felt rude writing the comment I wrote about his visit to my blog, but sometimes I'm like that around strangers.
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