Since my wife has exposed the relatively meager scores she gave me on the "Mirror of True Womanhood" scale, I thought I would shed some light on a manuscript I just discovered, written in 1880, titled "The Principles of True Masculinity."
I might have chosen different qualities, but these are the ones in the manuscript, so I thought I should remain true. The scores (on a scale of 1 to 10) I give myself, as an expert on this subject, are shown below. The scores my wife gets are in ().
Forthrightness: 6 (9)
Stubborness: 9 (9)
Moral Character: 9 (8)
Power to Spawn an Heir: 9 (9)
Belief in one's own correctness: 9 (7)
Earns enough to support vices: 8 (7)
World-wise: 9 (3)
Mercy: 9 (6)
Realistic Outlook: 9 (2)
Giving Orders in the home: 4 (9)
Abjuration of fashion: 10 (4)
Control of self and others: 8 (7)
and
Appropriate genitalia: 10 (0)
So it turns out my wife doesn't fare too badly, if not for that darn genitalia issue.
I noticed you scored "10" on yourself a few times... I thought your wife said you didn't believe in absolutes and wouldn't give anything a 10 or 0?
Posted by: Natalia | March 28, 2006 at 09:14 AM
Source? What's your source for this list?
I'm sorry to questions the list's authenticity, but "power to spawn an heir" sounds a lot more Dreadcrubrian than it does Victorian. Also, if you've actually done it (spawned an heir), shouldn't you get a 10?
Posted by: anonymous | March 28, 2006 at 09:34 AM
It's true, I don't really believe in absolutes, but I thought I would carry over the "10" Shannon gave me on fashion, and on the other, well, genitalia is sort of an all or nothing thing. Most of the time.
As to the heir issue, I gave myself a 9 because I only have one. Having a backup heir is always useful.
And the source, as you should well know, *anonymous*, is you.
Posted by: Dean | March 28, 2006 at 10:18 AM
Strange, I get a lot of very official-looking email messages that seem to indicate that genitalia is anything but an "all or nothing thing."
Yes, true. I'm rather prolific.
Anon.
Posted by: anonymous | March 28, 2006 at 11:51 AM
Amazing! The very scores I would've given you. Except on the last one, of course. That would've been an...11. That's right! Woo-hoo!
Posted by: the wife | March 28, 2006 at 01:54 PM
Lucky gal.
Posted by: anonymous | March 28, 2006 at 04:38 PM
I shouldn't've said that, right? That was inappropriate? And Dean refuses to delete it, of course. Ack, I'm always typing before thinking.
Posted by: the wife | March 29, 2006 at 01:04 PM
Lucky guy.
Posted by: anonymous | March 29, 2006 at 01:27 PM
After reading your initial comment, Shannon, my left eyebrow is permanently arched.
Posted by: Brent | March 29, 2006 at 02:38 PM