with
prostitutes. It is quite a _common_ thing with men. It is quite a rare
thing with women, though it may happen. As iterated and reiterated
time and again, there are always exceptional cases, but we are
speaking of the average and not of the exception. The _rule_ is that
in her sex and love life woman is much more loyal, much more faithful,
much more single-affectioned than is her lord and master--man.

Is she on account of it better than, superior to, man? It is futile to
speak of better or worse, of superior or inferior. This is the way
they are. This is the way man and woman have been made by nature, by a
thousand centuries of heredity, by a thousand centuries of
environment. The differences lie in biological roots, and it is futile
to fight and rail against nature and biology. The proper thing to do
is to recognize the facts and make the best of them. To act the part
of the ostrich, deliberately to ignore facts which are not pleasant,
may be easy, but is it wise?

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

MATERNAL IMPRESSIONS

Wide-spread Belief in Maternal Impressions--No Single
Well-authenticated Case of Maternal Impression--Birth of
Monstrosities--Ridiculous Examples Given by Physicians--So-called
Shock Often a Product of Mother's Imagination--Four Cases of
Alleged Maternal Impressions--Mother's Health During Pregnancy
May Have Effect Upon Child's General Health.

It is believed by many people that strong impressions made upon the
mother during pregnancy may produce marks or defects in the child.
This belief dates from earliest antiquity, and is widespread among all
races. The belief particularly refers to the emotions of fright or
sudden surprise; thus it is believed that if a woman during pregnancy
should be frightened by some animal, the child might carry the mark of
the animal upon its body, or it might even be born in the shape of the
animal. Thousands of such _alleged_ cases are given in proof. There is
hardly a layman, or, particularly, a laywoman, who does not claim to
know of authentic cases of maternal impressions.

It is a thankless task to try to shatter well-established beliefs,
and I do not hope to succeed in persuading all my readers that all the
stories and examples of maternal impressions are untrue and lack
scientific foundation. But I consider it my duty to state my belief,
whether you accept it or not. In my opinion there is not a single
_well-authenticated_ case of maternal impressi