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conceit；'' says Lombroso； ‘‘explains itself especially in the fact that the most important thing in the life of woman is the struggle for men。'' This assertion is strengthened by a long series of examples and historical considerations and can serve as a guiding thread in many labyrinthine cases。 First of all； it is important to know in many trials whether a woman has already taken up this struggle for men； i。 e。； whether she has a lover； or wishes to have a lover。 If it can be shown that she has suddenly become conceited； or her conceit has been really intensified； the question has an unconditionally affirmative answer。 Frequently enough one may succeed even in determining the particular man； by ascertaining with certainty the time at which this conceit first began； and whether it had closer or more distant reference to some man。 If these conditions； once discovered； are otherwise at all confirmed； and there are no mistakes in observation； the inference is inevitably certain。
We learn much concerning feminine conceit when we ask how a man could have altered the inclination of a woman whose equal he in no sense was。 It is not necessary in such cases to fuss about the insoluble riddle of the female heart and about the ever…dark secrets of the feminine soul。 Vulpes vult fraudem； lupus agnum； femina laudemthis illuminates every profundity。 The man in question knew how to make use of laudemhe knew how to excite feminine conceit； and so vanquished others who were worth much more than he。
This goes so far that by knowing the degree of feminine conceit we know also the vivacity of feminine sexuality； and the latter is criminologically important。 Heinroth＇1＇ says； ‘‘The feminine individual； so long as it has demands to make； or believes itself to have them； has utmost self…confidence。 Conceit is the sexual characteristic。'' And we may add； ‘‘and the standard of sexuality。'' As soon as the child has the first ribbon woven into its hair； sexuality has been excited。 It increases with the love of tinsel and glitter and dies when the aging female begins to neglect herself and to go about unwashed。 Woman lies when she asserts that everything is dead in her heart； and sits before you neatly and decoratively dressed； she lies when she says that she still loves her husband； and at the same time shows considerable carelessness about her body and clothes； she lies when she assures you that she has always been the same and her conceit has come or gone。 These statements constitute unexceptionable rules。 The use of them involves no possible error。
＇1＇ Lehrbuch des Anthropologie。 Leipzig 1822。
We have now the opportunity to understand what feminine knowledge is worth and in what degree it is reliable。 This is no place to discuss the capacity of the feminine brain； and to venture into the dangerous field which Schopenhauer and his disciples and modern anthropologists have entered merely to quarrel in。 The judge's business is the concrete case in which he must test the ex… pressions of a woman when they depend upon real or apparent knowledge； either just as he must test the testimony of any other witness； or by means of experts。 We shall therefore indicate only the symptomatic value of feminine knowledge with regard to feminine conceit。 According to Lotze； women go to theater and to church only to show their clothes and to appear artistic and pious； while M。 d'Arconville says； that women learn only that it may be said of them； ‘‘They are scholars；'' but for knowledge they care not at all。
This is important because we are likely； with regard to knowledge in the deepest sense of the word； to be frequently unjust to women。 We are accustomed to suppose that the accumulation of some form of knowledge must have some definite； hence causally related； connection with purpose。 We ask why the scholar is interested in his subject； why he has sought this knowledge？ And in most cases we find the right reason when we have found the logical connection and have sought it logically。 This might have explained difficult cases； but not where the knowledge of women is concerned。 Women are interested in art； literature； and science； mainly out of conceit； but they care also for hundreds of other little things in order； by the knowledge of them； to show off as scholars。 Conceit and curiosity are closely related。 Women therefore often attain information that might cause them to be listed as suspects if it could not be harmlessly explained by conceit。 Conceit； however； has itself to be explained by the struggle for men； because woman knows instinctively that she can use knowledge in this struggle。 And this struggle for the other sex frequently betrays woman's own crime； or the crime of others。 Somebody said that Eve's first thought after eating the apple was： ‘‘How does my fig…leaf fit？'' It is a tasteful notion； that Eve； who needed only to please her Adam； thought only of this after all the sorrow of the first sin！ But it is true； and we may imagine Eve's state of mind to be as follows： ‘‘Shall I now please him more or less？'' It is characteristic that the question about dress is said to have been the _*first_ question。 It shows the power of conceit； the swiftness with which it presses to the front。 Indeed； of all crimes against property half would have remained undiscovered if the criminals had been self…controlled enough to keep their unjustly acquired gains dark for a while。 That they have not； constitutes the hope of every judge for the discovery of the criminal； and the hope is greater with the extent of the theft。 It may be assumed that the criminal exhibits the fruits of his crime； but that it is difficult to discover when there is not much of it。 This general rule is much more efficacious among women than among men； for which reason a criminalist who suspects some person thinks rather of arresting this person's wife or mistress than himself。 When the apprentice steals something from his master； his girl gets a new shawl； and that is not kept in the chest but immediately decorates the shoulders of the girl。 Indeed； women of the profoundest culture can not wait a moment to decorate themselves with their new gauds； and we hear that gypsies； who have been caught in some fresh crime； are betrayed mainly by the fact that the women who had watched the house to be robbed had been trying on bits of clothing while the men were still inside cleaning the place up。 What was most important for the women was to meet the men already decorated anew when the men would finally come back。
The old maid is； from the sexual standpoint； legally important because she is in herself rather different from other women； and hence must be differently understood。 The properties assigned to these very pitiful creatures are well…known。 Many of the almost exclusively unpleasant peculiarities assigned to them they may be said really to possess。 The old maid has failed in her natural function and thus exhibits all that is implied in this accident； bitterness； envy； unpleasantness； hard judgment of others' qualities and deeds； difficulty in forming new relationships； exaggerated fear and prudery； the latter mainly as simulation of innocence。 It is a well…known f