All women are supposed to be like timid, startled fawns, blushing and casting down their gentle eyes when looked at and running away when spoken to; while we men are supposed to be a bold and rollicky lot, and the poor dear little women admire us for it, but are terribly afraid of us.
 Jerome K. Jerome, Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886). copy citation

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Author Jerome K. Jerome
Source Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
Topic women eyes
Date 1886
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/849/849-h/849-h.htm

Context

“no girl would be. There is no such thing as a shy woman, or, at all events, I have never come across one, and until I do I shall not believe in them. I know that the generally accepted belief is quite the reverse. All women are supposed to be like timid, startled fawns, blushing and casting down their gentle eyes when looked at and running away when spoken to; while we men are supposed to be a bold and rollicky lot, and the poor dear little women admire us for it, but are terribly afraid of us. It is a pretty theory, but, like most generally accepted theories, mere nonsense. The girl of twelve is self-contained and as cool as the proverbial cucumber, while her brother of twenty stammers and stutters by her side.” source