The belief in the possession by woman of an uncanny psychic power which made her the priestess and witch of other days, has crystallized into the modern concept of womanly intuition.  In our times, women “get hunches,” have “feelings in their bones,” etc., about people, or about things which are going to happen.  They are often asked to decide on business ventures or to pass opinions on persons whom they do not know.  There are shrewd business men who never enter into a serious negotiation without getting their wives’ intuitive opinion of the men with whom they are dealing.  The psychology of behaviour would explain these rapid fire judgments of women as having basis in observation of unconscious movements, while another psychological explanation would emphasize sensitiveness to suggestion as a factor in the process.  Yet in spite of these rational explanations of woman’s swift conclusions on matters of importance, she is still accredited with a mysterious faculty of intuition.

A curious instance of the peculiar forms in which old taboos linger on in modern life is the taboos on certain words and on discussion of certain subjects.  The ascetic idea of the uncleanness of the sex relation is especially noticeable.  A study of 150 girls made by the writer in 1916-17 showed a taboo on thought and discussion among well-bred girls of the following subjects, which they characterize as “indelicate,” “polluting,” and “things completely outside the knowledge of a lady.”

1.  Things contrary to custom, often called “wicked” and “immoral.”

2.  Things “disgusting,” such as bodily functions, normal as well as pathological, and all the implications of uncleanliness.

3.  Things uncanny, that “make your flesh creep,” and things suspicious.

4.  Many forms of animal life which it is a commonplace that girls will fear or which are considered unclean.

5.  Sex differences.

6.  Age differences.

7.  All matters relating to the double standard of morality.

8.  All matters connected with marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth.

9.  Allusions to any part of the body except head and hands.

10.  Politics.

11.  Religion.

It will be noted that most of these taboo objects are obviously those which the concept of the Model Woman has ruled out of the life of the feminine half of the world.

As might well be expected, it is in the marriage ceremony and the customs of the family institution that the most direct continuation of taboo may be found.  The early ceremonials connected with marriage, as Mr Crawley has shown, counteracted to some extent man’s ancient fear of woman as the embodiment of a weakness which would emasculate him.  Marriage acted as a bridge, by which the breach of taboo was expiated, condoned, and socially countenanced.  Modern convention in many forms perpetuates this concept.  Marriage, a conventionalized breach of taboo, is the beginning of a new family.  In all its forms, social, religious, or legal, it is an accepted exception to the social injunctions which keep men and women apart under other circumstances.