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October 7,
2005
Wendy,
A
male student in my sociobiology
class called me a blue-stocking.
I think I know what it means, but
is it a compliment?
Marianne
Dear
Marianne,
It’s not
precisely a compliment, but it’s
not an insult either. My guess is
that he probably likes you. Today
blue-stocking is used to
refer to female academics, but it
used to be a belittling moniker
for female authors and their fans.
The earliest reference I can find
is in Boswell’s Life of
Johnson, where he explains that
“it became [in May 1781],
. . . much
the fashion for several ladies
to have evening assemblies, where
the fair sex might participate
in conversation with literary
and ingenious men, animated by
a desire to please. These societies
were denominated Blue-stocking
Clubs, the origin of which
title being little known, it may
be worth while to relate it. One
of the most eminent members of
those societies, when they first
commenced, was Mr. Stillingfleet,
whose dress was remarkably grave,
and in particular it was observed,
that he wore blue stockings. Such
was the excellence of his conversation,
that his absence was felt as so
great a loss, that it used to
be said, ‘We can do nothing
without the blue stockings;’
and thus by degrees the title
was established. Miss Hannah More
has admirably described a Blue-stocking
Club, in her Bas Bleu,
a poem in which many of the persons
who were most conspicuous there
are mentioned. Johnson was prevailed
with to come sometimes into these
circles, and did not think himself
too grave even for the lively
Miss Monckton (now Countess of
Corke), who used to have the finest
bit of blue at the house
of her mother, Lady Galway. Her
vivacity enchanted the Sage, and
they used to talk together with
all imaginable ease. A singular
instance happened one evening,
when she insisted that some of
Sterne’s writings were very
pathetick. Johnson bluntly denied
it. ‘I am sure (said she,)
they have affected me.’
‘Why, (said Johnson, smiling,
and rolling himself about,) that
is, because, dearest, you’re
a dunce.’ When she some time
afterwards mentioned this to him,
he said with equal truth and politeness;
‘Madam, if I had thought
so, I certainly should not have
said it.’
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