After all, a beautiful woman without a mind of her own leaves her lover with no resource after he has physically enjoyed her chasms. An ugly woman of brilliant intelligence makes a man fall so much in love that she leaves him feeling no lack.
Ask a beautiful woman who is not very intelligent if she would give some small part of her beauty for a little more intelligence. If she is frank she will say that she is satisfied and what she has. Why is she satisfied? Because, having only a little, she can have no notion of the intelligence she lack. Ask an ugly but inteligent woman if she would change places with the other. She will answer no. Why? Because, having a great deal of intelligence, she knows that it serves her for everything.
Giacomo Casanova - History of my life (3, 3)
