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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was produced by +Amy E Zelmer <a.zelmer@cqu.edu.au> +Col Choat <CChoat@sanderson.net.au> +Sue Asscher <asschers@dingoblue.net.au> + + + + + +A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN, +WITH STRICTURES ON POLITICAL AND MORAL SUBJECTS, +BY MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT. + +WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +CHAPTER 1. THE RIGHTS AND INVOLVED DUTIES OF MANKIND CONSIDERED. + +CHAPTER 2. THE PREVAILING OPINION OF A SEXUAL CHARACTER DISCUSSED. + +CHAPTER 3. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. + +CHAPTER 4. OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF DEGRADATION TO WHICH WOMAN +IS REDUCED BY VARIOUS CAUSES. + +CHAPTER 5. ANIMADVERSIONS ON SOME OF THE WRITERS WHO HAVE RENDERED +WOMEN OBJECTS OF PITY, BORDERING ON CONTEMPT. + +CHAPTER 6. THE EFFECT WHICH AN EARLY ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS HAS UPON +THE CHARACTER. + +CHAPTER 7. MODESTY. COMPREHENSIVELY CONSIDERED, AND NOT AS A +SEXUAL VIRTUE. + +CHAPTER 8. MORALITY UNDERMINED BY SEXUAL NOTIONS OF THE IMPORTANCE +OF A GOOD REPUTATION + +CHAPTER 9. OF THE PERNICIOUS EFFECTS WHICH ARISE FROM THE UNNATURAL +DISTINCTIONS ESTABLISHED IN SOCIETY. + +CHAPTER 10. PARENTAL AFFECTION. + +CHAPTER 11. DUTY TO PARENTS + +CHAPTER 12. ON NATIONAL EDUCATION + +CHAPTER 13. SOME INSTANCES OF THE FOLLY WHICH THE IGNORANCE OF +WOMEN GENERATES; WITH CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ON THE MORAL +IMPROVEMENT THAT A REVOLUTION IN FEMALE MANNERS MAY NATURALLY BE +EXPECTED TO PRODUCE. +8 April, 2001 + + +A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT. + +M. Wollstonecraft was born in 1759. Her father was so great a +wanderer, that the place of her birth is uncertain; she supposed, +however, it was London, or Epping Forest: at the latter place she +spent the first five years of her life. In early youth she +exhibited traces of exquisite sensibility, soundness of +understanding, and decision of character; but her father being a +despot in his family, and her mother one of his subjects, Mary, +derived little benefit from their parental training. She received +no literary instructions but such as were to be had in ordinary day +schools. Before her sixteenth year she became acquainted with Mr. +Clare a clergyman, and Miss Frances Blood; the latter, two years +older than herself; who possessing good taste and some knowledge of +the fine arts, seems to have given the first impulse to the +formation of her character. At the age of nineteen, she left her +parents, and resided with a Mrs. Dawson for two years; when she +returned to the parental roof to give attention to her mother, +whose ill health made her presence necessary. On the death of her +mother, Mary bade a final adieu to her father's house, and became +the inmate of F. Blood; thus situated, their intimacy increased, +and a strong attachment was reciprocated. In 1783 she commenced a +day school at Newington green, in conjunction with her friend, F. +Blood. At this place she became acquainted with Dr. Price, to whom +she became strongly attached; the regard was mutual. + +It is said that she became a teacher from motives of benevolence, +or rather philanthropy, and during the time she continued in the +profession, she gave proof of superior qualification for the +performance of its arduous and important duties. Her friend and +coadjutor married and removed to Lisbon, in Portugal, where she +died of a pulmonary disease; the symptoms of which were visible +before her marriage. So true was Mary's attachment to her, that +she entrusted her school to the care of others, for the purpose of +attending Frances in her closing scene. She aided, as did Dr. +Young, in "Stealing Narcissa a grave." Her mind was expanded by +this residence in a foreign country, and though clear of religious +bigotry before, she took some instructive lessons on the evils of +superstition, and intolerance. + +On her return she found the school had suffered by her absence, and +having previously decided to apply herself to literature, she now +resolved to commence. In 1787 she made, or received, proposals +from Johnson, a publisher in London, who was already acquainted +with her talents as an author. During the three subsequent years, +she was actively engaged, more in translating, condensing, and +compiling, than in the production of original works. At this time +she laboured under much depression of spirits, for the loss of her +friend; this rather increased, perhaps, by the publication of +"Mary, a novel," which was mostly composed of incidents and +reflections connected with their intimacy. + +The pecuniary concerns of her father becoming embarrassed, Mary +practised a rigid economy in her expenditures, and with her savings +was enabled to procure her sisters and brothers situations, to +which without her aid, they could not have had access; her father +was sustained at length from her funds; she even found means to +take under her protection an orphan child. + +She had acquired a facility in the arrangement and expression of +thoughts, in her avocation of translator, and compiler, which was +no doubt of great use to her afterward. It was not long until she +had occasion for them. The eminent Burke produced his celebrated +"Reflections on the Revolution in France." Mary full of sentiments +of liberty, and indignant at what she thought subversive of it, +seized her pen and produced the first attack upon that famous work. +It succeeded well, for though intemperate and contemptuous, it was +vehemently and impetuously eloquent; and though Burke was beloved +by the enlightened friends of freedom, they were dissatisfied and +disgusted with what they deemed an outrage upon it. + +It is said that Mary, had not wanted confidence in her own powers +before, but the reception this work met from the public, gave her +an opportunity of judging what those powers were, in the estimation +of others. It was shortly after this, that she commenced the work +to which these remarks are prefixed. What are its merits will be +decided in the judgment of each reader; suffice it to say she +appears to have stept forth boldly, and singly, in defence of that +half of the human race, which by the usages of all society, whether +savage or civilized, have been kept from attaining their proper +dignity--their equal rank as rational beings. It would appear that +the disguise used in placing on woman the silken fetters which +bribed her into endurance, and even love of slavery, but increased +the opposition of our authoress: she would have had more patience +with rude, brute coercion, than with that imposing gallantry, +which, while it affects to consider woman as the pride, and +ornament of creation, degrades her to a toy--an appendage--a +cypher. The work was much reprehended, and as might well be +expected, found its greatest enemies in the pretty soft +creatures--the spoiled children of her own sex. She accomplished +it in six weeks. + +In 1792 she removed to Paris, where she became acquainted with +Gilbert Imlay, of the United States. And from this acquaintance +grew an attachment, which brought the parties together, without +legal formalities, to which she objected on account of some family +embarrassments, in which he would thereby become involved. The +engagement was however considered by her of the most sacred nature, +and they formed the plan of emigrating to America, where they +should be enabled to accomplish it. These were the days of +Robespierrean cruelty, and Imlay left Paris for Havre, whither +after a time Mary followed him. They continued to reside there, +until he left Havre for London, under pretence of business, and +with a promise of rejoining her soon at Paris, which however he did +not, but in 1795 sent for her to London. In the mean time she had +become the mother of a female child, whom she called Frances in +commemoration of her early friendship. + +Before she went to England, she had some gloomy forebodings that +the affections of Imlay, had waned, if they were not estranged from +her; on her arrival, those forebodings were sorrowfully confirmed. +His attentions were too formal and constrained to pass unobserved +by her penetration, and though he ascribed his manner, and his +absence, to business duties, she saw his affection for her was only +something to be remembered. To use her own expression, "Love, dear +delusion! Rigorous reason has forced me to resign; and now my +rational prospects are blasted, just as I have learned to be +contented with rational enjoyments." To pretend to depict her +misery at this time would be futile; the best idea can be formed of +it from the fact that she had planned her own destruction, from +which Imlay prevented her. She conceived the idea of suicide a +second time, and threw herself into the Thames; she remained in the +water, until consciousness forsook her, but she was taken up and +resuscitated. After divers attempts to revive the affections of +Imlay, with sundry explanations and professions on his part, +through the lapse of two years, she resolved finally to forgo all +hope of reclaiming him, and endeavour to think of him no more in +connexion with her future prospects. In this she succeeded so +well, that she afterwards had a private interview with him, which +did not produce any painful emotions. + +In 1796 she revived or improved an acquaintance which commenced +years before with Wm. Godwin, author of "Political Justice," and +other works of great notoriety. Though they had not been +favourably impressed with each other on their former acquaintance, +they now met under circumstances which permitted a mutual and just +appreciation of character. Their intimacy increased by regular and +almost imperceptible degrees. The partiality they conceived for +each other was, according to her biographer, "In the most refined +style of love. It grew with equal advances in the mind of each. +It would have been impossible for the most minute observer to have +said who was before, or who after. One sex did not take the +priority which long established custom has awarded it, nor the +other overstep that delicacy which is so severely imposed. Neither +party could assume to have been the agent or the patient, the +toil-spreader or the prey in the affair. When in the course of +things the disclosure came, there was nothing in a manner for +either to disclose to the other." + +Mary lived but a few months after her marriage, and died in +child-bed; having given birth to a daughter who is now known to the +literary world as Mrs. Shelly, the widow of Percy Bysche Shelly. + +We can scarcely avoid regret that one of such splendid talents, and +high toned feelings, should, after the former seemed to have been +fully developed, and the latter had found an object in whom they +might repose, after their eccentric and painful efforts to find a +resting place--that such an one should at such a time, be cut off +from life is something which we cannot contemplate without feeling +regret; we can scarcely repress the murmur that she had not been +removed ere clouds darkened her horizon, or that she had remained +to witness the brightness and serenity which might have succeeded. +But thus it is; we may trace the cause to anti-social arrangements; +it is not individuals but society which must change it, and that +not by enactments, but by a change in public opinion. + +The authoress of the "Rights of Woman," was born April 1759, died +September 1797. + +That there may be no doubt regarding the facts in this sketch, they +are taken from a memoir written by her afflicted husband. In +addition to many kind things he has said of her, (he was not +blinded to imperfections in her character) is, that she was "Lovely +in her person, and in the best and most engaging sense feminine in +her manners." + + +TO + +M. TALLEYRAND PERIGORD, + +LATE BISHOP OF AUTUN. + +Sir:-- + +Having read with great pleasure a pamphlet, which you have lately +published, on National Education, I dedicate this volume to you, +the first dedication that I have ever written, to induce you to +read it with attention; and, because I think that you will +understand me, which I do not suppose many pert witlings will, who +may ridicule the arguments they are unable to answer. But, sir, I +carry my respect for your understanding still farther: so far, +that I am confident you will not throw my work aside, and hastily +conclude that I am in the wrong because you did not view the +subject in the same light yourself. And pardon my frankness, but I +must observe, that you treated it in too cursory a manner, +contented to consider it as it had been considered formerly, when +the rights of man, not to advert to woman, were trampled on as +chimerical. I call upon you, therefore, now to weigh what I have +advanced respecting the rights of woman, and national education; +and I call with the firm tone of humanity. For my arguments, sir, +are dictated by a disinterested spirit: I plead for my sex, not +for myself. Independence I have long considered as the grand +blessing of life, the basis of every virtue; and independence I +will ever secure by contracting my wants, though I were to live on +a barren heath. + +It is, then, an affection for the whole human race that makes my +pen dart rapidly along to support what I believe to be the cause of +virtue: and the same motive leads me earnestly to wish to see +woman placed in a station in which she would advance, instead of +retarding, the progress of those glorious principles that give a +substance to morality. My opinion, indeed, respecting the rights +and duties of woman, seems to flow so naturally from these simple +principles, that I think it scarcely possible, but that some of the +enlarged minds who formed your admirable constitution, will +coincide with me. + +In France, there is undoubtedly a more general diffusion of +knowledge than in any part of the European world, and I attribute +it, in a great measure, to the social intercourse which has long +subsisted between the sexes. It is true, I utter my sentiments +with freedom, that in France the very essence of sensuality has +been extracted to regale the voluptuary, and a kind of sentimental +lust has prevailed, which, together with the system of duplicity +that the whole tenor of their political and civil government +taught, have given a sinister sort of sagacity to the French +character, properly termed finesse; and a polish of manners that +injures the substance, by hunting sincerity out of society. And, +modesty, the fairest garb of virtue has been more grossly insulted +in France than even in England, till their women have treated as +PRUDISH that attention to decency which brutes instinctively +observe. + +Manners and morals are so nearly allied, that they have often been +confounded; but, though the former should only be the natural +reflection of the latter, yet, when various causes have produced +factitious and corrupt manners, which are very early caught, +morality becomes an empty name. The personal reserve, and sacred +respect for cleanliness and delicacy in domestic life, which French +women almost despise, are the graceful pillars of modesty; but, far +from despising them, if the pure flame of patriotism have reached +their bosoms, they should labour to improve the morals of their +fellow-citizens, by teaching men, not only to respect modesty in +women, but to acquire it themselves, as the only way to merit their +esteem. + +Contending for the rights of women, my main argument is built on +this simple principle, that if she be not prepared by education to +become the companion of man, she will stop the progress of +knowledge, for truth must be common to all, or it will be +inefficacious with respect to its influence on general practice. +And how can woman be expected to co-operate, unless she know why +she ought to be virtuous? Unless freedom strengthen her reason +till she comprehend her duty, and see in what manner it is +connected with her real good? If children are to be educated to +understand the true principle of patriotism, their mother must be a +patriot; and the love of mankind, from which an orderly train of +virtues spring, can only be produced by considering the moral and +civil interest of mankind; but the education and situation of +woman, at present, shuts her out from such investigations. + +In this work I have produced many arguments, which to me were +conclusive, to prove, that the prevailing notion respecting a +sexual character was subversive of morality, and I have contended, +that to render the human body and mind more perfect, chastity must +more universally prevail, and that chastity will never be respected +in the male world till the person of a woman is not, as it were, +idolized when little virtue or sense embellish it with the grand +traces of mental beauty, or the interesting simplicity of +affection. + +Consider, Sir, dispassionately, these observations, for a glimpse +of this truth seemed to open before you when you observed, "that to +see one half of the human race excluded by the other from all +participation of government, was a political phenomenon that, +according to abstract principles, it was impossible to explain." +If so, on what does your constitution rest? If the abstract rights +of man will bear discussion and explanation, those of woman, by a +parity of reasoning, will not shrink from the same test: though a +different opinion prevails in this country, built on the very +arguments which you use to justify the oppression of woman, +prescription. + +Consider, I address you as a legislator, whether, when men contend +for their freedom, and to be allowed to judge for themselves, +respecting their own happiness, it be not inconsistent and unjust +to subjugate women, even though you firmly believe that you are +acting in the manner best calculated to promote their happiness? +Who made man the exclusive judge, if woman partake with him the +gift of reason? + +In this style, argue tyrants of every denomination from the weak +king to the weak father of a family; they are all eager to crush +reason; yet always assert that they usurp its throne only to be +useful. Do you not act a similar part, when you FORCE all women, +by denying them civil and political rights, to remain immured in +their families groping in the dark? For surely, sir, you will not +assert, that a duty can be binding which is not founded on reason? +If, indeed, this be their destination, arguments may be drawn from +reason; and thus augustly supported, the more understanding women +acquire, the more they will be attached to their duty, +comprehending it, for unless they comprehend it, unless their +morals be fixed on the same immutable principles as those of man, +no authority can make them discharge it in a virtuous manner. They +may be convenient slaves, but slavery will have its constant +effect, degrading the master and the abject dependent. + +But, if women are to be excluded, without having a voice, from a +participation of the natural rights of mankind, prove first, to +ward off the charge of injustice and inconsistency, that they want +reason, else this flaw in your NEW CONSTITUTION, the first +constitution founded on reason, will ever show that man must, in +some shape, act like a tyrant, and tyranny, in whatever part of +society it rears its brazen front, will ever undermine morality. + +I have repeatedly asserted, and produced what appeared to me +irrefragable arguments drawn from matters of fact, to prove my +assertion, that women cannot, by force, be confined to domestic +concerns; for they will however ignorant, intermeddle with more +weighty affairs, neglecting private duties only to disturb, by +cunning tricks, the orderly plans of reason which rise above their +comprehension. + +Besides, whilst they are only made to acquire personal +accomplishments, men will seek for pleasure in variety, and +faithless husbands will make faithless wives; such ignorant beings, +indeed, will be very excusable when, not taught to respect public +good, nor allowed any civil right, they attempt to do themselves +justice by retaliation. + +The box of mischief thus opened in society, what is to preserve +private virtue, the only security of public freedom and universal +happiness? + +Let there be then no coercion ESTABLISHED in society, and the +common law of gravity prevailing, the sexes will fall into their +proper places. And, now that more equitable laws are forming your +citizens, marriage may become more sacred; your young men may +choose wives from motives of affection, and your maidens allow love +to root out vanity. + +The father of a family will not then weaken his constitution and +debase his sentiments, by visiting the harlot, nor forget, in +obeying the call of appetite, the purpose for which it was +implanted; and the mother will not neglect her children to practise +the arts of coquetry, when sense and modesty secure her the +friendship of her husband. + +But, till men become attentive to the duty of a father, it is vain +to expect women to spend that time in their nursery which they, +"wise in their generation," choose to spend at their glass; for +this exertion of cunning is only an instinct of nature to enable +them to obtain indirectly a little of that power of which they are +unjustly denied a share; for, if women are not permitted to enjoy +legitimate rights, they will render both men and themselves +vicious, to obtain illicit privileges. + +I wish, sir, to set some investigations of this kind afloat in +France; and should they lead to a confirmation of my principles, +when your constitution is revised, the rights of woman may be +respected, if it be fully proved that reason calls for this +respect, and loudly demands JUSTICE for one half of the human race. + +I am, sir, + +Yours respectfully, + +M. W. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +After considering the historic page, and viewing the living world +with anxious solicitude, the most melancholy emotions of sorrowful +indignation have depressed my spirits, and I have sighed when +obliged to confess, that either nature has made a great difference +between man and man, or that the civilization, which has hitherto +taken place in the world, has been very partial. I have turned +over various books written on the subject of education, and +patiently observed the conduct of parents and the management of +schools; but what has been the result? a profound conviction, that +the neglected education of my fellow creatures is the grand source +of the misery I deplore; and that women in particular, are rendered +weak and wretched by a variety of concurring causes, originating +from one hasty conclusion. The conduct and manners of women, in +fact, evidently prove, that their minds are not in a healthy state; +for, like the flowers that are planted in too rich a soil, +strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty; and the flaunting +leaves, after having pleased a fastidious eye, fade, disregarded on +the stalk, long before the season when they ought to have arrived +at maturity. One cause of this barren blooming I attribute to a +false system of education, gathered from the books written on this +subject by men, who, considering females rather as women than human +creatures, have been more anxious to make them alluring mistresses +than rational wives; and the understanding of the sex has been so +bubbled by this specious homage, that the civilized women of the +present century, with a few exceptions, are only anxious to inspire +love, when they ought to cherish a nobler ambition, and by their +abilities and virtues exact respect. + +In a treatise, therefore, on female rights and manners, the works +which have been particularly written for their improvement must not +be overlooked; especially when it is asserted, in direct terms, +that the minds of women are enfeebled by false refinement; that the +books of instruction, written by men of genius, have had the same +tendency as more frivolous productions; and that, in the true style +of Mahometanism, they are only considered as females, and not as a +part of the human species, when improvable reason is allowed to be +the dignified distinction, which raises men above the brute +creation, and puts a natural sceptre in a feeble hand. + +Yet, because I am a woman, I would not lead my readers to suppose, +that I mean violently to agitate the contested question respecting +the equality and inferiority of the sex; but as the subject lies in +my way, and I cannot pass it over without subjecting the main +tendency of my reasoning to misconstruction, I shall stop a moment +to deliver, in a few words, my opinion. In the government of the +physical world, it is observable that the female, in general, is +inferior to the male. The male pursues, the female yields--this is +the law of nature; and it does not appear to be suspended or +abrogated in favour of woman. This physical superiority cannot be +denied--and it is a noble prerogative! But not content with this +natural pre-eminence, men endeavour to sink us still lower, merely +to render us alluring objects for a moment; and women, intoxicated +by the adoration which men, under the influence of their senses, +pay them, do not seek to obtain a durable interest in their hearts, +or to become the friends of the fellow creatures who find amusement +in their society. + +I am aware of an obvious inference: from every quarter have I heard +exclamations against masculine women; but where are they to be +found? If, by this appellation, men mean to inveigh against their +ardour in hunting, shooting, and gaming, I shall most cordially +join in the cry; but if it be, against the imitation of manly +virtues, or, more properly speaking, the attainment of those +talents and virtues, the exercise of which ennobles the human +character, and which raise females in the scale of animal being, +when they are comprehensively termed mankind--all those who view +them with a philosophical eye must, I should think, wish with me, +that they may every day grow more and more masculine. + +This discussion naturally divides the subject. I shall first +consider women in the grand light of human creatures, who, in +common with men, are placed on this earth to unfold their +faculties; and afterwards I shall more particularly point out their +peculiar designation. + +I wish also to steer clear of an error, which many respectable +writers have fallen into; for the instruction which has hitherto +been addressed to women, has rather been applicable to LADIES, if +the little indirect advice, that is scattered through Sandford and +Merton, be excepted; but, addressing my sex in a firmer tone, I pay +particular attention to those in the middle class, because they +appear to be in the most natural state. Perhaps the seeds of false +refinement, immorality, and vanity have ever been shed by the +great. Weak, artificial beings raised above the common wants and +affections of their race, in a premature unnatural manner, +undermine the very foundation of virtue, and spread corruption +through the whole mass of society! As a class of mankind they have +the strongest claim to pity! the education of the rich tends to +render them vain and helpless, and the unfolding mind is not +strengthened by the practice of those duties which dignify the +human character. They only live to amuse themselves, and by the +same law which in nature invariably produces certain effects, they +soon only afford barren amusement. + +But as I purpose taking a separate view of the different ranks of +society, and of the moral character of women, in each, this hint +is, for the present, sufficient; and I have only alluded to the +subject, because it appears to me to be the very essence of an +introduction to give a cursory account of the contents of the work +it introduces. + +My own sex, I hope, will excuse me, if I treat them like rational +creatures, instead of flattering their FASCINATING graces, and +viewing them as if they were in a state of perpetual childhood, +unable to stand alone. I earnestly wish to point out in what true +dignity and human happiness consists--I wish to persuade women to +endeavour to acquire strength, both of mind and body, and to +convince them, that the soft phrases, susceptibility of heart, +delicacy of sentiment, and refinement of taste, are almost +synonymous with epithets of weakness, and that those beings who are +only the objects of pity and that kind of love, which has been +termed its sister, will soon become objects of contempt. + +Dismissing then those pretty feminine phrases, which the men +condescendingly use to soften our slavish dependence, and despising +that weak elegancy of mind, exquisite sensibility, and sweet +docility of manners, supposed to be the sexual characteristics of +the weaker vessel, I wish to show that elegance is inferior to +virtue, that the first object of laudable ambition is to obtain a +character as a human being, regardless of the distinction of sex; +and that secondary views should be brought to this simple +touchstone. + +This is a rough sketch of my plan; and should I express my +conviction with the energetic emotions that I feel whenever I think +of the subject, the dictates of experience and reflection will be +felt by some of my readers. Animated by this important object, I +shall disdain to cull my phrases or polish my style--I aim at being +useful, and sincerity will render me unaffected; for wishing rather +to persuade by the force of my arguments, than dazzle by the +elegance of my language, I shall not waste my time in rounding +periods, nor in fabricating the turgid bombast of artificial +feelings, which, coming from the head, never reach the heart. I +shall be employed about things, not words! and, anxious to render +my sex more respectable members of society, I shall try to avoid +that flowery diction which has slided from essays into novels, and +from novels into familiar letters and conversation. + +These pretty nothings, these caricatures of the real beauty of +sensibility, dropping glibly from the tongue, vitiate the taste, +and create a kind of sickly delicacy that turns away from simple +unadorned truth; and a deluge of false sentiments and +over-stretched feelings, stifling the natural emotions of the +heart, render the domestic pleasures insipid, that ought to sweeten +the exercise of those severe duties, which educate a rational and +immortal being for a nobler field of action. + +The education of women has, of late, been more attended to than +formerly; yet they are still reckoned a frivolous sex, and +ridiculed or pitied by the writers who endeavour by satire or +instruction to improve them. It is acknowledged that they spend +many of the first years of their lives in acquiring a smattering of +accomplishments: meanwhile, strength of body and mind are +sacrificed to libertine notions of beauty, to the desire of +establishing themselves, the only way women can rise in the +world--by marriage. And this desire making mere animals of them, +when they marry, they act as such children may be expected to act: +they dress; they paint, and nickname God's creatures. Surely these +weak beings are only fit for the seraglio! Can they govern a +family, or take care of the poor babes whom they bring into the +world? + +If then it can be fairly deduced from the present conduct of the +sex, from the prevalent fondness for pleasure, which takes place of +ambition and those nobler passions that open and enlarge the soul; +that the instruction which women have received has only tended, +with the constitution of civil society, to render them +insignificant objects of desire; mere propagators of fools! if it +can be proved, that in aiming to accomplish them, without +cultivating their understandings, they are taken out of their +sphere of duties, and made ridiculous and useless when the short +lived bloom of beauty is over*, I presume that RATIONAL men will +excuse me for endeavouring to persuade them to become more +masculine and respectable. + +(*Footnote. A lively writer, I cannot recollect his name, asks +what business women turned of forty have to do in the world.) + +Indeed the word masculine is only a bugbear: there is little +reason to fear that women will acquire too much courage or +fortitude; for their apparent inferiority with respect to bodily +strength, must render them, in some degree, dependent on men in the +various relations of life; but why should it be increased by +prejudices that give a sex to virtue, and confound simple truths +with sensual reveries? + +Women are, in fact, so much degraded by mistaken notions of female +excellence, that I do not mean to add a paradox when I assert, that +this artificial weakness produces a propensity to tyrannize, and +gives birth to cunning, the natural opponent of strength, which +leads them to play off those contemptible infantile airs that +undermine esteem even whilst they excite desire. Do not foster +these prejudices, and they will naturally fall into their +subordinate, yet respectable station in life. + +It seems scarcely necessary to say, that I now speak of the sex in +general. Many individuals have more sense than their male +relatives; and, as nothing preponderates where there is a constant +struggle for an equilibrium, without it has naturally more gravity, +some women govern their husbands without degrading themselves, +because intellect will always govern. + + +VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN. + + +CHAPTER 1. + +THE RIGHTS AND INVOLVED DUTIES OF MANKIND CONSIDERED. + +In the present state of society, it appears necessary to go back to +first principles in search of the most simple truths, and to +dispute with some prevailing prejudice every inch of ground. To +clear my way, I must be allowed to ask some plain questions, and +the answers will probably appear as unequivocal as the axioms on +which reasoning is built; though, when entangled with various +motives of action, they are formally contradicted, either by the +words or conduct of men. + +In what does man's pre-eminence over the brute creation consist? +The answer is as clear as that a half is less than the whole; in +Reason. + +What acquirement exalts one being above another? Virtue; we +spontaneously reply. + +For what purpose were the passions implanted? That man by +struggling with them might attain a degree of knowledge denied to +the brutes: whispers Experience. + +Consequently the perfection of our nature and capability of +happiness, must be estimated by the degree of reason, virtue, and +knowledge, that distinguish the individual, and direct the laws +which bind society: and that from the exercise of reason, +knowledge and virtue naturally flow, is equally undeniable, if +mankind be viewed collectively. + +The rights and duties of man thus simplified, it seems almost +impertinent to attempt to illustrate truths that appear so +incontrovertible: yet such deeply rooted prejudices have clouded +reason, and such spurious qualities have assumed the name of +virtues, that it is necessary to pursue the course of reason as it +has been perplexed and involved in error, by various adventitious +circumstances, comparing the simple axiom with casual deviations. + +Men, in general, seem to employ their reason to justify prejudices, +which they have imbibed, they cannot trace how, rather than to root +them out. The mind must be strong that resolutely forms its own +principles; for a kind of intellectual cowardice prevails which +makes many men shrink from the task, or only do it by halves. Yet +the imperfect conclusions thus drawn, are frequently very +plausible, because they are built on partial experience, on just, +though narrow, views. + +Going back to first principles, vice skulks, with all its native +deformity, from close investigation; but a set of shallow reasoners +are always exclaiming that these arguments prove too much, and that +a measure rotten at the core may be expedient. Thus expediency is +continually contrasted with simple principles, till truth is lost +in a mist of words, virtue in forms, and knowledge rendered a +sounding nothing, by the specious prejudices that assume its name. + +That the society is formed in the wisest manner, whose constitution +is founded on the nature of man, strikes, in the abstract, every +thinking being so forcibly, that it looks like presumption to +endeavour to bring forward proofs; though proof must be brought, or +the strong hold of prescription will never be forced by reason; yet +to urge prescription as an argument to justify the depriving men +(or women) of their natural rights, is one of the absurd sophisms +which daily insult common sense. + +The civilization of the bulk of the people of Europe, is very +partial; nay, it may be made a question, whether they have acquired +any virtues in exchange for innocence, equivalent to the misery +produced by the vices that have been plastered over unsightly +ignorance, and the freedom which has been bartered for splendid +slavery. The desire of dazzling by riches, the most certain +pre-eminence that man can obtain, the pleasure of commanding +flattering sycophants, and many other complicated low calculations +of doting self-love, have all contributed to overwhelm the mass of +mankind, and make liberty a convenient handle for mock patriotism. +For whilst rank and titles are held of the utmost importance, +before which Genius "must hide its diminished head," it is, with a +few exceptions, very unfortunate for a nation when a man of +abilities, without rank or property, pushes himself forward to +notice. Alas! what unheard of misery have thousands suffered to +purchase a cardinal's hat for an intriguing obscure adventurer, who +longed to be ranked with princes, or lord it over them by seizing +the triple crown! + +Such, indeed, has been the wretchedness that has flowed from +hereditary honours, riches, and monarchy, that men of lively +sensibility have almost uttered blasphemy in order to justify the +dispensations of providence. Man has been held out as independent +of his power who made him, or as a lawless planet darting from its +orbit to steal the celestial fire of reason; and the vengeance of +heaven, lurking in the subtile flame, sufficiently punished his +temerity, by introducing evil into the world. + +Impressed by this view of the misery and disorder which pervaded +society, and fatigued with jostling against artificial fools, +Rousseau became enamoured of solitude, and, being at the same time +an optimist, he labours with uncommon eloquence to prove that man +was naturally a solitary animal. Misled by his respect for the +goodness of God, who certainly for what man of sense and feeling +can doubt it! gave life only to communicate happiness, he considers +evil as positive, and the work of man; not aware that he was +exalting one attribute at the expense of another, equally necessary +to divine perfection. + +Reared on a false hypothesis, his arguments in favour of a state of +nature are plausible, but unsound. I say unsound; for to assert +that a state of nature is preferable to civilization in all its +possible perfection, is, in other words, to arraign supreme wisdom; +and the paradoxical exclamation, that God has made all things +right, and that evil has been introduced by the creature whom he +formed, knowing what he formed, is as unphilosophical as impious. + +When that wise Being, who created us and placed us here, saw the +fair idea, he willed, by allowing it to be so, that the passions +should unfold our reason, because he could see that present evil +would produce future good. Could the helpless creature whom he +called from nothing, break loose from his providence, and boldly +learn to know good by practising evil without his permission? No. +How could that energetic advocate for immortality argue so +inconsistently? Had mankind remained for ever in the brutal state +of nature, which even his magic pen cannot paint as a state in +which a single virtue took root, it would have been clear, though +not to the sensitive unreflecting wanderer, that man was born to +run the circle of life and death, and adorn God's garden for some +purpose which could not easily be reconciled with his attributes. + +But if, to crown the whole, there were to be rational creatures +produced, allowed to rise in excellency by the exercise of powers +implanted for that purpose; if benignity itself thought fit to call +into existence a creature above the brutes, who could think and +improve himself, why should that inestimable gift, for a gift it +was, if a man was so created as to have a capacity to rise above +the state in which sensation produced brutal ease, be called, in +direct terms, a curse? A curse it might be reckoned, if all our +existence was bounded by our continuance in this world; for why +should the gracious fountain of life give us passions, and the +power of reflecting, only to embitter our days, and inspire us with +mistaken notions of dignity? Why should he lead us from love of +ourselves to the sublime emotions which the discovery of his wisdom +and goodness excites, if these feelings were not set in motion to +improve our nature, of which they make a part, and render us +capable of enjoying a more godlike portion of happiness? Firmly +persuaded that no evil exists in the world that God did not design +to take place, I build my belief on the perfection of God. + +Rousseau exerts himself to prove, that all WAS right originally: a +crowd of authors that all IS now right: and I, that all WILL BE +right. + +But, true to his first position, next to a state of nature, +Rousseau celebrates barbarism, and, apostrophizing the shade of +Fabricius, he forgets that, in conquering the world, the Romans +never dreamed of establishing their own liberty on a firm basis, or +of extending the reign of virtue. Eager to support his system, he +stigmatizes, as vicious, every effort of genius; and uttering the +apotheosis of savage virtues, he exalts those to demigods, who were +scarcely human--the brutal Spartans, who in defiance of justice and +gratitude, sacrificed, in cold blood, the slaves that had shown +themselves men to rescue their oppressors. + +Disgusted with artificial manners and virtues, the citizen of +Geneva, instead of properly sifting the subject, threw away the +wheat with the chaff, without waiting to inquire whether the evils, +which his ardent soul turned from indignantly, were the consequence +of civilization, or the vestiges of barbarism. He saw vice +trampling on virtue, and the semblance of goodness taking place of +the reality; he saw talents bent by power to sinister purposes, and +never thought of tracing the gigantic mischief up to arbitrary +power, up to the hereditary distinctions that clash with the mental +superiority that naturally raises a man above his fellows. He did +not perceive, that the regal power, in a few generations, +introduces idiotism into the noble stem, and holds out baits to +render thousands idle and vicious. + +Nothing can set the regal character in a more contemptible point of +view, than the various crimes that have elevated men to the supreme +dignity. Vile intrigues, unnatural crimes, and every vice that +degrades our nature, have been the steps to this distinguished +eminence; yet millions of men have supinely allowed the nerveless +limbs of the posterity of such rapacious prowlers, to rest quietly +on their ensanguined thrones. + +What but a pestilential vapour can hover over society, when its +chief director is only instructed in the invention of crimes, or +the stupid routine of childish ceremonies? Will men never be wise? +will they never cease to expect corn from tares, and figs from +thistles? + +It is impossible for any man, when the most favourable +circumstances concur, to acquire sufficient knowledge and strength +of mind to discharge the duties of a king, entrusted with +uncontrolled power; how then must they be violated when his very +elevation is an insuperable bar to the attainment of either wisdom +or virtue; when all the feelings of a man are stifled by flattery, +and reflection shut out by pleasure! Surely it is madness to make +the fate of thousands depend on the caprice of a weak fellow +creature, whose very station sinks him NECESSARILY below the +meanest of his subjects! But one power should not be thrown down +to exalt another--for all power intoxicates weak man; and its abuse +proves, that the more equality there is established among men, the +more virtue and happiness will reign in society. But this, and any +similar maxim deduced from simple reason, raises an outcry--the +church or the state is in danger, if faith in the wisdom of +antiquity is not implicit; and they who, roused by the sight of +human calamity, dare to attack human authority, are reviled as +despisers of God, and enemies of man. These are bitter calumnies, +yet they reached one of the best of men, (Dr. Price.) whose ashes +still preach peace, and whose memory demands a respectful pause, +when subjects are discussed that lay so near his heart. + +After attacking the sacred majesty of kings, I shall scarcely +excite surprise, by adding my firm persuasion, that every +profession, in which great subordination of rank constitutes its +power, is highly injurious to morality. + +A standing army, for instance, is incompatible with freedom; +because subordination and rigour are the very sinews of military +discipline; and despotism is necessary to give vigour to +enterprises that one will directs. A spirit inspired by romantic +notions of honour, a kind of morality founded on the fashion of the +age, can only be felt by a few officers, whilst the main body must +be moved by command, like the waves of the sea; for the strong wind +of authority pushes the crowd of subalterns forward, they scarcely +know or care why, with headlong fury. + +Besides, nothing can be so prejudicial to the morals of the +inhabitants of country towns, as the occasional residence of a set +of idle superficial young men, whose only occupation is gallantry, +and whose polished manners render vice more dangerous, by +concealing its deformity under gay ornamental drapery. An air of +fashion, which is but a badge of slavery, and proves that the soul +has not a strong individual character, awes simple country people +into an imitation of the vices, when they cannot catch the slippery +graces of politeness. Every corps is a chain of despots, who, +submitting and tyrannizing without exercising their reason, become +dead weights of vice and folly on the community. A man of rank or +fortune, sure of rising by interest, has nothing to do but to +pursue some extravagant freak; whilst the needy GENTLEMAN, who is +to rise, as the phrase turns, by his merit, becomes a servile +parasite or vile pander. + +Sailors, the naval gentlemen, come under the same description, only +their vices assume a different and a grosser cast. They are more +positively indolent, when not discharging the ceremonials of their +station; whilst the insignificant fluttering of soldiers may be +termed active idleness. More confined to the society of men, the +former acquire a fondness for humour and mischievous tricks; whilst +the latter, mixing frequently with well-bred women, catch a +sentimental cant. But mind is equally out of the question, whether +they indulge the horse-laugh or polite simper. + +May I be allowed to extend the comparison to a profession where +more mind is certainly to be found; for the clergy have superior +opportunities of improvement, though subordination almost equally +cramps their faculties? The blind submission imposed at college to +forms of belief, serves as a noviciate to the curate who most +obsequiously respects the opinion of his rector or patron, if he +means to rise in his profession. Perhaps there cannot be a more +forcible contrast than between the servile, dependent gait of a +poor curate, and the courtly mien of a bishop. And the respect and +contempt they inspire render the discharge of their separate +functions equally useless. + +It is of great importance to observe, that the character of every +man is, in some degree, formed by his profession. A man of sense +may only have a cast of countenance that wears off as you trace his +individuality, whilst the weak, common man, has scarcely ever any +character, but what belongs to the body; at least, all his opinions +have been so steeped in the vat consecrated by authority, that the +faint spirit which the grape of his own vine yields cannot be +distinguished. + +Society, therefore, as it becomes more enlightened, should be very +careful not to establish bodies of men who must necessarily be made +foolish or vicious by the very constitution of their profession. + +In the infancy of society, when men were just emerging out of +barbarism, chiefs and priests, touching the most powerful springs +of savage conduct--hope and fear--must have had unbounded sway. An +aristocracy, of course, is naturally the first form of government. +But clashing interests soon losing their equipoise, a monarchy and +hierarchy break out of the confusion of ambitious struggles, and +the foundation of both is secured by feudal tenures. This appears +to be the origin of monarchial and priestly power, and the dawn of +civilization. But such combustible materials cannot long be pent +up; and getting vent in foreign wars and intestine insurrections, +the people acquire some power in the tumult, which obliges their +rulers to gloss over their oppression with a show of right. Thus, +as wars, agriculture, commerce, and literature, expands the mind, +despots are compelled, to make covert corruption hold fast the +power which was formerly snatched by open force.* And this baneful +lurking gangrene is most quickly spread by luxury and superstition, +the sure dregs of ambition. The indolent puppet of a court first +becomes a luxurious monster, or fastidious sensualist, and then +makes the contagion which his unnatural state spreads, the +instrument of tyranny. + +(*Footnote. Men of abilities scatter seeds that grow up, and have +a great influence on the forming opinion; and when once the public +opinion preponderates, through the exertion of reason, the +overthrow of arbitrary power is not very distant.) + +It is the pestiferous purple which renders the progress of +civilization a curse, and warps the understanding, till men of +sensibility doubt whether the expansion of intellect produces a +greater portion of happiness or misery. But the nature of the +poison points out the antidote; and had Rousseau mounted one step +higher in his investigation; or could his eye have pierced through +the foggy atmosphere, which he almost disdained to breathe, his +active mind would have darted forward to contemplate the perfection +of man in the establishment of true civilization, instead of taking +his ferocious flight back to the night of sensual ignorance. + + +CHAPTER 2. + +THE PREVAILING OPINION OF A SEXUAL CHARACTER DISCUSSED. + +To account for, and excuse the tyranny of man, many ingenious +arguments have been brought forward to prove, that the two sexes, +in the acquirement of virtue, ought to aim at attaining a very +different character: or, to speak explicitly, women are not +allowed to have sufficient strength of mind to acquire what really +deserves the name of virtue. Yet it should seem, allowing them to +have souls, that there is but one way appointed by providence to +lead MANKIND to either virtue or happiness. + +If then women are not a swarm of ephemeron triflers, why should +they be kept in ignorance under the specious name of innocence? +Men complain, and with reason, of the follies and caprices of our +sex, when they do not keenly satirize our headstrong passions and +groveling vices. Behold, I should answer, the natural effect of +ignorance! The mind will ever be unstable that has only prejudices +to rest on, and the current will run with destructive fury when +there are no barriers to break its force. Women are told from +their infancy, and taught by the example of their mothers, that a +little knowledge of human weakness, justly termed cunning, softness +of temper, OUTWARD obedience, and a scrupulous attention to a +puerile kind of propriety, will obtain for them the protection of +man; and should they be beautiful, every thing else is needless, +for at least twenty years of their lives. + +Thus Milton describes our first frail mother; though when he tells +us that women are formed for softness and sweet attractive grace, I +cannot comprehend his meaning, unless, in the true Mahometan +strain, he meant to deprive us of souls, and insinuate that we were +beings only designed by sweet attractive grace, and docile blind +obedience, to gratify the senses of man when he can no longer soar +on the wing of contemplation. + +How grossly do they insult us, who thus advise us only to render +ourselves gentle, domestic brutes! For instance, the winning +softness, so warmly, and frequently recommended, that governs by +obeying. What childish expressions, and how insignificant is the +being--can it be an immortal one? who will condescend to govern by +such sinister methods! "Certainly," says Lord Bacon, "man is of +kin to the beasts by his body: and if he be not of kin to God by +his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature!" Men, indeed, +appear to me to act in a very unphilosophical manner, when they try +to secure the good conduct of women by attempting to keep them +always in a state of childhood. Rousseau was more consistent when +he wished to stop the progress of reason in both sexes; for if men +eat of the tree of knowledge, women will come in for a taste: but, +from the imperfect cultivation which their understandings now +receive, they only attain a knowledge of evil. + +Children, I grant, should be innocent; but when the epithet is +applied to men, or women, it is but a civil term for weakness. For +if it be allowed that women were destined by Providence to acquire +human virtues, and by the exercise of their understandings, that +stability of character which is the firmest ground to rest our +future hopes upon, they must be permitted to turn to the fountain +of light, and not forced to shape their course by the twinkling of +a mere satellite. Milton, I grant, was of a very different +opinion; for he only bends to the indefeasible right of beauty, +though it would be difficult to render two passages, which I now +mean to contrast, consistent: but into similar inconsistencies are +great men often led by their senses:-- + +"To whom thus Eve with perfect beauty adorned: +My author and disposer, what thou bidst +Unargued I obey; so God ordains; +God is thy law, thou mine; to know no more +Is woman's happiest knowledge and her praise." + +These are exactly the arguments that I have used to children; but I +have added, "Your reason is now gaining strength, and, till it +arrives at some degree of maturity, you must look up to me for +advice: then you ought to THINK, and only rely on God." + +Yet, in the following lines, Milton seems to coincide with me, when +he makes Adam thus expostulate with his Maker:-- + +"Hast thou not made me here thy substitute, +And these inferior far beneath me set? +Among unequals what society +Can sort, what harmony or delight? +Which must be mutual, in proportion due +Given and received; but in disparity +The one intense, the other still remiss +Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove +Tedious alike: of fellowship I speak +Such as I seek fit to participate +All rational delight." + +In treating, therefore, of the manners of women, let us, +disregarding sensual arguments, trace what we should endeavour to +make them in order to co-operate, if the expression be not too +bold, with the Supreme Being. + +By individual education, I mean--for the sense of the word is not +precisely defined--such an attention to a child as will slowly +sharpen the senses, form the temper, regulate the passions, as they +begin to ferment, and set the understanding to work before the body +arrives at maturity; so that the man may only have to proceed, not +to begin, the important task of learning to think and reason. + +To prevent any misconstruction, I must add, that I do not believe +that a private education can work the wonders which some sanguine +writers have attributed to it. Men and women must be educated, in +a great degree, by the opinions and manners of the society they +live in. In every age there has been a stream of popular opinion +that has carried all before it, and given a family character, as it +were, to the century. It may then fairly be inferred, that, till +society be differently constituted, much cannot be expected from +education. It is, however, sufficient for my present purpose to +assert, that, whatever effect circumstances have on the abilities, +every being may become virtuous by the exercise of its own reason; +for if but one being was created with vicious inclinations--that +is, positively bad-- what can save us from atheism? or if we +worship a God, is not that God a devil? + +Consequently, the most perfect education, in my opinion, is such an +exercise of the understanding as is best calculated to strengthen +the body and form the heart; or, in other words, to enable the +individual to attain such habits of virtue as will render it +independent. In fact, it is a farce to call any being virtuous +whose virtues do not result from the exercise of its own reason. +This was Rousseau's opinion respecting men: I extend it to women, +and confidently assert that they have been drawn out of their +sphere by false refinement, and not by an endeavour to acquire +masculine qualities. Still the regal homage which they receive is +so intoxicating, that, till the manners of the times are changed, +and formed on more reasonable principles, it may be impossible to +convince them that the illegitimate power, which they obtain by +degrading themselves, is a curse, and that they must return to +nature and equality, if they wish to secure the placid satisfaction +that unsophisticated affections impart. But for this epoch we must +wait--wait, perhaps, till kings and nobles, enlightened by reason, +and, preferring the real dignity of man to childish state, throw +off their gaudy hereditary trappings; and if then women do not +resign the arbitrary power of beauty, they will prove that they +have LESS mind than man. I may be accused of arrogance; still I +must declare, what I firmly believe, that all the writers who have +written on the subject of female education and manners, from +Rousseau to Dr. Gregory, have contributed to render women more +artificial, weaker characters, than they would otherwise have been; +and, consequently, more useless members of society. I might have +expressed this conviction in a lower key; but I am afraid it would +have been the whine of affectation, and not the faithful expression +of my feelings, of the clear result, which experience and +reflection have led me to draw. When I come to that division of +the subject, I shall advert to the passages that I more +particularly disapprove of, in the works of the authors I have just +alluded to; but it is first necessary to observe, that my objection +extends to the whole purport of those books, which tend, in my +opinion, to degrade one half of the human species, and render women +pleasing at the expense of every solid virtue. + +Though to reason on Rousseau's ground, if man did attain a degree +of perfection of mind when his body arrived at maturity, it might +be proper in order to make a man and his wife ONE, that she should +rely entirely on his understanding; and the graceful ivy, clasping +the oak that supported it, would form a whole in which strength and +beauty would be equally conspicuous. But, alas! husbands, as well +as their helpmates, are often only overgrown children; nay, thanks +to early debauchery, scarcely men in their outward form, and if the +blind lead the blind, one need not come from heaven to tell us the +consequence. + +Many are the causes that, in the present corrupt state of society, +contribute to enslave women by cramping their understandings and +sharpening their senses. One, perhaps, that silently does more +mischief than all the rest, is their disregard of order. + +To do every thing in an orderly manner, is a most important +precept, which women, who, generally speaking, receive only a +disorderly kind of education, seldom attend to with that degree of +exactness that men, who from their infancy are broken into method, +observe. This negligent kind of guesswork, for what other epithet +can be used to point out the random exertions of a sort of +instinctive common sense, never brought to the test of reason? +prevents their generalizing matters of fact, so they do to-day, +what they did yesterday, merely because they did it yesterday. + +This contempt of the understanding in early life has more baneful +consequences than is commonly supposed; for the little knowledge +which women of strong minds attain, is, from various circumstances, +of a more desultory kind than the knowledge of men, and it is +acquired more by sheer observations on real life, than from +comparing what has been individually observed with the results of +experience generalized by speculation. Led by their dependent +situation and domestic employments more into society, what they +learn is rather by snatches; and as learning is with them, in +general, only a secondary thing, they do not pursue any one branch +with that persevering ardour necessary to give vigour to the +faculties, and clearness to the judgment. In the present state of +society, a little learning is required to support the character of +a gentleman; and boys are obliged to submit to a few years of +discipline. But in the education of women the cultivation of the +understanding is always subordinate to the acquirement of some +corporeal accomplishment; even while enervated by confinement and +false notions of modesty, the body is prevented from attaining that +grace and beauty which relaxed half-formed limbs never exhibit. +Besides, in youth their faculties are not brought forward by +emulation; and having no serious scientific study, if they have +natural sagacity it is turned too soon on life and manners. They +dwell on effects, and modifications, without tracing them back to +causes; and complicated rules to adjust behaviour are a weak +substitute for simple principles. + +As a proof that education gives this appearance of weakness to +females, we may instance the example of military men, who are, like +them, sent into the world before their minds have been stored with +knowledge or fortified by principles. The consequences are +similar; soldiers acquire a little superficial knowledge, snatched +from the muddy current of conversation, and, from continually +mixing with society, they gain, what is termed a knowledge of the +world; and this acquaintance with manners and customs has +frequently been confounded with a knowledge of the human heart. +But can the crude fruit of casual observation, never brought to the +test of judgment, formed by comparing speculation and experience, +deserve such a distinction? Soldiers, as well as women, practice +the minor virtues with punctilious politeness. Where is then the +sexual difference, when the education has been the same; all the +difference that I can discern, arises from the superior advantage +of liberty which enables the former to see more of life. + +It is wandering from my present subject, perhaps, to make a +political remark; but as it was produced naturally by the train of +my reflections, I shall not pass it silently over. + +Standing armies can never consist of resolute, robust men; they may +be well disciplined machines, but they will seldom contain men +under the influence of strong passions or with very vigorous +faculties. And as for any depth of understanding, I will venture +to affirm, that it is as rarely to be found in the army as amongst +women; and the cause, I maintain, is the same. It may be further +observed, that officers are also particularly attentive to their +persons, fond of dancing, crowded rooms, adventures, and ridicule. +Like the FAIR sex, the business of their lives is gallantry. They +were taught to please, and they only live to please. Yet they do +not lose their rank in the distinction of sexes, for they are still +reckoned superior to women, though in what their superiority +consists, beyond what I have just mentioned, it is difficult to +discover. + +The great misfortune is this, that they both acquire manners before +morals, and a knowledge of life before they have from reflection, +any acquaintance with the grand ideal outline of human nature. The +consequence is natural; satisfied with common nature, they become a +prey to prejudices, and taking all their opinions on credit, they +blindly submit to authority. So that if they have any sense, it is +a kind of instinctive glance, that catches proportions, and decides +with respect to manners; but fails when arguments are to be pursued +below the surface, or opinions analyzed. + +May not the same remark be applied to women? Nay, the argument may +be carried still further, for they are both thrown out of a useful +station by the unnatural distinctions established in civilized +life. Riches and hereditary honours have made cyphers of women to +give consequence to the numerical figure; and idleness has produced +a mixture of gallantry and despotism in society, which leads the +very men who are the slaves of their mistresses, to tyrannize over +their sisters, wives, and daughters. This is only keeping them in +rank and file, it is true. Strengthen the female mind by enlarging +it, and there will be an end to blind obedience; but, as blind +obedience is ever sought for by power, tyrants and sensualists are +in the right when they endeavour to keep women in the dark, because +the former only want slaves, and the latter a play-thing. The +sensualist, indeed, has been the most dangerous of tyrants, and +women have been duped by their lovers, as princes by their +ministers, whilst dreaming that they reigned over them. + +I now principally allude to Rousseau, for his character of Sophia +is, undoubtedly, a captivating one, though it appears to me grossly +unnatural; however, it is not the superstructure, but the +foundation of her character, the principles on which her education +was built, that I mean to attack; nay, warmly as I admire the +genius of that able writer, whose opinions I shall often have +occasion to cite, indignation always takes place of admiration, and +the rigid frown of insulted virtue effaces the smile of +complacency, which his eloquent periods are wont to raise, when I +read his voluptuous reveries. Is this the man, who, in his ardour +for virtue, would banish all the soft arts of peace, and almost +carry us back to Spartan discipline? Is this the man who delights +to paint the useful struggles of passion, the triumphs of good +dispositions, and the heroic flights which carry the glowing soul +out of itself? How are these mighty sentiments lowered when he +describes the prettyfoot and enticing airs of his little favourite! +But, for the present, I waive the subject, and, instead of severely +reprehending the transient effusions of overweening sensibility, I +shall only observe, that whoever has cast a benevolent eye on +society, must often have been gratified by the sight of humble +mutual love, not dignified by sentiment, nor strengthened by a +union in intellectual pursuits. The domestic trifles of the day +have afforded matter for cheerful converse, and innocent caresses +have softened toils which did not require great exercise of mind, +or stretch of thought: yet, has not the sight of this moderate +felicity excited more tenderness than respect? An emotion similar +to what we feel when children are playing, or animals sporting, +whilst the contemplation of the noble struggles of suffering merit +has raised admiration, and carried our thoughts to that world where +sensation will give place to reason. + +Women are, therefore, to be considered either as moral beings, or +so weak that they must be entirely subjected to the superior +faculties of men. + +Let us examine this question. Rousseau declares, that a woman +should never, for a moment feel herself independent, that she +should be governed by fear to exercise her NATURAL cunning, and +made a coquetish slave in order to render her a more alluring +object of desire, a SWEETER companion to man, whenever he chooses +to relax himself. He carries the arguments, which he pretends to +draw from the indications of nature, still further, and insinuates +that truth and fortitude the corner stones of all human virtue, +shall be cultivated with certain restrictions, because with respect +to the female character, obedience is the grand lesson which ought +to be impressed with unrelenting rigour. + +What nonsense! When will a great man arise with sufficient +strength of mind to puff away the fumes which pride and sensuality +have thus spread over the subject! If women are by nature inferior +to men, their virtues must be the same in quality, if not in +degree, or virtue is a relative idea; consequently, their conduct +should be founded on the same principles, and have the same aim. + +Connected with man as daughters, wives, and mothers, their moral +character may be estimated by their manner of fulfilling those +simple duties; but the end, the grand end of their exertions should +be to unfold their own faculties, and acquire the dignity of +conscious virtue. They may try to render their road pleasant; but +ought never to forget, in common with man, that life yields not the +felicity which can satisfy an immortal soul. I do not mean to +insinuate, that either sex should be so lost, in abstract +reflections or distant views, as to forget the affections and +duties that lie before them, and are, in truth, the means appointed +to produce the fruit of life; on the contrary, I would warmly +recommend them, even while I assert, that they afford most +satisfaction when they are considered in their true subordinate +light. + +Probably the prevailing opinion, that woman was created for man, +may have taken its rise from Moses's poetical story; yet, as very +few it is presumed, who have bestowed any serious thought on the +subject, ever supposed that Eve was, literally speaking, one of +Adam's ribs, the deduction must be allowed to fall to the ground; +or, only be so far admitted as it proves that man, from the +remotest antiquity, found it convenient to exert his strength to +subjugate his companion, and his invention to show that she ought +to have her neck bent under the yoke; because she as well as the +brute creation, was created to do his pleasure. + +Let it not be concluded, that I wish to invert the order of things; +I have already granted, that, from the constitution of their +bodies, men seem to be designed by Providence to attain a greater +degree of virtue. I speak collectively of the whole sex; but I see +not the shadow of a reason to conclude that their virtues should +differ in respect to their nature. In fact, how can they, if +virtue has only one eternal standard? I must, therefore, if I +reason consequentially, as strenuously maintain, that they have the +same simple direction, as that there is a God. + +It follows then, that cunning should not be opposed to wisdom, +little cares to great exertions, nor insipid softness, varnished +over with the name of gentleness, to that fortitude which grand +views alone can inspire. + +I shall be told, that woman would then lose many of her peculiar +graces, and the opinion of a well known poet might be quoted to +refute my unqualified assertions. For Pope has said, in the name +of the whole male sex, + +"Yet ne'er so sure our passions to create, +As when she touch'd the brink of all we hate." + +In what light this sally places men and women, I shall leave to the +judicious to determine; meanwhile I shall content myself with +observing, that I cannot discover why, unless they are mortal, +females should always be degraded by being made subservient to love +or lust. + +To speak disrespectfully of love is, I know, high treason against +sentiment and fine feelings; but I wish to speak the simple +language of truth, and rather to address the head than the heart. +To endeavour to reason love out of the world, would be to out +Quixote Cervantes, and equally offend against common sense; but an +endeavour to restrain this tumultuous passion, and to prove that it +should not be allowed to dethrone superior powers, or to usurp the +sceptre which the understanding should ever coolly wield, appears +less wild. + +Youth is the season for love in both sexes; but in those days of +thoughtless enjoyment, provision should be made for the more +important years of life, when reflection takes place of sensation. +But Rousseau, and most of the male writers who have followed his +steps, have warmly inculcated that the whole tendency of female +education ought to be directed to one point to render them +pleasing. + +Let me reason with the supporters of this opinion, who have any +knowledge of human nature, do they imagine that marriage can +eradicate the habitude of life? The woman who has only been taught +to please, will soon find that her charms are oblique sun-beams, +and that they cannot have much effect on her husband's heart when +they are seen every day, when the summer is past and gone. Will +she then have sufficient native energy to look into herself for +comfort, and cultivate her dormant faculties? or, is it not more +rational to expect, that she will try to please other men; and, in +the emotions raised by the expectation of new conquests, endeavour +to forget the mortification her love or pride has received? When +the husband ceases to be a lover--and the time will inevitably +come, her desire of pleasing will then grow languid, or become a +spring of bitterness; and love, perhaps, the most evanescent of all +passions, gives place to jealousy or vanity. + +I now speak of women who are restrained by principle or prejudice; +such women though they would shrink from an intrigue with real +abhorrence, yet, nevertheless, wish to be convinced by the homage +of gallantry, that they are cruelly neglected by their husbands; +or, days and weeks are spent in dreaming of the happiness enjoyed +by congenial souls, till the health is undermined and the spirits +broken by discontent. How then can the great art of pleasing be +such a necessary study? it is only useful to a mistress; the chaste +wife, and serious mother, should only consider her power to please +as the polish of her virtues, and the affection of her husband as +one of the comforts that render her task less difficult, and her +life happier. But, whether she be loved or neglected, her first +wish should be to make herself respectable, and not rely for all +her happiness on a being subject to like infirmities with herself. + +The amiable Dr. Gregory fell into a similar error. I respect his +heart; but entirely disapprove of his celebrated Legacy to his +Daughters. + +He advises them to cultivate a fondness for dress, because a +fondness for dress, he asserts, is natural to them. I am unable to +comprehend what either he or Rousseau mean, when they frequently +use this indefinite term. If they told us, that in a pre-existent +state the soul was fond of dress, and brought this inclination with +it into a new body, I should listen to them with a half smile, as I +often do when I hear a rant about innate elegance. But if he only +meant to say that the exercise of the faculties will produce this +fondness, I deny it. It is not natural; but arises, like false +ambition in men, from a love of power. + +Dr. Gregory goes much further; he actually recommends +dissimulation, and advises an innocent girl to give the lie to her +feelings, and not dance with spirit, when gaiety of heart would +make her feet eloquent, without making her gestures immodest. In +the name of truth and common sense, why should not one woman +acknowledge that she can take more exercise than another? or, in +other words, that she has a sound constitution; and why to damp +innocent vivacity, is she darkly to be told, that men will draw +conclusions which she little thinks of? Let the libertine draw +what inference he pleases; but, I hope, that no sensible mother +will restrain the natural frankness of youth, by instilling such +indecent cautions. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth +speaketh; and a wiser than Solomon hath said, that the heart should +be made clean, and not trivial ceremonies observed, which it is not +very difficult to fulfill with scrupulous exactness when vice +reigns in the heart. + +Women ought to endeavour to purify their hearts; but can they do so +when their uncultivated understandings make them entirely dependent +on their senses for employment and amusement, when no noble pursuit +sets them above the little vanities of the day, or enables them to +curb the wild emotions that agitate a reed over which every passing +breeze has power? To gain the affections of a virtuous man, is +affectation necessary? + +Nature has given woman a weaker frame than man; but, to ensure her +husband's affections, must a wife, who, by the exercise of her mind +and body, whilst she was discharging the duties of a daughter, +wife, and mother, has allowed her constitution to retain its +natural strength, and her nerves a healthy tone, is she, I say, to +condescend, to use art, and feign a sickly delicacy, in order to +secure her husband's affection? Weakness may excite tenderness, and +gratify the arrogant pride of man; but the lordly caresses of a +protector will not gratify a noble mind that pants for and deserves +to be respected. Fondness is a poor substitute for friendship! + +In a seraglio, I grant, that all these arts are necessary; the +epicure must have his palate tickled, or he will sink into apathy; +but have women so little ambition as to be satisfied with such a +condition? Can they supinely dream life away in the lap of +pleasure, or in the languor of weariness, rather than assert their +claim to pursue reasonable pleasures, and render themselves +conspicuous, by practising the virtues which dignify mankind? +Surely she has not an immortal soul who can loiter life away, +merely employed to adorn her person, that she may amuse the languid +hours, and soften the cares of a fellow-creature who is willing to +be enlivened by her smiles and tricks, when the serious business of +life is over. + +Besides, the woman who strengthens her body and exercises her mind +will, by managing her family and practising various virtues, become +the friend, and not the humble dependent of her husband; and if she +deserves his regard by possessing such substantial qualities, she +will not find it necessary to conceal her affection, nor to pretend +to an unnatural coldness of constitution to excite her husband's +passions. In fact, if we revert to history, we shall find that the +women who have distinguished themselves have neither been the most +beautiful nor the most gentle of their sex. + +Nature, or to speak with strict propriety God, has made all things +right; but man has sought him out many inventions to mar the work. +I now allude to that part of Dr. Gregory's treatise, where he +advises a wife never to let her husband know the extent of her +sensibility or affection. Voluptuous precaution; and as +ineffectual as absurd. Love, from its very nature, must be +transitory. To seek for a secret that would render it constant, +would be as wild a search as for the philosopher's stone, or the +grand panacea; and the discovery would be equally useless, or +rather pernicious to mankind. The most holy band of society is +friendship. It has been well said, by a shrewd satirist, "that +rare as true love is, true friendship is still rarer." + +This is an obvious truth, and the cause not lying deep, will not +elude a slight glance of inquiry. + +Love, the common passion, in which chance and sensation take place +of choice and reason, is in some degree, felt by the mass of +mankind; for it is not necessary to speak, at present, of the +emotions that rise above or sink below love. This passion, +naturally increased by suspense and difficulties, draws the mind +out of its accustomed state, and exalts the affections; but the +security of marriage, allowing the fever of love to subside, a +healthy temperature is thought insipid, only by those who have not +sufficient intellect to substitute the calm tenderness of +friendship, the confidence of respect, instead of blind admiration, +and the sensual emotions of fondness. + +This is, must be, the course of nature--friendship or indifference +inevitably succeeds love. And this constitution seems perfectly to +harmonize with the system of government which prevails in the moral +world. Passions are spurs to action, and open the mind; but they +sink into mere appetites, become a personal momentary +gratification, when the object is gained, and the satisfied mind +rests in enjoyment. The man who had some virtue whilst he was +struggling for a crown, often becomes a voluptuous tyrant when it +graces his brow; and, when the lover is not lost in the husband, +the dotard a prey to childish caprices, and fond jealousies, +neglects the serious duties of life, and the caresses which should +excite confidence in his children are lavished on the overgrown +child, his wife. + +In order to fulfil the duties of life, and to be able to pursue +with vigour the various employments which form the moral character, +a master and mistress of a family ought not to continue to love +each other with passion. I mean to say, that they ought not to +indulge those emotions which disturb the order of society, and +engross the thoughts that should be otherwise employed. The mind +that has never been engrossed by one object wants vigour--if it can +long be so, it is weak. + +A mistaken education, a narrow, uncultivated mind, and many sexual +prejudices, tend to make women more constant than men; but, for the +present, I shall not touch on this branch of the subject. I will +go still further, and advance, without dreaming of a paradox, that +an unhappy marriage is often very advantageous to a family, and +that the neglected wife is, in general, the best mother. And this +would almost always be the consequence, if the female mind was more +enlarged; for, it seems to be the common dispensation of +Providence, that what we gain in present enjoyment should be +deducted from the treasure of life, experience; and that when we +are gathering the flowers of the day and revelling in pleasure, the +solid fruit of toil and wisdom should not be caught at the same +time. The way lies before us, we must turn to the right or left; +and he who will pass life away in bounding from one pleasure to +another, must not complain if he neither acquires wisdom nor +respectability of character. + +Supposing for a moment, that the soul is not immortal, and that man +was only created for the present scene; I think we should have +reason to complain that love, infantine fondness, ever grew insipid +and palled upon the sense. Let us eat, drink, and love, for +to-morrow we die, would be in fact the language of reason, the +morality of life; and who but a fool would part with a reality for +a fleeting shadow? But, if awed by observing the improvable powers +of the mind, we disdain to confine our wishes or thoughts to such a +comparatively mean field of action; that only appears grand and +important as it is connected with a boundless prospect and sublime +hopes; what necessity is there for falsehood in conduct, and why +must the sacred majesty of truth be violated to detain a deceitful +good that saps the very foundation of virtue? Why must the female +mind be tainted by coquetish arts to gratify the sensualist, and +prevent love from subsiding into friendship or compassionate +tenderness, when there are not qualities on which friendship can be +built? Let the honest heart show itself, and REASON teach passion +to submit to necessity; or, let the dignified pursuit of virtue and +knowledge raise the mind above those emotions which rather imbitter +than sweeten the cup of life, when they are not restrained within +due bounds. + +I do not mean to allude to the romantic passion, which is the +concomitant of genius. Who can clip its wings? But that grand +passion not proportioned to the puny enjoyments of life, is only +true to the sentiment, and feeds on itself. The passions which +have been celebrated for their durability have always been +unfortunate. They have acquired strength by absence and +constitutional melancholy. The fancy has hovered round a form of +beauty dimly seen--but familiarity might have turned admiration +into disgust; or, at least, into indifference, and allowed the +imagination leisure to start fresh game. With perfect propriety, +according to this view of things, does Rousseau make the mistress +of his soul, Eloisa, love St. Preux, when life was fading before +her; but this is no proof of the immortality of the passion. + +Of the same complexion is Dr. Gregory's advice respecting delicacy +of sentiment, which he advises a woman not to acquire, if she has +determined to marry. This determination, however, perfectly +consistent with his former advice, he calls INDELICATE, and +earnestly persuades his daughters to conceal it, though it may +govern their conduct: as if it were indelicate to have the common +appetites of human nature. + +Noble morality! and consistent with the cautious prudence of a +little soul that cannot extend its views beyond the present minute +division of existence. If all the faculties of woman's mind are +only to be cultivated as they respect her dependence on man; if, +when she obtains a husband she has arrived at her goal, and meanly +proud, is satisfied with such a paltry crown, let her grovel +contentedly, scarcely raised by her employments above the animal +kingdom; but, if she is struggling for the prize of her high +calling, let her cultivate her understanding without stopping to +consider what character the husband may have whom she is destined +to marry. Let her only determine, without being too anxious about +present happiness, to acquire the qualities that ennoble a rational +being, and a rough, inelegant husband may shock her taste without +destroying her peace of mind. She will not model her soul to suit +the frailties of her companion, but to bear with them: his +character may be a trial, but not an impediment to virtue. + +If Dr. Gregory confined his remark to romantic expectations of +constant love and congenial feelings, he should have recollected, +that experience will banish what advice can never make us cease to +wish for, when the imagination is kept alive at the expence of +reason. + +I own it frequently happens, that women who have fostered a +romantic unnatural delicacy of feeling, waste their lives in +IMAGINING how happy they should have been with a husband who could +love them with a fervid increasing affection every day, and all +day. But they might as well pine married as single, and would not +be a jot more unhappy with a bad husband than longing for a good +one. That a proper education; or, to speak with more precision, a +well stored mind, would enable a woman to support a single life +with dignity, I grant; but that she should avoid cultivating her +taste, lest her husband should occasionally shock it, is quitting a +substance for a shadow. To say the truth, I do not know of what +use is an improved taste, if the individual be not rendered more +independent of the casualties of life; if new sources of enjoyment, +only dependent on the solitary operations of the mind, are not +opened. People of taste, married or single, without distinction, +will ever be disgusted by various things that touch not less +observing minds. On this conclusion the argument must not be +allowed to hinge; but in the whole sum of enjoyment is taste to be +denominated a blessing? + +The question is, whether it procures most pain or pleasure? The +answer will decide the propriety of Dr. Gregory's advice, and show +how absurd and tyrannic it is thus to lay down a system of slavery; +or to attempt to educate moral beings by any other rules than those +deduced from pure reason, which apply to the whole species. + +Gentleness of manners, forbearance, and long suffering, are such +amiable godlike qualities, that in sublime poetic strains the Deity +has been invested with them; and, perhaps, no representation of his +goodness so strongly fastens on the human affections as those that +represent him abundant in mercy and willing to pardon. Gentleness, +considered in this point of view, bears on its front all the +characteristics of grandeur, combined with the winning graces of +condescension; but what a different aspect it assumes when it is +the submissive demeanour of dependence, the support of weakness +that loves, because it wants protection; and is forbearing, because +it must silently endure injuries; smiling under the lash at which +it dare not snarl. Abject as this picture appears, it is the +portrait of an accomplished woman, according to the received +opinion of female excellence, separated by specious reasoners from +human excellence. Or, they (Vide Rousseau, and Swedenborg) kindly +restore the rib, and make one moral being of a man and woman; not +forgetting to give her all the "submissive charms." + +How women are to exist in that state where there is to be neither +marrying nor giving in marriage, we are not told. For though +moralists have agreed, that the tenor of life seems to prove that +MAN is prepared by various circumstances for a future state, they +constantly concur in advising WOMAN only to provide for the +present. Gentleness, docility, and a spaniel-like affection are, +on this ground, consistently recommended as the cardinal virtues of +the sex; and, disregarding the arbitrary economy of nature, one +writer has declared that it is masculine for a woman to be +melancholy. She was created to be the toy of man, his rattle, and +it must jingle in his ears, whenever, dismissing reason, he chooses +to be amused. + +To recommend gentleness, indeed, on a broad basis is strictly +philosophical. A frail being should labour to be gentle. But when +forbearance confounds right and wrong, it ceases to be a virtue; +and, however convenient it may be found in a companion, that +companion will ever be considered as an inferior, and only inspire +a vapid tenderness, which easily degenerates into contempt. Still, +if advice could really make a being gentle, whose natural +disposition admitted not of such a fine polish, something toward +the advancement of order would be attained; but if, as might +quickly be demonstrated, only affectation be produced by this +indiscriminate counsel, which throws a stumbling block in the way +of gradual improvement, and true melioration of temper, the sex is +not much benefited by sacrificing solid virtues to the attainment +of superficial graces, though for a few years they may procure the +individual's regal sway. + +As a philosopher, I read with indignation the plausible epithets +which men use to soften their insults; and, as a moralist, I ask +what is meant by such heterogeneous associations, as fair defects, +amiable weaknesses, etc.? If there is but one criterion of morals, +but one archetype for man, women appear to be suspended by destiny, +according to the vulgar tale of Mahomet's coffin; they have neither +the unerring instinct of brutes, nor are allowed to fix the eye of +reason on a perfect model. They were made to be loved, and must +not aim at respect, lest they should be hunted out of society as +masculine. + +But to view the subject in another point of view. Do passive +indolent women make the best wives? Confining our discussion to +the present moment of existence, let us see how such weak creatures +perform their part? Do the women who, by the attainment of a few +superficial accomplishments, have strengthened the prevailing +prejudice, merely contribute to the happiness of their husbands? +Do they display their charms merely to amuse them? And have women, +who have early imbibed notions of passive obedience, sufficient +character to manage a family or educate children? So far from it, +that, after surveying the history of woman, I cannot help agreeing +with the severest satirist, considering the sex as the weakest as +well as the most oppressed half of the species. What does history +disclose but marks of inferiority, and how few women have +emancipated themselves from the galling yoke of sovereign man? So +few, that the exceptions remind me of an ingenious conjecture +respecting Newton: that he was probably a being of a superior +order, accidentally caged in a human body. In the same style I +have been led to imagine that the few extraordinary women who have +rushed in eccentrical directions out of the orbit prescribed to +their sex, were MALE spirits, confined by mistake in a female +frame. But if it be not philosophical to think of sex when the +soul is mentioned, the inferiority must depend on the organs; or +the heavenly fire, which is to ferment the clay, is not given in +equal portions. + +But avoiding, as I have hitherto done, any direct comparison of the +two sexes collectively, or frankly acknowledging the inferiority of +woman, according to the present appearance of things, I shall only +insist, that men have increased that inferiority till women are +almost sunk below the standard of rational creatures. Let their +faculties have room to unfold, and their virtues to gain strength, +and then determine where the whole sex must stand in the +intellectual scale. Yet, let it be remembered, that for a small +number of distinguished women I do not ask a place. + +It is difficult for us purblind mortals to say to what height human +discoveries and improvements may arrive, when the gloom of +despotism subsides, which makes us stumble at every step; but, when +morality shall be settled on a more solid basis, then, without +being gifted with a prophetic spirit, I will venture to predict, +that woman will be either the friend or slave of man. We shall +not, as at present, doubt whether she is a moral agent, or the link +which unites man with brutes. But, should it then appear, that +like the brutes they were principally created for the use of man, +he will let them patiently bite the bridle, and not mock them with +empty praise; or, should their rationality be proved, he will not +impede their improvement merely to gratify his sensual appetites. +He will not with all the graces of rhetoric, advise them to submit +implicitly their understandings to the guidance of man. He will +not, when he treats of the education of women, assert, that they +ought never to have the free use of reason, nor would he recommend +cunning and dissimulation to beings who are acquiring, in like +manner as himself, the virtues of humanity. + +Surely there can be but one rule of right, if morality has an +eternal foundation, and whoever sacrifices virtue, strictly so +called, to present convenience, or whose DUTY it is to act in such +a manner, lives only for the passing day, and cannot be an +accountable creature. + +The poet then should have dropped his sneer when he says, + +"If weak women go astray, +The stars are more in fault than they." + +For that they are bound by the adamantine chain of destiny is most +certain, if it be proved that they are never to exercise their own +reason, never to be independent, never to rise above opinion, or to +feel the dignity of a rational will that only bows to God, and +often forgets that the universe contains any being but itself, and +the model of perfection to which its ardent gaze is turned, to +adore attributes that, softened into virtues, may be imitated in +kind, though the degree overwhelms the enraptured mind. + +If, I say, for I would not impress by declamation when reason +offers her sober light, if they are really capable of acting like +rational creatures, let them not be treated like slaves; or, like +the brutes who are dependent on the reason of man, when they +associate with him; but cultivate their minds, give them the +salutary, sublime curb of principle, and let them attain conscious +dignity by feeling themselves only dependent on God. Teach them, +in common with man, to submit to necessity, instead of giving, to +render them more pleasing, a sex to morals. + +Further, should experience prove that they cannot attain the same +degree of strength of mind, perseverance and fortitude, let their +virtues be the same in kind, though they may vainly struggle for +the same degree; and the superiority of man will be equally clear, +if not clearer; and truth, as it is a simple principle, which +admits of no modification, would be common to both. Nay, the order +of society, as it is at present regulated, would not be inverted, +for woman would then only have the rank that reason assigned her, +and arts could not be practised to bring the balance even, much +less to turn it. + +These may be termed Utopian dreams. Thanks to that Being who +impressed them on my soul, and gave me sufficient strength of mind +to dare to exert my own reason, till becoming dependent only on him +for the support of my virtue, I view with indignation, the mistaken +notions that enslave my sex. + +I love man as my fellow; but his sceptre real or usurped, extends +not to me, unless the reason of an individual demands my homage; +and even then the submission is to reason, and not to man. In +fact, the conduct of an accountable being must be regulated by the +operations of its own reason; or on what foundation rests the +throne of God? + +It appears to me necessary to dwell on these obvious truths, +because females have been insulted, as it were; and while they have +been stripped of the virtues that should clothe humanity, they have +been decked with artificial graces, that enable them to exercise a +short lived tyranny. Love, in their bosoms, taking place of every +nobler passion, their sole ambition is to be fair, to raise emotion +instead of inspiring respect; and this ignoble desire, like the +servility in absolute monarchies, destroys all strength of +character. Liberty is the mother of virtue, and if women are, by +their very constitution, slaves, and not allowed to breathe the +sharp invigorating air of freedom, they must ever languish like +exotics, and be reckoned beautiful flaws in nature; let it also be +remembered, that they are the only flaw. + +As to the argument respecting the subjection in which the sex has +ever been held, it retorts on man. The many have always been +enthralled by the few; and, monsters who have scarcely shown any +discernment of human excellence, have tyrannized over thousands of +their fellow creatures. Why have men of superior endowments +submitted to such degradation? For, is it not universally +acknowledged that kings, viewed collectively, have ever been +inferior, in abilities and virtue, to the same number of men taken +from the common mass of mankind--yet, have they not, and are they +not still treated with a degree of reverence, that is an insult to +reason? China is not the only country where a living man has been +made a God. MEN have submitted to superior strength, to enjoy with +impunity the pleasure of the moment--WOMEN have only done the same, +and therefore till it is proved that the courtier, who servilely +resigns the birthright of a man, is not a moral agent, it cannot be +demonstrated that woman is essentially inferior to man, because she +has always been subjugated. + +Brutal force has hitherto governed the world, and that the science +of politics is in its infancy, is evident from philosophers +scrupling to give the knowledge most useful to man that determinate +distinction. + +I shall not pursue this argument any further than to establish an +obvious inference, that as sound politics diffuse liberty, mankind, +including woman, will become more wise and virtuous. + + +CHAPTER 3. + +THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. + +Bodily strength from being the distinction of heroes is now sunk +into such unmerited contempt, that men as well as women, seem to +think it unnecessary: the latter, as it takes from their feminine +graces, and from that lovely weakness, the source of their undue +power; and the former, because it appears inimical with the +character of a gentleman. + +That they have both by departing from one extreme run into another, +may easily be proved; but it first may be proper to observe, that a +vulgar error has obtained a degree of credit, which has given force +to a false conclusion, in which an effect has been mistaken for a +cause. + +People of genius have, very frequently, impaired their +constitutions by study, or careless inattention to their health, +and the violence of their passions bearing a proportion to the +vigour of their intellects, the sword's destroying the scabbard has +become almost proverbial, and superficial observers have inferred +from thence, that men of genius have commonly weak, or to use a +more fashionable phrase, delicate constitutions. Yet the contrary, +I believe, will appear to be the fact; for, on diligent inquiry, I +find that strength of mind has, in most cases, been accompanied by +superior strength of body, natural soundness of constitution, not +that robust tone of nerves and vigour of muscles, which arise from +bodily labour, when the mind is quiescent, or only directs the +hands. + +Dr. Priestley has remarked, in the preface to his biographical +chart, that the majority of great men have lived beyond forty-five. +And, considering the thoughtless manner in which they lavished +their strength, when investigating a favourite science, they have +wasted the lamp of life, forgetful of the midnight hour; or, when, +lost in poetic dreams, fancy has peopled the scene, and the soul +has been disturbed, till it shook the constitution, by the passions +that meditation had raised; whose objects, the baseless fabric of a +vision, faded before the exhausted eye, they must have had iron +frames. Shakespeare never grasped the airy dagger with a nerveless +hand, nor did Milton tremble when he led Satan far from the +confines of his dreary prison. These were not the ravings of +imbecility, the sickly effusions of distempered brains; but the +exuberance of fancy, that "in a fine phrenzy" wandering, was not +continually reminded of its material shackles. + +I am aware, that this argument would carry me further than it may +be supposed I wish to go; but I follow truth, and still adhering to +my first position, I will allow that bodily strength seems to give +man a natural superiority over woman; and this is the only solid +basis on which the superiority of the sex can be built. But I +still insist, that not only the virtue, but the KNOWLEDGE of the +two sexes should be the same in nature, if not in degree, and that +women, considered not only as moral, but rational creatures, ought +to endeavour to acquire human virtues (or perfections) by the SAME +means as men, instead of being educated like a fanciful kind of +HALF being, one of Rousseau's wild chimeras. + +But, if strength of body be, with some show of reason, the boast of +men, why are women so infatuated as to be proud of a defect? +Rousseau has furnished them with a plausible excuse, which could +only have occurred to a man, whose imagination had been allowed to +run wild, and refine on the impressions made by exquisite senses, +that they might, forsooth have a pretext for yielding to a natural +appetite without violating a romantic species of modesty, which +gratifies the pride and libertinism of man. + +Women deluded by these sentiments, sometimes boast of their +weakness, cunningly obtaining power by playing on the WEAKNESS of +men; and they may well glory in their illicit sway, for, like +Turkish bashaws, they have more real power than their masters: but +virtue is sacrificed to temporary gratifications, and the +respectability of life to the triumph of an hour. + +Women, as well as despots, have now, perhaps, more power than they +would have, if the world, divided and subdivided into kingdoms and +families, was governed by laws deduced from the exercise of reason; +but in obtaining it, to carry on the comparison, their character is +degraded, and licentiousness spread through the whole aggregate of +society. The many become pedestal to the few. I, therefore will +venture to assert, that till women are more rationally educated, +the progress of human virtue and improvement in knowledge must +receive continual checks. And if it be granted, that woman was not +created merely to gratify the appetite of man, nor to be the upper +servant, who provides his meals and takes care of his linen, it +must follow, that the first care of those mothers or fathers, who +really attend to the education of females, should be, if not to +strengthen the body, at least, not to destroy the constitution by +mistaken notions of beauty and female excellence; nor should girls +ever be allowed to imbibe the pernicious notion that a defect can, +by any chemical process of reasoning become an excellence. In this +respect, I am happy to find, that the author of one of the most +instructive books, that our country has produced for children, +coincides with me in opinion; I shall quote his pertinent remarks +to give the force of his respectable authority to reason.* + +(*Footnote. A respectable old man gives the following sensible +account of the method he pursued when educating his daughter. "I +endeavoured to give both to her mind and body a degree of vigour, +which is seldom found in the female sex. As soon as she was +sufficiently advanced in strength to be capable of the lighter +labours of husbandry and gardening, I employed her as my constant +companion. Selene, for that was her name, soon acquired a +dexterity in all these rustic employments which I considered with +equal pleasure and admiration. If women are in general feeble both +in body and mind, it arises less from nature than from education. +We encourage a vicious indolence and inactivity, which we falsely +call delicacy; instead of hardening their minds by the severer +principles of reason and philosophy, we breed them to useless arts, +which terminate in vanity and sensuality. In most of the countries +which I had visited, they are taught nothing of an higher nature +than a few modulations of the voice, or useless postures of the +body; their time is consumed in sloth or trifles, and trifles +become the only pursuits capable of interesting them. We seem to +forget, that it is upon the qualities of the female sex, that our +own domestic comforts and the education of our children must +depend. And what are the comforts or the education which a race of +beings corrupted from their infancy, and unacquainted with all the +duties of life, are fitted to bestow? To touch a musical +instrument with useless skill, to exhibit their natural or affected +graces, to the eyes of indolent and debauched young men, who +dissipate their husbands' patrimony in riotous and unnecessary +expenses: these are the only arts cultivated by women in most of +the polished nations I had seen. And the consequences are +uniformly such as may be expected to proceed from such polluted +sources, private misery, and public servitude. + +"But, Selene's education was regulated by different views, and +conducted upon severer principles; if that can be called severity +which opens the mind to a sense of moral and religious duties, and +most effectually arms it against the inevitable evils of +life."--Mr. Day's "Sandford and Merton," Volume 3.) + +But should it be proved that woman is naturally weaker than man, +from whence does it follow that it is natural for her to labour to +become still weaker than nature intended her to be? Arguments of +this cast are an insult to common sense, and savour of passion. +The DIVINE RIGHT of husbands, like the divine right of kings, may, +it is to be hoped, in this enlightened age, be contested without +danger, and though conviction may not silence many boisterous +disputants, yet, when any prevailing prejudice is attacked, the +wise will consider, and leave the narrow-minded to rail with +thoughtless vehemence at innovation. + +The mother, who wishes to give true dignity of character to her +daughter, must, regardless of the sneers of ignorance, proceed on a +plan diametrically opposite to that which Rousseau has recommended +with all the deluding charms of eloquence and philosophical +sophistry: for his eloquence renders absurdities plausible, and +his dogmatic conclusions puzzle, without convincing those who have +not ability to refute them. + +Throughout the whole animal kingdom every young creature requires +almost continual exercise, and the infancy of children, conformable +to this intimation, should be passed in harmless gambols, that +exercise the feet and hands, without requiring very minute +direction from the head, or the constant attention of a nurse. In +fact, the care necessary for self-preservation is the first natural +exercise of the understanding, as little inventions to amuse the +present moment unfold the imagination. But these wise designs of +nature are counteracted by mistaken fondness or blind zeal. The +child is not left a moment to its own direction, particularly a +girl, and thus rendered dependent--dependence is called natural. + +To preserve personal beauty, woman's glory! the limbs and faculties +are cramped with worse than Chinese bands, and the sedentary life +which they are condemned to live, whilst boys frolic in the open +air, weakens the muscles and relaxes the nerves. As for Rousseau's +remarks, which have since been echoed by several writers, that they +have naturally, that is from their birth, independent of education, +a fondness for dolls, dressing, and talking, they are so puerile as +not to merit a serious refutation. That a girl, condemned to sit +for hours together listening to the idle chat of weak nurses or to +attend at her mother's toilet, will endeavour to join the +conversation, is, indeed very natural; and that she will imitate +her mother or aunts, and amuse herself by adorning her lifeless +doll, as they do in dressing her, poor innocent babe! is +undoubtedly a most natural consequence. For men of the greatest +abilities have seldom had sufficient strength to rise above the +surrounding atmosphere; and, if the page of genius has always been +blurred by the prejudices of the age, some allowance should be made +for a sex, who, like kings, always see things through a false +medium. + +In this manner may the fondness for dress, conspicuous in women, be +easily accounted for, without supposing it the result of a desire +to please the sex on which they are dependent. The absurdity, in +short, of supposing that a girl is naturally a coquette, and that a +desire connected with the impulse of nature to propagate the +species, should appear even before an improper education has, by +heating the imagination, called it forth prematurely, is so +unphilosophical, that such a sagacious observer as Rousseau would +not have adopted it, if he had not been accustomed to make reason +give way to his desire of singularity, and truth to a favourite +paradox. + +Yet thus to give a sex to mind was not very consistent with the +principles of a man who argued so warmly, and so well, for the +immortality of the soul. But what a weak barrier is truth when it +stands in the way of an hypothesis! Rousseau respected--almost +adored virtue--and yet allowed himself to love with sensual +fondness. His imagination constantly prepared inflammable fuel for +his inflammable senses; but, in order to reconcile his respect for +self-denial, fortitude and those heroic virtues, which a mind like +his could not coolly admire, he labours to invert the law of +nature, and broaches a doctrine pregnant with mischief, and +derogatory to the character of supreme wisdom. + +His ridiculous stories, which tend to prove that girls are +NATURALLY attentive to their persons, without laying any stress on +daily example, are below contempt. And that a little miss should +have such a correct taste as to neglect the pleasing amusement of +making O's, merely because she perceived that it was an ungraceful +attitude, should be selected with the anecdotes of the learned +pig.* + +(*Footnote. "I once knew a young person who learned to write +before she learned to read, and began to write with her needle +before she could use a pen. At first indeed, she took it into her +head to make no other letter than the O: this letter she was +constantly making of all sizes, and always the wrong way. +Unluckily one day, as she was intent on this employment, she +happened to see herself in the looking glass; when, taking a +dislike to the constrained attitude in which she sat while writing, +she threw away her pen, like another Pallas, and determined against +making the O any more. Her brother was also equally averse to +writing: it was the confinement, however, and not the constrained +attitude, that most disgusted him." +Rousseau's "Emilius.") + +I have, probably, had an opportunity of observing more girls in +their infancy than J. J. Rousseau. I can recollect my own +feelings, and I have looked steadily around me; yet, so far from +coinciding with him in opinion respecting the first dawn of the +female character, I will venture to affirm, that a girl, whose +spirits have not been damped by inactivity, or innocence tainted by +false shame, will always be a romp, and the doll will never excite +attention unless confinement allows her no alternative. Girls and +boys, in short, would play harmless together, if the distinction of +sex was not inculcated long before nature makes any difference. I +will, go further, and affirm, as an indisputable fact, that most of +the women, in the circle of my observation, who have acted like +rational creatures, or shown any vigour of intellect, have +accidentally been allowed to run wild, as some of the elegant +formers of the fair sex would insinuate. + +The baneful consequences which flow from inattention to health +during infancy, and youth, extend further than is supposed, +dependence of body naturally produces dependence of mind; and how +can she be a good wife or mother, the greater part of whose time is +employed to guard against or endure sickness; nor can it be +expected, that a woman will resolutely endeavour to strengthen her +constitution and abstain from enervating indulgences, if artificial +notions of beauty, and false descriptions of sensibility, have been +early entangled with her motives of action. Most men are sometimes +obliged to bear with bodily inconveniences, and to endure, +occasionally, the inclemency of the elements; but genteel women +are, literally speaking, slaves to their bodies, and glory in their +subjection. + +I once knew a weak woman of fashion, who was more than commonly +proud of her delicacy and sensibility. She thought a +distinguishing taste and puny appetite the height of all human +perfection, and acted accordingly. I have seen this weak +sophisticated being neglect all the duties of life, yet recline +with self-complacency on a sofa, and boast of her want of appetite +as a proof of delicacy that extended to, or, perhaps, arose from, +her exquisite sensibility: for it is difficult to render +intelligible such ridiculous jargon. Yet, at the moment, I have +seen her insult a worthy old gentlewoman, whom unexpected +misfortunes had made dependent on her ostentatious bounty, and who, +in better days, had claims on her gratitude. Is it possible that a +human creature should have become such a weak and depraved being, +if, like the Sybarites, dissolved in luxury, every thing like +virtue had not been worn away, or never impressed by precept, a +poor substitute it is true, for cultivation of mind, though it +serves as a fence against vice? + +Such a woman is not a more irrational monster than some of the +Roman emperors, who were depraved by lawless power. Yet, since +kings have been more under the restraint of law, and the curb, +however weak, of honour, the records of history are not filled with +such unnatural instances of folly and cruelty, nor does the +despotism that kills virtue and genius in the bud, hover over +Europe with that destructive blast which desolates Turkey, and +renders the men, as well as the soil unfruitful. + +Women are every where in this deplorable state; for, in order to +preserve their innocence, as ignorance is courteously termed, truth +is hidden from them, and they are made to assume an artificial +character before their faculties have acquired any strength. +Taught from their infancy, that beauty is woman's sceptre, the mind +shapes itself to the body, and, roaming round its gilt cage, only +seeks to adorn its prison. Men have various employments and +pursuits which engage their attention, and give a character to the +opening mind; but women, confined to one, and having their thoughts +constantly directed to the most insignificant part of themselves, +seldom extend their views beyond the triumph of the hour. But was +their understanding once emancipated from the slavery to which the +pride and sensuality of man and their short sighted desire, like +that of dominion in tyrants, of present sway, has subjected them, +we should probably read of their weaknesses with surprise. I must +be allowed to pursue the argument a little farther. + +Perhaps, if the existence of an evil being was allowed, who, in the +allegorical language of scripture, went about seeking whom he +should devour, he could not more effectually degrade the human +character than by giving a man absolute power. + +This argument branches into various ramifications. Birth, riches, +and every intrinsic advantage that exalt a man above his fellows, +without any mental exertion, sink him in reality below them. In +proportion to his weakness, he is played upon by designing men, +till the bloated monster has lost all traces of humanity. And that +tribes of men, like flocks of sheep, should quietly follow such a +leader, is a solecism that only a desire of present enjoyment and +narrowness of understanding can solve. Educated in slavish +dependence, and enervated by luxury and sloth, where shall we find +men who will stand forth to assert the rights of man; or claim the +privilege of moral beings, who should have but one road to +excellence? Slavery to monarchs and ministers, which the world will +be long in freeing itself from, and whose deadly grasp stops the +progress of the human mind, is not yet abolished. + +Let not men then in the pride of power, use the same arguments that +tyrannic kings and venal ministers have used, and fallaciously +assert, that woman ought to be subjected because she has always +been so. But, when man, governed by reasonable laws, enjoys his +natural freedom, let him despise woman, if she do not share it with +him; and, till that glorious period arrives, in descanting on the +folly of the sex, let him not overlook his own. + +Women, it is true, obtaining power by unjust means, by practising +or fostering vice, evidently lose the rank which reason would +assign them, and they become either abject slaves or capricious +tyrants. They lose all simplicity, all dignity of mind, in +acquiring power, and act as men are observed to act when they have +been exalted by the same means. + +It is time to effect a revolution in female manners, time to +restore to them their lost dignity, and make them, as a part of the +human species, labour by reforming themselves to reform the world. +It is time to separate unchangeable morals from local manners. If +men be demi-gods, why let us serve them! And if the dignity of the +female soul be as disputable as that of animals, if their reason +does not afford sufficient light to direct their conduct whilst +unerring instinct is denied, they are surely of all creatures the +most miserable and, bent beneath the iron hand of destiny, must +submit to be a FAIR DEFECT in creation. But to justify the ways of +providence respecting them, by pointing out some irrefragable +reason for thus making such a large portion of mankind accountable +and not accountable, would puzzle the subtlest casuist. + +The only solid foundation for morality appears to be the character +of the Supreme Being; the harmony of which arises from a balance of +attributes; and, to speak with reverence, one attribute seems to +imply the NECESSITY of another. He must be just, because he is +wise, he must be good, because he is omnipotent. For, to exalt one +attribute at the expense of another equally noble and necessary, +bears the stamp of the warped reason of man, the homage of passion. +Man, accustomed to bow down to power in his savage state, can +seldom divest himself of this barbarous prejudice even when +civilization determines how much superior mental is to bodily +strength; and his reason is clouded by these crude opinions, even +when he thinks of the Deity. His omnipotence is made to swallow +up, or preside over his other attributes, and those mortals are +supposed to limit his power irreverently, who think that it must be +regulated by his wisdom. + +I disclaim that species of humility which, after investigating +nature, stops at the author. The high and lofty One, who +inhabiteth eternity, doubtless possesses many attributes of which +we can form no conception; but reason tells me that they cannot +clash with those I adore, and I am compelled to listen to her +voice. + +It seems natural for man to search for excellence, and either to +trace it in the object that he worships, or blindly to invest it +with perfection as a garment. But what good effect can the latter +mode of worship have on the moral conduct of a rational being? He +bends to power; he adores a dark cloud, which may open a bright +prospect to him, or burst in angry, lawless fury on his devoted +head, he knows not why. And, supposing that the Deity acts from +the vague impulse of an undirected will, man must also follow his +own, or act according to rules, deduced from principles which he +disclaims as irreverent. Into this dilemma have both enthusiasts +and cooler thinkers fallen, when they laboured to free men from the +wholesome restraints which a just conception of the character of +God imposes. + +It is not impious thus to scan the attributes of the Almighty: in +fact, who can avoid it that exercises his faculties? for to love +God as the fountain of wisdom, goodness, and power, appears to be +the only worship useful to a being who wishes to acquire either +virtue or knowledge. A blind unsettled affection may, like human +passions, occupy the mind and warm the heart, whilst, to do +justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God, is forgotten. I +shall pursue this subject still further, when I consider religion +in a light opposite to that recommended by Dr. Gregory, who treats +it as a matter of sentiment or taste. + +To return from this apparent digression. It were to be wished, +that women would cherish an affection for their husbands, founded +on the same principle that devotion ought to rest upon. No other +firm base is there under heaven, for let them beware of the +fallacious light of sentiment; too often used as a softer phrase +for sensuality. It follows then, I think, that from their infancy +women should either be shut up like eastern princes, or educated in +such a manner as to be able to think and act for themselves. + +Why do men halt between two opinions, and expect impossibilities? +Why do they expect virtue from a slave, or from a being whom the +constitution of civil society has rendered weak, if not vicious? + +Still I know that it will require a considerable length of time to +eradicate the firmly rooted prejudices which sensualists have +planted; it will also require some time to convince women that they +act contrary to their real interest on an enlarged scale, when they +cherish or affect weakness under the name of delicacy, and to +convince the world that the poisoned source of female vices and +follies, if it be necessary, in compliance with custom, to use +synonymous terms in a lax sense, has been the sensual homage paid +to beauty: to beauty of features; for it has been shrewdly +observed by a German writer, that a pretty woman, as an object of +desire, is generally allowed to be so by men of all descriptions; +whilst a fine woman, who inspires more sublime emotions by +displaying intellectual beauty, may be overlooked or observed with +indifference, by those men who find their happiness in the +gratification of their appetites. I foresee an obvious retort; +whilst man remains such an imperfect being as he appears hitherto +to have been, he will, more or less, be the slave of his appetites; +and those women obtaining most power who gratify a predominant one, +the sex is degraded by a physical, if not by a moral necessity. + +This objection has, I grant, some force; but while such a sublime +precept exists, as, "be pure as your heavenly father is pure;" it +would seem that the virtues of man are not limited by the Being who +alone could limit them; and that he may press forward without +considering whether he steps out of his sphere by indulging such a +noble ambition. To the wild billows it has been said, "thus far +shalt thou go, and no further; and here shall thy proud waves be +stayed." Vainly then do they beat and foam, restrained by the +power that confines the struggling planets within their orbits, +matter yields to the great governing Spirit. But an immortal soul, +not restrained by mechanical laws, and struggling to free itself +from the shackles of matter, contributes to, instead of disturbing, +the order of creation, when, co-operating with the Father of +spirits, it tries to govern itself by the invariable rule that, in +a degree, before which our imagination faints, the universe is +regulated. + +Besides, if women are educated for dependence, that is, to act +according to the will of another fallible being, and submit, right +or wrong, to power, where are we to stop? Are they to be +considered as viceregents, allowed to reign over a small domain, +and answerable for their conduct to a higher tribunal, liable to +error? + +It will not be difficult to prove, that such delegates will act +like men subjected by fear, and make their children and servants +endure their tyrannical oppression. As they submit without reason, +they will, having no fixed rules to square their conduct by, be +kind or cruel, just as the whim of the moment directs; and we ought +not to wonder if sometimes, galled by their heavy yoke, they take a +malignant pleasure in resting it on weaker shoulders. + +But, supposing a woman, trained up to obedience, be married to a +sensible man, who directs her judgment, without making her feel the +servility of her subjection, to act with as much propriety by this +reflected light as can be expected when reason is taken at second +hand, yet she cannot ensure the life of her protector; he may die +and leave her with a large family. + +A double duty devolves on her; to educate them in the character of +both father and mother; to form their principles and secure their +property. But, alas! she has never thought, much less acted for +herself. She has only learned to please men, to depend gracefully +on them; yet, encumbered with children, how is she to obtain +another protector; a husband to supply the place of reason? A +rational man, for we are not treading on romantic ground, though he +may think her a pleasing docile creature, will not choose to marry +a FAMILY for love, when the world contains many more pretty +creatures. What is then to become of her? She either falls an +easy prey to some mean fortune hunter, who defrauds her children of +their paternal inheritance, and renders her miserable; or becomes +the victim of discontent and blind indulgence. Unable to educate +her sons, or impress them with respect; for it is not a play on +words to assert, that people are never respected, though filling an +important station, who are not respectable; she pines under the +anguish of unavailing impotent regret. The serpent's tooth enters +into her very soul, and the vices of licentious youth bring her +with sorrow, if not with poverty also, to the grave. + +This is not an overcharged picture; on the contrary, it is a very +possible case, and something similar must have fallen under every +attentive eye. + +I have, however, taken it for granted, that she was well disposed, +though experience shows, that the blind may as easily be led into a +ditch as along the beaten road. But supposing, no very improbable +conjecture, that a being only taught to please must still find her +happiness in pleasing; what an example of folly, not to say vice, +will she be to her innocent daughters! The mother will be lost in +the coquette, and, instead of making friends of her daughters, view +them with eyes askance, for they are rivals--rivals more cruel than +any other, because they invite a comparison, and drive her from the +throne of beauty, who has never thought of a seat on the bench of +reason. + +It does not require a lively pencil, or the discriminating outline +of a caricature, to sketch the domestic miseries and petty vices +which such a mistress of a family diffuses. Still she only acts as +a woman ought to act, brought up according to Rousseau's system. +She can never be reproached for being masculine, or turning out of +her sphere; nay, she may observe another of his grand rules, and, +cautiously preserving her reputation free from spot, be reckoned a +good kind of woman. Yet in what respect can she be termed good? +She abstains, it is true, without any great struggle, from +committing gross crimes; but how does she fulfil her duties? +Duties!--in truth she has enough to think of to adorn her body and +nurse a weak constitution. + +With respect to religion, she never presumed to judge for herself; +but conformed, as a dependent creature should, to the ceremonies of +the church which she was brought up in, piously believing, that +wiser heads than her own have settled that business: and not to +doubt is her point of perfection. She therefore pays her tythe of +mint and cummin, and thanks her God that she is not as other women +are. These are the blessed effects of a good education! these the +virtues of man's helpmate. I must relieve myself by drawing a +different picture. + +Let fancy now present a woman with a tolerable understanding, for I +do not wish to leave the line of mediocrity, whose constitution, +strengthened by exercise, has allowed her body to acquire its full +vigour; her mind, at the same time, gradually expanding itself to +comprehend the moral duties of life, and in what human virtue and +dignity consist. Formed thus by the relative duties of her +station, she marries from affection, without losing sight of +prudence, and looking beyond matrimonial felicity, she secures her +husband's respect before it is necessary to exert mean arts to +please him, and feed a dying flame, which nature doomed to expire +when the object became familiar, when friendship and forbearance +take place of a more ardent affection. This is the natural death +of love, and domestic peace is not destroyed by struggles to +prevent its extinction. I also suppose the husband to be virtuous; +or she is still more in want of independent principles. + +Fate, however, breaks this tie. She is left a widow, perhaps, +without a sufficient provision: but she is not desolate! The pang +of nature is felt; but after time has softened sorrow into +melancholy resignation, her heart turns to her children with +redoubled fondness, and anxious to provide for them, affection +gives a sacred heroic cast to her maternal duties. She thinks that +not only the eye sees her virtuous efforts, from whom all her +comfort now must flow, and whose approbation is life; but her +imagination, a little abstracted and exalted by grief, dwells on +the fond hope, that the eyes which her trembling hand closed, may +still see how she subdues every wayward passion to fulfil the +double duty of being the father as well as the mother of her +children. Raised to heroism by misfortunes, she represses the +first faint dawning of a natural inclination, before it ripens into +love, and in the bloom of life forgets her sex--forgets the +pleasure of an awakening passion, which might again have been +inspired and returned. She no longer thinks of pleasing, and +conscious dignity prevents her from priding herself on account of +the praise which her conduct demands. Her children have her love, +and her brightest hopes are beyond the grave, where her imagination +often strays. + +I think I see her surrounded by her children, reaping the reward of +her care. The intelligent eye meets her's, whilst health and +innocence smile on their chubby cheeks, and as they grow up the +cares of life are lessened by their grateful attention. She lives +to see the virtues which she endeavoured to plant on principles, +fixed into habits, to see her children attain a strength of +character sufficient to enable them to endure adversity without +forgetting their mother's example. + +The task of life thus fulfilled, she calmly waits for the sleep of +death, and rising from the grave may say, behold, thou gavest me a +talent, and here are five talents. + +I wish to sum up what I have said in a few words, for I here throw +down my gauntlet, and deny the existence of sexual virtues, not +excepting modesty. For man and woman, truth, if I understand the +meaning of the word, must be the same; yet the fanciful female +character, so prettily drawn by poets and novelists, demanding the +sacrifice of truth and sincerity, virtue becomes a relative idea, +having no other foundation than utility, and of that utility men +pretend arbitrarily to judge, shaping it to their own convenience. + +Women, I allow, may have different duties to fulfil; but they are +HUMAN duties, and the principles that should regulate the discharge +of them, I sturdily maintain, must be the same. + +To become respectable, the exercise of their understanding is +necessary, there is no other foundation for independence of +character; I mean explicitly to say, that they must only bow to the +authority of reason, instead of being the MODEST slaves of opinion. + +In the superior ranks of life how seldom do we meet with a man of +superior abilities, or even common acquirements? The reason +appears to me clear; the state they are born in was an unnatural +one. The human character has ever been formed by the employments +the individual, or class pursues; and if the faculties are not +sharpened by necessity, they must remain obtuse. The argument may +fairly be extended to women; for seldom occupied by serious +business, the pursuit of pleasure gives that insignificancy to +their character which renders the society of the GREAT so insipid. +The same want of firmness, produced by a similar cause, forces them +both to fly from themselves to noisy pleasures, and artificial +passions, till vanity takes place of every social affection, and +the characteristics of humanity can scarcely be discerned. Such +are the blessings of civil governments, as they are at present +organized, that wealth and female softness equally tend to debase +mankind, and are produced by the same cause; but allowing women to +be rational creatures they should be incited to acquire virtues +which they may call their own, for how can a rational being be +ennobled by any thing that is not obtained by its OWN exertions? + + +CHAPTER 4. + +OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF DEGRADATION TO WHICH WOMAN IS REDUCED +BY VARIOUS CAUSES. + +That woman is naturally weak, or degraded by a concurrence of +circumstances is, I think, clear. But this position I shall simply +contrast with a conclusion, which I have frequently heard fall from +sensible men in favour of an aristocracy: that the mass of mankind +cannot be any thing, or the obsequious slaves, who patiently allow +themselves to be penned up, would feel their own consequence, and +spurn their chains. Men, they further observe, submit every where +to oppression, when they have only to lift up their heads to throw +off the yoke; yet, instead of asserting their birthright, they +quietly lick the dust, and say, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow +we die. Women, I argue from analogy, are degraded by the same +propensity to enjoy the present moment; and, at last, despise the +freedom which they have not sufficient virtue to struggle to +attain. But I must be more explicit. + +With respect to the culture of the heart, it is unanimously allowed +that sex is out of the question; but the line of subordination in +the mental powers is never to be passed over. Only "absolute in +loveliness," the portion of rationality granted to woman is, +indeed, very scanty; for, denying her genius and judgment, it is +scarcely possible to divine what remains to characterize intellect. + +The stamina of immortality, if I may be allowed the phrase, is the +perfectibility of human reason; for, was man created perfect, or +did a flood of knowledge break in upon him, when he arrived at +maturity, that precluded error, I should doubt whether his +existence would be continued after the dissolution of the body. +But in the present state of things, every difficulty in morals, +that escapes from human discussion, and equally baffles the +investigation of profound thinking, and the lightning glance of +genius, is an argument on which I build my belief of the +immortality of the soul. Reason is, consequentially, the simple +power of improvement; or, more properly speaking, of discerning +truth. Every individual is in this respect a world in itself. +More or less may be conspicuous in one being than other; but the +nature of reason must be the same in all, if it be an emanation of +divinity, the tie that connects the creature with the Creator; for, +can that soul be stamped with the heavenly image, that is not +perfected by the exercise of its own reason? Yet outwardly +ornamented with elaborate care, and so adorned to delight man, +"that with honour he may love," (Vide Milton) the soul of woman is +not allowed to have this distinction, and man, ever placed between +her and reason, she is always represented as only created to see +through a gross medium, and to take things on trust. But, +dismissing these fanciful theories, and considering woman as a +whole, let it be what it will, instead of a part of man, the +inquiry is, whether she has reason or not. If she has, which, for +a moment, I will take for granted, she was not created merely to be +the solace of man, and the sexual should not destroy the human +character. + +Into this error men have, probably, been led by viewing education +in a false light; not considering it as the first step to form a +being advancing gradually toward perfection; (This word is not +strictly just, but I cannot find a better.) but only as a +preparation for life. On this sensual error, for I must call it +so, has the false system of female manners been reared, which robs +the whole sex of its dignity, and classes the brown and fair with +the smiling flowers that only adorn the land. This has ever been +the language of men, and the fear of departing from a supposed +sexual character, has made even women of superior sense adopt the +same sentiments. Thus understanding, strictly speaking, has been +denied to woman; and instinct, sublimated into wit and cunning, for +the purposes of life, has been substituted in its stead. + +The power of generalizing ideas, of drawing comprehensive +conclusions from individual observations, is the only acquirement +for an immortal being, that really deserves the name of knowledge. +Merely to observe, without endeavouring to account for any thing, +may, (in a very incomplete manner) serve as the common sense of +life; but where is the store laid up that is to clothe the soul +when it leaves the body? + +This power has not only been denied to women; but writers have +insisted that it is inconsistent, with a few exceptions, with their +sexual character. Let men prove this, and I shall grant that woman +only exists for man. I must, however, previously remark, that the +power of generalizing ideas, to any great extent, is not very +common amongst men or women. But this exercise is the true +cultivation of the understanding; and every thing conspires to +render the cultivation of the understanding more difficult in the +female than the male world. + +I am naturally led by this assertion to the main subject of the +present chapter, and shall now attempt to point out some of the +causes that degrade the sex, and prevent women from generalizing +their observations. + +I shall not go back to the remote annals of antiquity to trace the +history of woman; it is sufficient to allow, that she has always +been either a slave or a despot, and to remark, that each of these +situations equally retards the progress of reason. The grand +source of female folly and vice has ever appeared to me to arise +from narrowness of mind; and the very constitution of civil +governments has put almost insuperable obstacles in the way to +prevent the cultivation of the female understanding: yet virtue +can be built on no other foundation! The same obstacles are thrown +in the way of the rich, and the same consequences ensue. + +Necessity has been proverbially termed the mother of invention; the +aphorism may be extended to virtue. It is an acquirement, and an +acquirement to which pleasure must be sacrificed, and who +sacrifices pleasure when it is within the grasp, whose mind has not +been opened and strengthened by adversity, or the pursuit of +knowledge goaded on by necessity? Happy is it when people have the +cares of life to struggle with; for these struggles prevent their +becoming a prey to enervating vices, merely from idleness! But, if +from their birth men and women are placed in a torrid zone, with +the meridian sun of pleasure darting directly upon them, how can +they sufficiently brace their minds to discharge the duties of +life, or even to relish the affections that carry them out of +themselves? + +Pleasure is the business of a woman's life, according to the +present modification of society, and while it continues to be so, +little can be expected from such weak beings. Inheriting, in a +lineal descent from the first fair defect in nature, the +sovereignty of beauty, they have, to maintain their power, resigned +their natural rights, which the exercise of reason, might have +procured them, and chosen rather to be short-lived queens than +labour to attain the sober pleasures that arise from equality. +Exalted by their inferiority (this sounds like a contradiction) +they constantly demand homage as women, though experience should +teach them that the men who pride themselves upon paying this +arbitrary insolent respect to the sex, with the most scrupulous +exactness, are most inclined to tyrannize over, and despise the +very weakness they cherish. Often do they repeat Mr. Hume's +sentiments; when comparing the French and Athenian character, he +alludes to women. "But what is more singular in this whimsical +nation, say I to the Athenians, is, that a frolic of yours during +the Saturnalia, when the slaves are served by their masters, is +seriously continued by them through the whole year, and through the +whole course of their lives; accompanied too with some +circumstances, which still further augment the absurdity and +ridicule. Your sport only elevates for a few days, those whom +fortune has thrown down, and whom she too, in sport, may really +elevate forever above you. But this nation gravely exalts those, +whom nature has subjected to them, and whose inferiority and +infirmities are absolutely incurable. The women, though without +virtue, are their masters and sovereigns." + +Ah! why do women, I write with affectionate solicitude, condescend +to receive a degree of attention and respect from strangers, +different from that reciprocation of civility which the dictates of +humanity, and the politeness of civilization authorise between man +and man? And why do they not discover, when "in the noon of +beauty's power," that they are treated like queens only to be +deluded by hollow respect, till they are led to resign, or not +assume, their natural prerogatives? Confined then in cages, like +the feathered race, they have nothing to do but to plume +themselves, and stalk with mock-majesty from perch to perch. It is +true, they are provided with food and raiment, for which they +neither toil nor spin; but health, liberty, and virtue are given in +exchange. But, where, amongst mankind has been found sufficient +strength of mind to enable a being to resign these adventitious +prerogatives; one who rising with the calm dignity of reason above +opinion, dared to be proud of the privileges inherent in man? and +it is vain to expect it whilst hereditary power chokes the +affections, and nips reason in the bud. + +The passions of men have thus placed women on thrones; and, till +mankind become more reasonable, it is to be feared that women will +avail themselves of the power which they attain with the least +exertion, and which is the most indisputable. They will smile, +yes, they will smile, though told that-- + +"In beauty's empire is no mean, +And woman either slave or queen, +Is quickly scorn'd when not ador'd." + +But the adoration comes first, and the scorn is not anticipated. + +Lewis the XIVth, in particular, spread factitious manners, and +caught in a specious way, the whole nation in his toils; for +establishing an artful chain of despotism, he made it the interest +of the people at large, individually to respect his station, and +support his power. And women, whom he flattered by a puerile +attention to the whole sex, obtained in his reign that prince-like +distinction so fatal to reason and virtue. + +A king is always a king, and a woman always a woman: (And a wit, +always a wit, might be added; for the vain fooleries of wits and +beauties to obtain attention, and make conquests, are much upon a +par.) his authority and her sex, ever stand between them and +rational converse. With a lover, I grant she should be so, and her +sensibility will naturally lead her to endeavour to excite emotion, +not to gratify her vanity but her heart. This I do not allow to be +coquetry, it is the artless impulse of nature, I only exclaim +against the sexual desire of conquest, when the heart is out of the +question. + +This desire is not confined to women; "I have endeavoured," says +Lord Chesterfield, "to gain the hearts of twenty women, whose +persons I would not have given a fig for." The libertine who in a +gust of passion, takes advantage of unsuspecting tenderness, is a +saint when compared with this cold-hearted rascal; for I like to +use significant words. Yet only taught to please, women are always +on the watch to please, and with true heroic ardour endeavour to +gain hearts merely to resign, or spurn them, when the victory is +decided, and conspicuous. + +I must descend to the minutiae of the subject. + +I lament that women are systematically degraded by receiving the +trivial attentions, which men think it manly to pay to the sex, +when, in fact, they are insultingly supporting their own +superiority. It is not condescension to bow to an inferior. So +ludicrous, in fact, do these ceremonies appear to me, that I +scarcely am able to govern my muscles, when I see a man start with +eager, and serious solicitude to lift a handkerchief, or shut a +door, when the LADY could have done it herself, had she only moved +a pace or two. + +A wild wish has just flown from my heart to my head, and I will not +stifle it though it may excite a horse laugh. I do earnestly wish +to see the distinction of sex confounded in society, unless where +love animates the behaviour. For this distinction is, I am firmly +persuaded, the foundation of the weakness of character ascribed to +woman; is the cause why the understanding is neglected, whilst +accomplishments are acquired with sedulous care: and the same +cause accounts for their preferring the graceful before the heroic +virtues. + +Mankind, including every description, wish to be loved and +respected for SOMETHING; and the common herd will always take the +nearest road to the completion of their wishes. The respect paid +to wealth and beauty is the most certain and unequivocal; and of +course, will always attract the vulgar eye of common minds. +Abilities and virtues are absolutely necessary to raise men from +the middle rank of life into notice; and the natural consequence is +notorious, the middle rank contains most virtue and abilities. Men +have thus, in one station, at least, an opportunity of exerting +themselves with dignity, and of rising by the exertions which +really improve a rational creature; but the whole female sex are, +till their character is formed, in the same condition as the rich: +for they are born, I now speak of a state of civilization, with +certain sexual privileges, and whilst they are gratuitously granted +them, few will ever think of works of supererogation, to obtain the +esteem of a small number of superior people. + +When do we hear of women, who starting out of obscurity, boldly +claim respect on account of their great abilities or daring +virtues? Where are they to be found? "To be observed, to be +attended to, to be taken notice of with sympathy, complacency, and +approbation, are all the advantages which they seek." True! my +male readers will probably exclaim; but let them, before they draw +any conclusion, recollect, that this was not written originally as +descriptive of women, but of the rich. In Dr. Smith's Theory of +Moral Sentiments, I have found a general character of people of +rank and fortune, that in my opinion, might with the greatest +propriety be applied to the female sex. I refer the sagacious +reader to the whole comparison; but must be allowed to quote a +passage to enforce an argument that I mean to insist on, as the one +most conclusive against a sexual character. For if, excepting +warriors, no great men of any denomination, have ever appeared +amongst the nobility, may it not be fairly inferred, that their +local situation swallowed up the man, and produced a character +similar to that of women, who are LOCALIZED, if I may be allowed +the word, by the rank they are placed in, by COURTESY? Women, +commonly called Ladies, are not to be contradicted in company, are +not allowed to exert any manual strength; and from them the +negative virtues only are expected, when any virtues are expected, +patience, docility, good-humour, and flexibility; virtues +incompatible with any vigorous exertion of intellect. Besides by +living more with each other, and to being seldom absolutely alone, +they are more under the influence of sentiments than passions. +Solitude and reflection are necessary to give to wishes the force +of passions, and enable the imagination to enlarge the object and +make it the most desirable. The same may be said of the rich; they +do not sufficiently deal in general ideas, collected by +impassionate thinking, or calm investigation, to acquire that +strength of character, on which great resolves are built. But hear +what an acute observer says of the great. + +"Do the great seem insensible of the easy price at which they may +acquire the public admiration? or do they seem to imagine, that to +them, as to other men, it must be the purchase either of sweat or +of blood? By what important accomplishments is the young nobleman +instructed to support the dignity of his rank, and to render +himself worthy of that superiority over his fellow citizens, to +which the virtue of his ancestors had raised them? Is it by +knowledge, by industry, by patience, by self-denial, or by virtue +of any kind? As all his words, as all his motions are attended to, +he learns an habitual regard for every circumstance of ordinary +behaviour, and studies to perform all those small duties with the +most exact propriety. As he is conscious how much he is observed, +and how much mankind are disposed to favour all his inclinations, +he acts, upon the most indifferent occasions, with that freedom and +elevation which the thought of this naturally inspires. His air, +his manner, his deportment all mark that elegant and graceful sense +of his own superiority, which those who are born to an inferior +station can hardly ever arrive at. These are the arts by which he +proposes to make mankind more easily submit to his authority, and +to govern their inclinations according to his own pleasure: and in +this he is seldom disappointed. These arts, supported by rank and +pre-eminence, are, upon ordinary occasions, sufficient to govern +the world. Lewis XIV. during the greater part of his reign, was +regarded, not only in France, but over all Europe, as the most +perfect model of a great prince. But what were the talents and +virtues, by which he acquired this great reputation? Was it by the +scrupulous and inflexible justice of all his undertakings, by the +immense dangers and difficulties with which they were attended, or +by the unwearied and unrelenting application with which he pursued +them? Was it by his extensive knowledge, by his exquisite +judgment, or by his heroic valour? It was by none of these +qualities. But he was, first of all, the most powerful prince in +Europe, and consequently held the highest rank among kings; and +then, says his historian, 'he surpassed all his courtiers in the +gracefulness of his shape, and the majestic beauty of his features. +The sound of his voice noble and affecting, gained those hearts +which his presence intimidated. He had a step and a deportment, +which could suit only him and his rank, and which would have been +ridiculous in any other person. The embarrassment which he +occasioned to those who spoke to him, flattered that secret +satisfaction with which he felt his own superiority.' These +frivolous accomplishments, supported by his rank, and, no doubt, +too, by a degree of other talents and virtues, which seems, +however, not to have been much above mediocrity, established this +prince in the esteem of his own age, and have drawn even from +posterity, a good deal of respect for his memory. Compared with +these, in his own times, and in his own presence, no other virtue, +it seems, appeared to have any merit. Knowledge, industry, valour, +and beneficence, trembling, were abashed, and lost all dignity +before them." + +Woman, also, thus "in herself complete," by possessing all these +FRIVOLOUS accomplishments, so changes the nature of things, + +--"That what she wills to do or say +Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best; +All higher knowledge in HER PRESENCE falls +Degraded. Wisdom in discourse with her +Loses discountenanc'd, and like folly shows; +Authority and reason on her wait."-- + +And all this is built on her loveliness! + +In the middle rank of life, to continue the comparison, men, in +their youth, are prepared for professions, and marriage is not +considered as the grand feature in their lives; whilst women, on +the contrary, have no other scheme to sharpen their faculties. It +is not business, extensive plans, or any of the excursive flights +of ambition, that engross their attention; no, their thoughts are +not employed in rearing such noble structures. To rise in the +world, and have the liberty of running from pleasure to pleasure, +they must marry advantageously, and to this object their time is +sacrificed, and their persons often legally prostituted. A man, +when he enters any profession, has his eye steadily fixed on some +future advantage (and the mind gains great strength by having all +its efforts directed to one point) and, full of his business, +pleasure is considered as mere relaxation; whilst women seek for +pleasure as the main purpose of existence. In fact, from the +education which they receive from society, the love of pleasure may +be said to govern them all; but does this prove that there is a sex +in souls? It would be just as rational to declare, that the +courtiers in France, when a destructive system of despotism had +formed their character, were not men, because liberty, virtue, and +humanity, were sacrificed to pleasure and vanity. Fatal passions, +which have ever domineered over the WHOLE race! + +The same love of pleasure, fostered by the whole tendency of their +education, gives a trifling turn to the conduct of women in most +circumstances: for instance, they are ever anxious about secondary +things; and on the watch for adventures, instead of being occupied +by duties. + +A man, when he undertakes a journey, has, in general the end in +view; a woman thinks more of the incidental occurrences, the +strange things that may possibly occur on the road; the impression +that she may make on her fellow travellers; and, above all, she is +anxiously intent on the care of the finery that she carries with +her, which is more than ever a part of herself, when going to +figure on a new scene; when, to use an apt French turn of +expression, she is going to produce a sensation. Can dignity of +mind exist with such trivial cares? + +In short, women, in general, as well as the rich of both sexes, +have acquired all the follies and vices of civilization, and missed +the useful fruit. It is not necessary for me always to premise, +that I speak of the condition of the whole sex, leaving exceptions +out of the question. Their senses are inflamed, and their +understandings neglected; consequently they become the prey of +their senses, delicately termed sensibility, and are blown about by +every momentary gust of feeling. They are, therefore, in a much +worse condition than they would be in, were they in a state nearer +to nature. Ever restless and anxious, their over exercised +sensibility not only renders them uncomfortable themselves, but +troublesome, to use a soft phrase, to others. All their thoughts +turn on things calculated to excite emotion; and, feeling, when +they should reason, their conduct is unstable, and their opinions +are wavering, not the wavering produced by deliberation or +progressive views, but by contradictory emotions. By fits and +starts they are warm in many pursuits; yet this warmth, never +concentrated into perseverance, soon exhausts itself; exhaled by +its own heat, or meeting with some other fleeting passion, to which +reason has never given any specific gravity, neutrality ensues. +Miserable, indeed, must be that being whose cultivation of mind has +only tended to inflame its passions! A distinction should be made +between inflaming and strengthening them. The passions thus +pampered, whilst the judgment is left unformed, what can be +expected to ensue? Undoubtedly, a mixture of madness and folly! + +This observation should not be confined to the FAIR sex; however, +at present, I only mean to apply it to them. + +Novels, music, poetry and gallantry, all tend to make women the +creatures of sensation, and their character is thus formed during +the time they are acquiring accomplishments, the only improvement +they are excited, by their station in society, to acquire. This +overstretched sensibility naturally relaxes the other powers of the +mind, and prevents intellect from attaining that sovereignty which +it ought to attain, to render a rational creature useful to others, +and content with its own station; for the exercise of the +understanding, as life advances, is the only method pointed out by +nature to calm the passions. + +Satiety has a very different effect, and I have often been forcibly +struck by an emphatical description of damnation, when the spirit +is represented as continually hovering with abortive eagerness +round the defiled body, unable to enjoy any thing without the +organs of sense. Yet, to their senses, are women made slaves, +because it is by their sensibility that they obtain present power. + +And will moralists pretend to assert, that this is the condition in +which one half of the human race should be encouraged to remain +with listless inactivity and stupid acquiescence? Kind +instructors! what were we created for? To remain, it may be said, +innocent; they mean in a state of childhood. We might as well +never have been born, unless it were necessary that we should be +created to enable man to acquire the noble privilege of reason, the +power of discerning good from evil, whilst we lie down in the dust +from whence we were taken, never to rise again. + +It would be an endless task to trace the variety of meannesses, +cares, and sorrows, into which women are plunged by the prevailing +opinion, that they were created rather to feel than reason, and +that all the power they obtain, must be obtained by their charms +and weakness; + +"Fine by defect, and amiably weak!" + +And, made by this amiable weakness entirely dependent, excepting +what they gain by illicit sway, on man, not only for protection, +but advice, is it surprising that, neglecting the duties that +reason alone points out, and shrinking from trials calculated to +strengthen their minds, they only exert themselves to give their +defects a graceful covering, which may serve to heighten their +charms in the eye of the voluptuary, though it sink them below the +scale of moral excellence? + +Fragile in every sense of the word, they are obliged to look up to +man for every comfort. In the most trifling dangers they cling to +their support, with parasitical tenacity, piteously demanding +succour; and their NATURAL protector extends his arm, or lifts up +his voice, to guard the lovely trembler--from what? Perhaps the +frown of an old cow, or the jump of a mouse; a rat, would be a +serious danger. In the name of reason, and even common sense, what +can save such beings from contempt; even though they be soft and +fair? + +These fears, when not affected, may be very pretty; but they shew a +degree of imbecility, that degrades a rational creature in a way +women are not aware of--for love and esteem are very distinct +things. + +I am fully persuaded, that we should hear of none of these +infantine airs, if girls were allowed to take sufficient exercise +and not confined in close rooms till their muscles are relaxed and +their powers of digestion destroyed. To carry the remark still +further, if fear in girls, instead of being cherished, perhaps, +created, were treated in the same manner as cowardice in boys, we +should quickly see women with more dignified aspects. It is true, +they could not then with equal propriety be termed the sweet +flowers that smile in the walk of man; but they would be more +respectable members of society, and discharge the important duties +of life by the light of their own reason. "Educate women like +men," says Rousseau, "and the more they resemble our sex the less +power will they have over us." This is the very point I aim at. I +do not wish them to have power over men; but over themselves. + +In the same strain have I heard men argue against instructing the +poor; for many are the forms that aristocracy assumes. "Teach them +to read and write," say they, "and you take them out of the station +assigned them by nature." An eloquent Frenchman, has answered +them; I will borrow his sentiments. But they know not, when they +make man a brute, that they may expect every instant to see him +transformed into a ferocious beast. Without knowledge there can be +no morality! + +Ignorance is a frail base for virtue! Yet, that it is the +condition for which woman was organized, has been insisted upon by +the writers who have most vehemently argued in favour of the +superiority of man; a superiority not in degree, but essence; +though, to soften the argument, they have laboured to prove, with +chivalrous generosity, that the sexes ought not to be compared; man +was made to reason, woman to feel: and that together, flesh and +spirit, they make the most perfect whole, by blending happily +reason and sensibility into one character. + +And what is sensibility? "Quickness of sensation; quickness of +perception; delicacy." Thus is it defined by Dr. Johnson; and the +definition gives me no other idea than of the most exquisitely +polished instinct. I discern not a trace of the image of God in +either sensation or matter. Refined seventy times seven, they are +still material; intellect dwells not there; nor will fire ever make +lead gold! + +I come round to my old argument; if woman be allowed to have an +immortal soul, she must have as the employment of life, an +understanding to improve. And when, to render the present state +more complete, though every thing proves it to be but a fraction of +a mighty sum, she is incited by present gratification to forget her +grand destination. Nature is counteracted, or she was born only to +procreate and rot. Or, granting brutes, of every description, a +soul, though not a reasonable one, the exercise of instinct and +sensibility may be the step, which they are to take, in this life, +towards the attainment of reason in the next; so that through all +eternity they will lag behind man, who, why we cannot tell, had the +power given him of attaining reason in his first mode of existence. + +When I treat of the peculiar duties of women, as I should treat of +the peculiar duties of a citizen or father, it will be found that I +do not mean to insinuate, that they should be taken out of their +families, speaking of the majority. "He that hath wife and +children," says Lord Bacon, "hath given hostages to fortune; for +they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or +mischief. Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the +public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men." I say +the same of women. But, the welfare of society is not built on +extraordinary exertions; and were it more reasonably organized, +there would be still less need of great abilities, or heroic +virtues. In the regulation of a family, in the education of +children, understanding, in an unsophisticated sense, is +particularly required: strength both of body and mind; yet the men +who, by their writings, have most earnestly laboured to domesticate +women, have endeavoured by arguments dictated by a gross appetite, +that satiety had rendered fastidious, to weaken their bodies and +cramp their minds. But, if even by these sinister methods they +really PERSUADED women, by working on their feelings, to stay at +home, and fulfil the duties of a mother and mistress of a family, I +should cautiously oppose opinions that led women to right conduct, +by prevailing on them to make the discharge of a duty the business +of life, though reason were insulted. Yet, and I appeal to +experience, if by neglecting the understanding they are as much, +nay, more attached from these domestic duties, than they could be +by the most serious intellectual pursuit, though it may be +observed, that the mass of mankind will never vigorously pursue an +intellectual object, I may be allowed to infer, that reason is +absolutely necessary to enable a woman to perform any duty +properly, and I must again repeat, that sensibility is not reason. + +The comparison with the rich still occurs to me; for, when men +neglect the duties of humanity, women will do the same; a common +stream hurries them both along with thoughtless celerity. Riches +and honours prevent a man from enlarging his understanding, and +enervate all his powers, by reversing the order of nature, which +has ever made true pleasure the reward of labour. +Pleasure--enervating pleasure is, likewise, within woman's reach +without earning it. But, till hereditary possessions are spread +abroad, how can we expect men to be proud of virtue? And, till +they are, women will govern them by the most direct means, +neglecting their dull domestic duties, to catch the pleasure that +is on the wing of time. + +"The power of women," says some author, "is her sensibility;" and +men not aware of the consequence, do all they can to make this +power swallow up every other. Those who constantly employ their +sensibility will have most: for example; poets, painters, and +composers. Yet, when the sensibility is thus increased at the +expense of reason, and even the imagination, why do philosophical +men complain of their fickleness? The sexual attention of man +particularly acts on female sensibility, and this sympathy has been +exercised from their youth up. A husband cannot long pay those +attentions with the passion necessary to excite lively emotions, +and the heart, accustomed to lively emotions, turns to a new lover, +or pines in secret, the prey of virtue or prudence. I mean when +the heart has really been rendered susceptible, and the taste +formed; for I am apt to conclude, from what I have seen in +fashionable life, that vanity is oftener fostered than sensibility +by the mode of education, and the intercourse between the sexes, +which I have reprobated; and that coquetry more frequently proceeds +from vanity than from that inconstancy, which overstrained +sensibility naturally produces. + +Another argument that has had a great weight with me, must, I +think, have some force with every considerate benevolent heart. +Girls, who have been thus weakly educated, are often cruelly left +by their parents without any provision; and, of course, are +dependent on, not only the reason, but the bounty of their +brothers. These brothers are, to view the fairest side of the +question, good sort of men, and give as a favour, what children of +the same parents had an equal right to. In this equivocal +humiliating situation, a docile female may remain some time, with a +tolerable degree of comfort. But, when the brother marries, a +probable circumstance, from being considered as the mistress of the +family, she is viewed with averted looks as an intruder, an +unnecessary burden on the benevolence of the master of the house, +and his new partner. + +Who can recount the misery, which many unfortunate beings, whose +minds and bodies are equally weak, suffer in such +situations--unable to work and ashamed to beg? The wife, a +cold-hearted, narrow-minded woman, and this is not an unfair +supposition; for the present mode of education does not tend to +enlarge the heart any more than the understanding, is jealous of +the little kindness which her husband shows to his relations; and +her sensibility not rising to humanity, she is displeased at seeing +the property of HER children lavished on an helpless sister. + +These are matters of fact, which have come under my eye again and +again. The consequence is obvious, the wife has recourse to +cunning to undermine the habitual affection, which she is afraid +openly to oppose; and neither tears nor caresses are spared till +the spy is worked out of her home, and thrown on the world, +unprepared for its difficulties; or sent, as a great effort of +generosity, or from some regard to propriety, with a small stipend, +and an uncultivated mind into joyless solitude. + +These two women may be much upon a par, with respect to reason and +humanity; and changing situations, might have acted just the same +selfish part; but had they been differently educated, the case +would also have been very different. The wife would not have had +that sensibility, of which self is the centre, and reason might +have taught her not to expect, and not even to be flattered by the +affection of her husband, if it led him to violate prior duties. +She would wish not to love him, merely because he loved her, but on +account of his virtues; and the sister might have been able to +struggle for herself, instead of eating the bitter bread of +dependence. + +I am, indeed, persuaded that the heart, as well as the +understanding, is opened by cultivation; and by, which may not +appear so clear, strengthening the organs; I am not now talking of +momentary flashes of sensibility, but of affections. And, perhaps, +in the education of both sexes, the most difficult task is so to +adjust instruction as not to narrow the understanding, whilst the +heart is warmed by the generous juices of spring, just raised by +the electric fermentation of the season; nor to dry up the feelings +by employing the mind in investigations remote from life. + +With respect to women, when they receive a careful education, they +are either made fine ladies, brimful of sensibility, and teeming +with capricious fancies; or mere notable women. The latter are +often friendly, honest creatures, and have a shrewd kind of good +sense joined with worldly prudence, that often render them more +useful members of society than the fine sentimental lady, though +they possess neither greatness of mind nor taste. The intellectual +world is shut against them; take them out of their family or +neighbourhood, and they stand still; the mind finding no +employment, for literature affords a fund of amusement, which they +have never sought to relish, but frequently to despise. The +sentiments and taste of more cultivated minds appear ridiculous, +even in those whom chance and family connexions have led them to +love; but in mere acquaintance they think it all affectation. + +A man of sense can only love such a woman on account of her sex, +and respect her, because she is a trusty servant. He lets her, to +preserve his own peace, scold the servants, and go to church in +clothes made of the very best materials. A man of her own size of +understanding would, probably, not agree so well with her; for he +might wish to encroach on her prerogative, and manage some domestic +concerns himself. Yet women, whose minds are not enlarged by +cultivation, or the natural selfishness of sensibility expanded by +reflection, are very unfit to manage a family; for by an undue +stretch of power, they are always tyrannizing to support a +superiority that only rests on the arbitrary distinction of +fortune. The evil is sometimes more serious, and domestics are +deprived of innocent indulgences, and made to work beyond their +strength, in order to enable the notable woman to keep a better +table, and outshine her neighbours in finery and parade. If she +attend to her children, it is, in general, to dress them in a +costly manner--and, whether, this attention arises from vanity or +fondness, it is equally pernicious. + +Besides, how many women of this description pass their days, or, at +least their evenings, discontentedly. Their husbands acknowledge +that they are good managers, and chaste wives; but leave home to +seek for more agreeable, may I be allowed to use a significant +French word, piquant society; and the patient drudge, who fulfils +her task, like a blind horse in a mill, is defrauded of her just +reward; for the wages due to her are the caresses of her husband; +and women who have so few resources in themselves, do not very +patiently bear this privation of a natural right. + +A fine lady, on the contrary, has been taught to look down with +contempt on the vulgar employments of life; though she has only +been incited to acquire accomplishments that rise a degree above +sense; for even corporeal accomplishments cannot be acquired with +any degree of precision, unless the understanding has been +strengthened by exercise. Without a foundation of principles taste +is superficial; and grace must arise from something deeper than +imitation. The imagination, however, is heated, and the feelings +rendered fastidious, if not sophisticated; or, a counterpoise of +judgment is not acquired, when the heart still remains artless, +though it becomes too tender. + +These women are often amiable; and their hearts are really more +sensible to general benevolence, more alive to the sentiments that +civilize life, than the square elbowed family drudge; but, wanting +a due proportion of reflection and self-government, they only +inspire love; and are the mistresses of their husbands, whilst they +have any hold on their affections; and the platonic friends of his +male acquaintance. These are the fair defects in nature; the women +who appear to be created not to enjoy the fellowship of man, but to +save him from sinking into absolute brutality, by rubbing off the +rough angles of his character; and by playful dalliance to give +some dignity to the appetite that draws him to them. Gracious +Creator of the whole human race! hast thou created such a being as +woman, who can trace thy wisdom in thy works, and feel that thou +alone art by thy nature, exalted above her--for no better purpose? +Can she believe that she was only made to submit to man her equal; +a being, who, like her, was sent into the world to acquire virtue? +Can she consent to be occupied merely to please him; merely to +adorn the earth, when her soul is capable of rising to thee? And +can she rest supinely dependent on man for reason, when she ought +to mount with him the arduous steeps of knowledge? + +Yet, if love be the supreme good, let women be only educated to +inspire it, and let every charm be polished to intoxicate the +senses; but, if they are moral beings, let them have a chance to +become intelligent; and let love to man be only a part of that +glowing flame of universal love, which, after encircling humanity, +mounts in grateful incense to God. + +To fulfil domestic duties much resolution is necessary, and a +serious kind of perseverance that requires a more firm support than +emotions, however lively and true to nature. To give an example of +order, the soul of virtue, some austerity of behaviour must be +adopted, scarcely to be expected from a being who, from its +infancy, has been made the weathercock of its own sensations. +Whoever rationally means to be useful, must have a plan of conduct; +and, in the discharge of the simplest duty, we are often obliged to +act contrary to the present impulse of tenderness or compassion. +Severity is frequently the most certain, as well as the most +sublime proof of affection; and the want of this power over the +feelings, and of that lofty, dignified affection, which makes a +person prefer the future good of the beloved object to a present +gratification, is the reason why so many fond mothers spoil their +children, and has made it questionable, whether negligence or +indulgence is most hurtful: but I am inclined to think, that the +latter has done most harm. + +Mankind seem to agree, that children should be left under the +management of women during their childhood. Now, from all the +observation that I have been able to make, women of sensibility are +the most unfit for this task, because they will infallibly, carried +away by their feelings, spoil a child's temper. The management of +the temper, the first and most important branch of education, +requires the sober steady eye of reason; a plan of conduct equally +distant from tyranny and indulgence; yet these are the extremes +that people of sensibility alternately fall into; always shooting +beyond the mark. I have followed this train of reasoning much +further, till I have concluded, that a person of genius is the most +improper person to be employed in education, public or private. +Minds of this rare species see things too much in masses, and +seldom, if ever, have a good temper. That habitual cheerfulness, +termed good humour, is, perhaps, as seldom united with great mental +powers, as with strong feelings. And those people who follow, with +interest and admiration, the flights of genius; or, with cooler +approbation suck in the instruction, which has been elaborately +prepared for them by the profound thinker, ought not to be +disgusted, if they find the former choleric, and the latter morose; +because liveliness of fancy, and a tenacious comprehension of mind, +are scarcely compatible with that pliant urbanity which leads a +man, at least to bend to the opinions and prejudices of others, +instead of roughly confronting them. + +But, treating of education or manners, minds of a superior class +are not to be considered, they may be left to chance; it is the +multitude, with moderate abilities, who call for instruction, and +catch the colour of the atmosphere they breathe. This respectable +concourse, I contend, men and women, should not have their +sensations heightened in the hot-bed of luxurious indolence, at the +expence of their understanding; for, unless there be a ballast of +understanding, they will never become either virtuous or free: an +aristocracy, founded on property, or sterling talents, will ever +sweep before it, the alternately timid and ferocious slaves of +feeling. + +Numberless are the arguments, to take another view of the subject, +brought forward with a show of reason; because supposed to be +deduced from nature, that men have used morally and physically to +degrade the sex. I must notice a few. + +The female understanding has often been spoken of with contempt, as +arriving sooner at maturity than the male. I shall not answer this +argument by alluding to the early proofs of reason, as well as +genius, in Cowley, Milton, and Pope, (Many other names might be +added.) but only appeal to experience to decide whether young men, +who are early introduced into company (and examples now abound) do +not acquire the same precocity. So notorious is this fact, that +the bare mentioning of it must bring before people, who at all mix +in the world, the idea of a number of swaggering apes of men whose +understandings are narrowed by being brought into the society of +men when they ought to have been spinning a top or twirling a hoop. + +It has also been asserted, by some naturalists, that men do not +attain their full growth and strength till thirty; but that women +arrive at maturity by twenty. I apprehend that they reason on +false ground, led astray by the male prejudice, which deems beauty +the perfection of woman--mere beauty of features and complexion, +the vulgar acceptation of the world, whilst male beauty is allowed +to have some connexion with the mind. Strength of body, and that +character of countenance, which the French term a physionomie, +women do not acquire before thirty, any more than men. The little +artless tricks of children, it is true, are particularly pleasing +and attractive; yet, when the pretty freshness of youth is worn +off, these artless graces become studied airs, and disgust every +person of taste. In the countenance of girls we only look for +vivacity and bashful modesty; but, the springtide of life over, we +look for soberer sense in the face, and for traces of passion, +instead of the dimples of animal spirits; expecting to see +individuality of character, the only fastener of the affections. +We then wish to converse, not to fondle; to give scope to our +imaginations, as well as to the sensations of our hearts. + +At twenty the beauty of both sexes is equal; but the libertinism of +man leads him to make the distinction, and superannuated coquettes +are commonly of the same opinion; for when they can no longer +inspire love, they pay for the vigour and vivacity of youth. The +French who admit more of mind into their notions of beauty, give +the preference to women of thirty. I mean to say, that they allow +women to be in their most perfect state, when vivacity gives place +to reason, and to that majestic seriousness of character, which +marks maturity; or, the resting point. In youth, till twenty the +body shoots out; till thirty the solids are attaining a degree of +density; and the flexible muscles, growing daily more rigid, give +character to the countenance; that is, they trace the operations of +the mind with the iron pen of fate, and tell us not only what +powers are within, but how they have been employed. + +It is proper to observe, that animals who arrive slowly at +maturity, are the longest lived, and of the noblest species. Men +cannot, however, claim any natural superiority from the grandeur of +longevity; for in this respect nature has not distinguished the +male. + +Polygamy is another physical degradation; and a plausible argument +for a custom, that blasts every domestic virtue, is drawn from the +well-attested fact, that in the countries where it is established, +more females are born than males. This appears to be an indication +of nature, and to nature apparently reasonable speculations must +yield. A further conclusion obviously presents itself; if polygamy +be necessary, woman must be inferior to man, and made for him. + +With respect to the formation of the foetus in the womb, we are +very ignorant; but it appears to me probable, that an accidental +physical cause may account for this phenomenon, and prove it not to +be a law of nature. I have met with some pertinent observations on +the subject in Forster's Account of the Isles of the South Sea, +that will explain my meaning. After observing that of the two +sexes amongst animals, the most vigorous and hottest constitution +always prevails, and produces its kind; he adds,--"If this be +applied to the inhabitants of Africa, it is evident that the men +there, accustomed to polygamy, are enervated by the use of so many +women, and therefore less vigorous; the women on the contrary, are +of a hotter constitution, not only on account of their more +irritable nerves, more sensitive organization, and more lively +fancy; but likewise because they are deprived in their matrimony of +that share of physical love which in a monogamous condition, would +all be theirs; and thus for the above reasons, the generality of +children are born females." + +"In the greater part of Europe it has been proved by the most +accurate lists of mortality, that the proportion of men to women is +nearly equal, or, if any difference takes place, the males born are +more numerous, in the proportion of 105 to 100." + +The necessity of polygamy, therefore, does not appear; yet when a +man seduces a woman, it should I think, be termed a LEFT-HANDED +marriage, and the man should be LEGALLY obliged to maintain the +woman and her children, unless adultery, a natural divorcement, +abrogated the law. And this law should remain in force as long as +the weakness of women caused the word seduction to be used as an +excuse for their frailty and want of principle; nay, while they +depend on man for a subsistence, instead of earning it by the +exercise of their own hands or heads. But these women should not +in the full meaning of the relationship, be termed wives, or the +very purpose of marriage would be subverted, and all those +endearing charities that flow from personal fidelity, and give a +sanctity to the tie, when neither love nor friendship unites the +hearts, would melt into selfishness. The woman who is faithful to +the father of her children demands respect, and should not be +treated like a prostitute; though I readily grant, that if it be +necessary for a man and woman to live together in order to bring up +their offspring, nature never intended that a man should have more +than one wife. + +Still, highly as I respect marriage, as the foundation of almost +every social virtue, I cannot avoid feeling the most lively +compassion for those unfortunate females who are broken off from +society, and by one error torn from all those affections and +relationships that improve the heart and mind. It does not +frequently even deserve the name of error; for many innocent girls +become the dupes of a sincere affectionate heart, and still more +are, as it may emphatically be termed, RUINED before they know the +difference between virtue and vice: and thus prepared by their +education for infamy, they become infamous. Asylums and Magdalens +are not the proper remedies for these abuses. It is justice, not +charity, that is wanting in the world! + +A woman who has lost her honour, imagines that she cannot fall +lower, and as for recovering her former station, it is impossible; +no exertion can wash this stain away. Losing thus every spur, and +having no other means of support, prostitution becomes her only +refuge, and the character is quickly depraved by circumstances over +which the poor wretch has little power, unless she possesses an +uncommon portion of sense and loftiness of spirit. Necessity never +makes prostitution the business of men's lives; though numberless +are the women who are thus rendered systematically vicious. This, +however, arises, in a great degree, from the state of idleness in +which women are educated, who are always taught to look up to man +for a maintenance, and to consider their persons as the proper +return for his exertions to support them. Meretricious airs, and +the whole science of wantonness, has then a more powerful stimulus +than either appetite or vanity; and this remark gives force to the +prevailing opinion, that with chastity all is lost that is +respectable in woman. Her character depends on the observance of +one virtue, though the only passion fostered in her heart--is love. +Nay the honour of a woman is not made even to depend on her will. + +When Richardson makes Clarissa tell Lovelace that he had robbed her +of her honour, he must have had strange notions of honour and +virtue. For, miserable beyond all names of misery is the condition +of a being, who could be degraded without its own consent! This +excess of strictness I have heard vindicated as a salutary error. +I shall answer in the words of Leibnitz--"Errors are often useful; +but it is commonly to remedy other errors." + +Most of the evils of life arise from a desire of present enjoyment +that outruns itself. The obedience required of women in the +marriage state, comes under this description; the mind, naturally +weakened by depending on authority, never exerts its own powers, +and the obedient wife is thus rendered a weak indolent mother. Or, +supposing that this is not always the consequence, a future state +of existence is scarcely taken into the reckoning when only +negative virtues are cultivated. For in treating of morals, +particularly when women are alluded to, writers have too often +considered virtue in a very limited sense, and made the foundation +of it SOLELY worldly utility; nay, a still more fragile base has +been given to this stupendous fabric, and the wayward fluctuating +feelings of men have been made the standard of virtue. Yes, virtue +as well as religion, has been subjected to the decisions of taste. + +It would almost provoke a smile of contempt, if the vain +absurdities of man did not strike us on all sides, to observe, how +eager men are to degrade the sex from whom they pretend to receive +the chief pleasure of life; and I have frequently, with full +conviction, retorted Pope's sarcasm on them; or, to speak +explicitly, it has appeared to me applicable to the whole human +race. A love of pleasure or sway seems to divide mankind, and the +husband who lords it in his little harem, thinks only of his +pleasure or his convenience. To such lengths, indeed, does an +intemperate love of pleasure carry some prudent men, or worn out +libertines, who marry to have a safe companion, that they seduce +their own wives. Hymen banishes modesty, and chaste love takes its +flight. + +Love, considered as an animal appetite, cannot long feed on itself +without expiring. And this extinction, in its own flame, may be +termed the violent death of love. But the wife who has thus been +rendered licentious, will probably endeavour to fill the void left +by the loss of her husband's attentions; for she cannot contentedly +become merely an upper servant after having been treated like a +goddess. She is still handsome, and, instead of transferring her +fondness to her children, she only dreams of enjoying the sunshine +of life. Besides, there are many husbands so devoid of sense and +parental affection, that during the first effervescence of +voluptuous fondness, they refuse to let their wives suckle their +children. They are only to dress and live to please them: and +love, even innocent love, soon sinks into lasciviousness when the +exercise of a duty is sacrificed to its indulgence. + +Personal attachment is a very happy foundation for friendship; yet, +when even two virtuous young people marry, it would, perhaps, be +happy if some circumstance checked their passion; if the +recollection of some prior attachment, or disappointed affection, +made it on one side, at least, rather a match founded on esteem. +In that case they would look beyond the present moment, and try to +render the whole of life respectable, by forming a plan to regulate +a friendship which only death ought to dissolve. + +Friendship is a serious affection; the most sublime of all +affections, because it is founded on principle, and cemented by +time. The very reverse may be said of love. In a great degree, +love and friendship cannot subsist in the same bosom; even when +inspired by different objects they weaken or destroy each other, +and for the same object can only be felt in succession. The vain +fears and fond jealousies, the winds which fan the flame of love, +when judiciously or artfully tempered, are both incompatible with +the tender confidence and sincere respect of friendship. + +Love, such as the glowing pen of genius has traced, exists not on +earth, or only resides in those exalted, fervid imaginations that +have sketched such dangerous pictures. Dangerous, because they not +only afford a plausible excuse to the voluptuary, who disguises +sheer sensuality under a sentimental veil; but as they spread +affectation, and take from the dignity of virtue. Virtue, as the +very word imports, should have an appearance of seriousness, if not +austerity; and to endeavour to trick her out in the garb of +pleasure, because the epithet has been used as another name for +beauty, is to exalt her on a quicksand; a most insidious attempt to +hasten her fall by apparent respect. Virtue, and pleasure are not, +in fact, so nearly allied in this life as some eloquent writers +have laboured to prove. Pleasure prepares the fading wreath, and +mixes the intoxicating cup; but the fruit which virtue gives, is +the recompence of toil: and, gradually seen as it ripens, only +affords calm satisfaction; nay, appearing to be the result of the +natural tendency of things, it is scarcely observed. Bread, the +common food of life, seldom thought of as a blessing, supports the +constitution, and preserves health; still feasts delight the heart +of man, though disease and even death lurk in the cup or dainty +that elevates the spirits or tickles the palate. The lively heated +imagination in the same style, draws the picture of love, as it +draws every other picture, with those glowing colours, which the +daring hand will steal from the rainbow that is directed by a mind, +condemned, in a world like this, to prove its noble origin, by +panting after unattainable perfection; ever pursuing what it +acknowledges to be a fleeting dream. An imagination of this +vigorous cast can give existence to insubstantial forms, and +stability to the shadowy reveries which the mind naturally falls +into when realities are found vapid. It can then depict love with +celestial charms, and dote on the grand ideal object; it can +imagine a degree of mutual affection that shall refine the soul, +and not expire when it has served as a "scale to heavenly;" and, +like devotion, make it absorb every meaner affection and desire. +In each other's arms, as in a temple, with its summit lost in the +clouds, the world is to be shut out, and every thought and wish, +that do not nurture pure affection and permanent virtue. Permanent +virtue! alas! Rousseau, respectable visionary! thy paradise would +soon be violated by the entrance of some unexpected guest. Like +Milton's, it would only contain angels, or men sunk below the +dignity of rational creatures. Happiness is not material, it +cannot be seen or felt! Yet the eager pursuit of the good which +every one shapes to his own fancy, proclaims man the lord of this +lower world, and to be an intelligential creature, who is not to +receive, but acquire happiness. They, therefore, who complain of +the delusions of passion, do not recollect that they are exclaiming +against a strong proof of the immortality of the soul. + +But, leaving superior minds to correct themselves, and pay dearly +for their experience, it is necessary to observe, that it is not +against strong, persevering passions; but romantic, wavering +feelings, that I wish to guard the female heart by exercising the +understanding; for these paradisiacal reveries are oftener the +effect of idleness than of a lively fancy. + +Women have seldom sufficient serious employment to silence their +feelings; a round of little cares, or vain pursuits, frittering +away all strength of mind and organs, they become naturally only +objects of sense. In short, the whole tenor of female education +(the education of society) tends to render the best disposed, +romantic and inconstant; and the remainder vain and mean. In the +present state of society, this evil can scarcely be remedied, I am +afraid, in the slightest degree; should a more laudable ambition +ever gain ground, they may be brought nearer to nature and reason, +and become more virtuous and useful as they grow more respectable. + +But I will venture to assert, that their reason will never acquire +sufficient strength to enable it to regulate their conduct, whilst +the making an appearance in the world is the first wish of the +majority of mankind. To this weak wish the natural affections and +the most useful virtues are sacrificed. Girls marry merely to +BETTER THEMSELVES, to borrow a significant vulgar phrase, and have +such perfect power over their hearts as not to permit themselves to +FALL IN LOVE till a man with a superior fortune offers. On this +subject I mean to enlarge in a future chapter; it is only necessary +to drop a hint at present, because women are so often degraded by +suffering the selfish prudence of age to chill the ardour of youth. + +>From the same source flows an opinion that young girls ought to +dedicate great part of their time to needle work; yet, this +employment contracts their faculties more than any other that could +have been chosen for them, by confining their thoughts to their +persons. Men order their clothes to be made, and have done with +the subject; women make their own clothes, necessary or ornamental, +and are continually talking about them; and their thoughts follow +their hands. It is not indeed the making of necessaries that +weakens the mind; but the frippery of dress. For when a woman in +the lower rank of life makes her husband's and children's clothes, +she does her duty, this is part of her business; but when women +work only to dress better than they could otherwise afford, it is +worse than sheer loss of time. To render the poor virtuous, they +must be employed, and women in the middle rank of life did they not +ape the fashions of the nobility, without catching their ease, +might employ them, whilst they themselves managed their families, +instructed their children, and exercised their own minds. +Gardening, experimental philosophy, and literature, would afford +them subjects to think of, and matter for conversation, that in +some degree would exercise their understandings. The conversation +of French women, who are not so rigidly nailed to their chairs, to +twist lappets, and knot ribbands, is frequently superficial; but, I +contend, that it is not half so insipid as that of those English +women, whose time is spent in making caps, bonnets, and the whole +mischief of trimmings, not to mention shopping, bargain-hunting, +etc. etc.: and it is the decent, prudent women, who are most +degraded by these practices; for their motive is simply vanity. +The wanton, who exercises her taste to render her person alluring, +has something more in view. + +These observations all branch out of a general one, which I have +before made, and which cannot be too often insisted upon, for, +speaking of men, women, or professions, it will be found, that the +employment of the thoughts shapes the character both generally and +individually. The thoughts of women ever hover around their +persons, and is it surprising that their persons are reckoned most +valuable? Yet some degree of liberty of mind is necessary even to +form the person; and this may be one reason why some gentle wives +have so few attractions beside that of sex. Add to this, sedentary +employments render the majority of women sickly, and false notions +of female excellence make them proud of this delicacy, though it be +another fetter, that by calling the attention continually to the +body, cramps the activity of the mind. + +Women of quality seldom do any of the manual part of their dress, +consequently only their taste is exercised, and they acquire, by +thinking less of the finery, when the business of their toilet is +over, that ease, which seldom appears in the deportment of women, +who dress merely for the sake of dressing. In fact, the +observation with respect to the middle rank, the one in which +talents thrive best, extends not to women; for those of the +superior class, by catching, at least a smattering of literature, +and conversing more with men, on general topics, acquire more +knowledge than the women who ape their fashions and faults without +sharing their advantages. With respect to virtue, to use the word +in a comprehensive sense, I have seen most in low life. Many poor +women maintain their children by the sweat of their brow, and keep +together families that the vices of the fathers would have +scattered abroad; but gentlewomen are too indolent to be actively +virtuous, and are softened rather than refined by civilization. +Indeed the good sense which I have met with among the poor women +who have had few advantages of education, and yet have acted +heroically, strongly confirmed me in the opinion, that trifling +employments have rendered women a trifler. Men, taking her ('I +take her body,' says Ranger.) body, the mind is left to rust; so +that while physical love enervates man, as being his favourite +recreation, he will endeavour to enslave woman: and who can tell +how many generations may be necessary to give vigour to the virtue +and talents of the freed posterity of abject slaves? ('Supposing +that women are voluntary slaves--slavery of any kind is +unfavourable to human happiness and improvement.'--'Knox's +Essays'.) + +In tracing the causes that in my opinion, have degraded woman, I +have confined my observations to such as universally act upon the +morals and manners of the whole sex, and to me it appears clear, +that they all spring from want of understanding. Whether this +arises from a physical or accidental weakness of faculties, time +alone can determine; for I shall not lay any great stress upon the +example of a few women (Sappho, Eloisa, Mrs. Macaulay, the Empress +of Russia, Madame d'Eon, etc. These, and many more, may be +reckoned exceptions; and, are not all heroes, as well as heroines, +exceptions to general rules? I wish to see women neither heroines +nor brutes; but reasonable creatures.) who, from having received a +masculine education, have acquired courage and resolution; I only +contend that the men who have been placed in similar situations +have acquired a similar character, I speak of bodies of men, and +that men of genius and talents have started out of a class, in +which women have never yet been placed. + + +CHAPTER 5. + +ANIMADVERSIONS ON SOME OF THE WRITERS WHO HAVE RENDERED WOMEN +OBJECTS OF PITY, BORDERING ON CONTEMPT. + +The opinions speciously supported, in some modern publications on +the female character, and education, which have given the tone to +most of the observations made, in a more cursory manner, on the +sex, remain now to be examined. + +SECTION 5.1. + +I shall begin with Rousseau, and give a sketch of the character of +women in his own words, interspersing comments and reflections. My +comments, it is true, will all spring from a few simple principles, +and might have been deduced from what I have already said; but the +artificial structure has been raised with so much ingenuity, that +it seems necessary to attack it in a more circumstantial manner, +and make the application myself. + +Sophia, says Rousseau, should be as perfect a woman as Emilius is a +man, and to render her so, it is necessary to examine the character +which nature has given to the sex. + +He then proceeds to prove, that women ought to be weak and passive, +because she has less bodily strength than man; and from hence +infers, that she was formed to please and to be subject to him; and +that it is her duty to render herself AGREEABLE to her master--this +being the grand end of her existence. + +Supposing women to have been formed only to please, and be subject +to man, the conclusion is just, she ought to sacrifice every other +consideration to render herself agreeable to him: and let this +brutal desire of self-preservation be the grand spring of all her +actions, when it is proved to be the iron bed of fate, to fit +which, her character should be stretched or contracted, regardless +of all moral or physical distinctions. But if, as I think may be +demonstrated, the purposes of even this life, viewing the whole, +are subverted by practical rules built upon this ignoble base, I +may be allowed to doubt whether woman was created for man: and +though the cry of irreligion, or even atheism be raised against me, +I will simply declare, that were an angel from heaven to tell me +that Moses's beautiful, poetical cosmogony, and the account of the +fall of man, were literally true, I could not believe what my +reason told me was derogatory to the character of the Supreme +Being: and, having no fear of the devil before mine eyes, I +venture to call this a suggestion of reason, instead of resting my +weakness on the broad shoulders of the first seducer of my frail +sex. + +"It being once demonstrated," continues Rousseau, "that man and +woman are not, nor ought to be, constituted alike in temperament +and character, it follows of course, that they should not be +educated in the same manner. In pursuing the directions of nature, +they ought indeed to act in concert, but they should not be engaged +in the same employments: the end of their pursuits should be the +same, but the means they should take to accomplish them, and, of +consequence, their tastes and inclinations should be different." +(Rousseau's 'Emilius', Volume 3 page 176.) + +"Girls are from their earliest infancy fond of dress. Not content +with being pretty, they are desirous of being thought so; we see, +by all their little airs, that this thought engages their +attention; and they are hardly capable of understanding what is +said to them, before they are to be governed by talking to them of +what people will think of their behaviour. The same motive, +however, indiscreetly made use of with boys, has not the same +effect: provided they are let to pursue their amusements at +pleasure, they care very little what people think of them. Time +and pains are necessary to subject boys to this motive. + +"Whencesoever girls derive this first lesson it is a very good one. +As the body is born, in a manner before the soul, our first concern +should be to cultivate the former; this order is common to both +sexes, but the object of that cultivation is different. In the one +sex it is the developement of corporeal powers; in the other, that +of personal charms: not that either the quality of strength or +beauty ought to be confined exclusively to one sex; but only that +the order of the cultivation of both is in that respect reversed. +Women certainly require as much strength as to enable them to move +and act gracefully, and men as much address as to qualify them to +act with ease." + +* * * * * * * * * * * * * * + +"Children of both sexes have a great many amusements in common; and +so they ought; have they not also many such when they are grown up? +Each sex has also its peculiar taste to distinguish in this +particular. Boys love sports of noise and activity; to beat the +drum, to whip the top, and to drag about their little carts: +girls, on the other hand, are fonder of things of show and +ornament; such as mirrors, trinkets, and dolls; the doll is the +peculiar amusement of the females; from whence we see their taste +plainly adapted to their destination. The physical part of the art +of pleasing lies in dress; and this is all which children are +capacitated to cultivate of that art." + +* * * * * * * * * * * * * * + +"Here then we see a primary propensity firmly established, which +you need only to pursue and regulate. The little creature will +doubtless be very desirous to know how to dress up her doll, to +make its sleeve knots, its flounces, its head dress, etc., she is +obliged to have so much recourse to the people about her, for their +assistance in these articles, that it would be much more agreeable +to her to owe them all to her own industry. Hence we have a good +reason for the first lessons which are usually taught these young +females: in which we do not appear to be setting them a task, but +obliging them, by instructing them in what is immediately useful to +themselves. And, in fact, almost all of them learn with reluctance +to read and write; but very readily apply themselves to the use of +their needles. They imagine themselves already grown up, and think +with pleasure that such qualifications will enable them to decorate +themselves." + +This is certainly only an education of the body; but Rousseau is +not the only man who has indirectly said that merely the person of +a young woman, without any mind, unless animal spirits come under +that description, is very pleasing. To render it weak, and what +some may call beautiful, the understanding is neglected, and girls +forced to sit still, play with dolls, and listen to foolish +conversations; the effect of habit is insisted upon as an undoubted +indication of nature. I know it was Rousseau's opinion that the +first years of youth should be employed to form the body, though in +educating Emilius he deviates from this plan; yet the difference +between strengthening the body, on which strength of mind in a +great measure depends, and only giving it an easy motion, is very +wide. + +Rousseau's observations, it is proper to remark, were made in a +country where the art of pleasing was refined only to extract the +grossness of vice. He did not go back to nature, or his ruling +appetite disturbed the operations of reason, else he would not have +drawn these crude inferences. + +In France, boys and girls, particularly the latter, are only +educated to please, to manage their persons, and regulate their +exterior behaviour; and their minds are corrupted at a very early +age, by the worldly and pious cautions they receive, to guard them +against immodesty. I speak of past times. The very confessions +which mere children are obliged to make, and the questions asked by +the holy men I assert these facts on good authority, were +sufficient to impress a sexual character; and the education of +society was a school of coquetry and art. At the age of ten or +eleven; nay, often much sooner, girls began to coquet, and talked, +unreproved, of establishing themselves in the world by marriage. + +In short, they were made women, almost from their very birth, and +compliments were listened to instead of instruction. These, +weakening the mind, Nature was supposed to have acted like a +step-mother, when she formed this after-thought of creation. + +Not allowing them understanding, however, it was but consistent to +subject them to authority, independent of reason; and to prepare +them for this subjection, he gives the following advice: + +"Girls ought to be active and diligent; nor is that all; they +should also be early subjected to restraint. This misfortune, if +it really be one, is inseparable from their sex; nor do they ever +throw it off but to suffer more cruel evils. They must be subject, +all their lives, to the most constant and severe restraint, which +is that of decorum: it is, therefore, necessary to accustom them +early to such confinement, that it may not afterward cost them too +dear; and to the suppression of their caprices, that they may the +more readily submit to the will of others. If, indeed, they are +fond of being always at work, they should be sometimes compelled to +lay it aside. Dissipation, levity, and inconstancy, are faults +that readily spring up from their first propensities, when +corrupted or perverted by too much indulgence. To prevent this +abuse, we should learn them, above all things, to lay a due +restraint on themselves. The life of a modest woman is reduced, by +our absurd institutions, to a perpetual conflict with herself: not +but it is just that this sex should partake of the sufferings which +arise from those evils it hath caused us." + +And why is the life of a modest woman a perpetual conflict? I +should answer, that this very system of education makes it so. +Modesty, temperance, and self-denial, are the sober offspring of +reason; but when sensibility is nurtured at the expense of the +understanding, such weak beings must be restrained by arbitrary +means, and be subjected to continual conflicts; but give their +activity of mind a wider range, and nobler passions and motives +will govern their appetites and sentiments. + +"The common attachment and regard of a mother, nay, mere habit, +will make her beloved by her children, if she does nothing to incur +their hate. Even the restraint she lays them under, if well +directed, will increase their affection, instead of lessening it; +because a state of dependence being natural to the sex, they +perceive themselves formed for obedience." + +This is begging the question; for servitude not only debases the +individual, but its effects seem to be transmitted to posterity. +Considering the length of time that women have been dependent, is +it surprising that some of them hug their chains, and fawn like the +spaniel? "These dogs," observes a naturalist, "at first kept their +ears erect; but custom has superseded nature, and a token of fear +is become a beauty." + +"For the same reason," adds Rousseau, "women have or ought to have, +but little liberty; they are apt to indulge themselves excessively +in what is allowed them. Addicted in every thing to extremes, they +are even more transported at their diversions than boys." + +The answer to this is very simple. Slaves and mobs have always +indulged themselves in the same excesses, when once they broke +loose from authority. The bent bow recoils with violence, when the +hand is suddenly relaxed that forcibly held it: and sensibility, +the plaything of outward circumstances, must be subjected to +authority, or moderated by reason. + +"There results," he continues, "from this habitual restraint, a +tractableness which the women have occasion for during their whole +lives, as they constantly remain either under subjection to the +men, or to the opinions of mankind; and are never permitted to set +themselves above those opinions. The first and most important +qualification in a woman is good-nature or sweetness of temper; +formed to obey a being so imperfect as man, often full of vices, +and always full of faults, she ought to learn betimes even to +suffer injustice, and to bear the insults of a husband without +complaint; it is not for his sake, but her own, that she should be +of a mild disposition. The perverseness and ill-nature of the +women only serve to aggravate their own misfortunes, and the +misconduct of their husbands; they might plainly perceive that such +are not the arms by which they gain the superiority." + +Formed to live with such an imperfect being as man, they ought to +learn from the exercise of their faculties the necessity of +forbearance; but all the sacred rights of humanity are violated by +insisting on blind obedience; or, the most sacred rights belong +ONLY to man. + +The being who patiently endures injustice, and silently bears +insults, will soon become unjust, or unable to discern right from +wrong. Besides, I deny the fact, this is not the true way to form +or meliorate the temper; for, as a sex, men have better tempers +than women, because they are occupied by pursuits that interest the +head as well as the heart; and the steadiness of the head gives a +healthy temperature to the heart. People of sensibility have +seldom good tempers. The formation of the temper is the cool work +of reason, when, as life advances, she mixes with happy art, +jarring elements. I never knew a weak or ignorant person who had a +good temper, though that constitutional good humour, and that +docility, which fear stamps on the behaviour, often obtains the +name. I say behaviour, for genuine meekness never reached the +heart or mind, unless as the effect of reflection; and, that simple +restraint produces a number of peccant humours in domestic life, +many sensible men will allow, who find some of these gentle +irritable creatures, very troublesome companions. + +"Each sex," he further argues, "should preserve its peculiar tone +and manner: a meek husband may make a wife impertinent; but +mildness of disposition on the woman's side will always bring a man +back to reason, at least if he be not absolutely a brute, and will +sooner or later triumph over him." True, the mildness of reason; +but abject fear always inspires contempt; and tears are only +eloquent when they flow down fair cheeks. + +Of what materials can that heart be composed, which can melt when +insulted, and instead of revolting at injustice, kiss the rod? Is +it unfair to infer, that her virtue is built on narrow views and +selfishness, who can caress a man, with true feminine softness, the +very moment when he treats her tyrannically? Nature never dictated +such insincerity; and though prudence of this sort be termed a +virtue, morality becomes vague when any part is supposed to rest on +falsehood. These are mere expedients, and expedients are only +useful for the moment. + +Let the husband beware of trusting too implicitly to this servile +obedience; for if his wife can with winning sweetness caress him +when angry, and when she ought to be angry, unless contempt had +stifled a natural effervescence, she may do the same after parting +with a lover. These are all preparations for adultery; or, should +the fear of the world, or of hell, restrain her desire of pleasing +other men, when she can no longer please her husband, what +substitute can be found by a being who was only formed by nature +and art to please man? what can make her amends for this +privation, or where is she to seek for a fresh employment? where +find sufficient strength of mind to determine to begin the search, +when her habits are fixed, and vanity has long ruled her chaotic +mind? + +But this partial moralist recommends cunning systematically and +plausibly. + +"Daughters should be always submissive; their mothers, however, +should not be inexorable. To make a young person tractable, she +ought not to be made unhappy; to make her modest she ought not to +be rendered stupid. On the contrary, I should not be displeased at +her being permitted to use some art, not to elude punishment in +case of disobedience, but to exempt herself from the necessity of +obeying. It is not necessary to make her dependence burdensome, +but only to let her feel it. Subtilty is a talent natural to the +sex; and as I am persuaded, all our natural inclinations are right +and good in themselves, I am of opinion this should be cultivated +as well as the others: it is requisite for us only to prevent its +abuse." + +"Whatever is, is right," he then proceeds triumphantly to infer. +Granted; yet, perhaps, no aphorism ever contained a more +paradoxical assertion. It is a solemn truth with respect to God. +He, reverentially I speak, sees the whole at once, and saw its just +proportions in the womb of time; but man, who can only inspect +disjointed parts, finds many things wrong; and it is a part of the +system, and therefore right, that he should endeavour to alter what +appears to him to be so, even while he bows to the wisdom of his +Creator, and respects the darkness he labours to disperse. + +The inference that follows is just, supposing the principle to be +sound: "The superiority of address, peculiar to the female sex, is +a very equitable indemnification for their inferiority in point of +strength: without this, woman would not be the companion of man; +but his slave: it is by her superiour art and ingenuity that she +preserves her equality, and governs him while she affects to obey. +Woman has every thing against her, as well our faults as her own +timidity and weakness: she has nothing in her favour, but her +subtilty and her beauty. Is it not very reasonable, therefore, she +should cultivate both?" Greatness of mind can never dwell with +cunning or address; for I shall not boggle about words, when their +direct signification is insincerity and falsehood; but content +myself with observing, that if any class of mankind be so created +that it must necessarily be educated by rules, not strictly +deducible from truth, virtue is an affair of convention. How could +Rousseau dare to assert, after giving this advice, that in the +grand end of existence, the object of both sexes should be the +same, when he well knew, that the mind formed by its pursuits, is +expanded by great views swallowing up little ones, or that it +becomes itself little? + +Men have superiour strength of body; but were it not for mistaken +notions of beauty, women would acquire sufficient to enable them to +earn their own subsistence, the true definition of independence; +and to bear those bodily inconveniences and exertions that are +requisite to strengthen the mind. + +Let us then, by being allowed to take the same exercise as boys, +not only during infancy, but youth, arrive at perfection of body, +that we may know how far the natural superiority of man extends. +For what reason or virtue can be expected from a creature when the +seed-time of life is neglected? None--did not the winds of heaven +casually scatter many useful seeds in the fallow ground. + +"Beauty cannot be acquired by dress, and coquetry is an art not so +early and speedily attained. While girls are yet young, however, +they are in a capacity to study agreeable gesture, a pleasing +modulation of voice, an easy carriage and behaviour; as well as to +take the advantage of gracefully adapting their looks and attitudes +to time, place, and occasion. Their application, therefore, should +not be solely confined to the arts of industry and the needle, when +they come to display other talents, whose utility is already +apparent." "For my part I would have a young Englishwoman cultivate +her agreeable talents, in order to please her future husband, with +as much care and assiduity as a young Circassian cultivates her's, +to fit her for the Haram of an Eastern bashaw." + +To render women completely insignificant, he adds,--"The tongues of +women are very voluble; they speak earlier, more readily, and more +agreeably than the men; they are accused also of speaking much +more: but so it ought to be, and I should be very ready to convert +this reproach into a compliment; their lips and eyes have the same +activity, and for the same reason. A man speaks of what he knows, +a woman of what pleases her; the one requires knowledge, the other +taste; the principal object of a man's discourse should be what is +useful, that of a woman's what is agreeable. There ought to be +nothing in common between their different conversation but truth." + +"We ought not, therefore, to restrain the prattle of girls, in the +same manner as we should that of boys, with that severe question, +'To what purpose are you talking?' but by another, which is no less +difficult to answer, 'How will your discourse be received?' In +infancy, while they are as yet incapable to discern good from evil, +they ought to observe it as a law, never to say any thing +disagreeable to those whom they are speaking to: what will render +the practice of this rule also the more difficult, is, that it must +ever be subordinate to the former, of never speaking falsely or +telling an untruth." To govern the tongue in this manner must +require great address indeed; and it is too much practised both by +men and women. Out of the abundance of the heart how few speak! +So few, that I, who love simplicity, would gladly give up +politeness for a quarter of the virtue that has been sacrificed to +an equivocal quality, which, at best, should only be the polish of +virtue. + +But to complete the sketch. "It is easy to be conceived, that if +male children be not in a capacity to form any true notions of +religion, those ideas must be greatly above the conception of the +females: it is for this very reason, I would begin to speak to +them the earlier on this subject; for if we were to wait till they +were in a capacity to discuss methodically such profound questions, +we should run a risk of never speaking to them on this subject as +long as they lived. Reason in women is a practical reason, +capacitating them artfully to discover the means of attaining a +known end, but which would never enable them to discover that end +itself. The social relations of the sexes are indeed truly +admirable: from their union there results a moral person, of which +woman may be termed the eyes, and man the hand, with this +dependence on each other, that it is from the man that the woman is +to learn what she is to see, and it is of the woman that man is to +learn what he ought to do. If woman could recur to the first +principles of things as well as man, and man was capacitated to +enter into their minutae as well as woman, always independent of +each other, they would live in perpetual discord, and their union +could not subsist. But in the present harmony which naturally +subsists between them, their different faculties tend to one common +end; it is difficult to say which of them conduces the most to it: +each follows the impulse of the other; each is obedient, and both +are masters." + +"As the conduct of a woman is subservient to the public opinion, +her faith in matters of religion, should for that very reason, be +subject to authority. 'Every daughter ought to be of the same +religion as her mother, and every wife to be of the same religion +as her husband: for, though such religion should be false, that +docility which induces the mother and daughter to submit to the +order of nature, takes away, in the sight of God, the criminality +of their error'.* As they are not in a capacity to judge for +themselves, they ought to abide by the decision of their fathers +and husbands as confidently as by that of the church." + +(*Footnote. What is to be the consequence, if the mother's and +husband's opinion should chance not to agree? An ignorant person +cannot be reasoned out of an error, and when persuaded to give up +one prejudice for another the mind is unsettled. Indeed, the +husband may not have any religion to teach her though in such a +situation she will be in great want of a support to her virtue, +independent of worldly considerations.) + +"As authority ought to regulate the religion of the women, it is +not so needful to explain to them the reasons for their belief, as +to lay down precisely the tenets they are to believe: for the +creed, which presents only obscure ideas to the mind, is the source +of fanaticism; and that which presents absurdities, leads to +infidelity." + +Absolute, uncontroverted authority, it seems, must subsist +somewhere: but is not this a direct and exclusive appropriation of +reason? The RIGHTS of humanity have been thus confined to the male +line from Adam downwards. Rousseau would carry his male +aristocracy still further, for he insinuates, that he should not +blame those, who contend for leaving woman in a state of the most +profound ignorance, if it were not necessary, in order to preserve +her chastity, and justify the man's choice in the eyes of the +world, to give her a little knowledge of men, and the customs +produced by human passions; else she might propagate at home +without being rendered less voluptuous and innocent by the exercise +of her understanding: excepting, indeed, during the first year of +marriage, when she might employ it to dress, like Sophia. "Her +dress is extremely modest in appearance, and yet very coquettish in +fact: she does not make a display of her charms, she conceals +them; but, in concealing them, she knows how to affect your +imagination. Every one who sees her, will say, There is a modest +and discreet girl; but while you are near her, your eyes and +affections wander all over her person, so that you cannot withdraw +them; and you would conclude that every part of her dress, simple +as it seems, was only put in its proper order to be taken to pieces +by the imagination." Is this modesty? Is this a preparation for +immortality? Again. What opinion are we to form of a system of +education, when the author says of his heroine, "that with her, +doing things well is but a SECONDARY concern; her principal concern +is to do them NEATLY." + +Secondary, in fact, are all her virtues and qualities, for, +respecting religion, he makes her parents thus address her, +accustomed to submission--"Your husband will instruct you in good +time." + +After thus cramping a woman's mind, if, in order to keep it fair, +he has not made it quite a blank, he advises her to reflect, that a +reflecting man may not yawn in her company, when he is tired of +caressing her. What has she to reflect about, who must obey? and +would it not be a refinement on cruelty only to open her mind to +make the darkness and misery of her fate VISIBLE? Yet these are +his sensible remarks; how consistent with what I have already been +obliged to quote, to give a fair view of the subject, the reader +may determine. + +"They who pass their whole lives in working for their daily bread, +have no ideas beyond their business or their interest, and all +their understanding seems to lie in their fingers' ends. This +ignorance is neither prejudicial to their integrity nor their +morals; it is often of service to them. Sometimes, by means of +reflection, we are led to compound with our duty, and we conclude, +by substituting a jargon of words, in the room of things. Our own +conscience is the most enlightened philosopher. There is no need +of being acquainted with Tully's offices, to make a man of probity: +and perhaps the most virtuous woman in the world is the least +acquainted with the definition of virtue. But it is no less true, +than an improved understanding only can render society agreeable; +and it is a melancholy thing for a father of a family, who is fond +of home, to be obliged to be always wrapped up in himself, and to +have nobody about him to whom he can impart his sentiments. + +"Besides, how should a woman void of reflection be capable of +educating her children? How should she discern what is proper for +them? How should she incline them to those virtues she is +unacquainted with, or to that merit of which she has no idea? She +can only sooth or chide them; render them insolent or timid; she +will make them formal coxcombs, or ignorant blockheads; but will +never make them sensible or amiable." How indeed should she, when +her husband is not always at hand to lend her his reason --when +they both together make but one moral being? A blind will, "eyes +without hands," would go a very little way; and perchance his +abstract reason, that should concentrate the scattered beams of her +practical reason, may be employed in judging of the flavour of +wine, discanting on the sauces most proper for turtle; or, more +profoundly intent at a card-table, he may be generalizing his ideas +as he bets away his fortune, leaving all the minutiae of education +to his helpmate or chance. + +But, granting that woman ought to be beautiful, innocent, and +silly, to render her a more alluring and indulgent companion--what +is her understanding sacrificed for? And why is all this +preparation necessary only, according to Rousseau's own account, to +make her the mistress of her husband, a very short time? For no +man ever insisted more on the transient nature of love. Thus +speaks the philosopher. "Sensual pleasures are transient. The +habitual state of the affections always loses by their +gratification. The imagination, which decks the object of our +desires, is lost in fruition. Excepting the Supreme Being, who is +self-existent, there is nothing beautiful but what is ideal." + +But he returns to his unintelligible paradoxes again, when he thus +addresses Sophia. "Emilius, in becoming your husband, is become +your master, and claims your obedience. Such is the order of +nature. When a man is married, however, to such a wife as Sophia, +it is proper he should be directed by her: this is also agreeable +to the order of nature: it is, therefore, to give you as much +authority over his heart as his sex gives him over your person, +that I have made you the arbiter of his pleasures. It may cost +you, perhaps, some disagreeable self-denial; but you will be +certain of maintaining your empire over him, if you can preserve it +over yourself; what I have already observed, also shows me, that +this difficult attempt does not surpass your courage. + +"Would you have your husband constantly at your feet? keep him at +some distance from your person. You will long maintain the +authority of love, if you know but how to render your favours rare +and valuable. It is thus you may employ even the arts of coquetry +in the service of virtue, and those of love in that of reason." + +I shall close my extracts with a just description of a comfortable +couple. "And yet you must not imagine, that even such management +will always suffice. Whatever precaution be taken, enjoyment will, +by degrees, take off the edge of passion. But when love hath +lasted as long as possible, a pleasing habitude supplies its place, +and the attachment of a mutual confidence succeeds to the +transports of passion. Children often form a more agreeable and +permanent connexion between married people than even love itself. +When you cease to be the mistress of Emilius, you will continue to +be his wife and friend; you will be the mother of his children." +(Rousseau's Emilius.) + +Children, he truly observes, form a much more permanent connexion +between married people than love. Beauty he declares will not be +valued, or even seen, after a couple have lived six months +together; artificial graces and coquetry will likewise pall on the +senses: why then does he say, that a girl should be educated for +her husband with the same care as for an eastern haram? + +I now appeal from the reveries of fancy and refined licentiousness +to the good sense of mankind, whether, if the object of education +be to prepare women to become chaste wives and sensible mothers, +the method so plausibly recommended in the foregoing sketch, be the +one best calculated to produce those ends? Will it be allowed that +the surest way to make a wife chaste, is to teach her to practise +the wanton arts of a mistress, termed virtuous coquetry by the +sensualist who can no longer relish the artless charms of +sincerity, or taste the pleasure arising from a tender intimacy, +when confidence is unchecked by suspicion, and rendered interesting +by sense? + +The man who can be contented to live with a pretty useful companion +without a mind, has lost in voluptuous gratifications a taste for +more refined enjoyments; he has never felt the calm satisfaction +that refreshes the parched heart, like the silent dew of heaven--of +being beloved by one who could understand him. In the society of +his wife he is still alone, unless when the man is sunk in the +brute. "The charm of life," says a grave philosophical reasoner, +is "sympathy; nothing pleases us more than to observe in other men +a fellow-feeling with all the emotions of our own breast." + +But, according to the tenor of reasoning by which women are kept +from the tree of knowledge, the important years of youth, the +usefulness of age, and the rational hopes of futurity, are all to +be sacrificed, to render woman an object of desire for a short +time. Besides, how could Rousseau expect them to be virtuous and +constant when reason is neither allowed to be the foundation of +their virtue, nor truth the object of their inquiries? + +But all Rousseau's errors in reasoning arose from sensibility, and +sensibility to their charms women are very ready to forgive! When +he should have reasoned he became impassioned, and reflection +inflamed his imagination, instead of enlightening his +understanding. Even his virtues also led him farther astray; for, +born with a warm constitution and lively fancy, nature carried him +toward the other sex with such eager fondness, that he soon became +lascivious. Had he given way to these desires, the fire would have +extinguished itself in a natural manner, but virtue, and a romantic +kind of delicacy, made him practise self-denial; yet, when fear, +delicacy, or virtue restrained him, he debauched his imagination; +and reflecting on the sensations to which fancy gave force, he +traced them in the most glowing colours, and sunk them deep into +his soul. + +He then sought for solitude, not to sleep with the man of nature; +or calmly investigate the causes of things under the shade where +Sir Isaac Newton indulged contemplation, but merely to indulge his +feelings. And so warmly has he painted what he forcibly felt, +that, interesting the heart and inflaming the imagination of his +readers; in proportion to the strength of their fancy, they imagine +that their understanding is convinced, when they only sympathize +with a poetic writer, who skilfully exhibits the objects of sense, +most voluptuously shadowed, or gracefully veiled; and thus making +us feel, whilst dreaming that we reason, erroneous conclusions are +left in the mind. + +Why was Rousseau's life divided between ecstasy and misery? Can +any other answer be given than this, that the effervescence of his +imagination produced both; but, had his fancy been allowed to cool, +it is possible that he might have acquired more strength of mind. +Still, if the purpose of life be to educate the intellectual part +of man, all with respect to him was right; yet, had not death led +to a nobler scene of action, it is probable that he would have +enjoyed more equal happiness on earth, and have felt the calm +sensations of the man of nature, instead of being prepared for +another stage of existence by nourishing the passions which agitate +the civilized man. + +But peace to his manes! I war not with his ashes, but his +opinions. I war only with the sensibility that led him to degrade +woman by making her the slave of love. + +...."Curs'd vassalage, +First idoliz'd till love's hot fire be o'er, +Then slaves to those who courted us before." +Dryden. + +The pernicious tendency of those books, in which the writers +insidiously degrade the sex, whilst they are prostrate before their +personal charms, cannot be too often or too severely exposed. + +Let us, my dear contemporaries, arise above such narrow prejudices! +If wisdom is desirable on its own account, if virtue, to deserve +the name, must be founded on knowledge; let us endeavour to +strengthen our minds by reflection, till our heads become a balance +for our hearts; let us not confine all our thoughts to the petty +occurrences of the day, nor our knowledge to an acquaintance with +our lovers' or husbands' hearts; but let the practice of every duty +be subordinate to the grand one of improving our minds, and +preparing our affections for a more exalted state! + +Beware then, my friends, of suffering the heart to be moved by +every trivial incident: the reed is shaken by a breeze, and +annually dies, but the oak stands firm, and for ages braves the +storm. + +Were we, indeed, only created to flutter our hour out and die--why +let us then indulge sensibility, and laugh at the severity of +reason. Yet, alas! even then we should want strength of body and +mind, and life would be lost in feverish pleasures or wearisome +languor. + +But the system of education, which I earnestly wish to see +exploded, seems to presuppose, what ought never to be taken for +granted, that virtue shields us from the casualties of life; and +that fortune, slipping off her bandage, will smile on a +well-educated female, and bring in her hand an Emilius or a +Telemachus. Whilst, on the contrary, the reward which virtue +promises to her votaries is confined, it is clear, to their own +bosoms; and often must they contend with the most vexatious worldly +cares, and bear with the vices and humours of relations for whom +they can never feel a friendship. + +There have been many women in the world who, instead of being +supported by the reason and virtue of their fathers and brothers, +have strengthened their own minds by struggling with their vices +and follies; yet have never met with a hero, in the shape of a +husband; who, paying the debt that mankind owed them, might chance +to bring back their reason to its natural dependent state, and +restore the usurped prerogative, of rising above opinion, to man. + +SECTION 5.2. + +Dr. Fordyce's sermons have long made a part of a young woman's +library; nay, girls at school are allowed to read them; but I +should instantly dismiss them from my pupil's, if I wished to +strengthen her understanding, by leading her to form sound +principles on a broad basis; or, were I only anxious to cultivate +her taste; though they must be allowed to contain many sensible +observations. + +Dr. Fordyce may have had a very laudable end in view; but these +discourses are written in such an affected style, that were it only +on that account, and had I nothing to object against his +MELLIFLUOUS precepts, I should not allow girls to peruse them, +unless I designed to hunt every spark of nature out of their +composition, melting every human quality into female weakness and +artificial grace. I say artificial, for true grace arises from +some kind of independence of mind. + +Children, careless of pleasing, and only anxious to amuse +themselves, are often very graceful; and the nobility who have +mostly lived with inferiors, and always had the command of money, +acquire a graceful ease of deportment, which should rather be +termed habitual grace of body, than that superiour gracefulness +which is truly the expression of the mind. This mental grace, not +noticed by vulgar eyes, often flashes across a rough countenance, +and irradiating every feature, shows simplicity and independence of +mind. It is then we read characters of immortality in the eye, and +see the soul in every gesture, though when at rest, neither the +face nor limbs may have much beauty to recommend them; or the +behaviour, any thing peculiar to attract universal attention. The +mass of mankind, however, look for more TANGIBLE beauty; yet +simplicity is, in general, admired, when people do not consider +what they admire; and can there be simplicity without sincerity? +but, to have done with remarks that are in some measure desultory, +though naturally excited by the subject. + +In declamatory periods Dr. Fordyce spins out Rousseau's eloquence; +and in most sentimental rant, details his opinions respecting the +female character, and the behaviour which woman ought to assume to +render her lovely. + +He shall speak for himself, for thus he makes nature address man. +"Behold these smiling innocents, whom I have graced with my fairest +gifts, and committed to your protection; behold them with love and +respect; treat them with tenderness and honour. They are timid and +want to be defended. They are frail; O do not take advantage of +their weakness! Let their fears and blushes endear them. Let +their confidence in you never be abused. But is it possible, that +any of you can be such barbarians, so supremely wicked, as to abuse +it? Can you find in your hearts* to despoil the gentle, trusting +creatures of their treasure, or do any thing to strip them of their +native robe of virtue? Curst be the impious hand that would dare +to violate the unblemished form of Chastity! Thou wretch! thou +ruffian! forbear; nor venture to provoke heaven's fiercest +vengeance." I know not any comment that can be made seriously on +this curious passage, and I could produce many similar ones; and +some, so very sentimental, that I have heard rational men use the +word indecent, when they mentioned them with disgust. + +(*Footnote. Can you?--Can you? would be the most emphatical +comment, were it drawled out in a whining voice.) + +Throughout there is a display of cold, artificial feelings, and +that parade of sensibility which boys and girls should be taught to +despise as the sure mark of a little vain mind. Florid appeals are +made to heaven, and to the BEAUTEOUS INNOCENTS, the fairest images +of heaven here below, whilst sober sense is left far behind. This +is not the language of the heart, nor will it ever reach it, though +the ear may be tickled. + +I shall be told, perhaps, that the public have been pleased with +these volumes. True--and Hervey's Meditations are still read, +though he equally sinned against sense and taste. + +I particularly object to the lover-like phrases of pumped up +passion, which are every where interspersed. If women be ever +allowed to walk without leading-strings, why must they be cajoled +into virtue by artful flattery and sexual compliments? Speak to +them the language of truth and soberness, and away with the lullaby +strains of condescending endearment! Let them be taught to respect +themselves as rational creatures, and not led to have a passion for +their own insipid persons. It moves my gall to hear a preacher +descanting on dress and needle-work; and still more, to hear him +address the 'British fair, the fairest of the fair', as if they had +only feelings. + +Even recommending piety he uses the following argument. "Never, +perhaps, does a fine woman strike more deeply, than when, composed +into pious recollection, and possessed with the noblest +considerations, she assumes, without knowing it, superiour dignity +and new graces; so that the beauties of holiness seem to radiate +about her, and the by-standers are almost induced to fancy her +already worshipping amongst her kindred angels!" Why are women to +be thus bred up with a desire of conquest? the very epithet, used +in this sense, gives me a sickly qualm! Does religion and virtue +offer no stronger motives, no brighter reward? Must they always be +debased by being made to consider the sex of their companions? +Must they be taught always to be pleasing? And when levelling +their small artillery at the heart of man, is it necessary to tell +them that a little sense is sufficient to render their attention +INCREDIBLY SOOTHING? "As a small degree of knowledge entertains in +a woman, so from a woman, though for a different reason, a small +expression of kindness delights, particularly if she have beauty!" +I should have supposed for the same reason. + +Why are girls to be told that they resemble angels; but to sink +them below women? Or, that a gentle, innocent female is an object +that comes nearer to the idea which we have formed of angels than +any other. Yet they are told, at the same time, that they are only +like angels when they are young and beautiful; consequently, it is +their persons, not their virtues, that procure them this homage. + +Idle empty words! what can such delusive flattery lead to, but +vanity and folly? The lover, it is true, has a poetic licence to +exalt his mistress; his reason is the bubble of his passion, and he +does not utter a falsehood when he borrows the language of +adoration. His imagination may raise the idol of his heart, +unblamed, above humanity; and happy would it be for women, if they +were only flattered by the men who loved them; I mean, who love the +individual, not the sex; but should a grave preacher interlard his +discourses with such fooleries? + +In sermons or novels, however, voluptuousness is always true to its +text. Men are allowed by moralists to cultivate, as nature +directs, different qualities, and assume the different characters, +that the same passions, modified almost to infinity, give to each +individual. A virtuous man may have a choleric or a sanguine +constitution, be gay or grave, unreproved; be firm till be is +almost over-bearing, or, weakly submissive, have no will or opinion +of his own; but all women are to be levelled, by meekness and +docility, into one character of yielding softness and gentle +compliance. + +I will use the preacher's own words. "Let it be observed, that in +your sex manly exercises are never graceful; that in them a tone +and figure, as well as an air and deportment, of the masculine +kind, are always forbidding; and that men of sensibility desire in +every woman soft features, and a flowing voice, a form not robust, +and demeanour delicate and gentle." + +Is not the following portrait--the portrait of a house slave? "I +am astonished at the folly of many women, who are still reproaching +their husbands for leaving them alone, for preferring this or that +company to theirs, for treating them with this and the other mark +of disregard or indifference; when, to speak the truth, they have +themselves in a great measure to blame. Not that I would justify +the men in any thing wrong on their part. But had you behaved to +them with more RESPECTFUL OBSERVANCE, and a more EQUAL TENDERNESS; +STUDYING THEIR HUMOURS, OVERLOOKING THEIR MISTAKES, SUBMITTING TO +THEIR OPINIONS in matters indifferent, passing by little instances +of unevenness, caprice, or passion, giving SOFT answers to hasty +words, complaining as seldom as possible, and making it your daily +care to relieve their anxieties and prevent their wishes, to +enliven the hour of dulness, and call up the ideas of felicity: +had you pursued this conduct, I doubt not but you would have +maintained and even increased their esteem, so far as to have +secured every degree of influence that could conduce to their +virtue, or your mutual satisfaction; and your house might at this +day have been the abode of domestic bliss." Such a woman ought to +be an angel--or she is an ass--for I discern not a trace of the +human character, neither reason nor passion in this domestic +drudge, whose being is absorbed in that of a tyrant's. + +Still Dr. Fordyce must have very little acquaintance with the human +heart, if he really supposed that such conduct would bring back +wandering love, instead of exciting contempt. No, beauty, +gentleness, etc. etc. may gain a heart; but esteem, the only +lasting affection, can alone be obtained by virtue supported by +reason. It is respect for the understanding that keeps alive +tenderness for the person. + +As these volumes are so frequently put into the hands of young +people, I have taken more notice of them than strictly speaking, +they deserve; but as they have contributed to vitiate the taste, +and enervate the understanding of many of my fellow-creatures, I +could not pass them silently over. + +SECTION 5.3. + +Such paternal solicitude pervades Dr. Gregory's Legacy to his +daughters, that I enter on the task of criticism with affectionate +respect; but as this little volume has many attractions to +recommend it to the notice of the most respectable part of my sex, +I cannot silently pass over arguments that so speciously support +opinions which, I think, have had the most baneful effect on the +morals and manners of the female world. + +His easy familiar style is particularly suited to the tenor of his +advice, and the melancholy tenderness which his respect for the +memory of a beloved wife diffuses through the whole work, renders +it very interesting; yet there is a degree of concise elegance +conspicuous in many passages, that disturbs this sympathy; and we +pop on the author, when we only expected to meet the--father. + +Besides, having two objects in view, he seldom adhered steadily to +either; for, wishing to make his daughters amiable, and fearing +lest unhappiness should only be the consequence, of instilling +sentiments, that might draw them out of the track of common life, +without enabling them to act with consonant independence and +dignity, he checks the natural flow of his thoughts, and neither +advises one thing nor the other. + +In the preface he tells them a mournful truth, "that they will +hear, at least once in their lives, the genuine sentiments of a +man, who has no interest in deceiving them." + +Hapless woman! what can be expected from thee, when the beings on +whom thou art said naturally to depend for reason and support, have +all an interest in deceiving thee! This is the root of the evil +that has shed a corroding mildew on all thy virtues; and blighting +in the bud thy opening faculties, has rendered thee the weak thing +thou art! It is this separate interest-- this insidious state of +warfare, that undermines morality, and divides mankind! + +If love has made some women wretched--how many more has the cold +unmeaning intercourse of gallantry rendered vain and useless! yet +this heartless attention to the sex is reckoned so manly, so +polite, that till society is very differently organized, I fear, +this vestige of gothic manners will not be done away by a more +reasonable and affectionate mode of conduct. Besides, to strip it +of its imaginary dignity, I must observe, that in the most +civilized European states, this lip-service prevails in a very +great degree, accompanied with extreme dissoluteness of morals. In +Portugal, the country that I particularly allude to, it takes place +of the most serious moral obligations; for a man is seldom +assassinated when in the company of a woman. The savage hand of +rapine is unnerved by this chivalrous spirit; and, if the stroke of +vengeance cannot be stayed--the lady is entreated to pardon the +rudeness and depart in peace, though sprinkled, perhaps, with her +husband's or brother's blood. + +I shall pass over his strictures on religion, because I mean to +discuss that subject in a separate chapter. + +The remarks relative to behaviour, though many of them very +sensible, I entirely disapprove of, because it appears to me to be +beginning, as it were at the wrong end. A cultivated +understanding, and an affectionate heart, will never want starched +rules of decorum, something more substantial than seemliness will +be the result; and, without understanding, the behaviour here +recommended, would be rank affectation. Decorum, indeed, is the +one thing needful! decorum is to supplant nature, and banish all +simplicity and variety of character out of the female world. Yet +what good end can all this superficial counsel produce? It is, +however, much easier to point out this or that mode of behaviour, +than to set the reason to work; but, when the mind has been stored +with useful knowledge, and strengthened by being employed, the +regulation of the behaviour may safely be left to its guidance. + +Why, for instance, should the following caution be given, when art +of every kind must contaminate the mind; and why entangle the grand +motives of action, which reason and religion equally combine to +enforce, with pitiful worldly shifts and slight of hand tricks to +gain the applause of gaping tasteless fools? "Be even cautious in +displaying your good sense.* It will be thought you assume a +superiority over the rest of the company-- But if you happen to +have any learning keep it a profound secret, especially from the +men, who generally look with a jealous and malignant eye on a woman +of great parts, and a cultivated understanding." If men of real +merit, as he afterwards observes, are superior to this meanness, +where is the necessity that the behaviour of the whole sex should +be modulated to please fools, or men, who having little claim to +respect as individuals, choose to keep close in their phalanx. +Men, indeed, who insist on their common superiority, having only +this sexual superiority, are certainly very excusable. + +(*Footnote. Let women once acquire good sense--and if it deserve +the name, it will teach them; or, of what use will it be how to +employ it.) + +There would be no end to rules for behaviour, if it be proper +always to adopt the tone of the company; for thus, for ever varying +the key, a FLAT would often pass for a NATURAL note. + +Surely it would have been wiser to have advised women to improve +themselves till they rose above the fumes of vanity; and then to +let the public opinion come round--for where are rules of +accommodation to stop? The narrow path of truth and virtue +inclines neither to the right nor left, it is a straight-forward +business, and they who are earnestly pursuing their road, may bound +over many decorous prejudices, without leaving modesty behind. +Make the heart clean, and give the head employment, and I will +venture to predict that there will be nothing offensive in the +behaviour. + +The air of fashion, which many young people are so eager to attain, +always strikes me like the studied attitudes of some modern prints, +copied with tasteless servility after the antiques; the soul is +left out, and none of the parts are tied together by what may +properly be termed character. This varnish of fashion, which +seldom sticks very close to sense, may dazzle the weak; but leave +nature to itself, and it will seldom disgust the wise. Besides, +when a woman has sufficient sense not to pretend to any thing which +she does not understand in some degree, there is no need of +determining to hide her talents under a bushel. Let things take +their natural course, and all will be well. + +It is this system of dissimulation, throughout the volume, that I +despise. Women are always to SEEM to be this and that--yet virtue +might apostrophize them, in the words of Hamlet--Seems! I know not +seems!--Have that within that passeth show!-- + +Still the same tone occurs; for in another place, after +recommending, (without sufficiently discriminating) delicacy, he +adds, "The men will complain of your reserve. They will assure you +that a franker behaviour would make you more amiable. But, trust +me, they are not sincere when they tell you so. I acknowledge that +on some occasions it might render you more agreeable as companions, +but it would make you less amiable as women: an important +distinction, which many of your sex are not aware of." + +This desire of being always women, is the very consciousness that +degrades the sex. Excepting with a lover, I must repeat with +emphasis, a former observation--it would be well if they were only +agreeable or rational companions. But in this respect his advice +is even inconsistent with a passage which I mean to quote with the +most marked approbation. + +"The sentiment, that a woman may allow all innocent freedoms, +provided her virtue is secure, is both grossly indelicate and +dangerous, and has proved fatal to many of your sex." With this +opinion I perfectly coincide. A man, or a woman, of any feeling +must always wish to convince a beloved object that it is the +caresses of the individual, not the sex, that is received and +returned with pleasure; and, that the heart, rather than the +senses, is moved. Without this natural delicacy, love becomes a +selfish personal gratification that soon degrades the character. + +I carry this sentiment still further. Affection, when love is out +of the question, authorises many personal endearments, that +naturally flowing from an innocent heart give life to the +behaviour; but the personal intercourse of appetite, gallantry, or +vanity, is despicable. When a man squeezes the hand of a pretty +woman, handing her to a carriage, whom he has never seen before, +she will consider such an impertinent freedom in the light of an +insult, if she have any true delicacy, instead of being flattered +by this unmeaning homage to beauty. These are the privileges of +friendship, or the momentary homage which the heart pays to virtue, +when it flashes suddenly on the notice--mere animal spirits have no +claim to the kindnesses of affection. + +Wishing to feed the affections with what is now the food of vanity, +I would fain persuade my sex to act from simpler principles. Let +them merit love, and they will obtain it, though they may never be +told that: "The power of a fine woman over the hearts of men, of +men of the finest parts, is even beyond what she conceives." + +I have already noticed the narrow cautions with respect to +duplicity, female softness, delicacy of constitution; for these are +the changes which he rings round without ceasing, in a more +decorous manner, it is true, than Rousseau; but it all comes home +to the same point, and whoever is at the trouble to analyze these +sentiments, will find the first principles not quite so delicate as +the superstructure. + +The subject of amusements is treated in too cursory a manner; but +with the same spirit. + +When I treat of friendship, love, and marriage, it will be found +that we materially differ in opinion; I shall not then forestall +what I have to observe on these important subjects; but confine my +remarks to the general tenor of them, to that cautious family +prudence, to those confined views of partial unenlightened +affection, which exclude pleasure and improvement, by vainly +wishing to ward off sorrow and error--and by thus guarding the +heart and mind, destroy also all their energy. It is far better to +be often deceived than never to trust; to be disappointed in love, +than never to love; to lose a husband's fondness, than forfeit his +esteem. + +Happy would it be for the world, and for individuals, of course, if +all this unavailing solicitude to attain worldly happiness, on a +confined plan, were turned into an anxious desire to improve the +understanding. "Wisdom is the principal thing: THEREFORE get +wisdom; and with all thy gettings get understanding." "How long ye +simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and hate knowledge?" Saith +Wisdom to the daughters of men! + +SECTION 5.4. + +I do not mean to allude to all the writers who have written on the +subject of female manners--it would in fact be only beating over +the old ground, for they have, in general, written in the same +strain; but attacking the boasted prerogative of man--the +prerogative that may emphatically be called the iron sceptre of +tyranny, the original sin of tyrants, I declare against all power +built on prejudices, however hoary. + +If the submission demanded be founded on justice--there is no +appealing to a higher power--for God is justice itself. Let us +then, as children of the same parent, if not bastardized by being +the younger born, reason together, and learn to submit to the +authority of reason when her voice is distinctly heard. But, if it +be proved that this throne of prerogative only rests on a chaotic +mass of prejudices, that have no inherent principle of order to +keep them together, or on an elephant, tortoise, or even the mighty +shoulders of a son of the earth, they may escape, who dare to brave +the consequence without any breach of duty, without sinning against +the order of things. + +Whilst reason raises man above the brutal herd, and death is big +with promises, they alone are subject to blind authority who have +no reliance on their own strength. "They are free who will be +free!"* + +(*Footnote. "He is the free man, whom TRUTH makes free!" Cowper.) + +The being who can govern itself, has nothing to fear in life; but +if any thing is dearer than its own respect, the price must be paid +to the last farthing. Virtue, like every thing valuable, must be +loved for herself alone; or she will not take up her abode with us. +She will not impart that peace, "which passeth understanding," when +she is merely made the stilts of reputation and respected with +pharisaical exactness, because "honesty is the best policy." + +That the plan of life which enables us to carry some knowledge and +virtue into another world, is the one best calculated to ensure +content in this, cannot be denied; yet few people act according to +this principle, though it be universally allowed that it admits not +of dispute. Present pleasure, or present power, carry before it +these sober convictions; and it is for the day, not for life, that +man bargains with happiness. How few! how very few! have +sufficient foresight or resolution, to endure a small evil at the +moment, to avoid a greater hereafter. + +Woman in particular, whose virtue* is built on mutual prejudices, +seldom attains to this greatness of mind; so that, becoming the +slave of her own feelings, she is easily subjugated by those of +others. Thus degraded, her reason, her misty reason! is employed +rather to burnish than to snap her chains. + +(*Footnote. I mean to use a word that comprehends more than +chastity, the sexual virtue.) + +Indignantly have I heard women argue in the same track as men, and +adopt the sentiments that brutalize them with all the pertinacity +of ignorance. + +I must illustrate my assertion by a few examples. Mrs. Piozzi, who +often repeated by rote, what she did not understand, comes forward +with Johnsonian periods. + +"Seek not for happiness in singularity; and dread a refinement of +wisdom as a deviation into folly." Thus she dogmatically addresses +a new married man; and to elucidate this pompous exordium, she +adds, "I said that the person of your lady would not grow more +pleasing to you, but pray let her never suspect that it grows less +so: that a woman will pardon an affront to her understanding much +sooner than one to her person, is well known; nor will any of us +contradict the assertion. All our attainments, all our arts, are +employed to gain and keep the heart of man; and what mortification +can exceed the disappointment, if the end be not obtained: There is +no reproof however pointed, no punishment however severe, that a +woman of spirit will not prefer to neglect; and if she can endure +it without complaint, it only proves that she means to make herself +amends by the attention of others for the slights of her husband!" + +These are true masculine sentiments. "All our ARTS are employed to +gain and keep the heart of man:"--and what is the inference?--if +her person, and was there ever a person, though formed with +Medicisan symmetry, that was not slighted? be neglected, she will +make herself amends by endeavouring to please other men. Noble +morality! But thus is the understanding of the whole sex +affronted, and their virtue deprived of the common basis of virtue. +A woman must know, that her person cannot be as pleasing to her +husband as it was to her lover, and if she be offended with him for +being a human creature, she may as well whine about the loss of his +heart as about any other foolish thing. And this very want of +discernment or unreasonable anger, proves that he could not change +his fondness for her person into affection for her virtues or +respect for her understanding. + +Whilst women avow, and act up to such opinions, their +understandings, at least, deserve the contempt and obloquy that +men, WHO NEVER insult their persons, have pointedly levelled at the +female mind. And it is the sentiments of these polite men, who do +not wish to be encumbered with mind, that vain women thoughtlessly +adopt. Yet they should know, that insulted reason alone can spread +that SACRED reserve about the persons which renders human +affections, for human affections have always some base alloy, as +permanent as is consistent with the grand end of existence--the +attainment of virtue. + +The Baroness de Stael speaks the same language as the lady just +cited, with more enthusiasm. Her eulogium on Rousseau was +accidentally put into my hands, and her sentiments, the sentiments +of too many of my sex, may serve as the text for a few comments. +"Though Rousseau," she observes, "has endeavoured to prevent women +from interfering in public affairs, and acting a brilliant part in +the theatre of politics; yet, in speaking of them, how much has he +done it to their satisfaction! If he wished to deprive them of +some rights, foreign to their sex, how has he for ever restored to +them all those to which it has a claim! And in attempting to +diminish their influence over the deliberations of men, how +sacredly has he established the empire they have over their +happiness! In aiding them to descend from an usurped throne, he +has firmly seated them upon that to which they were destined by +nature; and though he be full of indignation against them when they +endeavour to resemble men, yet when they come before him with all +THE CHARMS WEAKNESSES, VIRTUES, and ERRORS, OF their sex, his +respect for their PERSONS amounts almost to adoration." True!--For +never was there a sensualist who paid more fervent adoration at the +shrine of beauty. So devout, indeed, was his respect for the +person, that excepting the virtue of chastity, for obvious reasons, +he only wished to see it embellished by charms, weaknesses, and +errors. He was afraid lest the austerity of reason should disturb +the soft playfulness of love. The master wished to have a +meretricious slave to fondle, entirely dependent on his reason and +bounty; he did not want a companion, whom he should be compelled to +esteem, or a friend to whom he could confide the care of his +children's education, should death deprive them of their father, +before he had fulfilled the sacred task. He denies woman reason, +shuts her out from knowledge, and turns her aside from truth; yet +his pardon is granted, because, "he admits the passion of love." +It would require some ingenuity to show why women were to be under +such an obligation to him for thus admitting love; when it is clear +that he admits it only for the relaxation of men, and to perpetuate +the species; but he talked with passion, and that powerful spell +worked on the sensibility of a young encomiast. "What signifies +it," pursues this rhapsodist, "to women, that his reason disputes +with them the empire, when his heart is devotedly theirs." It is +not empire--but equality, that they should contend for. Yet, if +they only wished to lengthen out their sway, they should not +entirely trust to their persons, for though beauty may gain a +heart, it cannot keep it, even while the beauty is in full bloom, +unless the mind lend, at least, some graces. + +When women are once sufficiently enlightened to discover their real +interest, on a grand scale, they will, I am persuaded, be very +ready to resign all the prerogatives of love, that are not mutual, +(speaking of them as lasting prerogatives,) for the calm +satisfaction of friendship, and the tender confidence of habitual +esteem. Before marriage they will not assume any insolent airs, +nor afterward abjectly submit; but, endeavouring to act like +reasonable creatures, in both situations, they will not be tumbled +from a throne to a stool. + +Madame Genlis has written several entertaining books for children; +and her letters on Education afford many useful hints, that +sensible parents will certainly avail themselves of; but her views +are narrow, and her prejudices as unreasonable as strong. + +I shall pass over her vehement argument in favour of the eternity +of future punishments, because I blush to think that a human being +should ever argue vehemently in such a cause, and only make a few +remarks on her absurd manner of making the parental authority +supplant reason. For every where does she inculcate not only BLIND +submission to parents; but to the opinion of the world.* + +(*Footnote. A person is not to act in this or that way, though +convinced they are right in so doing, because some equivocal +circumstances may lead the world to SUSPECT that they acted from +different motives. This is sacrificing the substance for a shadow. +Let people but watch their own hearts, and act rightly as far as +they can judge, and they may patiently wait till the opinion of the +world comes round. It is best to be directed by a simple +motive--for justice has too often been sacrificed to +propriety;--another word for convenience.) + +She tells a story of a young man engaged by his father's express +desire to a girl of fortune. Before the marriage could take place +she is deprived of her fortune, and thrown friendless on the world. +The father practises the most infamous arts to separate his son +from her, and when the son detects his villany, and, following the +dictates of honour, marries the girl, nothing but misery ensues, +because forsooth he married WITHOUT his father's consent. On what +ground can religion or morality rest, when justice is thus set at +defiance? In the same style she represents an accomplished young +woman, as ready to marry any body that her MAMMA pleased to +recommend; and, as actually marrying the young man of her own +choice, without feeling any emotions of passion, because that a +well educated girl had not time to be in love. Is it possible to +have much respect for a system of education that thus insults +reason and nature? + +Many similar opinions occur in her writings, mixed with sentiments +that do honour to her head and heart. Yet so much superstition is +mixed with her religion, and so much worldly wisdom with her +morality, that I should not let a young person read her works, +unless I could afterwards converse on the subjects, and point out +the contradictions. + +Mrs. Chapone's Letters are written with such good sense, and +unaffected humility, and contain so many useful observations, that +I only mention them to pay the worthy writer this tribute of +respect. I cannot, it is true, always coincide in opinion with +her; but I always respect her. + +The very word respect brings Mrs. Macaulay to my remembrance. The +woman of the greatest abilities, undoubtedly, that this country has +ever produced. And yet this woman has been suffered to die without +sufficient respect being paid to her memory. + +Posterity, however, will be more just; and remember that Catharine +Macaulay was an example of intellectual acquirements supposed to be +incompatible with the weakness of her sex. In her style of +writing, indeed, no sex appears, for it is like the sense it +conveys, strong and clear. + +I will not call her's a masculine understanding, because I admit +not of such an arrogant assumption of reason; but I contend that it +was a sound one, and that her judgment, the matured fruit of +profound thinking, was a proof that a woman can acquire judgment, +in the full extent of the word. Possessing more penetration than +sagacity, more understanding than fancy, she writes with sober +energy, and argumentative closeness; yet sympathy and benevolence +give an interest to her sentiments, and that vital heat to +arguments, which forces the reader to weigh them.* + +(*Footnote. Coinciding in opinion with Mrs. Macaulay relative to +many branches of education, I refer to her valuable work, instead +of quoting her sentiments to support my own.) + +When I first thought of writing these strictures I anticipated Mrs. +Macaulay's approbation with a little of that sanguine ardour which +it has been the business of my life to depress; but soon heard with +the sickly qualm of disappointed hope, and the still seriousness of +regret--that she was no more! + +SECTION 5.5. + +Taking a view of the different works which have been written on +education, Lord Chesterfield's Letters must not be silently passed +over. Not that I mean to analyze his unmanly, immoral system, or +even to cull any of the useful shrewd remarks which occur in his +frivolous correspondence--No, I only mean to make a few reflections +on the avowed tendency of them--the art of acquiring an early +knowledge of the world. An art, I will venture to assert, that +preys secretly, like the worm in the bud, on the expanding powers, +and turns to poison the generous juices which should mount with +vigour in the youthful frame, inspiring warm affections and great +resolves. + +For every thing, saith the wise man, there is reason; and who would +look for the fruits of autumn during the genial months of spring? +But this is mere declamation, and I mean to reason with those +worldly-wise instructors, who, instead of cultivating the judgment, +instil prejudices, and render hard the heart that gradual +experience would only have cooled. An early acquaintance with +human infirmities; or, what is termed knowledge of the world, is +the surest way, in my opinion, to contract the heart and damp the +natural youthful ardour which produces not only great talents, but +great virtues. For the vain attempt to bring forth the fruit of +experience, before the sapling has thrown out its leaves, only +exhausts its strength, and prevents its assuming a natural form; +just as the form and strength of subsiding metals are injured when +the attraction of cohesion is disturbed. Tell me, ye who have +studied the human mind, is it not a strange way to fix principles +by showing young people that they are seldom stable? And how can +they be fortified by habits when they are proved to be fallacious +by example? Why is the ardour of youth thus to be damped, and the +luxuriancy of fancy cut to the quick? This dry caution may, it is +true, guard a character from worldly mischances; but will +infallibly preclude excellence in either virtue or knowledge. The +stumbling-block thrown across every path by suspicion, will prevent +any vigorous exertions of genius or benevolence, and life will be +stripped of its most alluring charm long before its calm evening, +when man should retire to contemplation for comfort and support. + +A young man who has been bred up with domestic friends, and led to +store his mind with as much speculative knowledge as can be +acquired by reading and the natural reflections which youthful +ebullitions of animal spirits and instinctive feelings inspire, +will enter the world with warm and erroneous expectations. But +this appears to be the course of nature; and in morals, as well as +in works of taste, we should be observant of her sacred +indications, and not presume to lead when we ought obsequiously to +follow. + +In the world few people act from principle; present feelings, and +early habits, are the grand springs: but how would the former be +deadened, and the latter rendered iron corroding fetters, if the +world were shown to young people just as it is; when no knowledge +of mankind or their own hearts, slowly obtained by experience +rendered them forbearing? Their fellow creatures would not then be +viewed as frail beings; like themselves, condemned to struggle with +human infirmities, and sometimes displaying the light and sometimes +the dark side of their character; extorting alternate feelings of +love and disgust; but guarded against as beasts of prey, till every +enlarged social feeling, in a word--humanity, was eradicated. + +In life, on the contrary, as we gradually discover the +imperfections of our nature, we discover virtues, and various +circumstances attach us to our fellow creatures, when we mix with +them, and view the same objects, that are never thought of in +acquiring a hasty unnatural knowledge of the world. We see a folly +swell into a vice, by almost imperceptible degrees, and pity while +we blame; but, if the hideous monster burst suddenly on our sight, +fear and disgust rendering us more severe than man ought to be, +might lead us with blind zeal to usurp the character of +omnipotence, and denounce damnation on our fellow mortals, +forgetting that we cannot read the heart, and that we have seeds of +the same vices lurking in our own. + +I have already remarked, that we expect more from instruction, than +mere instruction can produce: for, instead of preparing young +people to encounter the evils of life with dignity, and to acquire +wisdom and virtue by the exercise of their own faculties, precepts +are heaped upon precepts, and blind obedience required, when +conviction should be brought home to reason. + +Suppose, for instance, that a young person in the first ardour of +friendship deifies the beloved object--what harm can arise from +this mistaken enthusiastic attachment? Perhaps it is necessary for +virtue first to appear in a human form to impress youthful hearts; +the ideal model, which a more matured and exalted mind looks up to, +and shapes for itself, would elude their sight. He who loves not +his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God? asked the +wisest of men. + +It is natural for youth to adorn the first object of its affection +with every good quality, and the emulation produced by ignorance, +or, to speak with more propriety, by inexperience, brings forward +the mind capable of forming such an affection, and when, in the +lapse of time, perfection is found not to be within the reach of +mortals, virtue, abstractly, is thought beautiful, and wisdom +sublime. Admiration then gives place to friendship, properly so +called, because it is cemented by esteem; and the being walks alone +only dependent on heaven for that emulous panting after perfection +which ever glows in a noble mind. But this knowledge a man must +gain by the exertion of his own faculties; and this is surely the +blessed fruit of disappointed hope! for He who delighteth to +diffuse happiness and show mercy to the weak creatures, who are +learning to know him, never implanted a good propensity to be a +tormenting ignis fatuus. + +Our trees are now allowed to spread with wild luxuriance, nor do we +expect by force to combine the majestic marks of time with youthful +graces; but wait patiently till they have struck deep their root, +and braved many a storm. Is the mind then, which, in proportion to +its dignity advances more slowly towards perfection, to be treated +with less respect? To argue from analogy, every thing around us is +in a progressive state; and when an unwelcome knowledge of life +produces almost a satiety of life, and we discover by the natural +course of things that all that is done under the sun is vanity, we +are drawing near the awful close of the drama. The days of +activity and hope are over, and the opportunities which the first +stage of existence has afforded of advancing in the scale of +intelligence, must soon be summed up. A knowledge at this period +of the futility of life, or earlier, if obtained by experience, is +very useful, because it is natural; but when a frail being is shown +the follies and vices of man, that he may be taught prudently to +guard against the common casualties of life by sacrificing his +heart--surely it is not speaking harshly to call it the wisdom of +this world, contrasted with the nobler fruit of piety and +experience. + +I will venture a paradox, and deliver my opinion without reserve; +if men were only born to form a circle of life and death, it would +be wise to take every step that foresight could suggest to render +life happy. Moderation in every pursuit would then be supreme +wisdom; and the prudent voluptuary might enjoy a degree of content, +though he neither cultivated his understanding nor kept his heart +pure. Prudence, supposing we were mortal, would be true wisdom, +or, to be more explicit, would procure the greatest portion of +happiness, considering the whole of life; but knowledge beyond the +conveniences of life would be a curse. + +Why should we injure our health by close study? The exalted +pleasure which intellectual pursuits afford would scarcely be +equivalent to the hours of languor that follow; especially, if it +be necessary to take into the reckoning the doubts and +disappointments that cloud our researches. Vanity and vexation +close every inquiry: for the cause which we particularly wished to +discover flies like the horizon before us as we advance. The +ignorant, on the contrary, resemble children, and suppose, that if +they could walk straight forward they should at last arrive where +the earth and clouds meet. Yet, disappointed as we are in our +researches, the mind gains strength by the exercise, sufficient, +perhaps, to comprehend the answers which, in another step of +existence, it may receive to the anxious questions it asked, when +the understanding with feeble wing was fluttering round the visible +effects to dive into the hidden cause. + +The passions also, the winds of life, would be useless, if not +injurious, did the substance which composes our thinking being, +after we have thought in vain, only become the support of vegetable +life, and invigorate a cabbage, or blush in a rose. The appetites +would answer every earthly purpose, and produce more moderate and +permanent happiness. But the powers of the soul that are of little +use here, and, probably, disturb our animal enjoyments, even while +conscious dignity makes us glory in possessing them, prove that +life is merely an education, a state of infancy, of which the only +hopes worth cherishing should not be sacrificed. I mean, therefore +to infer, that we ought to have a precise idea of what we wish to +attain by education, for the immortality of the soul is +contradicted by the actions of many people, who firmly profess the +belief. + +If you mean to secure ease and prosperity on earth as the first +consideration, and leave futurity to provide for itself, you act +prudently in giving your child an early insight into the weaknesses +of his nature. You may not, it is true, make an Inkle of him; but +do not imagine that he will stick to more than the letter of the +law, who has very early imbibed a mean opinion of human nature; nor +will he think it necessary to rise much above the common standard. +He may avoid gross vices, because honesty is the best policy; but +he will never aim at attaining great virtues. The example of +writers and artists will illustrate this remark. + +I must therefore venture to doubt, whether what has been thought an +axiom in morals, may not have been a dogmatical assertion made by +men who have coolly seen mankind through the medium of books, and +say, in direct contradiction to them, that the regulation of the +passions is not always wisdom. On the contrary, it should seem, +that one reason why men have superiour judgment and more fortitude +than women, is undoubtedly this, that they give a freer scope to +the grand passions, and by more frequently going astray, enlarge +their minds. If then by the exercise of their own reason, they fix +on some stable principle, they have probably to thank the force of +their passions, nourished by FALSE views of life, and permitted to +overleap the boundary that secures content. But if, in the dawn of +life, we could soberly survey the scenes before us as in +perspective, and see every thing in its true colours, how could the +passions gain sufficient strength to unfold the faculties? + +Let me now, as from an eminence, survey the world stripped of all +its false delusive charms. The clear atmosphere enables me to see +each object in its true point of view, while my heart is still. I +am calm as the prospect in a morning when the mists, slowly +dispersing, silently unveil the beauties of nature, refreshed by +rest. + +In what light will the world now appear? I rub my eyes and think, +perchance, that I am just awaking from a lively dream. + +I see the sons and daughters of men pursuing shadows, and anxiously +wasting their powers to feed passions which have no adequate +object--if the very excess of these blind impulses pampered by that +lying, yet constantly-trusted guide, the imagination, did not, by +preparing them for some other state, render short sighted mortals +wiser without their own concurrence; or, what comes to the same +thing, when they were pursuing some imaginary present good. + +After viewing objects in this light, it would not be very fanciful +to imagine, that this world was a stage on which a pantomime is +daily performed for the amusement of superiour beings. How would +they be diverted to see the ambitious man consuming himself by +running after a phantom, and, pursuing the bubble fame in "the +cannon's mouth" that was to blow him to nothing: for when +consciousness is lost, it matters not whether we mount in a +whirlwind or descend in rain. And should they compassionately +invigorate his sight, and show him the thorny path which led to +eminence, that like a quicksand sinks as he ascends, disappointing +his hopes when almost within his grasp, would he not leave to +others the honour of amusing them, and labour to secure the present +moment, though from the constitution of his nature he would not +find it very easy to catch the flying stream? Such slaves are we +to hope and fear! + +But, vain as the ambitious man's pursuit would be, he is often +striving for something more substantial than fame--that indeed +would be the veriest meteor, the wildest fire that could lure a man +to ruin. What! renounce the most trifling gratification to be +applauded when he should be no more! Wherefore this struggle, +whether man is mortal or immortal, if that noble passion did not +really raise the being above his fellows? + +And love! What diverting scenes would it produce--Pantaloon's +tricks must yield to more egregious folly. To see a mortal adorn +an object with imaginary charms, and then fall down and worship the +idol which he had himself set up--how ridiculous! But what serious +consequences ensue to rob man of that portion of happiness, which +the Deity by calling him into existence has (or, on what can his +attributes rest?) indubitably promised; would not all the purposes +of life have been much better fulfilled if he had only felt what +has been termed physical love? And, would not the sight of the +object, not seen through the medium of the imagination, soon reduce +the passion to an appetite, if reflection, the noble distinction of +man, did not give it force, and make it an instrument to raise him +above this earthy dross, by teaching him to love the centre of all +perfection! whose wisdom appears clearer and clearer in the works +of nature, in proportion as reason is illuminated and exalted by +contemplation, and by acquiring that love of order which the +struggles of passion produce? + +The habit of reflection, and the knowledge attained by fostering +any passion, might be shown to be equally useful though the object +be proved equally fallacious; for they would all appear in the same +light, if they were not magnified by the governing passion +implanted in us by the Author of all good, to call forth and +strengthen the faculties of each individual, and enable it to +attain all the experience that an infant can obtain, who does +certain things, it cannot tell why. + +I descend from my height, and mixing with my fellow creatures, feel +myself hurried along the common stream; ambition, love, hope, and +fear, exert their wonted power, though we be convinced by reason +that their present and most attractive promises are only lying +dreams; but had the cold hand of circumspection damped each +generous feeling before it had left any permanent character, or +fixed some habit, what could be expected, but selfish prudence and +reason just rising above instinct? Who that has read Dean Swift's +disgusting description of the Yahoos, and insipid one of Houyhnhnm +with a philosophical eye, can avoid seeing the futility of +degrading the passions, or making man rest in contentment? + +The youth should ACT; for had he the experience of a grey head, he +would be fitter for death than life, though his virtues, rather +residing in his head than his heart could produce nothing great, +and his understanding prepared for this world, would not, by its +noble flights, prove that it had a title to a better. + +Besides, it is not possible to give a young person a just view of +life; he must have struggled with his own passions before he can +estimate the force of the temptation which betrayed his brother +into vice. Those who are entering life, and those who are +departing, see the world from such very different points of view, +that they can seldom think alike, unless the unfledged reason of +the former never attempted a solitary flight. + +When we hear of some daring crime--it comes full upon us in the +deepest shade of turpitude, and raises indignation; but the eye +that gradually saw the darkness thicken, must observe it with more +compassionate forbearance. The world cannot be seen by an unmoved +spectator, we must mix in the throng, and feel as men feel before +we can judge of their feelings. If we mean, in short, to live in +the world to grow wiser and better, and not merely to enjoy the +good things of life, we must attain a knowledge of others at the +same time that we become acquainted with ourselves-- knowledge +acquired any other way only hardens the heart and perplexes the +understanding. + +I may be told, that the knowledge thus acquired, is sometimes +purchased at too dear a rate. I can only answer, that I very much +doubt whether any knowledge can be attained without labour and +sorrow; and those who wish to spare their children both, should not +complain if they are neither wise nor virtuous. They only aimed at +making them prudent; and prudence, early in life, is but the +cautious craft of ignorant self-love. I have observed, that young +people, to whose education particular attention has been paid, +have, in general, been very superficial and conceited, and far from +pleasing in any respect, because they had neither the unsuspecting +warmth of youth, nor the cool depth of age. I cannot help imputing +this unnatural appearance principally to that hasty premature +instruction, which leads them presumptuously to repeat all the +crude notions they have taken upon trust, so that the careful +education which they received, makes them all their lives the +slaves of prejudices. + +Mental as well as bodily exertion is, at first, irksome; so much +so, that the many would fain let others both work and think for +them. An observation which I have often made will illustrate my +meaning. When in a circle of strangers, or acquaintances, a person +of moderate abilities, asserts an opinion with heat, I will venture +to affirm, for I have traced this fact home, very often, that it is +a prejudice. These echoes have a high respect for the +understanding of some relation or friend, and without fully +comprehending the opinions, which they are so eager to retail, they +maintain them with a degree of obstinacy, that would surprise even +the person who concocted them. + +I know that a kind of fashion now prevails of respecting +prejudices; and when any one dares to face them, though actuated by +humanity and armed by reason, he is superciliously asked, whether +his ancestors were fools. No, I should reply; opinions, at first, +of every description, were all, probably, considered, and therefore +were founded on some reason; yet not unfrequently, of course, it +was rather a local expedient than a fundamental principle, that +would be reasonable at all times. But, moss-covered opinions +assume the disproportioned form of prejudices, when they are +indolently adopted only because age has given them a venerable +aspect, though the reason on which they were built ceases to be a +reason, or cannot be traced. Why are we to love prejudices, merely +because they are prejudices? A prejudice is a fond obstinate +persuasion, for which we can give no reason; for the moment a +reason can be given for an opinion, it ceases to be a prejudice, +though it may be an error in judgment: and are we then advised to +cherish opinions only to set reason at defiance? This mode of +arguing, if arguing it may be called, reminds me of what is +vulgarly termed a woman's reason. For women sometimes declare that +they love, or believe certain things, BECAUSE they love, or believe +them. + +It is impossible to converse with people to any purpose, who, in +this style, only use affirmatives and negatives. Before you can +bring them to a point, to start fairly from, you must go back to +the simple principles that were antecedent to the prejudices +broached by power; and it is ten to one but you are stopped by the +philosophical assertion, that certain principles are as practically +false as they are abstractly true. Nay, it may be inferred, that +reason has whispered some doubts, for it generally happens that +people assert their opinions with the greatest heat when they begin +to waver; striving to drive out their own doubts by convincing +their opponent, they grow angry when those gnawing doubts are +thrown back to prey on themselves. + +The fact is, that men expect from education, what education cannot +give. A sagacious parent or tutor may strengthen the body and +sharpen the instruments by which the child is to gather knowledge; +but the honey must be the reward of the individual's own industry. +It is almost as absurd to attempt to make a youth wise by the +experience of another, as to expect the body to grow strong by the +exercise which is only talked of, or seen. + +Many of those children whose conduct has been most narrowly +watched, become the weakest men, because their instructors only +instill certain notions into their minds, that have no other +foundation than their authority; and if they are loved or +respected, the mind is cramped in its exertions and wavering in its +advances. The business of education in this case, is only to +conduct the shooting tendrils to a proper pole; yet after laying +precept upon precept, without allowing a child to acquire judgment +itself, parents expect them to act in the same manner by this +borrowed fallacious light, as if they had illuminated it +themselves; and be, when they enter life, what their parents are at +the close. They do not consider that the tree, and even the human +body, does not strengthen its fibres till it has reached its full +growth. + +There appears to be something analogous in the mind. The senses +and the imagination give a form to the character, during childhood +and youth; and the understanding as life advances, gives firmness +to the first fair purposes of sensibility--till virtue, arising +rather from the clear conviction of reason than the impulse of the +heart, morality is made to rest on a rock against which the storms +of passion vainly beat. + +I hope I shall not be misunderstood when I say, that religion will +not have this condensing energy, unless it be founded on reason. +If it be merely the refuge of weakness or wild fanaticism, and not +a governing principle of conduct, drawn from self-knowledge, and a +rational opinion respecting the attributes of God, what can it be +expected to produce? The religion which consists in warming the +affections, and exalting the imagination, is only the poetical +part, and may afford the individual pleasure without rendering it a +more moral being. It may be a substitute for worldly pursuits; yet +narrow instead of enlarging the heart: but virtue must be loved as +in itself sublime and excellent, and not for the advantages it +procures or the evils it averts, if any great degree of excellence +be expected. Men will not become moral when they only build airy +castles in a future world to compensate for the disappointments +which they meet with in this; if they turn their thoughts from +relative duties to religious reveries. + +Most prospects in life are marred by the shuffling worldly wisdom +of men, who, forgetting that they cannot serve God and mammon, +endeavour to blend contradictory things. If you wish to make your +son rich, pursue one course --if you are only anxious to make him +virtuous, you must take another; but do not imagine that you can +bound from one road to the other without losing your way.* + +(*Footnote. See an excellent essay on this subject by Mrs. +Barbauld, in Miscellaneous pieces in Prose.) + + +CHAPTER 6. + +THE EFFECT WHICH AN EARLY ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS HAS UPON THE +CHARACTER. + +Educated in the enervating style recommended by the writers on whom +I have been animadverting; and not having a chance, from their +subordinate state in society, to recover their lost ground, is it +surprising that women every where appear a defect in nature? Is it +surprising, when we consider what a determinate effect an early +association of ideas has on the character, that they neglect their +understandings, and turn all their attention to their persons? + +The great advantages which naturally result from storing the mind +with knowledge, are obvious from the following considerations. The +association of our ideas is either habitual or instantaneous; and +the latter mode seems rather to depend on the original temperature +of the mind than on the will. When the ideas, and matters of fact, +are once taken in, they lie by for use, till some fortuitous +circumstance makes the information dart into the mind with +illustrative force, that has been received at very different +periods of our lives. Like the lightning's flash are many +recollections; one idea assimilating and explaining another, with +astonishing rapidity. I do not now allude to that quick perception +of truth, which is so intuitive that it baffles research, and makes +us at a loss to determine whether it is reminiscence or +ratiocination, lost sight of in its celerity, that opens the dark +cloud. Over those instantaneous associations we have little power; +for when the mind is once enlarged by excursive flights, or +profound reflection, the raw materials, will, in some degree, +arrange themselves. The understanding, it is true, may keep us +from going out of drawing when we group our thoughts, or transcribe +from the imagination the warm sketches of fancy; but the animal +spirits, the individual character give the colouring. Over this +subtile electric fluid,* how little power do we possess, and over +it how little power can reason obtain! These fine intractable +spirits appear to be the essence of genius, and beaming in its +eagle eye, produce in the most eminent degree the happy energy of +associating thoughts that surprise, delight, and instruct. These +are the glowing minds that concentrate pictures for their +fellow-creatures; forcing them to view with interest the objects +reflected from the impassioned imagination, which they passed over +in nature. + +(*Footnote. I have sometimes, when inclined to laugh at +materialists, asked whether, as the most powerful effects in nature +are apparently produced by fluids, the magnetic, etc. the passions +might not be fine volatile fluids that embraced humanity, keeping +the more refractory elementary parts together--or whether they were +simply a liquid fire that pervaded the more sluggish materials +giving them life and heat?) + +I must be allowed to explain myself. The generality of people +cannot see or feel poetically, they want fancy, and therefore fly +from solitude in search of sensible objects; but when an author +lends them his eyes, they can see as he saw, and be amused by +images they could not select, though lying before them. + +Education thus only supplies the man of genius with knowledge to +give variety and contrast to his associations; but there is an +habitual association of ideas, that grows "with our growth," which +has a great effect on the moral character of mankind; and by which +a turn is given to the mind, that commonly remains throughout life. +So ductile is the understanding, and yet so stubborn, that the +associations which depend on adventitious circumstances, during the +period that the body takes to arrive at maturity, can seldom be +disentangled by reason. One idea calls up another, its old +associate, and memory, faithful to the first impressions, +particularly when the intellectual powers are not employed to cool +our sensations, retraces them with mechanical exactness. + +This habitual slavery, to first impressions, has a more baneful +effect on the female than the male character, because business and +other dry employments of the understanding, tend to deaden the +feelings and break associations that do violence to reason. But +females, who are made women of when they are mere children, and +brought back to childhood when they ought to leave the go-cart +forever, have not sufficient strength of mind to efface the +superinductions of art that have smothered nature. + +Every thing that they see or hear serves to fix impressions, call +forth emotions, and associate ideas, that give a sexual character +to the mind. False notions of beauty and delicacy stop the growth +of their limbs and produce a sickly soreness, rather than delicacy +of organs; and thus weakened by being employed in unfolding instead +of examining the first associations, forced on them by every +surrounding object, how can they attain the vigour necessary to +enable them to throw off their factitious character?--where find +strength to recur to reason and rise superior to a system of +oppression, that blasts the fair promises of spring? This cruel +association of ideas, which every thing conspires to twist into all +their habits of thinking, or, to speak with more precision, of +feeling, receives new force when they begin to act a little for +themselves; for they then perceive, that it is only through their +address to excite emotions in men, that pleasure and power are to +be obtained. Besides, all the books professedly written for their +instruction, which make the first impression on their minds, all +inculcate the same opinions. Educated in worse than Egyptian +bondage, it is unreasonable, as well as cruel, to upbraid them with +faults that can scarcely be avoided, unless a degree of native +vigour be supposed, that falls to the lot of very few amongst +mankind. + +For instance, the severest sarcasms have been levelled against the +sex, and they have been ridiculed for repeating "a set of phrases +learnt by rote," when nothing could be more natural, considering +the education they receive, and that their "highest praise is to +obey, unargued"--the will of man. If they are not allowed to have +reason sufficient to govern their own conduct--why, all they +learn--must be learned by rote! And when all their ingenuity is +called forth to adjust their dress, "a passion for a scarlet coat," +is so natural, that it never surprised me; and, allowing Pope's +summary of their character to be just, "that every woman is at +heart a rake," why should they be bitterly censured for seeking a +congenial mind, and preferring a rake to a man of sense? + +Rakes know how to work on their sensibility, whilst the modest +merit of reasonable men has, of course, less effect on their +feelings, and they cannot reach the heart by the way of the +understanding, because they have few sentiments in common. + +It seems a little absurd to expect women to be more reasonable than +men in their LIKINGS, and still to deny them the uncontroled use of +reason. When do men FALL IN LOVE with sense? When do they, with +their superior powers and advantages, turn from the person to the +mind? And how can they then expect women, who are only taught to +observe behaviour, and acquire manners rather than morals, to +despise what they have been all their lives labouring to attain? +Where are they suddenly to find judgment enough to weigh patiently +the sense of an awkward virtuous man, when his manners, of which +they are made critical judges, are rebuffing, and his conversation +cold and dull, because it does not consist of pretty repartees, or +well-turned compliments? In order to admire or esteem any thing +for a continuance, we must, at least, have our curiosity excited by +knowing, in some degree, what we admire; for we are unable to +estimate the value of qualities and virtues above our +comprehension. Such a respect, when it is felt, may be very +sublime; and the confused consciousness of humility may render the +dependent creature an interesting object, in some points of view; +but human love must have grosser ingredients; and the person very +naturally will come in for its share--and, an ample share it mostly +has! + +Love is, in a great degree, an arbitrary passion, and will reign +like some other stalking mischiefs, by its own authority, without +deigning to reason; and it may also be easily distinguished from +esteem, the foundation of friendship, because it is often excited +by evanescent beauties and graces, though to give an energy to the +sentiment something more solid must deepen their impression and set +the imagination to work, to make the most fair-- the first good. + +Common passions are excited by common qualities. Men look for +beauty and the simper of good humoured docility: women are +captivated by easy manners: a gentleman-like man seldom fails to +please them, and their thirsty ears eagerly drink the insinuating +nothings of politeness, whilst they turn from the unintelligible +sounds of the charmer--reason, charm he never so wisely. With +respect to superficial accomplishments, the rake certainly has the +advantage; and of these, females can form an opinion, for it is +their own ground. Rendered gay and giddy by the whole tenor of +their lives, the very aspect of wisdom, or the severe graces of +virtue must have a lugubrious appearance to them; and produce a +kind of restraint from which they and love, sportive child, +naturally revolt. Without taste, excepting of the lighter kind, +for taste is the offspring of judgment, how can they discover, that +true beauty and grace must arise from the play of the mind? and how +can they be expected to relish in a lover what they do not, or very +imperfectly, possess themselves? The sympathy that unites hearts, +and invites to confidence, in them is so very faint, that it cannot +take fire, and thus mount to passion. No, I repeat it, the love +cherished by such minds, must have grosser fuel! + +The inference is obvious; till women are led to exercise their +understandings, they should not be satirized for their attachment +to rakes; nor even for being rakes at heart, when it appears to be +the inevitable consequence of their education. They who live to +please must find their enjoyments, their happiness, in pleasure! +It is a trite, yet true remark, that we never do any thing well, +unless we love it for its own sake. + +Supposing, however, for a moment, that women were, in some future +revolution of time, to become, what I sincerely wish them to be, +even love would acquire more serious dignity, and be purified in +its own fires; and virtue giving true delicacy to their affections, +they would turn with disgust from a rake. Reasoning then, as well +as feeling, the only province of woman, at present, they might +easily guard against exterior graces, and quickly learn to despise +the sensibility that had been excited and hackneyed in the ways of +women, whose trade was vice; and allurement's wanton airs. They +would recollect that the flame, (one must use appropriate +expressions,) which they wished to light up, had been exhausted by +lust, and that the sated appetite, losing all relish for pure and +simple pleasures, could only be roused by licentious arts of +variety. What satisfaction could a woman of delicacy promise +herself in a union with such a man, when the very artlessness of +her affection might appear insipid? Thus does Dryden describe the +situation: + +"Where love is duty on the female side, +On theirs mere sensual gust, and sought with surly pride." + +But one grand truth women have yet to learn, though much it imports +them to act accordingly. In the choice of a husband they should +not be led astray by the qualities of a lover--for a lover the +husband, even supposing him to be wise and virtuous, cannot long +remain. + +Were women more rationally educated, could they take a more +comprehensive view of things, they would be contented to love but +once in their lives; and after marriage calmly let passion subside +into friendship--into that tender intimacy, which is the best +refuge from care; yet is built on such pure, still affections, that +idle jealousies would not be allowed to disturb the discharge of +the sober duties of life, nor to engross the thoughts that ought to +be otherwise employed. This is a state in which many men live; but +few, very few women. And the difference may easily be accounted +for, without recurring to a sexual character. Men, for whom we are +told women are made, have too much occupied the thoughts of women; +and this association has so entangled love, with all their motives +of action; and, to harp a little on an old string, having been +solely employed either to prepare themselves to excite love, or +actually putting their lessons in practice, they cannot live +without love. But, when a sense of duty, or fear of shame, obliges +them to restrain this pampered desire of pleasing beyond certain +lengths, too far for delicacy, it is true, though far from +criminality, they obstinately determine to love, I speak of their +passion, their husbands to the end of the chapter--and then acting +the part which they foolishly exacted from their lovers, they +become abject wooers, and fond slaves. + +Men of wit and fancy are often rakes; and fancy is the food of +love. Such men will inspire passion. Half the sex, in its present +infantine state, would pine for a Lovelace; a man so witty, so +graceful, and so valiant; and can they DESERVE blame for acting +according to principles so constantly inculcated? They want a +lover and protector: and behold him kneeling before them--bravery +prostrate to beauty! The virtues of a husband are thus thrown by +love into the background, and gay hopes, or lively emotions, banish +reflection till the day of reckoning comes; and come it surely +will, to turn the sprightly lover into a surly suspicious tyrant, +who contemptuously insults the very weakness he fostered. Or, +supposing the rake reformed, he cannot quickly get rid of old +habits. When a man of abilities is first carried away by his +passions, it is necessary that sentiment and taste varnish the +enormities of vice, and give a zest to brutal indulgences: but when +the gloss of novelty is worn off, and pleasure palls upon the +sense, lasciviousness becomes barefaced, and enjoyment only the +desperate effort of weakness flying from reflection as from a +legion of devils. Oh! virtue, thou art not an empty name! All +that life can give-- thou givest! + +If much comfort cannot be expected from the friendship of a +reformed rake of superior abilities, what is the consequence when +he lacketh sense, as well as principles? Verily misery in its most +hideous shape. When the habits of weak people are consolidated by +time, a reformation is barely possible; and actually makes the +beings miserable who have not sufficient mind to be amused by +innocent pleasure; like the tradesman who retires from the hurry of +business, nature presents to them only a universal blank; and the +restless thoughts prey on the damped spirits. Their reformation as +well as his retirement actually makes them wretched, because it +deprives them of all employment, by quenching the hopes and fears +that set in motion their sluggish minds. + +If such be the force of habit; if such be the bondage of folly, how +carefully ought we to guard the mind from storing up vicious +associations; and equally careful should we be to cultivate the +understanding, to save the poor wight from the weak dependent state +of even harmless ignorance. For it is the right use of reason +alone which makes us independent of every thing--excepting the +unclouded Reason--"Whose service is perfect freedom." + + +CHAPTER 7. + +MODESTY COMPREHENSIVELY CONSIDERED AND NOT AS A SEXUAL VIRTUE. + +Modesty! Sacred offspring of sensibility and reason! true delicacy +of mind! may I unblamed presume to investigate thy nature, and +trace to its covert the mild charm, that mellowing each harsh +feature of a character, renders what would otherwise only inspire +cold admiration--lovely! Thou that smoothest the wrinkles of +wisdom, and softenest the tone of the more sublime virtues till +they all melt into humanity! thou that spreadest the ethereal cloud +that surrounding love heightens every beauty, it half shades, +breathing those coy sweets that steal into the heart, and charm the +senses--modulate for me the language of persuasive reason, till I +rouse my sex from the flowery bed, on which they supinely sleep +life away! + +In speaking of the association of our ideas, I have noticed two +distinct modes; and in defining modesty, it appears to me equally +proper to discriminate that purity of mind, which is the effect of +chastity, from a simplicity of character that leads us to form a +just opinion of ourselves, equally distant from vanity or +presumption, though by no means incompatible with a lofty +consciousness of our own dignity. Modesty in the latter +signification of the term, is that soberness of mind which teaches +a man not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, +and should be distinguished from humility, because humility is a +kind of self-abasement. A modest man often conceives a great plan, +and tenaciously adheres to it, conscious of his own strength, till +success gives it a sanction that determines its character. Milton +was not arrogant when he suffered a suggestion of judgment to +escape him that proved a prophesy; nor was General Washington when +he accepted of the command of the American forces. The latter has +always been characterized as a modest man; but had he been merely +humble, he would probably have shrunk back irresolute, afraid of +trusting to himself the direction of an enterprise on which so much +depended. + +A modest man is steady, an humble man timid, and a vain one +presumptuous; this is the judgment, which the observation of many +characters, has led me to form. Jesus Christ was modest, Moses was +humble, and Peter vain. + +Thus discriminating modesty from humility in one case, I do not +mean to confound it with bashfulness in the other. Bashfulness, in +fact, is so distinct from modesty, that the most bashful lass, or +raw country lout, often becomes the most impudent; for their +bashfulness being merely the instinctive timidity of ignorance, +custom soon changes it into assurance.* + +(*Footnote. "Such is the country-maiden's fright, +When first a red-coat is in sight; +Behind the door she hides her face, +Next time at distance eyes the lace: +She now can all his terrors stand, +Nor from his squeeze withdraws her hand, +She plays familiar in his arms, +And every soldier hath his charms; +>From tent to tent she spreads her flame; +For custom conquers fear and shame.") + +The shameless behaviour of the prostitutes who infest the streets +of London, raising alternate emotions of pity and disgust, may +serve to illustrate this remark. They trample on virgin +bashfulness with a sort of bravado, and glorying in their shame, +become more audaciously lewd than men, however depraved, to whom +the sexual quality has not been gratuitously granted, ever appear +to be. But these poor ignorant wretches never had any modesty to +lose, when they consigned themselves to infamy; for modesty is a +virtue not a quality. No, they were only bashful, shame-faced +innocents; and losing their innocence, their shame-facedness was +rudely brushed off; a virtue would have left some vestiges in the +mind, had it been sacrificed to passion, to make us respect the +grand ruin. + +Purity of mind, or that genuine delicacy, which is the only +virtuous support of chastity, is near a-kin to that refinement of +humanity, which never resides in any but cultivated minds. It is +something nobler than innocence; it is the delicacy of reflection, +and not the coyness of ignorance. The reserve of reason, which +like habitual cleanliness, is seldom seen in any great degree, +unless the soul is active, may easily be distinguished from rustic +shyness or wanton skittishness; and so far from being incompatible +with knowledge, it is its fairest fruit. What a gross idea of +modesty had the writer of the following remark! "The lady who +asked the question whether women may be instructed in the modern +system of botany, consistently with female delicacy?" was accused +of ridiculous prudery: nevertheless, if she had proposed the +question to me, I should certainly have answered--They cannot." +Thus is the fair book of knowledge to be shut with an everlasting +seal! On reading similar passages I have reverentially lifted up +my eyes and heart to Him who liveth for ever and ever, and said, O +my Father, hast Thou by the very constitution of her nature forbid +Thy child to seek Thee in the fair forms of truth? And, can her +soul be sullied by the knowledge that awfully calls her to Thee? + +I have then philosophically pursued these reflections till I +inferred, that those women who have most improved their reason must +have the most modesty --though a dignified sedateness of deportment +may have succeeded the playful, bewitching bashfulness of youth.* + +(*Footnote. Modesty, is the graceful calm virtue of maturity; +bashfulness, the charm of vivacious youth.) + +And thus have I argued. To render chastity the virtue from which +unsophisticated modesty will naturally flow, the attention should +be called away from employments, which only exercise the +sensibility; and the heart made to beat time to humanity, rather +than to throb with love. The woman who has dedicated a +considerable portion of her time to pursuits purely intellectual, +and whose affections have been exercised by humane plans of +usefulness, must have more purity of mind, as a natural +consequence, than the ignorant beings whose time and thoughts have +been occupied by gay pleasures or schemes to conquer hearts. The +regulation of the behaviour is not modesty, though those who study +rules of decorum, are, in general termed modest women. Make the +heart clean, let it expand and feel for all that is human, instead +of being narrowed by selfish passions; and let the mind frequently +contemplate subjects that exercise the understanding, without +heating the imagination, and artless modesty will give the +finishing touches to the picture. + +She who can discern the dawn of immortality, in the streaks that +shoot athwart the misty night of ignorance, promising a clearer +day, will respect, as a sacred temple, the body that enshrines such +an improvable soul. True love, likewise, spreads this kind of +mysterious sanctity round the beloved object, making the lover most +modest when in her presence. So reserved is affection, that, +receiving or returning personal endearments, it wishes, not only to +shun the human eye, as a kind of profanation; but to diffuse an +encircling cloudy obscurity to shut out even the saucy sparkling +sunbeams. Yet, that affection does not deserve the epithet of +chaste which does not receive a sublime gloom of tender melancholy, +that allows the mind for a moment to stand still and enjoy the +present satisfaction, when a consciousness of the Divine presence +is felt--for this must ever be the food of joy! + +As I have always been fond of tracing to its source in nature any +prevailing custom, I have frequently thought that it was a +sentiment of affection for whatever had touched the person of an +absent or lost friend, which gave birth to that respect for relics, +so much abused by selfish priests. Devotion, or love, may be +allowed to hallow the garments as well as the person; for the lover +must want fancy, who has not a sort of sacred respect for the glove +or slipper of his mistress. He could not confound them with vulgar +things of the same kind. + +This fine sentiment, perhaps, would not bear to be analyzed by the +experimental philosopher--but of such stuff is human rapture made +up!-- A shadowy phantom glides before us, obscuring every other +object; yet when the soft cloud is grasped, the form melts into +common air, leaving a solitary void, or sweet perfume, stolen from +the violet, that memory long holds dear. But, I have tripped +unawares on fairy ground, feeling the balmy gale of spring stealing +on me, though November frowns. + +As a sex, women are more chaste than men, and as modesty is the +effect of chastity, they may deserve to have this virtue ascribed +to them in rather an appropriated sense; yet, I must be allowed to +add an hesitating if:-- for I doubt, whether chastity will produce +modesty, though it may propriety of conduct, when it is merely a +respect for the opinion of the world, and when coquetry and the +lovelorn tales of novelists employ the thoughts. Nay, from +experience, and reason, I should be lead to expect to meet with +more modesty amongst men than women, simply because men exercise +their understandings more than women. + +But, with respect to propriety of behaviour, excepting one class of +females, women have evidently the advantage. What can be more +disgusting than that impudent dross of gallantry, thought so manly, +which makes many men stare insultingly at every female they meet? +Is this respect for the sex? This loose behaviour shows such +habitual depravity, such weakness of mind, that it is vain to +expect much public or private virtue, till both men and women grow +more modest--till men, curbing a sensual fondness for the sex, or +an affectation of manly assurance, more properly speaking, +impudence, treat each other with respect--unless appetite or +passion gives the tone, peculiar to it, to their behaviour. I mean +even personal respect--the modest respect of humanity, and +fellow-feeling; not the libidinous mockery of gallantry, nor the +insolent condescension of protectorship. + +To carry the observation still further, modesty must heartily +disclaim, and refuse to dwell with that debauchery of mind, which +leads a man coolly to bring forward, without a blush, indecent +allusions, or obscene witticisms, in the presence of a fellow +creature; women are now out of the question, for then it is +brutality. Respect for man, as man is the foundation of every +noble sentiment. How much more modest is the libertine who obeys +the call of appetite or fancy, than the lewd joker who sets the +table in a roar. + +This is one of the many instances in which the sexual distinction +respecting modesty has proved fatal to virtue and happiness. It +is, however, carried still further, and woman, weak woman! made by +her education the slave of sensibility, is required, on the most +trying occasions, to resist that sensibility. "Can any thing," +says Knox, be more absurd than keeping women in a state of +ignorance, and yet so vehemently to insist on their resisting +temptation? Thus when virtue or honour make it proper to check a +passion, the burden is thrown on the weaker shoulders, contrary to +reason and true modesty, which, at least, should render the +self-denial mutual, to say nothing of the generosity of bravery, +supposed to be a manly virtue. + +In the same strain runs Rousseau's and Dr. Gregory's advice +respecting modesty, strangely miscalled! for they both desire a +wife to leave it in doubt, whether sensibility or weakness led her +to her husband's arms. The woman is immodest who can let the +shadow of such a doubt remain on her husband's mind a moment. + +But to state the subject in a different light. The want of +modesty, which I principally deplore as subversive of morality, +arises from the state of warfare so strenuously supported by +voluptuous men as the very essence of modesty, though, in fact, its +bane; because it is a refinement on sensual desire, that men fall +into who have not sufficient virtue to relish the innocent +pleasures of love. A man of delicacy carries his notions of +modesty still further, for neither weakness nor sensibility will +gratify him--he looks for affection. + +Again; men boast of their triumphs over women, what do they boast +of? Truly the creature of sensibility was surprised by her +sensibility into folly--into vice;* and the dreadful reckoning +falls heavily on her own weak head, when reason wakes. For where +art thou to find comfort, forlorn and disconsolate one? He who +ought to have directed thy reason, and supported thy weakness, has +betrayed thee! In a dream of passion thou consentedst to wander +through flowery lawns, and heedlessly stepping over the precipice +to which thy guide, instead of guarding, lured thee, thou startest +from thy dream only to face a sneering, frowning world, and to find +thyself alone in a waste, for he that triumphed in thy weakness is +now pursuing new conquests; but for thee--there is no redemption on +this side the grave! And what resource hast thou in an enervated +mind to raise a sinking heart? + +(*Footnote. The poor moth fluttering round a candle, burns its +wings.) + +But, if the sexes be really to live in a state of warfare, if +nature has pointed it out, let men act nobly, or let pride whisper +to them, that the victory is mean when they merely vanquish +sensibility. The real conquest is that over affection not taken by +surprise--when, like Heloisa, a woman gives up all the world, +deliberately, for love. I do not now consider the wisdom or virtue +of such a sacrifice, I only contend that it was a sacrifice to +affection, and not merely to sensibility, though she had her share. +And I must be allowed to call her a modest woman, before I dismiss +this part of the subject, by saying, that till men are more chaste, +women will be immodest. Where, indeed, could modest women find +husbands from whom they would not continually turn with disgust? +Modesty must be equally cultivated by both sexes, or it will ever +remain a sickly hot-house plant, whilst the affectation of it, the +fig leaf borrowed by wantonness, may give a zest to voluptuous +enjoyments.) + +Men will probably still insist that woman ought to have more +modesty than man; but it is not dispassionate reasoners who will +most earnestly oppose my opinion. No, they are the men of fancy, +the favourites of the sex, who outwardly respect, and inwardly +despise the weak creatures whom they thus sport with. They cannot +submit to resign the highest sensual gratification, nor even to +relish the epicurism of virtue--self-denial. + +To take another view of the subject, confining my remarks to women. + +The ridiculous falsities which are told to children, from mistaken +notions of modesty, tend very early to inflame their imaginations +and set their little minds to work, respecting subjects, which +nature never intended they should think of, till the body arrived +at some degree of maturity; then the passions naturally begin to +take place of the senses, as instruments to unfold the +understanding, and form the moral character. + +In nurseries, and boarding schools, I fear, girls are first +spoiled; particularly in the latter. A number of girls sleep in +the same room, and wash together. And, though I should be sorry to +contaminate an innocent creature's mind by instilling false +delicacy, or those indecent prudish notions, which early cautions +respecting the other sex naturally engender, I should be very +anxious to prevent their acquiring indelicate, or immodest habits; +and as many girls have learned very indelicate tricks, from +ignorant servants, the mixing them thus indiscriminately together, +is very improper. + +To say the truth, women are, in general, too familiar with each +other, which leads to that gross degree of familiarity that so +frequently renders the marriage state unhappy. Why in the name of +decency are sisters, female intimates, or ladies and their waiting +women, to be so grossly familiar as to forget the respect which one +human creature owes to another? That squeamish delicacy which +shrinks from the most disgusting offices when affection or humanity +lead us to watch at a sick pillow, is despicable. But, why women +in health should be more familiar with each other than men are, +when they boast of their superiour delicacy, is a solecism in +manners which I could never solve. + +In order to preserve health and beauty, I should earnestly +recommend frequent ablutions, to dignify my advice that it may not +offend the fastidious ear; and, by example, girls ought to be +taught to wash and dress alone, without any distinction of rank; +and if custom should make them require some little assistance, let +them not require it till that part of the business is over which +ought never to be done before a fellow-creature; because it is an +insult to the majesty of human nature. Not on the score of +modesty, but decency; for the care which some modest women take, +making at the same time a display of that care, not to let their +legs be seen, is as childish as immodest.* + +(*Footnote. I remember to have met with a sentence, in a book of +education that made me smile. "It would be needless to caution you +against putting your hand, by chance, under your neck-handkerchief; +for a modest woman never did so!") + +I could proceed still further, till I animadverted on some still +more indelicate customs, which men never fall into. Secrets are +told--where silence ought to reign; and that regard to cleanliness, +which some religious sects have, perhaps, carried too far, +especially the Essenes, amongst the Jews, by making that an insult +to God which is only an insult to humanity, is violated in a brutal +manner. How can DELICATE women obtrude on notice that part of the +animal economy, which is so very disgusting? And is it not very +rational to conclude, that the women who have not been taught to +respect the human nature of their own sex, in these particulars, +will not long respect the mere difference of sex, in their +husbands? After their maidenish bashfulness is once lost, I, in +fact, have generally observed, that women fall into old habits; and +treat their husbands as they did their sisters or female +acquaintance. + +Besides, women from necessity, because their minds are not +cultivated, have recourse very often, to what I familiarly term +bodily wit; and their intimacies are of the same kind. In short, +with respect to both mind and body, they are too intimate. That +decent personal reserve, which is the foundation of dignity of +character, must be kept up between women, or their minds will never +gain strength or modesty. + +On this account also, I object to many females being shut up +together in nurseries, schools, or convents. I cannot recollect +without indignation, the jokes and hoiden tricks, which knots of +young women indulged themselves in, when in my youth accident threw +me, an awkward rustic, in their way. They were almost on a par +with the double meanings, which shake the convivial table when the +glass has circulated freely. But it is vain to attempt to keep the +heart pure, unless the head is furnished with ideas, and set to +work to compare them, in order, to acquire judgment, by +generalizing simple ones; and modesty by making the understanding +damp the sensibility. + +It may be thought that I lay too great a stress on personal +reserve; but it is ever the hand-maid of modesty. So that were I +to name the graces that ought to adorn beauty, I should instantly +exclaim, cleanliness, neatness, and personal reserve. It is +obvious, I suppose, that the reserve I mean, has nothing sexual in +it, and that I think it EQUALLY necessary in both sexes. So +necessary indeed, is that reserve and cleanliness which indolent +women too often neglect, that I will venture to affirm, that when +two or three women live in the same house, the one will be most +respected by the male part of the family, who reside with them, +leaving love entirely out of the question, who pays this kind of +habitual respect to her person. + +When domestic friends meet in a morning, there will naturally +prevail an affectionate seriousness, especially, if each look +forward to the discharge of daily duties; and it may be reckoned +fanciful, but this sentiment has frequently risen spontaneously in +my mind. I have been pleased after breathing the sweet bracing +morning air, to see the same kind of freshness in the countenances +I particularly loved; I was glad to see them braced, as it were, +for the day, and ready to run their course with the sun. The +greetings of affection in the morning are by these means more +respectful, than the familiar tenderness which frequently prolongs +the evening talk. Nay, I have often felt hurt, not to say +disgusted, when a friend has appeared, whom I parted with full +dressed the evening before, with her clothes huddled on, because +she chose to indulge herself in bed till the last moment. + +Domestic affection can only be kept alive by these neglected +attentions; yet if men and women took half as much pains to dress +habitually neat, as they do to ornament, or rather to disfigure +their persons, much would be done towards the attainment of purity +of mind. But women only dress to gratify men of gallantry; for the +lover is always best pleased with the simple garb that sits close +to the shape. There is an impertinence in ornaments that rebuffs +affection; because love always clings round the idea of home. + +As a sex, women are habitually indolent; and every thing tends to +make them so. I do not forget the starts of activity which +sensibility produces; but as these flights of feeling only increase +the evil, they are not to be confounded with the slow, orderly walk +of reason. So great, in reality, is their mental and bodily +indolence, that till their body be strengthened and their +understanding enlarged by active exertions, there is little reason +to expect that modesty will take place of bashfulness. They may +find it prudent to assume its semblance; but the fair veil will +only be worn on gala days. + +Perhaps there is not a virtue that mixes so kindly with every other +as modesty. It is the pale moon-beam that renders more interesting +every virtue it softens, giving mild grandeur to the contracted +horizon. Nothing can be more beautiful than the poetical fiction, +which makes Diana with her silver crescent, the goddess of +chastity. I have sometimes thought, that wandering with sedate +step in some lonely recess, a modest dame of antiquity must have +felt a glow of conscious dignity, when, after contemplating the +soft shadowy landscape, she has invited with placid fervour the +mild reflection of her sister's beams to turn to her chaste bosom. + +A Christian has still nobler motives to incite her to preserve her +chastity and acquire modesty, for her body has been called the +Temple of the living God; of that God who requires more than +modesty of mien. His eye searcheth the heart; and let her +remember, that if she hopeth to find favour in the sight of purity +itself, her chastity must be founded on modesty, and not on worldly +prudence; or verily a good reputation will be her only reward; for +that awful intercourse, that sacred communion, which virtue +establishes between man and his Maker, must give rise to the wish +of being pure as he is pure! + +After the foregoing remarks, it is almost superfluous to add, that +I consider all those feminine airs of maturity, which succeed +bashfulness, to which truth is sacrificed, to secure the heart of a +husband, or rather to force him to be still a lover when nature +would, had she not been interrupted in her operations, have made +love give place to friendship, as immodest. The tenderness which a +man will feel for the mother of his children is an excellent +substitute for the ardour of unsatisfied passion; but to prolong +that ardour it is indelicate, not to say immodest, for women to +feign an unnatural coldness of constitution. Women as well as men +ought to have the common appetites and passions of their nature, +they are only brutal when unchecked by reason: but the obligation +to check them is the duty of mankind, not a sexual duty. Nature, +in these respects, may safely be left to herself; let women only +acquire knowledge and humanity, and love will teach them modesty. +There is no need of falsehoods, disgusting as futile, for studied +rules of behaviour only impose on shallow observers; a man of sense +soon sees through, and despises the affectation. + +The behaviour of young people, to each other, as men and women, is +the last thing that should be thought of in education. In fact, +behaviour in most circumstances is now so much thought of, that +simplicity of character is rarely to be seen; yet, if men were +only anxious to cultivate each virtue, and let it take root firmly +in the mind, the grace resulting from it, its natural exteriour +mark, would soon strip affectation of its flaunting plumes; +because, fallacious as unstable, is the conduct that is not founded +upon truth! + +(Footnote. The behaviour of many newly married women has often +disgusted me. They seem anxious never to let their husbands forget +the privilege of marriage, and to find no pleasure in his society +unless he is acting the lover. Short, indeed, must be the reign of +love, when the flame is thus constantly blown up, without its +receiving any solid fuel.) + +Would ye, O my sisters, really possess modesty, ye must remember +that the possession of virtue, of any denomination, is incompatible +with ignorance and vanity! ye must acquire that soberness of mind, +which the exercise of duties, and the pursuit of knowledge, alone +inspire, or ye will still remain in a doubtful dependent situation, +and only be loved whilst ye are fair! the downcast eye, the rosy +blush, the retiring grace, are all proper in their season; but +modesty, being the child of reason, cannot long exist with the +sensibility that is not tempered by reflection. Besides, when +love, even innocent love, is the whole employ of your lives, your +hearts will be too soft to afford modesty that tranquil retreat, +where she delights to dwell, in close union with humanity. + + +CHAPTER 8. + +MORALITY UNDERMINED BY SEXUAL NOTIONS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD +REPUTATION. + +It has long since occurred to me, that advice respecting behaviour, +and all the various modes of preserving a good reputation, which +have been so strenuously inculcated on the female world, were +specious poisons, that incrusting morality eat away the substance. +And, that this measuring of shadows produced a false calculation, +because their length depends so much on the height of the sun, and +other adventitious circumstances. + +>From whence arises the easy fallacious behaviour of a courtier? +>From this situation, undoubtedly: for standing in need of +dependents, he is obliged to learn the art of denying without +giving offence, and, of evasively feeding hope with the chameleon's +food; thus does politeness sport with truth, and eating away the +sincerity and humanity natural to man, produce the fine gentleman. + +Women in the same way acquire, from a supposed necessity, an +equally artificial mode of behaviour. Yet truth is not with +impunity to be sported with, for the practised dissembler, at last, +becomes the dupe of his own arts, loses that sagacity which has +been justly termed common sense; namely, a quick perception of +common truths: which are constantly received as such by the +unsophisticated mind, though it might not have had sufficient +energy to discover them itself, when obscured by local prejudices. +The greater number of people take their opinions on trust, to avoid +the trouble of exercising their own minds, and these indolent +beings naturally adhere to the letter, rather than the spirit of a +law, divine or human. "Women," says some author, I cannot +recollect who, "mind not what only heaven sees." Why, indeed +should they? it is the eye of man that they have been taught to +dread--and if they can lull their Argus to sleep, they seldom think +of heaven or themselves, because their reputation is safe; and it +is reputation not chastity and all its fair train, that they are +employed to keep free from spot, not as a virtue, but to preserve +their station in the world. + +To prove the truth of this remark, I need only advert to the +intrigues of married women, particularly in high life, and in +countries where women are suitably married, according to their +respective ranks by their parents. If an innocent girl become a +prey to love, she is degraded forever, though her mind was not +polluted by the arts which married women, under the convenient +cloak of marriage, practise; nor has she violated any duty--but the +duty of respecting herself. The married woman, on the contrary, +breaks a most sacred engagement, and becomes a cruel mother when +she is a false and faithless wife. If her husband has still an +affection for her, the arts which she must practise to deceive him, +will render her the most contemptible of human beings; and at any +rate, the contrivances necessary to preserve appearances, will keep +her mind in that childish or vicious tumult which destroys all its +energy. Besides, in time, like those people who habitually take +cordials to raise their spirits, she will want an intrigue to give +life to her thoughts, having lost all relish for pleasures that are +not highly seasoned by hope or fear. + +Sometimes married women act still more audaciously; I will mention +an instance. + +A woman of quality, notorious for her gallantries, though as she +still lived with her husband, nobody chose to place her in the +class where she ought to have been placed, made a point of treating +with the most insulting contempt a poor timid creature, abashed by +a sense of her former weakness, whom a neighbouring gentleman had +seduced and afterwards married. This woman had actually confounded +virtue with reputation; and, I do believe, valued herself on the +propriety of her behaviour before marriage, though when once +settled, to the satisfaction of her family, she and her lord were +equally faithless--so that the half alive heir to an immense estate +came from heaven knows where! + +To view this subject in another light. + +I have known a number of women who, if they did not love their +husbands, loved nobody else, giving themselves entirely up to +vanity and dissipation, neglecting every domestic duty; nay, even +squandering away all the money which should have been saved for +their helpless younger children, yet have plumed themselves on +their unsullied reputation, as if the whole compass of their duty +as wives and mothers was only to preserve it. Whilst other +indolent women, neglecting every personal duty, have thought that +they deserved their husband's affection, because they acted in this +respect with propriety. + +Weak minds are always fond of resting in the ceremonials of duty, +but morality offers much simpler motives; and it were to be wished +that superficial moralists had said less respecting behaviour, and +outward observances, for unless virtue, of any kind, is built on +knowledge, it will only produce a kind of insipid decency. Respect +for the opinion of the world, has, however, been termed the +principal duty of woman in the most express words, for Rousseau +declares, "that reputation is no less indispensable than chastity." +"A man," adds he, "secure in his own good conduct, depends only on +himself, and may brave the public opinion; but a woman, in behaving +well, performs but half her duty; as what is thought of her, is as +important to her as what she really is. It follows hence, that the +system of a woman's education should, in this respect, be directly +contrary to that of ours. Opinion is the grave of virtue among the +men; but its throne among women." It is strictly logical to infer, +that the virtue that rests on opinion is merely worldly, and that +it is the virtue of a being to whom reason has been denied. But, +even with respect to the opinion of the world, I am convinced, that +this class of reasoners are mistaken. + +This regard for reputation, independent of its being one of the +natural rewards of virtue, however, took its rise from a cause that +I have already deplored as the grand source of female depravity, +the impossibility of regaining respectability by a return to +virtue, though men preserve theirs during the indulgence of vice. +It was natural for women then to endeavour to preserve what once +lost--was lost for ever, till this care swallowing up every other +care, reputation for chastity, became the one thing needful to the +sex. But vain is the scrupulosity of ignorance, for neither +religion nor virtue, when they reside in the heart, require such a +puerile attention to mere ceremonies, because the behaviour must, +upon the whole be proper, when the motive is pure. + +To support my opinion I can produce very respectable authority; and +the authority of a cool reasoner ought to have weight to enforce +consideration, though not to establish a sentiment. Speaking of +the general laws of morality, Dr. Smith observes--"That by some +very extraordinary and unlucky circumstance, a good man may come to +be suspected of a crime of which he was altogether incapable, and +upon that account be most unjustly exposed for the remaining part +of his life to the horror and aversion of mankind. By an accident +of this kind he may be said to lose his all, notwithstanding his +integrity and justice, in the same manner as a cautious man, +notwithstanding his utmost circumspection, may be ruined by an +earthquake or an inundation. Accidents of the first kind, however, +are perhaps still more rare, and still more contrary to the common +course of things than those of the second; and it still remains +true, that the practice of truth, justice and humanity, is a +certain and almost infallible method of acquiring what those +virtues chiefly aim at, the confidence and love of those we live +with. A person may be easily misrepresented with regard to a +particular action; but it is scarcely possible that he should be so +with regard to the general tenor of his conduct. An innocent man +may be believed to have done wrong: this, however, will rarely +happen. On the contrary, the established opinion of the innocence +of his manners will often lead us to absolve him where he has +really been in the fault, notwithstanding very strong +presumptions." + +I perfectly coincide in opinion with this writer, for I verily +believe, that few of either sex were ever despised for certain +vices without deserving to be despised. I speak not of the calumny +of the moment, which hangs over a character, like one of the dense +fogs of November over this metropolis, till it gradually subsides +before the common light of day, I only contend, that the daily +conduct of the majority prevails to stamp their character with the +impression of truth. Quietly does the clear light, shining day +after day, refute the ignorant surmise, or malicious tale, which +has thrown dirt on a pure character. A false light distorted, for +a short time, its shadow--reputation; but it seldom fails to become +just when the cloud is dispersed that produced the mistake in +vision. + +Many people, undoubtedly in several respects, obtain a better +reputation than, strictly speaking, they deserve, for unremitting +industry will mostly reach its goal in all races. They who only +strive for this paltry prize, like the Pharisees, who prayed at the +corners of streets, to be seen of men, verily obtain the reward +they seek; for the heart of man cannot be read by man! Still the +fair fame that is naturally reflected by good actions, when the man +is only employed to direct his steps aright, regardless of the +lookers-on, is in general, not only more true but more sure. + +There are, it is true, trials when the good man must appeal to God +from the injustice of man; and amidst the whining candour or +hissing of envy, erect a pavilion in his own mind to retire to, +till the rumour be overpast; nay, the darts of undeserved censure +may pierce an innocent tender bosom through with many sorrows; but +these are all exceptions to general rules. And it is according to +these common laws that human behaviour ought to be regulated. The +eccentric orbit of the comet never influences astronomical +calculations respecting the invariable order established in the +motion of the principal bodies of the solar system. + +I will then venture to affirm, that after a man has arrived at +maturity, the general outline of his character in the world is +just, allowing for the before mentioned exceptions to the rule. I +do not say, that a prudent, worldly-wise man, with only negative +virtues and qualities, may not sometimes obtain a smoother +reputation than a wiser or a better man. So far from it, that I am +apt to conclude from experience, that where the virtue of two +people is nearly equal, the most negative character will be liked +best by the world at large, whilst the other may have more friends +in private life. But the hills and dales, clouds and sunshine, +conspicuous in the virtues of great men, set off each other; and +though they afford envious weakness a fairer mark to shoot at, the +real character will still work its way to light, though bespattered +by weak affection, or ingenious malice.* + +(*Footnote. I allude to various biographical writings, but +particularly to Boswell's Life of Johnson.) + +With respect to that anxiety to preserve a reputation hardly +earned, which leads sagacious people to analyze it, I shall not +make the obvious comment; but I am afraid that morality is very +insidiously undermined, in the female world, by the attention being +turned to the show instead of the substance. A simple thing is +thus made strangely complicated; nay, sometimes virtue and its +shadow are set at variance. We should never, perhaps, have heard +of Lucretia, had she died to preserve her chastity instead of her +reputation. If we really deserve our own good opinion, we shall +commonly be respected in the world; but if we pant after higher +improvement and higher attainments, it is not sufficient to view +ourselves as we suppose that we are viewed by others, though this +has been ingeniously argued as the foundation of our moral +sentiments. (Smith.) Because each bystander may have his own +prejudices, besides the prejudices of his age or country. We +should rather endeavour to view ourselves, as we suppose that Being +views us, who seeth each thought ripen into action, and whose +judgment never swerves from the eternal rule of right. Righteous +are all his judgments--just, as merciful! + +The humble mind that seeketh to find favour in His sight, and +calmly examines its conduct when only His presence is felt, will +seldom form a very erroneous opinion of its own virtues. During +the still hour of self-collection, the angry brow of offended +justice will be fearfully deprecated, or the tie which draws man to +the Deity will be recognized in the pure sentiment of reverential +adoration, that swells the heart without exciting any tumultuous +emotions. In these solemn moments man discovers the germ of those +vices, which like the Java tree shed a pestiferous vapour +around--death is in the shade! and he perceives them without +abhorrence, because he feels himself drawn by some cord of love to +all his fellow creatures, for whose follies he is anxious to find +every extenuation in their nature--in himself. If I, he may thus +argue, who exercise my own mind, and have been refined by +tribulation, find the serpent's egg in some fold of my heart, and +crush it with difficulty, shall not I pity those who are stamped +with less vigour, or who have heedlessly nurtured the insidious +reptile till it poisoned the vital stream it sucked? Can I, +conscious of my secret sins, throw off my fellow creatures, and +calmly see them drop into the chasm of perdition, that yawns to +receive them. No! no! The agonized heart will cry with +suffocating impatience--I too am a man! and have vices, hid, +perhaps, from human eye, that bend me to the dust before God, and +loudly tell me when all is mute, that we are formed of the same +earth, and breathe the same element. Humanity thus rises naturally +out of humility, and twists the cords of love that in various +convolutions entangle the heart. + +This sympathy extends still further, till a man well pleased +observes force in arguments that do not carry conviction to his own +bosom, and he gladly places in the fairest light to himself, the +shows of reason that have led others astray, rejoiced to find some +reason in all the errors of man; though before convinced that he +who rules the day makes his sun to shine on all. Yet, shaking +hands thus, as it were, with corruption, one foot on earth, the +other with bold strides mounts to heaven, and claims kindred with +superiour natures. Virtues, unobserved by men, drop their balmy +fragrance at this cool hour, and the thirsty land, refreshed by the +pure streams of comfort that suddenly gush out, is crowned with +smiling verdure; this is the living green on which that eye may +look with complacency that is too pure to behold iniquity! But my +spirits flag; and I must silently indulge the reverie these +reflections lead to, unable to describe the sentiments that have +calmed my soul, when watching the rising sun, a soft shower +drizzling through the leaves of neighbouring trees, seemed to fall +on my languid, yet tranquil spirits, to cool the heart that had +been heated by the passions which reason laboured to tame. + +The leading principles which run through all my disquisitions, +would render it unnecessary to enlarge on this subject, if a +constant attention to keep the varnish of the character fresh, and +in good condition, were not often inculcated as the sum total of +female duty; if rules to regulate the behaviour, and to preserve +the reputation, did not too frequently supersede moral obligations. +But, with respect to reputation, the attention is confined to a +single virtue--chastity. If the honour of a woman, as it is +absurdly called, is safe, she may neglect every social duty; nay, +ruin her family by gaming and extravagance; yet still present a +shameless front --for truly she is an honourable woman! + +Mrs. Macaulay has justly observed, that "there is but one fault +which a woman of honour may not commit with impunity." She then +justly and humanely adds--This has given rise to the trite and +foolish observation, that the first fault against chastity in woman +has a radical power to deprave the character. But no such frail +beings come out of the hands of nature. The human mind is built of +nobler materials than to be so easily corrupted; and with all their +disadvantages of situation and education, women seldom become +entirely abandoned till they are thrown into a state of +desperation, by the venomous rancour of their own sex." + +But, in proportion as this regard for the reputation of chastity is +prized by women, it is despised by men: and the two extremes are +equally destructive to morality. + +Men are certainly more under the influence of their appetites than +women; and their appetites are more depraved by unbridled +indulgence, and the fastidious contrivances of satiety. Luxury has +introduced a refinement in eating that destroys the constitution; +and, a degree of gluttony which is so beastly, that a perception of +seemliness of behaviour must be worn out before one being could eat +immoderately in the presence of another, and afterwards complain of +the oppression that his intemperance naturally produced. Some +women, particularly French women, have also lost a sense of decency +in this respect; for they will talk very calmly of an indigestion. +It were to be wished, that idleness was not allowed to generate, on +the rank soil of wealth, those swarms of summer insects that feed +on putrefaction; we should not then be disgusted by the sight of +such brutal excesses. + +There is one rule relative to behaviour that, I think, ought to +regulate every other; and it is simply to cherish such an habitual +respect for mankind, as may prevent us from disgusting a fellow +creature for the sake of a present indulgence. The shameful +indolence of many married women, and others a little advanced in +life, frequently leads them to sin against delicacy. For, though +convinced that the person is the band of union between the sexes, +yet, how often do they from sheer indolence, or to enjoy some +trifling indulgence, disgust? + +The depravity of the appetite, which brings the sexes together, has +had a still more fatal effect. Nature must ever be the standard of +taste, the guage of appetite--yet how grossly is nature insulted by +the voluptuary. Leaving the refinements of love out of the +question; nature, by making the gratification of an appetite, in +this respect, as well as every other, a natural and imperious law +to preserve the species, exalts the appetite, and mixes a little +mind and affection with a sensual gust. The feelings of a parent +mingling with an instinct merely animal, give it dignity; and the +man and woman often meeting on account of the child, a mutual +interest and affection is excited by the exercise of a common +sympathy. Women then having necessarily some duty to fulfil, more +noble than to adorn their persons, would not contentedly be the +slaves of casual appetite, which is now the situation of a very +considerable number who are, literally speaking, standing dishes to +which every glutton may have access. + +I may be told, that great as this enormity is, it only affects a +devoted part of the sex--devoted for the salvation of the rest. +But, false as every assertion might easily be proved, that +recommends the sanctioning a small evil to produce a greater good; +the mischief does not stop here, for the moral character, and peace +of mind, of the chaster part of the sex, is undermined by the +conduct of the very women to whom they allow no refuge from guilt: +whom they inexorably consign to the exercise of arts that lure +their husbands from them, debauch their sons and force them, let +not modest women start, to assume, in some degree, the same +character themselves. For I will venture to assert, that all the +causes of female weakness, as well as depravity, which I have +already enlarged on, branch out of one grand cause--want of +chastity in men. + +This intemperance, so prevalent, depraves the appetite to such a +degree, that a wanton stimulus is necessary to rouse it; but the +parental design of nature is forgotten, and the mere person, and +that, for a moment, alone engrosses the thoughts. So voluptuous, +indeed, often grows the lustful prowler, that he refines on female +softness. + +To satisfy this genius of men, women are made systematically +voluptuous, and though they may not all carry their libertinism to +the same height, yet this heartless intercourse with the sex, which +they allow themselves, depraves both sexes, because the taste of +men is vitiated; and women, of all classes, naturally square their +behaviour to gratify the taste by which they obtain pleasure and +power. Women becoming, consequently weaker, in mind and body, than +they ought to be, were one of the grand ends of their being taken +into the account, that of bearing and nursing children, have not +sufficient strength to discharge the first duty of a mother; and +sacrificing to lasciviousness the parental affection, that ennobles +instinct, either destroy the embryo in the womb, or cast it off +when born. Nature in every thing demands respect, and those who +violate her laws seldom violate them with impunity. The weak +enervated women who particularly catch the attention of libertines, +are unfit to be mothers, though they may conceive; so that the rich +sensualist, who has rioted among women, spreading depravity and +misery, when he wishes to perpetuate his name, receives from his +wife only an half-formed being that inherits both its father's and +mother's weakness. + +Contrasting the humanity of the present age with the barbarism of +antiquity, great stress has been laid on the savage custom of +exposing the children whom their parents could not maintain; whilst +the man of sensibility, who thus, perhaps, complains, by his +promiscuous amours produces a most destructive barrenness and +contagious flagitiousness of manners. Surely nature never intended +that women, by satisfying an appetite, should frustrate the very +purpose for which it was implanted? + +I have before observed, that men ought to maintain the women whom +they have seduced; this would be one means of reforming female +manners, and stopping an abuse that has an equally fatal effect on +population and morals. Another, no less obvious, would be to turn +the attention of woman to the real virtue of chastity; for to +little respect has that woman a claim, on the score of modesty, +though her reputation may be white as the driven snow, who smiles +on the libertine whilst she spurns the victims of his lawless +appetites and their own folly. + +Besides, she has a taint of the same folly, pure as she esteems +herself, when she studiously adorns her person only to be seen by +men, to excite respectful sighs, and all the idle homage of what is +called innocent gallantry. Did women really respect virtue for its +own sake, they would not seek for a compensation in vanity, for the +self-denial which they are obliged to practise to preserve their +reputation, nor would they associate with men who set reputation at +defiance. + +The two sexes mutually corrupt and improve each other. This I +believe to be an indisputable truth, extending it to every virtue. +Chastity, modesty, public spirit, and all the noble train of +virtues, on which social virtue and happiness are built, should be +understood and cultivated by all mankind, or they will be +cultivated to little effect. And, instead of furnishing the +vicious or idle with a pretext for violating some sacred duty, by +terming it a sexual one, it would be wiser to show, that nature has +not made any difference, for that the unchaste man doubly defeats +the purpose of nature by rendering women barren, and destroying his +own constitution, though he avoids the shame that pursues the crime +in the other sex. These are the physical consequences, the moral +are still more alarming; for virtue is only a nominal distinction +when the duties of citizens, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and +directors of families, become merely the selfish ties of +convenience. + +Why then do philosophers look for public spirit? Public spirit +must be nurtured by private virtue, or it will resemble the +factitious sentiment which makes women careful to preserve their +reputation, and men their honour. A sentiment that often exists +unsupported by virtue, unsupported by that sublime morality which +makes the habitual breach of one duty a breach of the whole moral +law. + + +CHAPTER 9. + +OF THE PERNICIOUS EFFECTS WHICH ARISE FROM THE UNNATURAL +DISTINCTIONS ESTABLISHED IN SOCIETY. + +>From the respect paid to property flow, as from a poisoned +fountain, most of the evils and vices which render this world such +a dreary scene to the contemplative mind. For it is in the most +polished society that noisome reptiles and venomous serpents lurk +under the rank herbage; and there is voluptuousness pampered by the +still sultry air, which relaxes every good disposition before it +ripens into virtue. + +One class presses on another; for all are aiming to procure respect +on account of their property: and property, once gained, will +procure the respect due only to talents and virtue. Men neglect +the duties incumbent on man, yet are treated like demi-gods; +religion is also separated from morality by a ceremonial veil, yet +men wonder that the world is almost, literally speaking, a den of +sharpers or oppressors. + +There is a homely proverb, which speaks a shrewd truth, that +whoever the devil finds idle he will employ. And what but habitual +idleness can hereditary wealth and titles produce? For man is so +constituted that he can only attain a proper use of his faculties +by exercising them, and will not exercise them unless necessity, of +some kind, first set the wheels in motion. Virtue likewise can +only be acquired by the discharge of relative duties; but the +importance of these sacred duties will scarcely be felt by the +being who is cajoled out of his humanity by the flattery of +sycophants. There must be more equality established in society, or +morality will never gain ground, and this virtuous equality will +not rest firmly even when founded on a rock, if one half of mankind +are chained to its bottom by fate, for they will be continually +undermining it through ignorance or pride. It is vain to expect +virtue from women till they are, in some degree, independent of +men; nay, it is vain to expect that strength of natural affection, +which would make them good wives and good mothers. Whilst they are +absolutely dependent on their husbands, they will be cunning, mean, +and selfish, and the men who can be gratified by the fawning +fondness, of spaniel-like affection, have not much delicacy, for +love is not to be bought, in any sense of the word, its silken +wings are instantly shrivelled up when any thing beside a return in +kind is sought. Yet whilst wealth enervates men; and women live, +as it were, by their personal charms, how, can we expect them to +discharge those ennobling duties which equally require exertion and +self-denial. Hereditary property sophisticates the mind, and the +unfortunate victims to it, if I may so express myself, swathed from +their birth, seldom exert the locomotive faculty of body or mind; +and, thus viewing every thing through one medium, and that a false +one, they are unable to discern in what true merit and happiness +consist. False, indeed, must be the light when the drapery of +situation hides the man, and makes him stalk in masquerade, +dragging from one scene of dissipation to another the nerveless +limbs that hang with stupid listlessness, and rolling round the +vacant eye which plainly tells us that there is no mind at home. + +I mean, therefore, to infer, that the society is not properly +organized which does not compel men and women to discharge their +respective duties, by making it the only way to acquire that +countenance from their fellow creatures, which every human being +wishes some way to attain. The respect, consequently, which is +paid to wealth and mere personal charms, is a true north-east +blast, that blights the tender blossoms of affection and virtue. +Nature has wisely attached affections to duties, to sweeten toil, +and to give that vigour to the exertions of reason which only the +heart can give. But, the affection which is put on merely because +it is the appropriated insignia of a certain character, when its +duties are not fulfilled is one of the empty compliments which vice +and folly are obliged to pay to virtue and the real nature of +things. + +To illustrate my opinion, I need only observe, that when a woman is +admired for her beauty, and suffers herself to be so far +intoxicated by the admiration she receives, as to neglect to +discharge the indispensable duty of a mother, she sins against +herself by neglecting to cultivate an affection that would equally +tend to make her useful and happy. True happiness, I mean all the +contentment, and virtuous satisfaction that can be snatched in this +imperfect state, must arise from well regulated affections; and an +affection includes a duty. Men are not aware of the misery they +cause, and the vicious weakness they cherish, by only inciting +women to render themselves pleasing; they do not consider, that +they thus make natural and artificial duties clash, by sacrificing +the comfort and respectability of a woman's life to voluptuous +notions of beauty, when in nature they all harmonize. + +Cold would be the heart of a husband, were he not rendered +unnatural by early debauchery, who did not feel more delight at +seeing his child suckled by its mother, than the most artful wanton +tricks could ever raise; yet this natural way of cementing the +matrimonial tie, and twisting esteem with fonder recollections, +wealth leads women to spurn. To preserve their beauty, and wear +the flowery crown of the day, that gives them a kind of right to +reign for a short time over the sex, they neglect to stamp +impressions on their husbands' hearts, that would be remembered +with more tenderness when the snow on the head began to chill the +bosom, than even their virgin charms. The maternal solicitude of a +reasonable affectionate woman is very interesting, and the +chastened dignity with which a mother returns the caresses that she +and her child receive from a father who has been fulfilling the +serious duties of his station, is not only a respectable, but a +beautiful sight. So singular, indeed, are my feelings, and I have +endeavoured not to catch factitious ones, that after having been +fatigued with the sight of insipid grandeur and the slavish +ceremonies that with cumberous pomp supplied the place of domestic +affections, I have turned to some other scene to relieve my eye, by +resting it on the refreshing green every where scattered by nature. +I have then viewed with pleasure a woman nursing her children, and +discharging the duties of her station with, perhaps, merely a +servant made to take off her hands the servile part of the +household business. I have seen her prepare herself and children, +with only the luxury of cleanliness, to receive her husband, who +returning weary home in the evening, found smiling babes and a +clean hearth. My heart has loitered in the midst of the group, and +has even throbbed with sympathetic emotion, when the scraping of +the well known foot has raised a pleasing tumult. + +Whilst my benevolence has been gratified by contemplating this +artless picture, I have thought that a couple of this description, +equally necessary and independent of each other, because each +fulfilled the respective duties of their station, possessed all +that life could give. Raised sufficiently above abject poverty not +to be obliged to weigh the consequence of every farthing they +spend, and having sufficient to prevent their attending to a frigid +system of economy which narrows both heart and mind. I declare, so +vulgar are my conceptions, that I know not what is wanted to render +this the happiest as well as the most respectable situation in the +world, but a taste for literature, to throw a little variety and +interest into social converse, and some superfluous money to give +to the needy, and to buy books. For it is not pleasant when the +heart is opened by compassion, and the head active in arranging +plans of usefulness, to have a prim urchin continually twitching +back the elbow to prevent the hand from drawing out an almost empty +purse, whispering at the same time some prudential maxim about the +priority of justice. + +Destructive, however, as riches and inherited honours are to the +human character, women are more debased and cramped, if possible by +them, than men, because men may still, in some degree, unfold their +faculties by becoming soldiers and statesmen. + +As soldiers, I grant, they can now only gather, for the most part, +vainglorious laurels, whilst they adjust to a hair the European +balance, taking especial care that no bleak northern nook or sound +incline the beam. But the days of true heroism are over, when a +citizen fought for his country like a Fabricius or a Washington, +and then returned to his farm to let his virtuous fervour run in a +more placid, but not a less salutary stream. No, our British +heroes are oftener sent from the gaming table than from the plough; +and their passions have been rather inflamed by hanging with dumb +suspense on the turn of a die, than sublimated by panting after the +adventurous march of virtue in the historic page. + +The statesman, it is true, might with more propriety quit the Faro +Bank, or card-table, to guide the helm, for he has still but to +shuffle and trick. The whole system of British politics, if system +it may courteously be called, consisting in multiplying dependents +and contriving taxes which grind the poor to pamper the rich; thus +a war, or any wild goose chace is, as the vulgar use the phrase, a +lucky turn-up of patronage for the minister, whose chief merit is +the art of keeping himself in place. + +It is not necessary then that he should have bowels for the poor, +so he can secure for his family the odd trick. Or should some show +of respect, for what is termed with ignorant ostentation an +Englishman's birth-right, be expedient to bubble the gruff mastiff +that he has to lead by the nose, he can make an empty show, very +safely, by giving his single voice, and suffering his light +squadron to file off to the other side. And when a question of +humanity is agitated, he may dip a sop in the milk of human +kindness, to silence Cerberus, and talk of the interest which his +heart takes in an attempt to make the earth no longer cry for +vengeance as it sucks in its children's blood, though his cold hand +may at the very moment rivet their chains, by sanctioning the +abominable traffick. A minister is no longer a minister than while +he can carry a point, which he is determined to carry. Yet it is +not necessary that a minister should feel like a man, when a bold +push might shake his seat. + +But, to have done with these episodical observations, let me return +to the more specious slavery which chains the very soul of woman, +keeping her for ever under the bondage of ignorance. + +The preposterous distinctions of rank, which render civilization a +curse, by dividing the world between voluptuous tyrants, and +cunning envious dependents, corrupt, almost equally, every class of +people, because respectability is not attached to the discharge of +the relative duties of life, but to the station, and when the +duties are not fulfilled, the affections cannot gain sufficient +strength to fortify the virtue of which they are the natural +reward. Still there are some loop-holes out of which a man may +creep, and dare to think and act for himself; but for a woman it is +an herculean task, because she has difficulties peculiar to her sex +to overcome, which require almost super-human powers. + +A truly benevolent legislator always endeavours to make it the +interest of each individual to be virtuous; and thus private virtue +becoming the cement of public happiness, an orderly whole is +consolidated by the tendency of all the parts towards a common +centre. But, the private or public virtue of women is very +problematical; for Rousseau, and a numerous list of male writers, +insist that she should all her life, be subjected to a severe +restraint, that of propriety. Why subject her to propriety--blind +propriety, if she be capable of acting from a nobler spring, if she +be an heir of immortality? Is sugar always to be produced by vital +blood? Is one half of the human species, like the poor African +slaves, to be subject to prejudices that brutalize them, when +principles would be a surer guard only to sweeten the cup of man? +Is not this indirectly to deny women reason? for a gift is a +mockery, if it be unfit for use. + +Women are in common with men, rendered weak and luxurious by the +relaxing pleasures which wealth procures; but added to this, they +are made slaves to their persons, and must render them alluring, +that man may lend them his reason to guide their tottering steps +aright. Or should they be ambitious, they must govern their +tyrants by sinister tricks, for without rights there cannot be any +incumbent duties. The laws respecting woman, which I mean to +discuss in a future part, make an absurd unit of a man and his +wife; and then, by the easy transition of only considering him as +responsible, she is reduced to a mere cypher. + +The being who discharges the duties of its station, is independent; +and, speaking of women at large, their first duty is to themselves +as rational creatures, and the next, in point of importance, as +citizens, is that, which includes so many, of a mother. The rank +in life which dispenses with their fulfilling this duty, +necessarily degrades them by making them mere dolls. Or, should +they turn to something more important than merely fitting drapery +upon a smooth block, their minds are only occupied by some soft +platonic attachment; or, the actual management of an intrigue may +keep their thoughts in motion; for when they neglect domestic +duties, they have it not in their power to take the field and march +and counter-march like soldiers, or wrangle in the senate to keep +their faculties from rusting. + +I know, that as a proof of the inferiority of the sex, Rousseau has +exultingly exclaimed, How can they leave the nursery for the camp! +And the camp has by some moralists been termed the school of the +most heroic virtues; though, I think, it would puzzle a keen +casuist to prove the reasonableness of the greater number of wars, +that have dubbed heroes. I do not mean to consider this question +critically; because, having frequently viewed these freaks of +ambition as the first natural mode of civilization, when the ground +must be torn up, and the woods cleared by fire and sword, I do not +choose to call them pests; but surely the present system of war, +has little connection with virtue of any denomination, being rather +the school of FINESSE and effeminacy, than of fortitude. + +Yet, if defensive war, the only justifiable war, in the present +advanced state of society, where virtue can show its face and ripen +amidst the rigours which purify the air on the mountain's top, were +alone to be adopted as just and glorious, the true heroism of +antiquity might again animate female bosoms. But fair and softly, +gentle reader, male or female, do not alarm thyself, for though I +have contrasted the character of a modern soldier with that of a +civilized woman, I am not going to advise them to turn their +distaff into a musket, though I sincerely wish to see the bayonet +converted into a pruning hook. I only recreated an imagination, +fatigued by contemplating the vices and follies which all proceed +from a feculent stream of wealth that has muddied the pure rills of +natural affection, by supposing that society will some time or +other be so constituted, that man must necessarily fulfil the +duties of a citizen, or be despised, and that while he was employed +in any of the departments of civil life, his wife, also an active +citizen, should be equally intent to manage her family, educate her +children, and assist her neighbours. + +But, to render her really virtuous and useful, she must not, if she +discharge her civil duties, want, individually, the protection of +civil laws; she must not be dependent on her husband's bounty for +her subsistence during his life, or support after his death--for +how can a being be generous who has nothing of its own? or, +virtuous, who is not free? The wife, in the present state of +things, who is faithful to her husband, and neither suckles nor +educates her children, scarcely deserves the name of a wife, and +has no right to that of a citizen. But take away natural rights, +and there is of course an end of duties. + +Women thus infallibly become only the wanton solace of men, when +they are so weak in mind and body, that they cannot exert +themselves, unless to pursue some frothy pleasure, or to invent +some frivolous fashion. What can be a more melancholy sight to a +thinking mind, than to look into the numerous carriages that drive +helter-skelter about this metropolis in a morning, full of +pale-faced creatures who are flying from themselves. I have often +wished, with Dr. Johnson, to place some of them in a little shop, +with half a dozen children looking up to their languid countenances +for support. I am much mistaken, if some latent vigour would not +soon give health and spirit to their eyes, and some lines drawn by +the exercise of reason on the blank cheeks, which before were only +undulated by dimples, might restore lost dignity to the character, +or rather enable it to attain the true dignity of its nature. +Virtue is not to be acquired even by speculation, much less by the +negative supineness that wealth naturally generates. + +Besides, when poverty is more disgraceful than even vice, is not +morality cut to the quick? Still to avoid misconstruction, though +I consider that women in the common walks of life are called to +fulfil the duties of wives and mothers, by religion and reason, I +cannot help lamenting that women of a superiour cast have not a +road open by which they can pursue more extensive plans of +usefulness and independence. I may excite laughter, by dropping an +hint, which I mean to pursue, some future time, for I really think +that women ought to have representatives, instead of being +arbitrarily governed without having any direct share allowed them +in the deliberations of government. + +But, as the whole system of representation is now, in this country, +only a convenient handle for despotism, they need not complain, for +they are as well represented as a numerous class of hard working +mechanics, who pay for the support of royality when they can +scarcely stop their children's mouths with bread. How are they +represented, whose very sweat supports the splendid stud of an heir +apparent, or varnishes the chariot of some female favourite who +looks down on shame? Taxes on the very necessaries of life, enable +an endless tribe of idle princes and princesses to pass with stupid +pomp before a gaping crowd, who almost worship the very parade +which costs them so dear. This is mere gothic grandeur, something +like the barbarous, useless parade of having sentinels on horseback +at Whitehall, which I could never view without a mixture of +contempt and indignation. + +How strangely must the mind be sophisticated when this sort of +state impresses it! But till these monuments of folly are levelled +by virtue, similar follies will leaven the whole mass. For the +same character, in some degree, will prevail in the aggregate of +society: and the refinements of luxury, or the vicious repinings +of envious poverty, will equally banish virtue from society, +considered as the characteristic of that society, or only allow it +to appear as one of the stripes of the harlequin coat, worn by the +civilized man. + +In the superiour ranks of life, every duty is done by deputies, as +if duties could ever be waved, and the vain pleasures which +consequent idleness forces the rich to pursue, appear so enticing +to the next rank, that the numerous scramblers for wealth sacrifice +every thing to tread on their heels. The most sacred trusts are +then considered as sinecures, because they were procured by +interest, and only sought to enable a man to keep GOOD COMPANY. +Women, in particular, all want to be ladies. Which is simply to +have nothing to do, but listlessly to go they scarcely care where, +for they cannot tell what. + +But what have women to do in society? I may be asked, but to +loiter with easy grace; surely you would not condemn them all to +suckle fools, and chronicle small beer! No. Women might certainly +study the art of healing, and be physicians as well as nurses. And +midwifery, decency seems to allot to them, though I am afraid the +word midwife, in our dictionaries, will soon give place to +accoucheur, and one proof of the former delicacy of the sex be +effaced from the language. + +They might, also study politics, and settle their benevolence on +the broadest basis; for the reading of history will scarcely be +more useful than the perusal of romances, if read as mere +biography; if the character of the times, the political +improvements, arts, etc. be not observed. In short, if it be not +considered as the history of man; and not of particular men, who +filled a niche in the temple of fame, and dropped into the black +rolling stream of time, that silently sweeps all before it, into +the shapeless void called eternity. For shape can it be called, +"that shape hath none?" + +Business of various kinds, they might likewise pursue, if they were +educated in a more orderly manner, which might save many from +common and legal prostitution. Women would not then marry for a +support, as men accept of places under government, and neglect the +implied duties; nor would an attempt to earn their own subsistence, +a most laudable one! sink them almost to the level of those poor +abandoned creatures who live by prostitution. For are not +milliners and mantuamakers reckoned the next class? The few +employments open to women, so far from being liberal, are menial; +and when a superior education enables them to take charge of the +education of children as governesses, they are not treated like the +tutors of sons, though even clerical tutors are not always treated +in a manner calculated to render them respectable in the eyes of +their pupils, to say nothing of the private comfort of the +individual. But as women educated like gentlewomen, are never +designed for the humiliating situation which necessity sometimes +forces them to fill; these situations are considered in the light +of a degradation; and they know little of the human heart, who need +to be told, that nothing so painfully sharpens the sensibility as +such a fall in life. + +Some of these women might be restrained from marrying by a proper +spirit or delicacy, and others may not have had it in their power +to escape in this pitiful way from servitude; is not that +government then very defective, and very unmindful of the happiness +of one half of its members, that does not provide for honest, +independent women, by encouraging them to fill respectable +stations? But in order to render their private virtue a public +benefit, they must have a civil existence in the state, married or +single; else we shall continually see some worthy woman, whose +sensibility has been rendered painfully acute by undeserved +contempt, droop like "the lily broken down by a plough share." + +It is a melancholy truth; yet such is the blessed effects of +civilization! the most respectable women are the most oppressed; +and, unless they have understandings far superiour to the common +run of understandings, taking in both sexes, they must, from being +treated like contemptible beings, become contemptible. How many +women thus waste life away, the prey of discontent, who might have +practised as physicians, regulated a farm, managed a shop, and +stood erect, supported by their own industry, instead of hanging +their heads surcharged with the dew of sensibility, that consumes +the beauty to which it at first gave lustre; nay, I doubt whether +pity and love are so near a-kin as poets feign, for I have seldom +seen much compassion excited by the helplessness of females, unless +they were fair; then, perhaps, pity was the soft handmaid of love, +or the harbinger of lust. + +How much more respectable is the woman who earns her own bread by +fulfilling any duty, than the most accomplished beauty! beauty did +I say? so sensible am I of the beauty of moral loveliness, or the +harmonious propriety that attunes the passions of a well-regulated +mind, that I blush at making the comparison; yet I sigh to think +how few women aim at attaining this respectability, by withdrawing +from the giddy whirl of pleasure, or the indolent calm that +stupifies the good sort of women it sucks in. + +Proud of their weakness, however, they must always be protected, +guarded from care, and all the rough toils that dignify the mind. +If this be the fiat of fate, if they will make themselves +insignificant and contemptible, sweetly to waste "life away," let +them not expect to be valued when their beauty fades, for it is the +fate of the fairest flowers to be admired and pulled to pieces by +the careless hand that plucked them. In how many ways do I wish, +from the purest benevolence, to impress this truth on my sex; yet I +fear that they will not listen to a truth, that dear-bought +experience has brought home to many an agitated bosom, nor +willingly resign the privileges of rank and sex for the privileges +of humanity, to which those have no claim who do not discharge its +duties. + +Those writers are particularly useful, in my opinion, who make man +feel for man, independent of the station he fills, or the drapery +of factitious sentiments. I then would fain convince reasonable +men of the importance of some of my remarks and prevail on them to +weigh dispassionately the whole tenor of my observations. I appeal +to their understandings; and, as a fellow-creature claim, in the +name of my sex, some interest in their hearts. I entreat them to +assist to emancipate their companion to make her a help meet for +them! + +Would men but generously snap our chains, and be content with +rational fellowship, instead of slavish obedience, they would find +us more observant daughters, more affectionate sisters, more +faithful wives, more reasonable mothers--in a word, better +citizens. We should then love them with true affection, because we +should learn to respect ourselves; and the peace of mind of a +worthy man would not be interrupted by the idle vanity of his wife, +nor his babes sent to nestle in a strange bosom, having never found +a home in their mother's. + + +CHAPTER 10. + +PARENTAL AFFECTION. + +Parental affection is, perhaps, the blindest modification of +perverse self-love; for we have not, like the French two terms +(L'amour propre, L'amour de soi meme) to distinguish the pursuit of +a natural and reasonable desire, from the ignorant calculations of +weakness. Parents often love their children in the most brutal +manner, and sacrifice every relative duty to promote their +advancement in the world. To promote, such is the perversity of +unprincipled prejudices, the future welfare of the very beings +whose present existence they imbitter by the most despotic stretch +of power. Power, in fact, is ever true to its vital principle, for +in every shape it would reign without controul or inquiry. Its +throne is built across a dark abyss, which no eye must dare to +explore, lest the baseless fabric should totter under +investigation. Obedience, unconditional obedience, is the +catch-word of tyrants of every description, and to render +"assurance doubly sure," one kind of despotism supports another. +Tyrants would have cause to tremble if reason were to become the +rule of duty in any of the relations of life, for the light might +spread till perfect day appeared. And when it did appear, how +would men smile at the sight of the bugbears at which they started +during the night of ignorance, or the twilight of timid inquiry. + +Parental affection, indeed, in many minds, is but a pretext to +tyrannize where it can be done with impunity, for only good and +wise men are content with the respect that will bear discussion. +Convinced that they have a right to what they insist on, they do +not fear reason, or dread the sifting of subjects that recur to +natural justice: because they firmly believe, that the more +enlightened the human mind becomes, the deeper root will just and +simple principles take. They do not rest in expedients, or grant +that what is metaphysically true can be practically false; but +disdaining the shifts of the moment they calmly wait till time, +sanctioning innovation, silences the hiss of selfishness or envy. + +If the power of reflecting on the past, and darting the keen eye of +contemplation into futurity, be the grand privilege of man, it must +be granted that some people enjoy this prerogative in a very +limited degree. Every thing now appears to them wrong; and not +able to distinguish the possible from the monstrous, they fear +where no fear should find a place, running from the light of reason +as if it were a firebrand; yet the limits of the possible have +never been defined to stop the sturdy innovator's hand. + +Woman, however, a slave in every situation to prejudice seldom +exerts enlightened maternal affection; for she either neglects her +children, or spoils them by improper indulgence. Besides, the +affection of some women for their children is, as I have before +termed it, frequently very brutish; for it eradicates every spark +of humanity. Justice, truth, every thing is sacrificed by these +Rebekahs, and for the sake of their own children they violate the +most sacred duties, forgetting the common relationship that binds +the whole family on earth together. Yet, reason seems to say, that +they who suffer one duty, or affection to swallow up the rest, have +not sufficient heart or mind to fulfil that one conscientiously. +It then loses the venerable aspect of a duty, and assumes the +fantastic form of a whim. + +As the care of children in their infancy is one of the grand duties +annexed to the female character by nature, this duty would afford +many forcible arguments for strengthening the female understanding, +if it were properly considered. + +The formation of the mind must be begun very early, and the temper, +in particular, requires the most judicious attention--an attention +which women cannot pay who only love their children because they +are their children, and seek no further for the foundation of their +duty, than in the feelings of the moment. It is this want of +reason in their affections which makes women so often run into +extremes, and either be the most fond, or most careless and +unnatural mothers. + +To be a good mother--a woman must have sense, and that independence +of mind which few women possess who are taught to depend entirely +on their husbands. Meek wives are, in general, foolish mothers; +wanting their children to love them best, and take their part, in +secret, against the father, who is held up as a scarecrow. If they +are to be punished, though they have offended the mother, the +father must inflict the punishment; he must be the judge in all +disputes: but I shall more fully discuss this subject when I treat +of private education, I now only mean to insist, that unless the +understanding of woman be enlarged, and her character rendered more +firm, by being allowed to govern her own conduct, she will never +have sufficient sense or command of temper to manage her children +properly. Her parental affection, indeed, scarcely deserves the +name, when it does not lead her to suckle her children, because the +discharge of this duty is equally calculated to inspire maternal +and filial affection; and it is the indispensable duty of men and +women to fulfil the duties which give birth to affections that are +the surest preservatives against vice. Natural affection, as it is +termed, I believe to be a very weak tie, affections must grow out +of the habitual exercise of a mutual sympathy; and what sympathy +does a mother exercise who sends her babe to a nurse, and only +takes it from a nurse to send it to a school? + +In the exercise of their natural feelings, providence has furnished +women with a natural substitute for love, when the lover becomes +only a friend and mutual confidence takes place of overstrained +admiration--a child then gently twists the relaxing cord, and a +mutual care produces a new mutual sympathy. But a child, though a +pledge of affection, will not enliven it, if both father and mother +are content to transfer the charge to hirelings; for they who do +their duty by proxy should not murmur if they miss the reward of +duty--parental affection produces filial duty. + + +CHAPTER 11. + +DUTY TO PARENTS. + +There seems to be an indolent propensity in man to make +prescription always take place of reason, and to place every duty +on an arbitrary foundation. The rights of kings are deduced in a +direct line from the King of kings; and that of parents from our +first parent. + +Why do we thus go back for principles that should always rest on +the same base, and have the same weight to-day that they had a +thousand years ago--and not a jot more? If parents discharge their +duty they have a strong hold and sacred claim on the gratitude of +their children; but few parents are willing to receive the +respectful affection of their offspring on such terms. They demand +blind obedience, because they do not merit a reasonable service: +and to render these demands of weakness and ignorance more binding, +a mysterious sanctity is spread round the most arbitrary principle; +for what other name can be given to the blind duty of obeying +vicious or weak beings, merely because they obeyed a powerful +instinct? The simple definition of the reciprocal duty, which +naturally subsists between parent and child, may be given in a few +words: The parent who pays proper attention to helpless infancy +has a right to require the same attention when the feebleness of +age comes upon him. But to subjugate a rational being to the mere +will of another, after he is of age to answer to society for his +own conduct, is a most cruel and undue stretch of power; and +perhaps as injurious to morality, as those religious systems which +do not allow right and wrong to have any existence, but in the +Divine will. + +I never knew a parent who had paid more than common attention to +his children, disregarded (Dr. Johnson makes the same +observation.); on the contrary, the early habit of relying almost +implicitly on the opinion of a respected parent is not easily +shaken, even when matured reason convinces the child that his +father is not the wisest man in the world. This weakness, for a +weakness it is, though the epithet AMIABLE may be tacked to it, a +reasonable man must steel himself against; for the absurd duty, too +often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being +a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it for a slavish +submission to any power but reason. + +I distinguish between the natural and accidental duty due to +parents. + +The parent who sedulously endeavours to form the heart and enlarge +the understanding of his child, has given that dignity to the +discharge of a duty, common to the whole animal world, that only +reason can give. This is the parental affection of humanity, and +leaves instinctive natural affection far behind. Such a parent +acquires all the rights of the most sacred friendship, and his +advice, even when his child is advanced in life, demands serious +consideration. + +With respect to marriage, though after one and twenty a parent +seems to have no right to withhold his consent on any account; yet +twenty years of solicitude call for a return, and the son ought, at +least, to promise not to marry for two or three years, should the +object of his choice not entirely meet with the approbation of his +first friend. + +But, respect for parents is, generally speaking, a much more +debasing principle; it is only a selfish respect for property. The +father who is blindly obeyed, is obeyed from sheer weakness, or +from motives that degrade the human character. + +A great proportion of the misery that wanders, in hideous forms +around the world, is allowed to rise from the negligence of +parents; and still these are the people who are most tenacious of +what they term a natural right, though it be subversive of the +birth right of man, the right of acting according to the direction +of his own reason. + +I have already very frequently had occasion to observe, that +vicious or indolent people are always eager to profit by enforcing +arbitrary privileges; and generally in the same proportion as they +neglect the discharge of the duties which alone render the +privileges reasonable. This is at the bottom, a dictate of common +sense, or the instinct of self-defence, peculiar to ignorant +weakness; resembling that instinct, which makes a fish muddy the +water it swims in to elude its enemy, instead of boldly facing it +in the clear stream. + +>From the clear stream of argument, indeed, the supporters of +prescription, of every denomination, fly: and taking refuge in the +darkness, which, in the language of sublime poetry, has been +supposed to surround the throne of Omnipotence, they dare to demand +that implicit respect which is only due to His unsearchable ways. +But, let me not be thought presumptuous, the darkness which hides +our God from us, only respects speculative truths-- it never +obscures moral ones, they shine clearly, for God is light, and +never, by the constitution of our nature, requires the discharge of +a duty, the reasonableness of which does not beam on us when we +open our eyes. + +The indolent parent of high rank may, it is true, extort a show of +respect from his child, and females on the continent are +particularly subject to the views of their families, who never +think of consulting their inclination, or providing for the comfort +of the poor victims of their pride. The consequence is notorious; +these dutiful daughters become adulteresses, and neglect the +education of their children, from whom they, in their turn, exact +the same kind of obedience. + +Females, it is true, in all countries, are too much under the +dominion of their parents; and few parents think of addressing +their children in the following manner, though it is in this +reasonable way that Heaven seems to command the whole human race. +It is your interest to obey me till you can judge for yourself; and +the Almighty Father of all has implanted an affection in me to +serve as a guard to you whilst your reason is unfolding; but when +your mind arrives at maturity, you must only obey me, or rather +respect my opinions, so far as they coincide with the light that is +breaking in on your own mind. + +A slavish bondage to parents cramps every faculty of the mind; and +Mr. Locke very judiciously observes, that "if the mind be curbed +and humbled too much in children; if their spirits be abased and +broken much by too strict an hand over them; they lose all their +vigour and industry." This strict hand may, in some degree, +account for the weakness of women; for girls, from various causes, +are more kept down by their parents, in every sense of the word, +than boys. The duty expected from them is, like all the duties +arbitrarily imposed on women, more from a sense of propriety, more +out of respect for decorum, than reason; and thus taught slavishly +to submit to their parents, they are prepared for the slavery of +marriage. I may be told that a number of women are not slaves in +the marriage state. True, but they then become tyrants; for it is +not rational freedom, but a lawless kind of power, resembling the +authority exercised by the favourites of absolute monarchs, which +they obtain by debasing means. I do not, likewise, dream of +insinuating that either boys or girls are always slaves, I only +insist, that when they are obliged to submit to authority blindly, +their faculties are weakened, and their tempers rendered imperious +or abject. I also lament, that parents, indolently availing +themselves of a supposed privilege, damp the first faint glimmering +of reason rendering at the same time the duty, which they are so +anxious to enforce, an empty name; because they will not let it +rest on the only basis on which a duty can rest securely: for, +unless it be founded on knowledge, it cannot gain sufficient +strength to resist the squalls of passion, or the silent sapping of +self-love. But it is not the parents who have given the surest +proof of their affection for their children, (or, to speak more +properly, who by fulfilling their duty, have allowed a natural +parental affection to take root in their hearts, the child of +exercised sympathy and reason, and not the over-weening offspring +of selfish pride,) who most vehemently insist on their children +submitting to their will, merely because it is their will. On the +contrary, the parent who sets a good example, patiently lets that +example work; and it seldom fails to produce its natural +effect--filial respect. + +Children cannot be taught too early to submit to reason, the true +definition of that necessity, which Rousseau insisted on, without +defining it; for to submit to reason, is to submit to the nature of +things, and to that God who formed them so, to promote our real +interest. + +Why should the minds of children be warped as they just begin to +expand, only to favour the indolence of parents, who insist on a +privilege without being willing to pay the price fixed by nature? +I have before had occasion to observe, that a right always includes +a duty, and I think it may, likewise fairly be inferred, that they +forfeit the right, who do not fulfil the duty. + +It is easier, I grant, to command than reason; but it does not +follow from hence, that children cannot comprehend the reason why +they are made to do certain things habitually; for, from a steady +adherence to a few simple principles of conduct flows that salutary +power, which a judicious parent gradually gains over a child's +mind. And this power becomes strong indeed, if tempered by an even +display of affection brought home to the child's heart. For, I +believe, as a general rule, it must be allowed, that the affection +which we inspire always resembles that we cultivate; so that +natural affections, which have been supposed almost distinct from +reason, may be found more nearly connected with judgment than is +commonly allowed. Nay, as another proof of the necessity of +cultivating the female understanding, it is but just to observe, +that the affections seem to have a kind of animal capriciousness +when they merely reside in the heart. + +It is the irregular exercise of parental authority that first +injures the mind, and to these irregularities girls are more +subject than boys. The will of those who never allow their will to +be disputed, unless they happen to be in a good humour, when they +relax proportionally, is almost always unreasonable. To elude this +arbitrary authority, girls very early learn the lessons which they +afterwards practise on their husbands; for I have frequently seen a +little sharp-faced miss rule a whole family, excepting that now and +then mamma's anger will burst out of some accidental cloud-- either +her hair was ill-dressed,* or she had lost more money at cards, the +night before, than she was willing to own to her husband; or some +such moral cause of anger. + +(*Footnote. I myself heard a little girl once say to a servant, +"My mamma has been scolding me finely this morning, because her +hair was not dressed to please her." Though this remark was pert, +it was just. And what respect could a girl acquire for such a +parent, without doing violence to reason?) + +After observing sallies of this kind, I have been led into a +melancholy train of reflection respecting females, concluding that +when their first affection must lead them astray, or make their +duties clash till they rest on mere whims and customs, little can +be expected from them as they advance in life. How, indeed, can an +instructor remedy this evil? for to teach them virtue on any solid +principle is to teach them to despise their parents. Children +cannot, ought not to be taught to make allowance for the faults of +their parents, because every such allowance weakens the force of +reason in their minds, and makes them still more indulgent to their +own. It is one of the most sublime virtues of maturity that leads +us to be severe with respect to ourselves, and forbearing to +others; but children should only be taught the simple virtues, for +if they begin too early to make allowance for human passions and +manners, they wear off the fine edge of the criterion by which they +should regulate their own, and become unjust in the same proportion +as they grow indulgent. + +The affections of children, and weak people, are always selfish; +they love others, because others love them, and not on account of +their virtues. Yet, till esteem and love are blended together in +the first affection, and reason made the foundation of the first +duty, morality will stumble at the threshold. But, till society is +very differently constituted, parents, I fear, will still insist on +being obeyed, because they will be obeyed, and constantly endeavour +to settle that power on a Divine right, which will not bear the +investigation of reason. + + +CHAPTER 12. + +ON NATIONAL EDUCATION. + +The good effects resulting from attention to private education will +ever be very confined, and the parent who really puts his own hand +to the plow, will always, in some degree be disappointed, till +education becomes a grand national concern. A man cannot retire +into a desert with his child, and if he did, he could not bring +himself back to childhood, and become the proper friend and +play-fellow of an infant or youth. And when children are confined +to the society of men and women, they very soon acquire that kind +of premature manhood which stops the growth of every vigorous power +of mind or body. In order to open their faculties they should be +excited to think for themselves; and this can only be done by +mixing a number of children together, and making them jointly +pursue the same objects. + +A child very soon contracts a benumbing indolence of mind, which he +has seldom sufficient vigour to shake off, when he only asks a +question instead of seeking for information, and then relies +implicitly on the answer he receives. With his equals in age this +could never be the case, and the subjects of inquiry, though they +might be influenced, would not be entirely under the direction of +men, who frequently damp, if not destroy abilities, by bringing +them forward too hastily: and too hastily they will infallibly be +brought forward, if the child could be confined to the society of a +man, however sagacious that man may be. + +Besides, in youth the seeds of every affection should be sown, and +the respectful regard, which is felt for a parent, is very +different from the social affections that are to constitute the +happiness of life as it advances. Of these, equality is the basis, +and an intercourse of sentiments unclogged by that observant +seriousness which prevents disputation, though it may not inforce +submission. Let a child have ever such an affection for his +parent, he will always languish to play and chat with children; and +the very respect he entertains, for filial esteem always has a dash +of fear mixed with it, will, if it do not teach him cunning, at +least prevent him from pouring out the little secrets which first +open the heart to friendship and confidence, gradually leading to +more expansive benevolence. Added to this, he will never acquire +that frank ingenuousness of behaviour, which young people can only +attain by being frequently in society, where they dare to speak +what they think; neither afraid of being reproved for their +presumption, nor laughed at for their folly. + +Forcibly impressed by the reflections which the sight of schools, +as they are at present conducted, naturally suggested, I have +formerly delivered my opinion rather warmly in favour of a private +education; but further experience has led me to view the subject in +a different light. I still, however, think schools, as they are +now regulated, the hot-beds of vice and folly, and the knowledge of +human nature, supposed to be attained there, merely cunning +selfishness. + +At school, boys become gluttons and slovens, and, instead of +cultivating domestic affections, very early rush into the +libertinism which destroys the constitution before it is formed; +hardening the heart as it weakens the understanding. + +I should, in fact, be averse to boarding-schools, if it were for no +other reason than the unsettled state of mind which the expectation +of the vacations produce. On these the children's thoughts are +fixed with eager anticipating hopes, for, at least, to speak with +moderation, half of the time, and when they arrive they are spent +in total dissipation and beastly indulgence. + +But, on the contrary, when they are brought up at home, though they +may pursue a plan of study in a more orderly manner than can be +adopted, when near a fourth part of the year is actually spent in +idleness, and as much more in regret and anticipation; yet they +there acquire too high an opinion of their own importance, from +being allowed to tyrannize over servants, and from the anxiety +expressed by most mothers, on the score of manners, who, eager to +teach the accomplishments of a gentleman, stifle, in their birth, +the virtues of a man. Thus brought into company when they ought to +be seriously employed, and treated like men when they are still +boys, they become vain and effeminate. + +The only way to avoid two extremes equally injurious to morality, +would be to contrive some way of combining a public and private +education. Thus to make men citizens, two natural steps might be +taken, which seem directly to lead to the desired point; for the +domestic affections, that first open the heart to the various +modifications of humanity would be cultivated, whilst the children +were nevertheless allowed to spend great part of their time, on +terms of equality, with other children. + +I still recollect, with pleasure, the country day school; where a +boy trudged in the morning, wet or dry, carrying his books, and his +dinner, if it were at a considerable distance; a servant did not +then lead master by the hand, for, when he had once put on coat and +breeches, he was allowed to shift for himself, and return alone in +the evening to recount the feats of the day close at the parental +knee. His father's house was his home, and was ever after fondly +remembered; nay, I appeal to some superior men who were educated in +this manner, whether the recollection of some shady lane where they +conned their lesson; or, of some stile, where they sat making a +kite, or mending a bat, has not endeared their country to them? + +But, what boy ever recollected with pleasure the years he spent in +close confinement, at an academy near London? unless indeed he +should by chance remember the poor scare-crow of an usher whom he +tormented; or, the tartman, from whom he caught a cake, to devour +it with the cattish appetite of selfishness. At boarding schools +of every description, the relaxation of the junior boys is +mischief; and of the senior, vice. Besides, in great schools what +can be more prejudicial to the moral character, than the system of +tyranny and abject slavery which is established amongst the boys, +to say nothing of the slavery to forms, which makes religion worse +than a farce? For what good can be expected from the youth who +receives the sacrament of the Lord's supper, to avoid forfeiting +half-a-guinea, which he probably afterwards spends in some sensual +manner? Half the employment of the youths is to elude the +necessity of attending public worship; and well they may, for such +a constant repetition of the same thing must be a very irksome +restraint on their natural vivacity. As these ceremonies have the +most fatal effect on their morals, and as a ritual performed by the +lips, when the heart and mind are far away, is not now stored up by +our church as a bank to draw on for the fees of the poor souls in +purgatory, why should they not be abolished? + +But the fear of innovation, in this country, extends to every +thing. This is only a covert fear, the apprehensive timidity of +indolent slugs, who guard, by sliming it over, the snug place, +which they consider in the light of an hereditary estate; and eat, +drink, and enjoy themselves, instead of fulfilling the duties, +excepting a few empty forms, for which it was endowed. These are +the people who most strenuously insist on the will of the founder +being observed, crying out against all reformation, as if it were a +violation of justice. I am now alluding particularly to the +relicks of popery retained in our colleges, where the protestant +members seem to be such sticklers for the established church; but +their zeal never makes them lose sight of the spoil of ignorance, +which rapacious priests of superstitious memory have scraped +together. No, wise in their generation, they venerate the +prescriptive right of possession, as a strong hold, and still let +the sluggish bell tingle to prayers, as during the days, when the +elevation of the host was supposed to atone for the sins of the +people, lest one reformation should lead to another, and the spirit +kill the letter. These Romish customs have the most baneful effect +on the morals of our clergy; for the idle vermin who two or three +times a day perform, in the most slovenly manner a service which +they think useless, but call their duty, soon lose a sense of duty. +At college, forced to attend or evade public worship, they acquire +an habitual contempt for the very service, the performance of which +is to enable them to live in idleness. It is mumbled over as an +affair of business, as a stupid boy repeats his task, and +frequently the college cant escapes from the preacher the moment +after he has left the pulpit, and even whilst he is eating the +dinner which he earned in such a dishonest manner. + +Nothing, indeed, can be more irreverent than the cathedral service +as it is now performed in this country, neither does it contain a +set of weaker men than those who are the slaves of this childish +routine. A disgusting skeleton of the former state is still +exhibited; but all the solemnity, that interested the imagination, +if it did not purify the heart, is stripped off. The performance +of high mass on the continent must impress every mind, where a +spark of fancy glows, with that awful melancholy, that sublime +tenderness, so near a-kin to devotion. I do not say, that these +devotional feelings are of more use, in a moral sense, than any +other emotion of taste; but I contend, that the theatrical pomp +which gratifies our senses, is to be preferred to the cold parade +that insults the understanding without reaching the heart. + +Amongst remarks on national education, such observations cannot be +misplaced, especially as the supporters of these establishments, +degenerated into puerilities, affect to be the champions of +religion. Religion, pure source of comfort in this vale of tears! +how has thy clear stream been muddied by the dabblers, who have +presumptuously endeavoured to confine in one narrow channel, the +living waters that ever flow toward God-- the sublime ocean of +existence! What would life be without that peace which the love of +God, when built on humanity, alone can impart? Every earthly +affection turns back, at intervals, to prey upon the heart that +feeds it; and the purest effusions of benevolence, often rudely +damped by men, must mount as a free-will offering to Him who gave +them birth, whose bright image they faintly reflect. + +In public schools, however, religion, confounded with irksome +ceremonies and unreasonable restraints, assumes the most ungracious +aspect: not the sober austere one that commands respect whilst it +inspires fear; but a ludicrous cast, that serves to point a pun. +For, in fact, most of the good stories and smart things which +enliven the spirits that have been concentrated at whist, are +manufactured out of the incidents to which the very men labour to +give a droll turn who countenance the abuse to live on the spoil. + +There is not, perhaps, in the kingdom, a more dogmatical or +luxurious set of men, than the pedantic tyrants who reside in +colleges and preside at public schools. The vacations are equally +injurious to the morals of the masters and pupils, and the +intercourse, which the former keep up with the nobility, introduces +the same vanity and extravagance into their families, which banish +domestic duties and comforts from the lordly mansion, whose state +is awkwardly aped on a smaller scale. The boys, who live at a +great expence with the masters and assistants, are never +domesticated, though placed there for that purpose; for, after a +silent dinner, they swallow a hasty glass of wine, and retire to +plan some mischievous trick, or to ridicule the person or manners +of the very people they have just been cringing to, and whom they +ought to consider as the representatives of their parents. + +Can it then be a matter of surprise, that boys become selfish and +vicious who are thus shut out from social converse? or that a mitre +often graces the brow of one of these diligent pastors? The desire +of living in the same style, as the rank just above them, infects +each individual and every class of people, and meanness is the +concomitant of this ignoble ambition; but those professions are +most debasing whose ladder is patronage; yet out of one of these +professions the tutors of youth are in general chosen. But, can +they be expected to inspire independent sentiments, whose conduct +must be regulated by the cautious prudence that is ever on the +watch for preferment? + +So far, however, from thinking of the morals of boys, I have heard +several masters of schools argue, that they only undertook to teach +Latin and Greek; and that they had fulfilled their duty, by sending +some good scholars to college. + +A few good scholars, I grant, may have been formed by emulation and +discipline; but, to bring forward these clever boys, the health and +morals of a number have been sacrificed. + +The sons of our gentry and wealthy commoners are mostly educated at +these seminaries, and will any one pretend to assert, that the +majority, making every allowance, come under the description of +tolerable scholars? + +It is not for the benefit of society that a few brilliant men +should be brought forward at the expence of the multitude. It is +true, that great men seem to start up, as great revolutions occur, +at proper intervals, to restore order, and to blow aside the clouds +that thicken over the face of truth; but let more reason and virtue +prevail in society, and these strong winds would not be necessary. +Public education, of every denomination, should be directed to form +citizens; but if you wish to make good citizens, you must first +exercise the affections of a son and a brother. This is the only +way to expand the heart; for public affections, as well as public +virtues, must ever grow out of the private character, or they are +merely meteors that shoot athwart a dark sky, and disappear as they +are gazed at and admired. + +Few, I believe, have had much affection for mankind, who did not +first love their parents, their brothers, sisters, and even the +domestic brutes, whom they first played with. The exercise of +youthful sympathies forms the moral temperature; and it is the +recollection of these first affections and pursuits, that gives +life to those that are afterwards more under the direction of +reason. In youth, the fondest friendships are formed, the genial +juices mounting at the same time, kindly mix; or, rather the heart, +tempered for the reception of friendship, is accustomed to seek for +pleasure in something more noble than the churlish gratification of +appetite. + +In order then to inspire a love of home and domestic pleasures, +children ought to be educated at home, for riotous holidays only +make them fond of home for their own sakes. Yet, the vacations, +which do not foster domestic affections, continually disturb the +course of study, and render any plan of improvement abortive which +includes temperance; still, were they abolished, children would be +entirely separated from their parents, and I question whether they +would become better citizens by sacrificing the preparatory +affections, by destroying the force of relationships that render +the marriage state as necessary as respectable. But, if a private +education produce self-importance, or insulates a man in his +family, the evil is only shifted, not remedied. + +This train of reasoning brings me back to a subject, on which I +mean to dwell, the necessity of establishing proper day-schools. + +But these should be national establishments, for whilst +school-masters are dependent on the caprice of parents, little +exertion can be expected from them, more than is necessary to +please ignorant people. Indeed, the necessity of a master's giving +the parents some sample of the boy's abilities, which during the +vacation, is shown to every visiter, is productive of more mischief +than would at first be supposed. For they are seldom done +entirely, to speak with moderation, by the child itself; thus the +master countenances falsehoods, or winds the poor machine up to +some extraordinary exertion, that injures the wheels, and stops the +progress of gradual improvement. The memory is loaded with +unintelligible words, to make a show of, without the +understanding's acquiring any distinct ideas: but only that +education deserves emphatically to be termed cultivation of mind, +which teaches young people how to begin to think. The imagination +should not be allowed to debauch the understanding before it gained +strength, or vanity will become the forerunner of vice: for every +way of exhibiting the acquirements of a child is injurious to its +moral character. + +How much time is lost in teaching them to recite what they do not +understand! whilst, seated on benches, all in their best array, the +mammas listen with astonishment to the parrot-like prattle, uttered +in solemn cadences, with all the pomp of ignorance and folly. Such +exhibitions only serve to strike the spreading fibres of vanity +through the whole mind; for they neither teach children to speak +fluently, nor behave gracefully. So far from it, that these +frivolous pursuits might comprehensively be termed the study of +affectation: for we now rarely see a simple, bashful boy, though +few people of taste were ever disgusted by that awkward +sheepishness so natural to the age, which schools and an early +introduction into society, have changed into impudence and apish +grimace. + +Yet, how can these things be remedied whilst schoolmasters depend +entirely on parents for a subsistence; and when so many rival +schools hang out their lures to catch the attention of vain fathers +and mothers, whose parental affection only leads them to wish, that +their children should outshine those of their neighbours? + +Without great good luck, a sensible, conscientious man, would +starve before he could raise a school, if he disdained to bubble +weak parents, by practising the secret tricks of the craft. + +In the best regulated schools, however, where swarms are not +crammed together many bad habits must be acquired; but, at common +schools, the body, heart, and understanding, are equally stunted, +for parents are often only in quest of the cheapest school, and the +master could not live, if he did not take a much greater number +than he could manage himself; nor will the scanty pittance, allowed +for each child, permit him to hire ushers sufficient to assist in +the discharge of the mechanical part of the business. Besides, +whatever appearance the house and garden may make, the children do +not enjoy the comforts of either, for they are continually +reminded, by irksome restrictions, that they are not at home, and +the state-rooms, garden, etc. must be kept in order for the +recreation of the parents; who, of a Sunday, visit the school, and +are impressed by the very parade that renders the situation of +their children uncomfortable. + +With what disgust have I heard sensible women, for girls are more +restrained and cowed than boys, speak of the wearisome confinement +which they endured at school. Not allowed, perhaps, to step out of +one broad walk in a superb garden, and obliged to pace with steady +deportment stupidly backwards and forwards, holding up their heads, +and turning out their toes, with shoulders braced back, instead of +bounding, as nature directs to complete her own design, in the +various attitudes so conducive to health. The pure animal spirits, +which make both mind and body shoot out, and unfold the tender +blossoms of hope are turned sour, and vented in vain wishes, or +pert repinings, that contract the faculties and spoil the temper; +else they mount to the brain and sharpening the understanding +before it gains proportionable strength, produce that pitiful +cunning which disgracefully characterizes the female mind--and I +fear will ever characterize it whilst women remain the slaves of +power! + +The little respect which the male world pay to chastity is, I am +persuaded, the grand source of many of the physical and moral evils +that torment mankind, as well as of the vices and follies that +degrade and destroy women; yet at school, boys infallibly lose that +decent bashfulness, which might have ripened into modesty at home. + +I have already animadverted on the bad habits which females acquire +when they are shut up together; and I think that the observation +may fairly be extended to the other sex, till the natural inference +is drawn which I have had in view throughout--that to improve both +sexes they ought, not only in private families, but in public +schools, to be educated together. If marriage be the cement of +society, mankind should all be educated after the same model, or +the intercourse of the sexes will never deserve the name of +fellowship, nor will women ever fulfil the peculiar duties of their +sex, till they become enlightened citizens, till they become free, +by being enabled to earn their own subsistence, independent of men; +in the same manner, I mean, to prevent misconstruction, as one man +is independent of another. Nay, marriage will never be held sacred +till women by being brought up with men, are prepared to be their +companions, rather than their mistresses; for the mean doublings of +cunning will ever render them contemptible, whilst oppression +renders them timid. So convinced am I of this truth, that I will +venture to predict, that virtue will never prevail in society till +the virtues of both sexes are founded on reason; and, till the +affection common to both are allowed to gain their due strength by +the discharge of mutual duties. + +Were boys and girls permitted to pursue the same studies together, +those graceful decencies might early be inculcated which produce +modesty, without those sexual distinctions that taint the mind. +Lessons of politeness, and that formulary of decorum, which treads +on the heels of falsehood, would be rendered useless by habitual +propriety of behaviour. Not, indeed put on for visiters like the +courtly robe of politeness, but the sober effect of cleanliness of +mind. Would not this simple elegance of sincerity be a chaste +homage paid to domestic affections, far surpassing the meretricious +compliments that shine with false lustre in the heartless +intercourse of fashionable life? But, till more understanding +preponderate in society, there will ever be a want of heart and +taste, and the harlot's rouge will supply the place of that +celestial suffusion which only virtuous affections can give to the +face. Gallantry, and what is called love, may subsist without +simplicity of character; but the main pillars of friendship, are +respect and confidence--esteem is never founded on it cannot tell +what. + +A taste for the fine arts requires great cultivation; but not more +than a taste for the virtuous affections: and both suppose that +enlargement of mind which opens so many sources of mental pleasure. +Why do people hurry to noisy scenes and crowded circles? I should +answer, because they want activity of mind, because they have not +cherished the virtues of the heart. They only, therefore, see and +feel in the gross, and continually pine after variety, finding +every thing that is simple, insipid. + +This argument may be carried further than philosophers are aware +of, for if nature destined woman, in particular, for the discharge +of domestic duties, she made her susceptible of the attached +affections in a great degree. Now women are notoriously fond of +pleasure; and naturally must be so, according to my definition, +because they cannot enter into the minutiae of domestic taste; +lacking judgment the foundation of all taste. For the +understanding, in spite of sensual cavillers, reserves to itself +the privilege of conveying pure joy to the heart. + +With what a languid yawn have I seen an admirable poem thrown down, +that a man of true taste returns to, again and again with rapture; +and, whilst melody has almost suspended respiration, a lady has +asked me where I bought my gown. I have seen also an eye glanced +coldly over a most exquisite picture, rest, sparkling with +pleasure, on a caricature rudely sketched; and whilst some terrific +feature in nature has spread a sublime stillness through my soul, I +have been desired to observe the pretty tricks of a lap-dog, that +my perverse fate forced me to travel with. Is it surprising, that +such a tasteless being should rather caress this dog than her +children? Or, that she should prefer the rant of flattery to the +simple accents of sincerity? + +To illustrate this remark I must be allowed to observe, that men of +the first genius, and most cultivated minds, have appeared to have +the highest relish for the simple beauties of nature; and they must +have forcibly felt, what they have so well described, the charm, +which natural affections, and unsophisticated feelings spread round +the human character. It is this power of looking into the heart, +and responsively vibrating with each emotion, that enables the poet +to personify each passion, and the painter to sketch with a pencil +of fire. + +True taste is ever the work of the understanding employed in +observing natural effects; and till women have more understanding, +it is vain to expect them to possess domestic taste. Their lively +senses will ever be at work to harden their hearts, and the +emotions struck out of them will continue to be vivid and +transitory, unless a proper education stores their minds with +knowledge. + +It is the want of domestic taste, and not the acquirement of +knowledge, that takes women out of their families, and tears the +smiling babe from the breast that ought to afford it nourishment. +Women have been allowed to remain in ignorance, and slavish +dependence, many, very many years, and still we hear of nothing but +their fondness of pleasure and sway, their preference of rakes and +soldiers, their childish attachment to toys, and the vanity that +makes them value accomplishments more than virtues. + +History brings forward a fearful catalogue of the crimes which +their cunning has produced, when the weak slaves have had +sufficient address to over-reach their masters. In France, and in +how many other countries have men been the luxurious despots, and +women the crafty ministers? Does this prove that ignorance and +dependence domesticate them? Is not their folly the by-word of the +libertines, who relax in their society; and do not men of sense +continually lament, that an immoderate fondness for dress and +dissipation carries the mother of a family for ever from home? +Their hearts have not been debauched by knowledge, nor their minds +led astray by scientific pursuits; yet, they do not fulfil the +peculiar duties, which as women they are called upon by nature to +fulfil. On the contrary, the state of warfare which subsists +between the sexes, makes them employ those wiles, that frustrate +the more open designs of force. + +When, therefore, I call women slaves, I mean in a political and +civil sense; for, indirectly they obtain too much power, and are +debased by their exertions to obtain illicit sway. + +Let an enlightened nation then try what effect reason would have to +bring them back to nature, and their duty; and allowing them to +share the advantages of education and government with man, see +whether they will become better, as they grow wiser and become +free. They cannot be injured by the experiment; for it is not in +the power of man to render them more insignificant than they are at +present. + +To render this practicable, day schools for particular ages should +be established by government, in which boys and girls might be +educated together. The school for the younger children, from five +to nine years of age, ought to be absolutely free and open to all +classes.* A sufficient number of masters should also be chosen by +a select committee, in each parish, to whom any complaint of +negligence, etc. might be made, if signed by six of the children's +parents. + +(*Footnote. Treating this part of the subject, I have borrowed +some hints from a very sensible pamphlet written by the late bishop +of Autun on public Education.) + +Ushers would then be unnecessary; for, I believe, experience will +ever prove, that this kind of subordinate authority is particularly +injurious to the morals of youth. What, indeed, can tend to +deprave the character more than outward submission and inward +contempt? Yet, how can boys be expected to treat an usher with +respect when the master seems to consider him in the light of a +servant, and almost to countenance the ridicule which becomes the +chief amusement of the boys during the play hours? + +But nothing of this kind could occur in an elementary day-school, +where boys and girls, the rich and poor, should meet together. And +to prevent any of the distinctions of vanity, they should be +dressed alike, and all obliged to submit to the same discipline, or +leave the school. The school-room ought to be surrounded by a +large piece of ground, in which the children might be usefully +exercised, for at this age they should not be confined to any +sedentary employment for more than an hour at a time. But these +relaxations might all be rendered a part of elementary education, +for many things improve and amuse the senses, when introduced as a +kind of show, to the principles of which dryly laid down, children +would turn a deaf ear. For instance, botany, mechanics, and +astronomy. Reading, writing, arithmetic, natural history, and some +simple experiments in natural philosophy, might fill up the day; +but these pursuits should never encroach on gymnastic plays in the +open air. The elements of religion, history, the history of man, +and politics, might also be taught by conversations, in the +socratic form. + +After the age of nine, girls and boys, intended for domestic +employments, or mechanical trades, ought to be removed to other +schools, and receive instruction, in some measure appropriated to +the destination of each individual, the two sexes being still +together in the morning; but in the afternoon, the girls should +attend a school, where plain work, mantua-making, millinery, etc. +would be their employment. + +The young people of superior abilities, or fortune, might now be +taught, in another school, the dead and living languages, the +elements of science, and continue the study of history and +politics, on a more extensive scale, which would not exclude polite +literature. Girls and boys still together? I hear some readers +ask: yes. And I should not fear any other consequence, than that +some early attachment might take place; which, whilst it had the +best effect on the moral character of the young people, might not +perfectly agree with the views of the parents, for it will be a +long time, I fear, before the world is so enlightened, that +parents, only anxious to render their children virtuous, will let +them choose companions for life themselves. + +Besides, this would be a sure way to promote early marriages, and +from early marriages the most salutary physical and moral effects +naturally flow. What a different character does a married citizen +assume from the selfish coxcomb, who lives but for himself, and who +is often afraid to marry lest he should not be able to live in a +certain style. Great emergencies excepted, which would rarely +occur in a society of which equality was the basis, a man could +only be prepared to discharge the duties of public life, by the +habitual practice of those inferior ones which form the man. + +In this plan of education, the constitution of boys would not be +ruined by the early debaucheries, which now make men so selfish, +nor girls rendered weak and vain, by indolence and frivolous +pursuits. But, I presuppose, that such a degree of equality should +be established between the sexes as would shut out gallantry and +coquetry, yet allow friendship and love to temper the heart for the +discharge of higher duties. + +These would be schools of morality--and the happiness of man, +allowed to flow from the pure springs of duty and affection, what +advances might not the human mind make? Society can only be happy +and free in proportion as it is virtuous; but the present +distinctions, established in society, corrode all private, and +blast all public virtue. + +I have already inveighed against the custom of confining girls to +their needle, and shutting them out from all political and civil +employments; for by thus narrowing their minds they are rendered +unfit to fulfil the peculiar duties which nature has assigned them. + +Only employed about the little incidents of the day, they +necessarily grow up cunning. My very soul has often sickened at +observing the sly tricks practised by women to gain some foolish +thing on which their silly hearts were set. Not allowed to dispose +of money, or call any thing their own, they learn to turn the +market penny; or, should a husband offend, by staying from home, or +give rise to some emotions of jealousy--a new gown, or any pretty +bauble, smooths Juno's angry brow. + +But these LITTLENESSES would not degrade their character, if women +were led to respect themselves, if political and moral subjects +were opened to them; and I will venture to affirm, that this is the +only way to make them properly attentive to their domestic duties. +An active mind embraces the whole circle of its duties, and finds +time enough for all. It is not, I assert, a bold attempt to +emulate masculine virtues; it is not the enchantment of literary +pursuits, or the steady investigation of scientific subjects, that +lead women astray from duty. No, it is indolence and vanity --the +love of pleasure and the love of sway, that will reign paramount in +an empty mind. I say empty, emphatically, because the education +which women now receive scarcely deserves the name. For the little +knowledge they are led to acquire during the important years of +youth, is merely relative to accomplishments; and accomplishments +without a bottom, for unless the understanding be cultivated, +superficial and monotonous is every grace. Like the charms of a +made-up face, they only strike the senses in a crowd; but at home, +wanting mind, they want variety. The consequence is obvious; in +gay scenes of dissipation we meet the artificial mind and face, for +those who fly from solitude dread next to solitude, the domestic +circle; not having it in their power to amuse or interest, they +feel their own insignificance, or find nothing to amuse or interest +themselves. + +Besides, what can be more indelicate than a girl's coming out in +the fashionable world? Which, in other words, is to bring to +market a marriageable miss, whose person is taken from one public +place to another, richly caparisoned. Yet, mixing in the giddy +circle under restraint, these butterflies long to flutter at large, +for the first affection of their souls is their own persons, to +which their attention has been called with the most sedulous care, +whilst they were preparing for the period that decides their fate +for life. Instead of pursuing this idle routine, sighing for +tasteless show, and heartless state, with what dignity would the +youths of both sexes form attachments in the schools that I have +cursorily pointed out; in which, as life advanced, dancing, music, +and drawing, might be admitted as relaxations, for at these schools +young people of fortune ought to remain, more or less, till they +were of age. Those, who were designed for particular professions, +might attend, three or four mornings in the week, the schools +appropriated for their immediate instruction. + +I only drop these observations at present, as hints; rather, indeed +as an outline of the plan I mean, than a digested one; but I must +add, that I highly approve of one regulation mentioned in the +pamphlet already alluded to (The Bishop of Autun), that of making +the children and youths independent of the masters respecting +punishments. They should be tried by their peers, which would be +an admirable method of fixing sound principles of justice in the +mind, and might have the happiest effect on the temper, which is +very early soured or irritated by tyranny, till it becomes +peevishly cunning, or ferociously overbearing. + +My imagination darts forward with benevolent fervour to greet these +amiable and respectable groups, in spite of the sneering of cold +hearts, who are at liberty to utter, with frigid self-importance, +the damning epithet-- romantic; the force of which I shall +endeavour to blunt by repeating the words of an eloquent moralist. +"I know not whether the allusions of a truly humane heart, whose +zeal renders every thing easy, is not preferable to that rough and +repulsing reason, which always finds in indifference for the public +good, the first obstacle to whatever would promote it." + +I know that libertines will also exclaim, that woman would be +unsexed by acquiring strength of body and mind, and that beauty, +soft bewitching beauty! would no longer adorn the daughters of men. +I am of a very different opinion, for I think, that, on the +contrary, we should then see dignified beauty, and true grace; to +produce which, many powerful physical and moral causes would +concur. Not relaxed beauty, it is true, nor the graces of +helplessness; but such as appears to make us respect the human body +as a majestic pile, fit to receive a noble inhabitant, in the +relics of antiquity. + +I do not forget the popular opinion, that the Grecian statues were +not modelled after nature. I mean, not according to the +proportions of a particular man; but that beautiful limbs and +features were selected from various bodies to form an harmonious +whole. This might, in some degree, be true. The fine ideal +picture of an exalted imagination might be superior to the +materials which the painter found in nature, and thus it might with +propriety be termed rather the model of mankind than of a man. It +was not, however, the mechanical selection of limbs and features, +but the ebullition of an heated fancy that burst forth; and the +fine senses and enlarged understanding of the artist selected the +solid matter, which he drew into this glowing focus. + +I observed that it was not mechanical, because a whole was +produced--a model of that grand simplicity, of those concurring +energies, which arrest our attention and command our reverence. +For only insipid lifeless beauty is produced by a servile copy of +even beautiful nature. Yet, independent of these observations, I +believe, that the human form must have been far more beautiful than +it is at present, because extreme indolence, barbarous ligatures, +and many causes, which forcibly act on it, in our luxurious state +of society, did not retard its expansion, or render it deformed. +Exercise and cleanliness appear to be not only the surest means of +preserving health, but of promoting beauty, the physical causes +only considered; yet, this is not sufficient, moral ones must +concur, or beauty will be merely of that rustic kind which blooms +on the innocent, wholesome countenances of some country people, +whose minds have not been exercised. To render the person perfect, +physical and moral beauty ought to be attained at the same time; +each lending and receiving force by the combination. Judgment must +reside on the brow, affection and fancy beam in the eye, and +humanity curve the cheek, or vain is the sparkling of the finest +eye or the elegantly turned finish of the fairest features; whilst +in every motion that displays the active limbs and well-knit +joints, grace and modesty should appear. But this fair assemblage +is not to be brought together by chance; it is the reward of +exertions met to support each other; for judgment can only be +acquired by reflection, affection, by the discharge of duties, and +humanity by the exercise of compassion to every living creature. + +Humanity to animals should be particularly inculcated as a part of +national education, for it is not at present one of our national +virtues. Tenderness for their humble dumb domestics, amongst the +lower class, is oftener to be found in a savage than a civilized +state. For civilization prevents that intercourse which creates +affection in the rude hut, or mud cabin, and leads uncultivated +minds who are only depraved by the refinements which prevail in the +society, where they are trodden under foot by the rich, to domineer +over them to revenge the insults that they are obliged to bear from +their superiours. + +This habitual cruelty is first caught at school, where it is one of +the rare sports of the boys to torment the miserable brutes that +fall in their way. The transition, as they grow up, from barbarity +to brutes to domestic tyranny over wives, children, and servants, +is very easy. Justice, or even benevolence, will not be a powerful +spring of action, unless it extend to the whole creation; nay, I +believe that it may be delivered as an axiom, that those who can +see pain, unmoved, will soon learn to inflict it. + +The vulgar are swayed by present feelings, and the habits which +they have accidentally acquired; but on partial feelings much +dependence cannot be placed, though they be just; for, when they +are not invigorated by reflection, custom weakens them, till they +are scarcely felt. The sympathies of our nature are strengthened +by pondering cogitations, and deadened by thoughtless use. +Macbeth's heart smote him more for one murder, the first, than for +a hundred subsequent ones, which were necessary to back it. But, +when I used the epithet vulgar, I did not mean to confine my remark +to the poor, for partial humanity, founded on present sensations or +whim, is quite as conspicuous, if not more so, amongst the rich. + +The lady who sheds tears for the bird starved in a snare, and +execrates the devils in the shape of men, who goad to madness the +poor ox, or whip the patient ass, tottering under a burden above +its strength, will, nevertheless, keep her coachman and horses +whole hours waiting for her, when the sharp frost bites, or the +rain beats against the well-closed windows which do not admit a +breath of air to tell her how roughly the wind blows without. And +she who takes her dogs to bed, and nurses them with a parade of +sensibility, when sick, will suffer her babes to grow up crooked in +a nursery. This illustration of my argument is drawn from a matter +of fact. The woman whom I allude to was handsome, reckoned very +handsome, by those who do not miss the mind when the face is plump +and fair; but her understanding had not been led from female duties +by literature, nor her innocence debauched by knowledge. No, she +was quite feminine, according to the masculine acceptation of the +word; and, so far from loving these spoiled brutes that filled the +place which her children ought to have occupied, she only lisped +out a pretty mixture of French and English nonsense, to please the +men who flocked round her. The wife, mother, and human creature, +were all swallowed up by the factitious character, which an +improper education, and the selfish vanity of beauty, had produced. + +I do not like to make a distinction without a difference, and I own +that I have been as much disgusted by the fine lady who took her +lap-dog to her bosom, instead of her child; as by the ferocity of a +man, who, beating his horse, declared, that he knew as well when he +did wrong as a Christian. + +This brood of folly shows how mistaken they are who, if they allow +women to leave their harams, do not cultivate their understanding, +in order to plant virtues in their hearts. For had they sense, +they might acquire that domestic taste which would lead them to +love with reasonable subordination their whole family, from the +husband to the house-dog; nor would they ever insult humanity in +the person of the most menial servant, by paying more attention to +the comfort of a brute, than to that of a fellow-creature. + +My observations on national education are obviously hints; but I +principally wish to enforce the necessity of educating the sexes +together to perfect both, and of making children sleep at home, +that they may learn to love home; yet to make private support +instead of smothering public affections, they should be sent to +school to mix with a number of equals, for only by the jostlings of +equality can we form a just opinion of ourselves. + +To render mankind more virtuous, and happier of course, both sexes +must act from the same principle; but how can that be expected when +only one is allowed to see the reasonableness of it? To render +also the social compact truly equitable, and in order to spread +those enlightening principles, which alone can meliorate the fate +of man, women must be allowed to found their virtue on knowledge, +which is scarcely possible unless they be educated by the same +pursuits as men. For they are now made so inferiour by ignorance +and low desires, as not to deserve to be ranked with them; or, by +the serpentine wrigglings of cunning they mount the tree of +knowledge and only acquire sufficient to lead men astray. + +It is plain from the history of all nations, that women cannot be +confined to merely domestic pursuits, for they will not fulfil +family duties, unless their minds take a wider range, and whilst +they are kept in ignorance, they become in the same proportion, the +slaves of pleasure as they are the slaves of man. Nor can they be +shut out of great enterprises, though the narrowness of their minds +often make them mar what they are unable to comprehend. + +The libertinism, and even the virtues of superior men, will always +give women, of some description, great power over them; and these +weak women, under the influence of childish passions and selfish +vanity, will throw a false light over the objects which the very +men view with their eyes, who ought to enlighten their judgment. +Men of fancy, and those sanguine characters who mostly hold the +helm of human affairs, in general, relax in the society of women; +and surely I need not cite to the most superficial reader of +history, the numerous examples of vice and oppression which the +private intrigues of female favourites have produced; not to dwell +on the mischief that naturally arises from the blundering +interposition of well-meaning folly. For in the transactions of +business it is much better to have to deal with a knave than a +fool, because a knave adheres to some plan; and any plan of reason +may be seen through much sooner than a sudden flight of folly. The +power which vile and foolish women have had over wise men, who +possessed sensibility, is notorious; I shall only mention one +instance. + +Whoever drew a more exalted female character than Rousseau? though +in the lump he constantly endeavoured to degrade the sex. And why +was he thus anxious? Truly to justify to himself the affection +which weakness and virtue had made him cherish for that fool +Theresa. He could not raise her to the common level of her sex; +and therefore he laboured to bring woman down to her's. He found +her a convenient humble companion, and pride made him determine to +find some superior virtues in the being whom he chose to live with; +but did not her conduct during his life, and after his death, +clearly show how grossly he was mistaken who called her a celestial +innocent. Nay, in the bitterness of his heart, he himself laments, +that when his bodily infirmities made him no longer treat her like +a woman, she ceased to have an affection for him. And it was very +natural that she should, for having so few sentiments in common, +when the sexual tie was broken, what was to hold her? To hold her +affection whose sensibility was confined to one sex, nay, to one +man, it requires sense to turn sensibility into the broad channel +of humanity: many women have not mind enough to have an affection +for a woman, or a friendship for a man. But the sexual weakness +that makes woman depend on man for a subsistence, produces a kind +of cattish affection, which leads a wife to purr about her husband, +as she would about any man who fed and caressed her. + +Men, are however, often gratified by this kind of fondness which is +confined in a beastly manner to themselves, but should they ever +become more virtuous, they will wish to converse at their fire-side +with a friend, after they cease to play with a mistress. Besides, +understanding is necessary to give variety and interest to sensual +enjoyments, for low, indeed, in the intellectual scale, is the mind +that can continue to love when neither virtue nor sense give a +human appearance to an animal appetite. But sense will always +preponderate; and if women are not, in general, brought more on a +level with men, some superior women, like the Greek courtezans will +assemble the men of abilities around them, and draw from their +families many citizens, who would have stayed at home, had their +wives had more sense, or the graces which result from the exercise +of the understanding and fancy, the legitimate parents of taste. A +woman of talents, if she be not absolutely ugly, will always obtain +great power, raised by the weakness of her sex; and in proportion +as men acquire virtue and delicacy: by the exertion of reason, they +will look for both in women, but they can only acquire them in the +same way that men do. + +In France or Italy have the women confined themselves to domestic +life? though they have not hitherto had a political existence, yet, +have they not illicitly had great sway? corrupting themselves and +the men with whose passions they played? In short, in whatever +light I view the subject, reason and experience convince me, that +the only method of leading women to fulfil their peculiar duties, +is to free them from all restraint by allowing them to participate +the inherent rights of mankind. + +Make them free, and they will quickly become wise and virtuous, as +men become more so; for the improvement must be mutual, or the +justice which one half of the human race are obliged to submit to, +retorting on their oppressors, the virtue of man will be worm-eaten +by the insect whom he keeps under his feet. + +Let men take their choice, man and woman were made for each other, +though not to become one being; and if they will not improve women, +they will deprave them! + +I speak of the improvement and emancipation of the whole sex, for I +know that the behaviour of a few women, who by accident, or +following a strong bent of nature, have acquired a portion of +knowledge superior to that of the rest of their sex, has often been +over-bearing; but there have been instances of women who, attaining +knowledge, have not discarded modesty, nor have they always +pedantically appeared to despise the ignorance which they laboured +to disperse in their own minds. The exclamations then which any +advice respecting female learning, commonly produces, especially +from pretty women, often arise from envy. When they chance to see +that even the lustre of their eyes, and the flippant sportiveness +of refined coquetry will not always secure them attention, during a +whole evening, should a woman of a more cultivated understanding +endeavour to give a rational turn to the conversation, the common +source of consolation is, that such women seldom get husbands. +What arts have I not seen silly women use to interrupt by +FLIRTATION, (a very significant word to describe such a manoeuvre) +a rational conversation, which made the men forget that they were +pretty women. + +But, allowing what is very natural to man--that the possession of +rare abilities is really calculated to excite over-weening pride, +disgusting in both men and women--in what a state of inferiority +must the female faculties have rusted when such a small portion of +knowledge as those women attained, who have sneeringly been termed +learned women, could be singular? Sufficiently so to puff up the +possessor, and excite envy in her contemporaries, and some of the +other sex. Nay, has not a little rationality exposed many women to +the severest censure? I advert to well known-facts, for I have +frequently heard women ridiculed, and every little weakness +exposed, only because they adopted the advice of some medical men, +and deviated from the beaten track in their mode of treating their +infants. I have actually heard this barbarous aversion to +innovation carried still further, and a sensible woman stigmatized +as an unnatural mother, who has thus been wisely solicitous to +preserve the health of her children, when in the midst of her care +she has lost one by some of the casualties of infancy which no +prudence can ward off. Her acquaintance have observed, that this +was the consequence of new-fangled notions--the new-fangled notions +of ease and cleanliness. And those who, pretending to experience, +though they have long adhered to prejudices that have, according to +the opinion of the most sagacious physicians, thinned the human +race, almost rejoiced at the disaster that gave a kind of sanction +to prescription. + +Indeed, if it were only on this account, the national education of +women is of the utmost consequence; for what a number of human +sacrifices are made to that moloch, prejudice! And in how many +ways are children destroyed by the lasciviousness of man? The want +of natural affection in many women, who are drawn from their duty +by the admiration of men, and the ignorance of others, render the +infancy of man a much more perilous state than that of brutes; yet +men are unwilling to place women in situations proper to enable +them to acquire sufficient understanding to know how even to nurse +their babes. + +So forcibly does this truth strike me, that I would rest the whole +tendency of my reasoning upon it; for whatever tends to +incapacitate the maternal character, takes woman out of her sphere. + +But it is vain to expect the present race of weak mothers either to +take that reasonable care of a child's body, which is necessary to +lay the foundation of a good constitution, supposing that it do not +suffer for the sins of its fathers; or to manage its temper so +judiciously that the child will not have, as it grows up, to throw +off all that its mother, its first instructor, directly or +indirectly taught, and unless the mind have uncommon vigour, +womanish follies will stick to the character throughout life. The +weakness of the mother will be visited on the children! And whilst +women are educated to rely on their husbands for judgment, this +must ever be the consequence, for there is no improving an +understanding by halves, nor can any being act wisely from +imitation, because in every circumstance of life there is a kind of +individuality, which requires an exertion of judgment to modify +general rules. The being who can think justly in one track, will +soon extend its intellectual empire; and she who has sufficient +judgment to manage her children, will not submit right or wrong, to +her husband, or patiently to the social laws which makes a +nonentity of a wife. + +In public schools women, to guard against the errors of ignorance, +should be taught the elements of anatomy and medicine, not only to +enable them to take proper care of their own health, but to make +them rational nurses of their infants, parents, and husbands; for +the bills of mortality are swelled by the blunders of self-willed +old women, who give nostrums of their own, without knowing any +thing of the human frame. It is likewise proper, only in a +domestic view, to make women, acquainted with the anatomy of the +mind, by allowing the sexes to associate together in every pursuit; +and by leading them to observe the progress of the human +understanding in the improvement of the sciences and arts; never +forgetting the science of morality, nor the study of the political +history of mankind. + +A man has been termed a microcosm; and every family might also be +called a state. States, it is true, have mostly been governed by +arts that disgrace the character of man; and the want of a just +constitution, and equal laws, have so perplexed the notions of the +worldly wise, that they more than question the reasonableness of +contending for the rights of humanity. Thus morality, polluted in +the national reservoir, sends off streams of vice to corrupt the +constituent parts of the body politic; but should more noble, or +rather more just principles regulate the laws, which ought to be +the government of society, and not those who execute them, duty +might become the rule of private conduct. + +Besides, by the exercise of their bodies and minds, women would +acquire that mental activity so necessary in the maternal +character, united with the fortitude that distinguishes steadiness +of conduct from the obstinate perverseness of weakness. For it is +dangerous to advise the indolent to be steady, because they +instantly become rigorous, and to save themselves trouble, punish +with severity faults that the patient fortitude of reason might +have prevented. + +But fortitude presupposes strength of mind, and is strength of mind +to be acquired by indolent acquiescence? By asking advice instead +of exerting the judgment? By obeying through fear, instead of +practising the forbearance, which we all stand in need of +ourselves? The conclusion which I wish to draw is obvious; make +women rational creatures and free citizens, and they will quickly +become good wives, and mothers; that is--if men do not neglect the +duties of husbands and fathers. + +Discussing the advantages which a public and private education +combined, as I have sketched, might rationally be expected to +produce, I have dwelt most on such as are particularly relative to +the female world, because I think the female world oppressed; yet +the gangrene which the vices, engendered by oppression have +produced, is not confined to the morbid part, but pervades society +at large; so that when I wish to see my sex become more like moral +agents, my heart bounds with the anticipation of the general +diffusion of that sublime contentment which only morality can +diffuse. + + +CHAPTER 13. + +SOME INSTANCES OF THE FOLLY WHICH THE IGNORANCE OF WOMEN GENERATES; +WITH CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ON THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT THAT A +REVOLUTION IN FEMALE MANNERS MIGHT NATURALLY BE EXPECTED TO +PRODUCE. + +There are many follies, in some degree, peculiar to women: sins +against reason, of commission, as well as of omission; but all +flowing from ignorance or prejudice, I shall only point out such as +appear to be injurious to their moral character. And in +animadverting on them, I wish especially to prove, that the +weakness of mind and body, which men have endeavoured by various +motives to perpetuate, prevents their discharging the peculiar duty +of their sex: for when weakness of body will not permit them to +suckle their children, and weakness of mind makes them spoil their +tempers--is woman in a natural state? + +SECTION 13.1. + +One glaring instance of the weakness which proceeds from ignorance, +first claims attention, and calls for severe reproof. + +In this metropolis a number of lurking leeches infamously gain a +subsistence by practising on the credulity of women, pretending to +cast nativities, to use the technical phrase; and many females who, +proud of their rank and fortune, look down on the vulgar with +sovereign contempt, show by this credulity, that the distinction is +arbitrary, and that they have not sufficiently cultivated their +minds to rise above vulgar prejudices. Women, because they have +not been led to consider the knowledge of their duty as the one +thing necessary to know, or, to live in the present moment by the +discharge of it, are very anxious to peep into futurity, to learn +what they have to expect to render life interesting, and to break +the vacuum of ignorance. I must be allowed to expostulate +seriously with the ladies, who follow these idle inventions; for +ladies, mistresses of families, are not ashamed to drive in their +own carriages to the door of the cunning man. And if any of them +should peruse this work, I entreat them to answer to their own +hearts the following questions, not forgetting that they are in the +presence of God. + +Do you believe that there is but one God, and that he is powerful, +wise, and good? + +Do you believe that all things were created by him, and that all +beings are dependent on him? + +Do you rely on his wisdom, so conspicuous in his works, and in your +own frame, and are you convinced, that he has ordered all things +which do not come under the cognizance of your senses, in the same +perfect harmony, to fulfil his designs? + +Do you acknowledge that the power of looking into futurity and +seeing things that are not, as if they were, is an attribute of the +Creator? And should he, by an impression on the minds of his +creatures, think fit to impart to them some event hid in the shades +of time, yet unborn, to whom would the secret be revealed by +immediate inspiration? The opinion of ages will answer this +question--to reverend old men, to people distinguished for eminent +piety. + +The oracles of old were thus delivered by priests dedicated to the +service of the God, who was supposed to inspire them. The glare of +worldly pomp which surrounded these impostors, and the respect paid +to them by artful politicians, who knew how to avail themselves of +this useful engine to bend the necks of the strong under the +dominion of the cunning, spread a sacred mysterious veil of +sanctity over their lies and abominations. Impressed by such +solemn devotional parade, a Greek or Roman lady might be excused, +if she inquired of the oracle, when she was anxious to pry into +futurity, or inquire about some dubious event: and her inquiries, +however contrary to reason, could not be reckoned impious. But, +can the professors of Christianity ward off that imputation? Can a +Christian suppose, that the favourites of the most High, the highly +favoured would be obliged to lurk in disguise, and practise the +most dishonest tricks to cheat silly women out of the money, which +the poor cry for in vain? + +Say not that such questions are an insult to common sense for it is +your own conduct, O ye foolish women! which throws an odium on your +sex! And these reflections should make you shudder at your +thoughtlessness, and irrational devotion, for I do not suppose that +all of you laid aside your religion, such as it is, when you +entered those mysterious dwellings. Yet, as I have throughout +supposed myself talking to ignorant women, for ignorant ye are in +the most emphatical sense of the word, it would be absurd to reason +with you on the egregious folly of desiring to know what the +Supreme Wisdom has concealed. + +Probably you would not understand me, were I to attempt to show you +that it would be absolutely inconsistent with the grand purpose of +life, that of rendering human creatures wise and virtuous: and +that, were it sanctioned by God, it would disturb the order +established in creation; and if it be not sanctioned by God, do you +expect to hear truth? Can events be foretold, events which have +not yet assumed a body to become subject to mortal inspection, can +they be foreseen by a vicious worldling, who pampers his appetites +by preying on the foolish ones? + +Perhaps, however, you devoutly believe in the devil, and imagine, +to shift the question, that he may assist his votaries? but if +really respecting the power of such a being, an enemy to goodness +and to God, can you go to church after having been under such an +obligation to him. From these delusions to those still more +fashionable deceptions, practised by the whole tribe of +magnetisers, the transition is very natural. With respect to them, +it is equally proper to ask women a few questions. + +Do you know any thing of the construction of the human frame? If +not, it is proper that you should be told, what every child ought +to know, that when its admirable economy has been disturbed by +intemperance or indolence, I speak not of violent disorders, but of +chronical diseases, it must be brought into a healthy state again +by slow degrees, and if the functions of life have not been +materially injured, regimen, another word for temperance, air, +exercise, and a few medicines prescribed by persons who have +studied the human body, are the only human means, yet discovered, +of recovering that inestimable blessing health, that will bear +investigation. + +Do you then believe, that these magnetisers, who, by hocus pocus +tricks, pretend, to work a miracle, are delegated by God, or +assisted by the solver of all these kind of difficulties--the +devil. + +Do they, when they put to flight, as it is said, disorders that +have baffled the powers of medicine, work in conformity to the +light of reason? Or do they effect these wonderful cures by +supernatural aid? + +By a communication, an adept may answer, with the world of spirits. +A noble privilege, it must be allowed. Some of the ancients +mention familiar demons, who guarded them from danger, by kindly +intimating (we cannot guess in what manner,) when any danger was +nigh; or pointed out what they ought to undertake. Yet the men who +laid claim to this privilege, out of the order of nature, insisted, +that it was the reward or consequence of superior temperance and +piety. But the present workers of wonders are not raised above +their fellows by superior temperance or sanctity. They do not cure +for the love of God, but money. These are the priests of quackery, +though it be true they have not the convenient expedient of selling +masses for souls in purgatory, nor churches, where they can display +crutches, and models of limbs made sound by a touch or a word. + +I am not conversant with the technical terms, nor initiated into +the arcana, therefore I may speak improperly; but it is clear, that +men who will not conform to the law of reason, and earn a +subsistence in an honest way, by degrees, are very fortunate in +becoming acquainted with such obliging spirits. We cannot, indeed, +give them credit for either great sagacity or goodness, else they +would have chosen more noble instruments, when they wished to show +themselves the benevolent friends of man. + +It is, however, little short of blasphemy to pretend to such power. + +>From the whole tenor of the dispensations of Providence, it appears +evident to sober reason, that certain vices produce certain +effects: and can any one so grossly insult the wisdom of God, as to +suppose, that a miracle will be allowed to disturb his general +laws, to restore to health the intemperate and vicious, merely to +enable them to pursue the same course with impunity? Be whole, and +sin no more, said Jesus. And are greater miracles to be performed +by those who do not follow his footsteps, who healed the body to +reach the mind? + +The mentioning of the name of Christ, after such vile impostors may +displease some of my readers--I respect their warmth; but let them +not forget, that the followers of these delusions bear his name, +and profess to be the disciples of him, who said, by their works we +should know who were the children of God or the servants of sin. I +allow that it is easier to touch the body of a saint, or to be +magnetised, than to restrain our appetites or govern our passions; +but health of body or mind can only be recovered by these means, or +we make the Supreme Judge partial and revengeful. + +Is he a man, that he should change, or punish out of resentment? +He--the common father, wounds but to heal, says reason, and our +irregularities producing certain consequences, we are forcibly +shown the nature of vice; that thus learning to know good from +evil, by experience, we may hate one and love the other, in +proportion to the wisdom which we attain. The poison contains the +antidote; and we either reform our evil habits, and cease to sin +against our own bodies, to use the forcible language of scripture, +or a premature death, the punishment of sin, snaps the thread of +life. + +Here an awful stop is put to our inquiries. But, why should I +conceal my sentiments? Considering the attributes of God, I +believe, that whatever punishment may follow, will tend, like the +anguish of disease, to show the malignity of vice, for the purpose +of reformation. Positive punishment appears so contrary to the +nature of God, discoverable in all his works, and in our own +reason, that I could sooner believe that the Deity paid no +attention to the conduct of men, than that he punished without the +benevolent design of reforming. + +To suppose only, that an all-wise and powerful Being, as good as he +is great, should create a being, foreseeing, that after fifty or +sixty years of feverish existence, it would be plunged into never +ending woe--is blasphemy. On what will the worm feed that is never +to die? On folly, on ignorance, say ye--I should blush indignantly +at drawing the natural conclusion, could I insert it, and wish to +withdraw myself from the wing of my God! On such a supposition, I +speak with reverence, he would be a consuming fire. We should +wish, though vainly, to fly from his presence when fear absorbed +love, and darkness involved all his counsels. + +I know that many devout people boast of submitting to the Will of +God blindly, as to an arbitrary sceptre or rod, on the same +principle as the Indians worship the devil. In other words, like +people in the common concerns of life, they do homage to power, and +cringe under the foot that can crush them. Rational religion, on +the contrary, is a submission to the will of a being so perfectly +wise, that all he wills must be directed by the proper motive--must +be reasonable. + +And, if thus we respect God, can we give credit to the mysterious +insinuations which insult his laws? Can we believe, though it +should stare us in the face, that he would work a miracle to +authorize confusion by sanctioning an error? Yet we must either +allow these impious conclusions, or treat with contempt every +promise to restore health to a diseased body by supernatural means, +or to foretell, the incidents that can only be foreseen by God. + +SECTION 13.2. + +Another instance of that feminine weakness of character, often +produced by a confined education, is a romantic twist of the mind, +which has been very properly termed SENTIMENTAL. + +Women, subjected by ignorance to their sensations, and only taught +to look for happiness in love, refine on sensual feelings, and +adopt metaphysical notions respecting that passion, which lead them +shamefully to neglect the duties of life, and frequently in the +midst of these sublime refinements they plunge into actual vice. + +These are the women who are amused by the reveries of the stupid +novelists, who, knowing little of human nature, work up stale +tales, and describe meretricious scenes, all retailed in a +sentimental jargon, which equally tend to corrupt the taste, and +draw the heart aside from its daily duties. I do not mention the +understanding, because never having been exercised, its slumbering +energies rest inactive, like the lurking particles of fire which +are supposed universally to pervade matter. + +Females, in fact, denied all political privileges, and not allowed, +as married women, excepting in criminal cases, a civil existence, +have their attention naturally drawn from the interest of the whole +community to that of the minute parts, though the private duty of +any member of society must be very imperfectly performed, when not +connected with the general good. The mighty business of female +life is to please, and, restrained from entering into more +important concerns by political and civil oppression, sentiments +become events, and reflection deepens what it should, and would +have effaced, if the understanding had been allowed to take a wider +range. + +But, confined to trifling employments, they naturally imbibe +opinions which the only kind of reading calculated to interest an +innocent frivolous mind, inspires. Unable to grasp any thing +great, is it surprising that they find the reading of history a +very dry task, and disquisitions addressed to the understanding, +intolerably tedious, and almost unintelligible? Thus are they +necessarily dependent on the novelist for amusement. Yet, when I +exclaim against novels, I mean when contrasted with those works +which exercise the understanding and regulate the imagination. For +any kind of reading I think better than leaving a blank still a +blank, because the mind must receive a degree of enlargement, and +obtain a little strength by a slight exertion of its thinking +powers; besides, even the productions that are only addressed to +the imagination, raise the reader a little above the gross +gratification of appetites, to which the mind has not given a shade +of delicacy. + +This observation is the result of experience; for I have known +several notable women, and one in particular, who was a very good +woman--as good as such a narrow mind would allow her to be, who +took care that her daughters (three in number) should never see a +novel. As she was a woman of fortune and fashion, they had various +masters to attend them, and a sort of menial governess to watch +their footsteps. From their masters they learned how tables, +chairs, etc. were called in French and Italian; but as the few +books thrown in their way were far above their capacities, or +devotional, they neither acquired ideas nor sentiments, and passed +their time, when not compelled to repeat WORDS, in dressing, +quarrelling with each other, or conversing with their maids by +stealth, till they were brought into company as marriageable. + +Their mother, a widow, was busy in the mean time in keeping up her +connexions, as she termed a numerous acquaintance lest her girls +should want a proper introduction into the great world. And these +young ladies, with minds vulgar in every sense of the word, and +spoiled tempers, entered life puffed up with notions of their own +consequence, and looking down with contempt on those who could not +vie with them in dress and parade. + +With respect to love, nature, or their nurses, had taken care to +teach them the physical meaning of the word; and, as they had few +topics of conversation, and fewer refinements of sentiment, they +expressed their gross wishes not in very delicate phrases, when +they spoke freely, talking of matrimony. + +Could these girls have been injured by the perusal of novels? I +almost forgot a shade in the character of one of them; she affected +a simplicity bordering on folly, and with a simper would utter the +most immodest remarks and questions, the full meaning of which she +had learned whilst secluded from the world, and afraid to speak in +her mother's presence, who governed with a high hand; they were +all educated, as she prided herself, in a most exemplary manner; +and read their chapters and psalms before breakfast, never touching +a silly novel. + +This is only one instance; but I recollect many other women who, +not led by degrees to proper studies, and not permitted to choose +for themselves, have indeed been overgrown children; or have +obtained, by mixing in the world, a little of what is termed common +sense; that is, a distinct manner of seeing common occurrences, as +they stand detached: but what deserves the name of intellect, the +power of gaining general or abstract ideas, or even intermediate +ones, was out of the question. Their minds were quiescent, and +when they were not roused by sensible objects and employments of +that kind, they were low-spirited, would cry, or go to sleep. + +When, therefore, I advise my sex not to read such flimsy works, it +is to induce them to read something superior; for I coincide in +opinion with a sagacious man, who, having a daughter and niece +under his care, pursued a very different plan with each. + +The niece, who had considerable abilities, had, before she was left +to his guardianship, been indulged in desultory reading. Her he +endeavoured to lead, and did lead, to history and moral essays; but +his daughter whom a fond weak mother had indulged, and who +consequently was averse to every thing like application, he allowed +to read novels; and used to justify his conduct by saying, that if +she ever attained a relish for reading them, he should have some +foundation to work upon; and that erroneous opinions were better +than none at all. + +In fact, the female mind has been so totally neglected, that +knowledge was only to be acquired from this muddy source, till from +reading novels some women of superior talents learned to despise +them. + +The best method, I believe, that can be adopted to correct a +fondness for novels is to ridicule them; not indiscriminately, for +then it would have little effect; but, if a judicious person, with +some turn for humour, would read several to a young girl, and point +out, both by tones and apt comparisons with pathetic incidents and +heroic characters in history, how foolishly and ridiculously they +caricatured human nature, just opinions might be substituted +instead of romantic sentiments. + +In one respect, however, the majority of both sexes resemble, and +equally show a want of taste and modesty. Ignorant women, forced +to be chaste to preserve their reputation, allow their imagination +to revel in the unnatural and meretricious scenes sketched by the +novel writers of the day, slighting as insipid the sober dignity +and matronly grace of history,* whilst men carry the same vitiated +taste into life, and fly for amusement to the wanton, from the +unsophisticated charms of virtue, and the grave respectability of +sense. + +(*Footnote. I am not now alluding to that superiority of mind +which leads to the creation of ideal beauty, when life surveyed +with a penetrating eye, appears a tragi-comedy, in which little can +be seen to satisfy the heart without the help of fancy.) + +Besides, the reading of novels makes women, and particularly ladies +of fashion, very fond of using strong expressions and superlatives +in conversation; and, though the dissipated artificial life which +they lead prevents their cherishing any strong legitimate passion, +the language of passion in affected tones slips for ever from their +glib tongues, and every trifle produces those phosphoric bursts +which only mimick in the dark the flame of passion. + +SECTION 13.3. + +Ignorance and the mistaken cunning that nature sharpens in weak +heads, as a principle of self-preservation, render women very fond +of dress, and produce all the vanity which such a fondness may +naturally be expected to generate, to the exclusion of emulation +and magnanimity. + +I agree with Rousseau, that the physical part of the art of +pleasing consists in ornaments, and for that very reason I should +guard girls against the contagious fondness for dress so common to +weak women, that they may not rest in the physical part. Yet, weak +are the women who imagine that they can long please without the aid +of the mind; or, in other words, without the moral art of pleasing. +But the moral art, if it be not a profanation to use the word art, +when alluding to the grace which is an effect of virtue, and not +the motive of action, is never to be found with ignorance; the +sportiveness of innocence, so pleasing to refined libertines of +both sexes, is widely different in its essence from this superior +gracefulness. + +A strong inclination for external ornaments ever appears in +barbarous states, only the men not the women adorn themselves; for +where women are allowed to be so far on a level with men, society +has advanced at least one step in civilization. + +The attention to dress, therefore, which has been thought a sexual +propensity, I think natural to mankind. But I ought to express +myself with more precision. When the mind is not sufficiently +opened to take pleasure in reflection, the body will be adorned +with sedulous care; and ambition will appear in tattooing or +painting it. + +So far is the first inclination carried, that even the hellish yoke +of slavery cannot stifle the savage desire of admiration which the +black heroes inherit from both their parents, for all the +hardly-earned savings of a slave are commonly expended in a little +tawdry finery. And I have seldom known a good male or female +servant that was not particularly fond of dress. Their clothes +were their riches; and I argue from analogy, that the fondness for +dress, so extravagant in females, arises from the same cause--want +of cultivation of mind. When men meet they converse about +business, politics, or literature; but, says Swift, "how naturally +do women apply their hands to each others lappets and ruffles." +And very natural it is--for they have not any business to interest +them, have not a taste for literature, and they find politics dry, +because they have not acquired a love for mankind by turning their +thoughts to the grand pursuits that exalt the human race and +promote general happiness. + +Besides, various are the paths to power and fame, which by accident +or choice men pursue, and though they jostle against each other, +for men of the same profession are seldom friends, yet there is a +much greater number of their fellow-creatures with whom they never +clash. But women are very differently situated with respect to +each other--for they are all rivals. + +Before marriage it is their business to please men; and after, with +a few exceptions, they follow the same scent, with all the +persevering pertinacity of instinct. Even virtuous women never +forget their sex in company, for they are for ever trying to make +themselves AGREEABLE. A female beauty and a male wit, appear to be +equally anxious to draw the attention of the company to themselves; +and the animosity of contemporary wits is proverbial. + +Is it then surprising, that when the sole ambition of woman centres +in beauty, and interest gives vanity additional force, perpetual +rivalships should ensue? They are all running the same race, and +would rise above the virtue of mortals if they did not view each +other with a suspicious and even envious eye. + +An immoderate fondness for dress, for pleasure and for sway, are +the passions of savages; the passions that occupy those uncivilized +beings who have not yet extended the dominion of the mind, or even +learned to think with the energy necessary to concatenate that +abstract train of thought which produces principles. And that +women, from their education and the present state of civilized +life, are in the same condition, cannot, I think, be controverted. +To laugh at them then, or satirize the follies of a being who is +never to be allowed to act freely from the light of her own reason, +is as absurd as cruel; for that they who are taught blindly to obey +authority, will endeavour cunningly to elude it, is most natural +and certain. + +Yet let it be proved, that they ought to obey man implicitly, and I +shall immediately agree that it is woman's duty to cultivate a +fondness for dress, in order to please, and a propensity to cunning +for her own preservation. + +The virtues, however, which are supported by ignorance, must ever +be wavering--the house built on sand could not endure a storm. It +is almost unnecessary to draw the inference. If women are to be +made virtuous by authority, which is a contradiction in terms, let +them be immured in seraglios and watched with a jealous eye. Fear +not that the iron will enter into their souls--for the souls that +can bear such treatment are made of yielding materials, just +animated enough to give life to the body. + +"Matter too soft a lasting mark to bear, +And best distinguish'd by black, brown, or fair." + +The most cruel wounds will of course soon heal, and they may still +people the world, and dress to please man--all the purposes which +certain celebrated writers have allowed that they were created to +fill. + +SECTION 13.4. + +Women are supposed to possess more sensibility, and even humanity, +than men, and their strong attachments and instantaneous emotions +of compassion are given as proofs; but the clinging affection of +ignorance has seldom any thing noble in it, and may mostly be +resolved into selfishness, as well as the affection of children and +brutes. I have known many weak women whose sensibility was +entirely engrossed by their husbands; and as for their humanity, it +was very faint indeed, or rather it was only a transient emotion of +compassion, "Humanity does not consist in a squeamish ear," says +an eminent orator. "It belongs to the mind as well as the nerves." + +But this kind of exclusive affection, though it degrade the +individual, should not be brought forward as a proof of the +inferiority of the sex, because it is the natural consequence of +confined views: for even women of superior sense, having their +attention turned to little employments, and private plans, rarely +rise to heroism, unless when spurred on by love; and love as an +heroic passion, like genius, appears but once in an age. I +therefore agree with the moralist who asserts, "that women have +seldom so much generosity as men;" and that their narrow +affections, to which justice and humanity are often sacrificed, +render the sex apparently inferior, especially as they are commonly +inspired by men; but I contend, that the heart would expand as the +understanding gained strength, if women were not depressed from +their cradles. + +I know that a little sensibility and great weakness will produce a +strong sexual attachment, and that reason must cement friendship; +consequently I allow, that more friendship is to be found in the +male than the female world, and that men have a higher sense of +justice. The exclusive affections of women seem indeed to resemble +Cato's most unjust love for his country. He wished to crush +Carthage, not to save Rome, but to promote its vain glory; and in +general, it is to similar principles that humanity is sacrificed, +for genuine duties support each other. + +Besides, how can women be just or generous, when they are the +slaves of injustice. + +SECTION 13.5. + +As the rearing of children, that is, the laying a foundation of +sound health both of body and mind in the rising generation, has +justly been insisted on as the peculiar destination of woman, the +ignorance that incapacitates them must be contrary to the order of +things. And I contend, that their minds can take in much more, and +ought to do so, or they will never become sensible mothers. Many +men attend to the breeding of horses, and overlook the management +of the stable, who would, strange want of sense and feeling! think +themselves degraded by paying any attention to the nursery; yet, +how many children are absolutely murdered by the ignorance of +women! But when they escape, and are neither destroyed by +unnatural negligence nor blind fondness, how few are managed +properly with respect to the infant mind! So that to break the +spirit, allowed to become vicious at home, a child is sent to +school; and the methods taken there, which must be taken to keep a +number of children in order, scatter the seeds of almost every vice +in the soil thus forcibly torn up. + +I have sometimes compared the struggles of these poor children who +ought never to have felt restraint, nor would, had they been always +held in with an even hand, to the despairing plunges of a spirited +filly, which I have seen breaking on a strand; its feet sinking +deeper and deeper in the sand every time it endeavoured to throw +its rider, till at last it sullenly submitted. + +I have always found horses, an animal I am attached to, very +tractable when treated with humanity and steadiness, so that I +doubt whether the violent methods taken to break them, do not +essentially injure them; I am, however, certain that a child should +never be thus forcibly tamed after it has injudiciously been +allowed to run wild; for every violation of justice and reason, in +the treatment of children, weakens their reason. And, so early do +they catch a character, that the base of the moral character, +experience leads me to infer, is fixed before their seventh year, +the period during which women are allowed the sole management of +children. Afterwards it too often happens that half the business +of education is to correct, and very imperfectly is it done, if +done hastily, the faults, which they would never have acquired if +their mothers had had more understanding. + +One striking instance of the folly of women must not be omitted. +The manner in which they treat servants in the presence of +children, permitting them to suppose, that they ought to wait on +them, and bear their humours. A child should always be made to +receive assistance from a man or woman as a favour; and, as the +first lesson of independence, they should practically be taught, by +the example of their mother, not to require that personal +attendance which it is an insult to humanity to require, when in +health; and instead of being led to assume airs of consequence, a +sense of their own weakness should first make them feel the natural +equality of man. Yet, how frequently have I indignantly heard +servants imperiously called to put children to bed, and sent away +again and again, because master or miss hung about mamma, to stay a +little longer. Thus made slavishly to attend the little idol, all +those most disgusting humours were exhibited which characterize a +spoiled child. + +In short, speaking of the majority of mothers, they leave their +children entirely to the care of servants: or, because they are +their children, treat them as if they were little demi-gods, though +I have always observed, that the women who thus idolize their +children, seldom show common humanity to servants, or feel the +least tenderness for any children but their own. + +It is, however, these exclusive affections, and an individual +manner of seeing things, produced by ignorance, which keep women +for ever at a stand, with respect to improvement, and make many of +them dedicate their lives to their children only to weaken their +bodies and spoil their tempers, frustrating also any plan of +education that a more rational father may adopt; for unless a +mother concurs, the father who restrains will ever be considered as +a tyrant. + +But, fulfilling the duties of a mother, a woman with a sound +constitution, may still keep her person scrupulously neat, and +assist to maintain her family, if necessary, or by reading and +conversations with both sexes, indiscriminately, improve her mind. +For nature has so wisely ordered things, that did women suckle +their children, they would preserve their own health, and there +would be such an interval between the birth of each child, that we +should seldom see a house full of babes. And did they pursue a +plan of conduct, and not waste their time in following the +fashionable vagaries of dress, the management of their household +and children need not shut them out from literature, nor prevent +their attaching themselves to a science, with that steady eye which +strengthens the mind, or practising one of the fine arts that +cultivate the taste. + +But, visiting to display finery, card playing, and balls, not to +mention the idle bustle of morning trifling, draw women from their +duty, to render them insignificant, to render them pleasing, +according to the present acceptation of the word, to every man, but +their husband. For a round of pleasures in which the affections +are not exercised, cannot be said to improve the understanding, +though it be erroneously called seeing the world; yet the heart is +rendered cold and averse to duty, by such a senseless intercourse, +which becomes necessary from habit, even when it has ceased to +amuse. + +But, till more equality be established in society, till ranks are +confounded and women freed, we shall not see that dignified +domestic happiness, the simple grandeur of which cannot be relished +by ignorant or vitiated minds; nor will the important task of +education ever be properly begun till the person of a woman is no +longer preferred to her mind. For it would be as wise to expect +corn from tares, or figs from thistles, as that a foolish ignorant +woman should be a good mother. + +SECTION 13.6. + +It is not necessary to inform the sagacious reader, now I enter on +my concluding reflections, that the discussion of this subject +merely consists in opening a few simple principles, and clearing +away the rubbish which obscured them. But, as all readers are not +sagacious, I must be allowed to add some explanatory remarks to +bring the subject home to reason--to that sluggish reason, which +supinely takes opinions on trust, and obstinately supports them to +spare itself the labour of thinking. + +Moralists have unanimously agreed, that unless virtue be nursed by +liberty, it will never attain due strength--and what they say of +man I extend to mankind, insisting, that in all cases morals must +be fixed on immutable principles; and that the being cannot be +termed rational or virtuous, who obeys any authority but that of +reason. + +To render women truly useful members of society, I argue, that they +should be led, by having their understandings cultivated on a large +scale, to acquire a rational affection for their country, founded +on knowledge, because it is obvious, that we are little interested +about what we do not understand. And to render this general +knowledge of due importance, I have endeavoured to show that +private duties are never properly fulfilled, unless the +understanding enlarges the heart; and that public virtue is only an +aggregate of private. But, the distinctions established in society +undermine both, by beating out the solid gold of virtue, till it +becomes only the tinsel-covering of vice; for, whilst wealth +renders a man more respectable than virtue, wealth will be sought +before virtue; and, whilst women's persons are caressed, when a +childish simper shows an absence of mind--the mind will lie fallow. +Yet, true voluptuousness must proceed from the mind--for what can +equal the sensations produced by mutual affection, supported by +mutual respect? What are the cold or feverish caresses of +appetite, but sin embracing death, compared with the modest +overflowings of a pure heart and exalted imagination? Yes, let me +tell the libertine of fancy when he despises understanding in +woman--that the mind, which he disregards, gives life to the +enthusiastic affection from which rapture, short-lived as it is, +alone can flow! And, that, without virtue, a sexual attachment +must expire, like a tallow candle in the socket, creating +intolerable disgust. To prove this, I need only observe, that men +who have wasted great part of their lives with women, and with whom +they have sought for pleasure with eager thirst, entertain the +meanest opinion of the sex. Virtue, true refiner of joy! if +foolish men were to fright thee from earth, in order to give loose +to all their appetites without a check--some sensual wight of taste +would scale the heavens to invite thee back, to give a zest to +pleasure! + +That women at present are by ignorance rendered foolish or vicious, +is, I think, not to be disputed; and, that the most salutary +effects tending to improve mankind, might be expected from a +REVOLUTION in female manners, appears at least, with a face of +probability, to rise out of the observation. For as marriage has +been termed the parent of those endearing charities, which draw man +from the brutal herd, the corrupting intercourse that wealth, +idleness, and folly produce between the sexes, is more universally +injurious to morality, than all the other vices of mankind +collectively considered. To adulterous lust the most sacred duties +are sacrificed, because, before marriage, men, by a promiscuous +intimacy with women, learned to consider love as a selfish +gratification--learned to separate it not only from esteem, but +from the affection merely built on habit, which mixes a little +humanity with it. Justice and friendship are also set at defiance, +and that purity of taste is vitiated, which would naturally lead a +man to relish an artless display of affection, rather than affected +airs. But that noble simplicity of affection, which dares to +appear unadorned, has few attractions for the libertine, though it +be the charm, which, by cementing the matrimonial tie, secures to +the pledges of a warmer passion the necessary parental attention; +for children will never be properly educated till friendship +subsists between parents. Virtue flies from a house divided +against itself--and a whole legion of devils take up their +residence there. + +The affection of husbands and wives cannot be pure when they have +so few sentiments in common, and when so little confidence is +established at home, as must be the case when their pursuits are so +different. That intimacy from which tenderness should flow, will +not, cannot subsist between the vicious. + +Contending, therefore, that the sexual distinction, which men have +so warmly insisted upon, is arbitrary, I have dwelt on an +observation, that several sensible men, with whom I have conversed +on the subject, allowed to be well founded; and it is simply this, +that the little chastity to be found amongst men, and consequent +disregard of modesty, tend to degrade both sexes; and further, that +the modesty of women, characterized as such, will often be only the +artful veil of wantonness, instead of being the natural reflection +of purity, till modesty be universally respected. + +>From the tyranny of man, I firmly believe, the greater number of +female follies proceed; and the cunning, which I allow, makes at +present a part of their character, I likewise have repeatedly +endeavoured to prove, is produced by oppression. Were not +dissenters, for instance, a class of people, with strict truth +characterized as cunning? And may I not lay some stress on this +fact to prove, that when any power but reason curbs the free spirit +of man, dissimulation is practised, and the various shifts of art +are naturally called forth? Great attention to decorum, which was +carried to a degree of scrupulosity, and all that puerile bustle +about trifles and consequential solemnity, which Butler's +caricature of a dissenter brings before the imagination, shaped +their persons as well as their minds in the mould of prim +littleness. I speak collectively, for I know how many ornaments to +human nature have been enrolled amongst sectaries; yet, I assert, +that the same narrow prejudice for their sect, which women have for +their families, prevailed in the dissenting part of the community, +however worthy in other respects; and also that the same timid +prudence, or headstrong efforts, often disgraced the exertions of +both. Oppression thus formed many of the features of their +character perfectly to coincide with that of the oppressed half of +mankind; for is it not notorious, that dissenters were like women, +fond of deliberating together, and asking advice of each other, +till by a complication of little contrivances, some little end was +brought about? A similar attention to preserve their reputation +was conspicuous in the dissenting and female world, and was +produced by a similar cause. + +Asserting the rights which women in common with men ought to +contend for, I have not attempted to extenuate their faults; but to +prove them to be the natural consequence of their education and +station in society. If so, it is reasonable to suppose, that they +will change their character, and correct their vices and follies, +when they are allowed to be free in a physical, moral, and civil +sense. + +Let woman share the rights, and she will emulate the virtues of +man; for she must grow more perfect when emancipated, or justify +the authority that chains such a weak being to her duty. If the +latter, it will be expedient to open a fresh trade with Russia for +whips; a present which a father should always make to his +son-in-law on his wedding day, that a husband may keep his whole +family in order by the same means; and without any violation of +justice reign, wielding this sceptre, sole master of his house, +because he is the only being in it who has reason; the divine, +indefeasible, earthly sovereignty breathed into man by the Master +of the universe. Allowing this position, women have not any +inherent rights to claim; and, by the same rule their duties +vanish, for rights and duties are inseparable. + +Be just then, O ye men of understanding! and mark not more severely +what women do amiss, than the vicious tricks of the horse or the +ass for whom ye provide provender, and allow her the privileges of +ignorance, to whom ye deny the rights of reason, or ye will be +worse than Egyptian task-masters, expecting virtue where nature has +not given understanding! + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman + diff --git a/3420.zip b/3420.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0a1a5d --- /dev/null +++ b/3420.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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