Vindication of the rights of women

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C. R. Martínez Editions



Vindication

of the Rightsof Women

Mary Wollstonecraft



Mary Wollstonecraft (27 d e abril de 1759 - 10 d e sep tiemb re de 1797) fue una

filósofa y esc ritora b ritánica . Durante su breve c a rrera esc rib ió nove las, tratados, un relato deviaje y un libro d e literatura infantil. Wollstone c raft es c ono c ida po r Vindica c ión d e los de rec hos de

la mujer , en e l cua l argume nta que las mujeres no son por na tura leza inferiores a l homb re, sino q ue

tan sólo p uede pa rec erlo d ebido a que no han tenido ac ceso a la educ ac ión a propiad a. Sugiere

que hombres y mujeres deberían ser tratados como seres racionales e imagina un orden social

ba sad o e n la razón.

Tanto p or pa rte d el púb lico en g enera l c om o d e las fem inistas, la vida de Wollstone c raft ha sido

ob jeto d el mismo interés, si no mayor, que sus ob ras, deb ido a sus relac iones poc o c onve nc ionales

y a menud o tum ultuosa s. Tras do s rom anc es ma lograd os c on Henry Fuseli y Gilbert Imlay,

Wollstonec raft se c asó c on e l filósofo William Go dwin, uno d e los p rec ursores del mo vimiento

a narquista ; con él tuvo una hija , Ma ry Shelley, autora de Frankenste in y esposa del conocido

poe ta rom ántico Percy Bysshe Shelley. Wollstone c ra ft murió a la ed a d de treinta y o c ho a ños

d eb ido a c om plic ac ione s derivadas de l nac imiento d e su hija, dejand o tras ella va rios ma nusc ritosinac ab ad os.

Hoy en d ía , Wollstonec raft está c onside rad a una de las p rec ursoras de la filosofía fem inista . Su

temp rana de fensa d e la igua lda d y sus a taq ues al feminismo c onvenc iona l y a la d eg rad ac ión d e

la mujer fueron la a nte sa la d e la a pa ric ión d el mo vimiento fe minista . Sus ide a s filosófic as y sus

c onflic tos persona les han sido c onsid erad os c om o impo rta ntes influenc ias en po steriores ob ras de

feministas.



Introduction

Mary Wollstonecraft's voice is one of the first voices of women philosophers

generally added to the c anon o f the Modern Period in Western Philosop hy.

The a bsenc e o f women's voic es in the c anon has c ome to be understood to b e b y

no means on ac c ount of a lac k of dep th, sop histic a tion, and / or c rea tivity. Ra ther,

contemporary scholars have come more and more to understand the significant

loss to philosophical inquiry that resulted from the arbitrary exclusion of the voices

of wom en p hilosop hers.

Wollstonecraft's till recent exclusion is a clear case of this arbitrariness and the

a tte ndant loss. Her most fam ous work, A Vind ic a tion of the Rights of Wom en,

which followed her lesser known work, A Vindication of the Rights of Men, by two

years, is a powerful criticism of the oppression of women and a compelling

argument for the full inclusion of women in the public arena. It should be noted

tha t Vind ic a tion p rec ed es John Stuart Mill's Subjec tion of Women b y four dec ades

and the granting of suffrage to wo me n in the United Sta tes by 120 yea rs.

Wollstonec ra ft demonstra ted from an ea rly ag e a trem end ous intellec t.

Ag a in a nd aga in, she fo und herself excluded from "p rop er" Eng lish soc iety.

Yet, w ithout muc h forma l educ a tion, Wollstonec ra ft worked ma inly as a writer and

ed itor--a testame nt to the b rea d th of he r self-taught lea rning.

Desp ite her many writings, she has been, until rec ent ly, best know n for the w ork of

her daughte r, Ma ry Wollstonec ra ft Shelley, author of Frankenste in.

Wollstonecraft's lack of educational opportunities during her formative years was

never far from he r mind o r her writings. She a rgue s, in Vind ica tion, tha t the

subjection of women and the relegation of women to second class status, tied

exclusively to hearth and home, is the direct result of women's having been

system atic a lly denied the op portunity of ed uca tion. As a p roto -feminist,

Wollstonecraft has sometimes been marginalized by the very feminist movement

tha t owes muc h. This is p rob ab ly due to the fac t that she co nc ed es tha t the

wom en o f her era a re, in fac t, inferior to men in the a rea of intellec t. This

marg ina liza tion is unfortuna te b ec ause it reflec ts a very naïve read ing of her wo rk.

Wollstonecraft is not suggesting that the fact of intellectual inferiority is in any way

a na tura l or essential fea ture of wo men. Instea d , it is an ac c identa l p rop erty of

English society, a property cause by male oppression through the denial of

ed uca tion to wome n. Having bee n exc luded from the op po rtunity of ed ucation,

it is small wonder that a person so denied might, as a result, be uneducated.

While this denial of educational opportunity will not entail a lack of education, it

will tend, in a large population organized under such a system, to produce

prec isely tha t result as a c om mo n fea ture of the group thusly denied . Simp ly put,

being a woman did not render one inferior; being systematically denied the

opportunity to develop one's intellectual capacity tends to render one lessintellec tually c ap ab le. Since the educ ation ac tually widely availab le to women

was solely focused on passive aspects of beauty and servility, one should not



express surprise tha t this is the genera l result. An a lteration in the system w ould

result in women having not only educational opportunity, but also in the rightful

assump tion of e qual p olitic a l and soc ia l rights by wom en.

These theme s are taken up aga in by John Stua rt Mill and the Wome n's Suffrage

Movement with little attribution to the considerable work done previously by

Wollstonec ra ft. Her leg ac y c ont inued in the Wom en's Rights and later Fem inistMovements.

Reading



Dedication

TO:

M. TALLEYRAND-PERIGORD, LATE BISHOP OF AUTUN.

Sir:

Having read with great p lea sure a pamp hlet, which you have lately pub lished , on

National Education, I dedicate this volume to you, the first dedication that I have

ever written, to induc e you to rea d it with attention; and , bec ause I think tha t you

will understand me, which I do not suppose many pert witlings will, who may

rid ic ule the argum ents they are unab le to answer. But, sir, I c a rry my respec t for

your understand ing still fa rther: so fa r, tha t I am c onfident you will not throw m y

wo rk aside, and hastily co nc lude tha t I am in the wrong b ec ause you d id no t view

the sub jec t 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 ad vert to wo ma n, we re tramp led on as c hime rica l. I ca ll

upo n you, therefore, now to w eigh wha t I have a dvanc ed respe c ting the rights of

wo ma n, and na tiona l ed uca tion; and I c a ll with the firm tone o f huma nity. For my

arguments, sir, a re d ic ta ted b y a d isinterested sp irit: I p lea d fo r my sex, not fo r

myself. Indep end enc e I have long c onsidered a s the grand b lessing of life, the

basis of every virtue; and independence I will ever secure by contracting my

wa nts, though I we re to live on a b arren hea th.

It is, then, an affection for the whole human race that makes my pen dart rapidly

a long to supp ort wha t 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

substanc e to mora lity. My op inion, indeed, respec ting the rights and dut ies 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

admirab le c onstitution, will c oincide with me.

In France, there is undo ubted ly a mo re g eneral diffusion o f know led ge than in a ny

part of the European world, and I attribute it, in a great measure, to the social

intercourse which ha s long sub sisted betwee n 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

substanc e, by hunting sinc erity out of soc iety. And , mo desty, the fa irest ga rb of

virtue has been more grossly insulted in France than even in England, till theirwo men have trea ted as PRUDISH that a ttention to dec enc y which b rutes

instinc tively observe.



Manners and morals are so nearly allied, that they have often been confounded;

but, though the forme r should only be the na tura l reflec tion o f the latte r, yet, when

various causes have produced factitious and corrupt manners, which are very

ea rly ca ught, morality bec ome s an emp ty name.

The persona l reserve, and sac red respec t fo r c lea nliness and delic ac y in d om estic

life, which French women almost despise, are the graceful pillars of modesty; but,

fa r from desp ising them , if the p ure flam e o f pa triot ism ha ve reac hed the ir bosom s,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

wa y to merit the ir esteem.

Contending for the rights of women, my main argument is built on this simple

principle, that if she be no t prepa red by ed uca tion to bec ome the c omp anion of

man, she w ill stop the p rog ress of know ledge, for truth must b e c om mon to a ll, or it

will be ineffic ac ious with respec t to its influenc e on ge nera l p rac tic e. And ho w c an

woman be expected to co-operate, unless she know why she ought to be

virtuous? Unless freedom strengthen her rea son till she c om prehe nd her duty, andsee in wha t manner it is c onnec ted w ith her rea l good? If c hild ren 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 moreperfect, 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 inte resting simp lic ity of a ffec tion.

Co nsider, Sir, d ispassiona te ly, these observa tions, for a g limpse of this truth see med

to o pe n before you when you ob served , "that to see o ne half of the human rac e

excluded by the other from all participation of government, was a political

phenome non tha t, ac c ording to abstrac t p rinc ip les, it w as imp ossib le to explain." If

so, on what do es your c onstitution rest? If the abstrac t rights of ma n will bea rdiscussion and explanation, those of woman, by a parity of reasoning, will not

shrink from the same test: though a d ifferent op inion p reva ils in th is c ount ry, bu ilt o n

the very argum ents whic h you use to justify the oppression o f wom an, presc rip tion.

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

happ iness, it b e not inconsistent and unjust to sub juga te wo men, even thoug h you

firmly believe that you a re a c ting in the m anner best c alculate d to promote their

happiness? Who made man the exclusive judge, if woman partake with him the

g ift o f rea son?.

In this style, a rgue tyrants of e very denomina tion from the we ak king to the we ak



father of a family; they are all eager to crush reason; yet always assert that they

usurp its throne only to b e useful. Do you no t ac t a simila r 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

disc ha rge it in a v irtuous manner. They may be c onve nient slaves, but slavery will

have its c onstant effec t, degrad ing the master and the ab jec t de pe ndent.

But, if women a re to be exc luded , without having a voice, from a partic ipation 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, willever undermine m orality.

I have repeatedly asserted, and produced what appeared to me irrefragable

argum ents d rawn from ma tters of fac t, to prove my assertion, that women c annot,

by force, be confined to domestic concerns; for they will however ignorant,

intermed d le with more w eighty a ffairs, neg lec ting p rivate duties only to d isturb , by

c unning tric ks, the o rderly p lans of rea son whic h rise a bove their c om prehe nsion.

Besides, whilst they are only made to acquire personal accomplishments, men will

seek for pleasure in variety, and faithless husbands will make faithless wives; suchignorant b eings, inde ed , will be ve ry exc usab le w hen, not ta ught to respec t p ub lic

good, nor allowed any civil right, they attempt to do themselves justice by

retaliation.

The box of mischief thus op ened in soc iety, wha t is to p reserve p riva te virtue, the

only sec urity of p ub lic freedom and universa l happ iness?.

Let there be then no coercion established in society, and the common law of

g ravity p reva iling, the sexes will fa ll into the ir p rop er p lac es. And , now tha t more

eq uitab le law s a re fo rming your citizens, marriage m ay be c om e m ore sac red ; your

young men may choose wives from motives of affection, and your maidens allowlove to root out vanity.

The fa ther of a family will not then we aken his c onstitution a nd deb ase his

sentiments, by visiting the harlot, nor forget, in obeying the call of appetite, the

purpose for whic h it wa s imp lanted ; and the m othe r will not neg lec t her child ren to

prac tise the a rts of c oq uet ry, when sense a nd mod esty sec ure he r the friend ship o f

her husband.

But, till me n be c ome a ttentive to the duty of a fa ther, it is va in to expec t wo men to

spend that time in their nursery which they, "wise in their generation," choose tospend 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 wo men a re no t p ermitted to enjoy leg itima te rights, they will

rend er both men and themselves vicious, to ob ta in illic it p rivilege s.

I wish, sir, to set some investigations of this kind afloat in France; and should they

lea d to a c onfirma tion of my p rinc iples, when your constitution is revised , the rights

of w om an may be respec ted , if it b e fully p roved tha t reason c a lls for this respec t,

and loud ly dema nds justice for one ha lf of the huma n rac e.

I am, sir,

Yours respec tfu lly,

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 sp irits, and I have sighed when ob liged to c onfess, tha t either nature ha s ma dea great difference between man and man, or that the civilization, which has

hitherto ta ken p lac e in the world , has been very partia l.

I have turned o ver various books written o n the subjec t of educa tion, and pa tiently

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 o ne ha sty c onc lusion. The c ond uc t a nd ma nners of w om en, in

fac t, evidently prove, tha t the ir minds a re no t in a hea lthy sta te ; for, like the flowers

that are planted in too rich a soil, strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty;

and the flaunting lea ves, after having p lea sed a fastid ious eye, fade, d isreg arded

on the sta lk, long before the sea son when they ought to have a rrived a t maturity.

One cause of this barren blooming I attribute to a false system of education,

ga thered from the b oo ks written on this sub jec t b y me n, who, c onsidering fema les

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

c entury, with a few excep tions, are only anxious to insp ire love , when they ought to

c herish a nob ler am b ition, and by their ab ilities and virtues exac t respec t.

In a treatise, therefore, on female rights and manners, the works which have been

pa rtic ula rly written for their imp roveme nt must no t b e overlooked; espec ia lly whe n

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

huma n spec ies, when imp rova b le rea son is a llow ed to be the d ignified d istinc tion,

which ra ises men above the b rute c rea tion, and puts a na tura l sc ep tre in a feeb le

hand.

Yet, be cause I am a wo ma n, I wo uld not lead my rea ders to supp ose, that I mea n

violently to agitate the c ontested question respec ting the e qua lity 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

mo ment to de liver, in a few words, my op inion. In the gove rnment of the physic a l

world , it is ob servab le tha t the fem ale, in general, is inferior to the ma le. The ma le

pursues, the female yields--this is the law of nature; and it does not appear to be

suspend ed or ab rog a ted in favour of wom an. This physic a l superiority cannot be

denied--and it is a nob le prerog a tive! But not content with this na tura l p re-

em inenc e, men end ea vour to sink us still low er, merely to rend er us a lluring ob jec tsfor a moment; and women, intoxicated by the adoration which men, under the

influenc e o f their senses, pa y them , do not seek to ob ta in a durab le interest in their



hearts, or to become the friends of the fellow creatures who find amusement in

their society.

I am a wa re o f an ob vious inferenc e: from every qua rter have I hea rd e xc lama tions

aga inst ma sc uline wo me n; but whe re a re 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 ofmanly 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 a nd m ore ma sc uline.

This d isc ussion na turally divides the sub jec t. I sha ll first c onside r 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

pec ulia r designa tion.

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

Sandfo rd and Merton, be e xc ep ted ; but, addressing my sex in a firmer tone , I pay

pa rtic ula r a ttention to tho se in the midd le c lass, bec ause they ap pea r to b e in the

most natural state. Perhaps the seeds of false refinement, immorality, and vanity

have e ver be en shed b y the grea t.

Weak, artificial beings raised above the common wants and affections of theirrace, in a premature unnatural manner, undermine the very foundation of virtue,

and sprea d c orrup tion throug h the whole ma ss of soc iety! As a c lass of ma nkind

they ha ve the strong est c la im to p ity! The educ a tion o f the rich tend s to rend er

them vain and helpless, and the unfolding mind is not strengthened by the

prac tice of those d uties which d ignify the huma n c harac ter. They only live to

amuse themselves, and by the same law which in nature invariably produces

c ertain effec ts, they soon only afford b arren a musem ent.

But a s I purpose ta king a sep ara te view of the d ifferent ranks of soc iety, and of the

moral character of women, in each, this hint is, for the present, sufficient; and Ihave only alluded to the sub jec t, bec ause it appea rs to m e to b e the ve ry essenc e

of an introduction to give a cursory account of the contents of the work it

introduces.

My o wn sex, I hop e, w ill excuse me , if I trea t the m like ra tiona l crea tures, instead of

flattering their fascinating graces, and viewing them as if they were in a state of

perpetua l c hildhood , unab le to stand a lone . I ea rnestly 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 refinementof 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 b ec om e ob jec ts of c ontemp t.

Dismissing then those p ret ty feminine phrases, which the me n c ond esc end ing ly 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 ahuman being, rega rd less of the d istinct ion of sex; and tha t sec ond ary view s should

be brought to this simple touchstone.

This is a rough sketc h of my p lan; and should I express my convic tion w ith the

energetic emotions that I feel whenever I think of the subject, the dictates of

experienc e a nd reflec tion w ill be fe lt b y som e o f my rea ders.

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 ofmy language, I shall not waste my time in rounding periods, nor in fabricating the

turgid b om bast of a rtific ia l feelings, whic h, c om ing from the hea d, never rea c h the

heart. I shall be employed about things, not words! And, anxious to render my sex

mo re respec tab le m embers of soc iety, I shall try to avoid tha t flow ery diction which

has slided from essays into novels, and from novels into familiar letters and

conversation.

These p ret ty no things, these c a rica tures of the rea l be auty o f sensib ility, d rop p ing

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 andover-stretched feelings, stifling the natural emotions of the heart, render the

domestic pleasures insipid, that ought to sweeten the exercise of those severe

duties, whic h ed uca te a rational and immortal be ing for a nob ler field of a c tion.

The ed uca tion o f wo men has, of late , bee n mo re a ttende d to tha n 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

ac c om plishments: meanwhile, streng th of bod y and mind a re sac rific ed to

libertine notions of beauty, to the desire of establishing themselves, the only waywomen can rise in the world--by marriage. And this desire making mere animals of

them, when they ma rry, they ac t as such c hild ren ma y be expe c ted to a c t: they

dress; they p a int, and nic kname God 's c rea tures. Surely these wea k be ings a re

only fit for the serag lio! Ca n they gove rn a fam ily, or take c are of the p oo r babes

who m 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 theminsignific ant ob jec ts of d esire; me re p rop agators of fools! If it c an be p rove d , that in

aiming to accomplish them, without cultivating their understandings, they are



ta ken out o f the ir sphere o f duties, and ma de rid ic ulous and useless whe n the short

lived bloom of beauty is over1, I presume that rational men will excuse me for

endea vouring to p ersuad e them to bec ome more masc uline and respe c tab le.

Indee d the word ma sc uline is on ly a bugbea r: there is little rea son to fea r tha t

women will acquire too much courage or fortitude; for their apparent inferiority

with respec t to bod ily streng th, must render them , in som e d eg ree , depend ent o nmen in the various relations of life; but why should it be increased by prejudices

tha t g ive a sex to virtue , and confo und simp le truths with sensua l reve ries?

Women are, in fac t, so much degrad ed by mistaken notions of fema le exce llenc e,

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

prejud ic es, and they will na turally fall into the ir subordinate, yet respec tab le sta tion

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, be c ause inte llec t w ill alwa ys gove rn.

1As lively writer, I cannot recollect his name, asks what business women turned of forty have to do in the world.



CHAPTER 1.

THE RIGHTS AND INVOLVED DUTIES OF MANKIND CONSIDERED.

In the p resent sta te of soc iety, it a ppea rs nec essary to go back to first p rinc ip les insearch of the most simple truths, and to dispute with some prevailing prejudice

eve ry inc h of g round . To c lea r my wa y, I must be a llow ed to a sk som e p la in

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 a re forma lly c ontrad ic ted , either by the w ords or conduc t of m en.

In wha t d oes ma n's p re-em inenc e o ver the b rute c rea tion c onsist? The a nswe r is as

c lea r as tha t a ha lf is less tha n the whole; in Rea son.

What acquirement exalts one being above another?. Virtue; we spontaneously

reply.

For wha t p urpose w ere the passions imp lanted? That man by strugg ling w ith the m

might a tta in a deg ree of knowledge denied to the b rutes: whispers Experienc e.

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 ma n thus simp lified , it seems a lmost imp ertinent to a ttempt

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 simp le a xiom with c asua l deviat ions.

Men, in gene ra l, seem to employ their rea son to justify p rejud ic es, which they ha ve

imb ibe d, they ca nnot trac e how, rather than to root them out.

The mind m ust b e strong tha t resolutely forms its ow n princ iples; for a kind o f

inte llec tua l c ow ard ic e p reva ils which makes many men shrink from the ta sk, 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

exped ient. Thus exped ienc y is continua lly contrasted w ith simp le princ iples, till truthis lost in a mist of words, virtue in forms, and knowledge rendered a sounding

nothing, by the spec ious p rejud ic es tha t assume its name .



That the soc iety is formed in the wisest m anner, whose c onstitution is found ed 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 p resc rip tion a s an a rgum ent to justify the d ep riving me n (or women) of the ir

na tura l rights, is one of the absurd sophisms which da ily insult common sense.

The c iviliza tion of the bulk of the peop le o f Europ e, is very pa rtial; 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

sp lend id slave ry. The d esire o f dazzling by riches, the m ost c erta in p re-eminenc e

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 p rinc es, or lord it ove r them b y seizing the t rip le crow n!.

Such, indeed, has been the wretc hed ness tha t ha s flow ed 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 dartingfrom 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

eloquenc e to p rove tha t ma n wa s na tura lly a solita ry anima l.

Misled by his respec t for the g oo dness of God , who c erta inly for wha t man of senseand feeling can doubt it! Gave life only to communicate happiness, he considers

evil as positive, and the w ork of man; not awa re tha t he w as exalting o ne a ttribute

a t the expense o f another, equa lly nec essary to d ivine p erfec tion.

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 w isdom; a nd the p arad oxic al exc lama tion, that Go d has ma de all things

right, and that evil has been introduced by the creature whom he formed,

knowing what he formed, is as unphilosop hic a l as imp ious.

When that wise Being, who created us and placed us here, saw the fair idea, he



willed, by a llow ing it to be so, tha t the passions should unfold our rea son, b ec ause

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

bold ly lea rn to know goo d by p rac tising evil w ithout his permission?. No. How c ould

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

pa int as a sta te in which a single virtue to ok roo t, it wo uld have been c lea r, thoughnot 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 rec onc iled with his a ttributes.

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 c a ll into existenc e a c rea ture a bove the b rutes, who

c ould think and improve himself, why should tha t inestimab le gift, for a g ift it wa s, if

a man was so created as to have a capacity to rise above the state in which

sensa tion prod uc ed b ruta l ea se, be ca lled , in d irec t terms, a c urse?.

A c urse it might b e reckoned , if all our existenc e w as bound ed by our continuanc e

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 d ignity? Why should he lea d us from love of ourselves to the sub lime em ot ions

which the d iscove ry of h is wisdom and goo dness exc ites, if these fe elings were no t

set in motion to improve our nature, of which they make a part, and render us

c apab le of enjoying a m ore god like po rtion of hap p iness? Firmly persuad ed tha t

no evil exists in the wo rld tha t God d id not design to take p lac e, I build my b elief

on the p erfection of Go d.

Rousseau exerts himself to prove, that all eas right originally: a crowd of authors

tha t a ll IS now right: and I, tha t a ll w il 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

c onq uering the wo rld , the Romans never drea med of e stab lishing their ow n liberty

on a firm basis, or of extending the reign of virtue. Eager to support his system, he

stigmatizes, as vic ious, eve ry e ffort o f genius; and utte ring the apotheo sis of savage

virtues, he exalts those to demigods, who were scarcely human--the brutalSpartans, who in d efianc e of justic e a nd gratitude , sac rific ed , in c old b loo d , the

slave s tha t ha d shown the mselves men to resc ue the ir 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 w hether the e vils, which his a rdent soul turned from ind ignantly, we re the

c onseq uenc e of civiliza tion, or the vestiges of barbarism. He saw vice tram p ling

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

g iga ntic misc hief up to a rb itra ry p ower, up to the hered ita ry d istinc tions tha t c lashwith the menta l superiority that naturally ra ises a m an ab ove h is fellow s. He d id

not perceive, that the regal power, in a few generations, introduces idiotism into



the nob le stem, and ho lds out b a its to rend er thousands id le a nd vicious.

Nothing can set the regal character in a more contemptible point of view, than

the va rious c rime s tha t have e leva ted men to the suprem e d ignity.

Vile intrigues, unnatural crimes, and every vice that degrades our nature, have

been the steps to this distinguished eminence; yet millions of men have supinelyallowed the nerveless limbs of the posterity of such rapacious prowlers, to rest

quietly on the ir 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

c eremonies? Will men neve r be wise? Will they never c ea se to expe c t co rn 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 aking, entrusted with unco ntrolled pow er; how then m ust 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

p leasure!. Surely it is madness to ma ke the fa te of thousands dep end on the

caprice of a weak fellow creature, whose very station sinks him necessarily below

the mea nest of his sub jec ts! But one pow er should not be throw n down to exalt

anothe r--for all pow er intoxica tes we ak ma n; and its abuse p roves, that the mo re

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 notimplicit; and they who, roused by the sight of human calamity, dare to attack

human authority, a re reviled a s desp isers of God , and ene mies of man. These a re

b itter c a lumnies, yet the y rea c hed one of the best of men, (Dr. Price .) who se a shes

still preach peace, and whose memory demands a respectful pause, when

sub jec ts a re d isc ussed tha t lay so nea r 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

subord ina tion a nd rigour a re the very sinew s of military disc ipline; a nd despot ism 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

c rowd of suba lterns forwa rd , they sc arc ely know or ca re w hy, with hea d long 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, whoseonly occupation is gallantry, and whose polished manners render vice more

dange rous, by c onc ea ling its defo rmity unde r gay ornamenta l d rapery. An a ir 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 c annot c a tc h the slippery grac es of po liteness. Every corps is a c ha in

of despots, who, submitting and tyrannizing without exercising their reason,

be c ome d ea d weights of vic e and folly on the community. A man of rank or

fortune, sure o f rising by inte rest, has nothing to do but to pursue som e e xtrava gant

freak; whilst the needy gentleman, who is to rise, as the phrase turns, by his merit,bec om es a servile pa rasite or vile p ander.

Sa ilors, the na va l gent lem en, com e und er the same desc rip tion, only their vices

assume a d ifferent and a g rosser ca st. They a re more positively indolent, when not

discharging the ceremonials of their station; whilst the insignificant fluttering of

soldiers ma y be termed ac tive idleness. More c onfined to the soc iety o f men, the

former acquire a fondness for humour and mischievous tricks; whilst the latter,

mixing freq uently with we ll-bred w omen, c a tc h a sentimenta l c ant. But mind is

eq ua lly out o f the q uestion, whether they indulge the horse-laugh or polite simp er.

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 a lmost eq ua lly cramps the ir fac ulties?.

The b lind submission imp osed a t c olleg e to forms of belief, serves as a novic ia te to

the c ura te who most ob seq uiously respec ts the op inion of his rec tor or pa tron, if he

mea ns to rise in his p rofession. Perhap s there c annot b e a m ore forcib le c ontrast

than b etwe en the servile, depe ndent ga it of a po or curate , and the c ourtly mien

of a bishop. And the respect and contempt they inspire render the discharge of

the ir sep arate func tions eq ua lly 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,

c ommon ma n, has sc arcely ever any cha rac ter, but wha t belongs to the b od y; at

least, all his opinions have been so steeped in the vat consecrated by authority,

tha t the fa int sp irit which the grape o f his ow n vine yields c annot be d istinguished .

Soc iety, therefore, as it bec om es mo re enlightened , should b e very ca reful not to

establish bodies of men who must necessarily be made foolish or vicious by thevery c onstitution of the ir p rofession.

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

mo narchy a nd hierarchy b rea k out of the c onfusion o f amb itious strugg les, and the

foundation of b oth is sec ured by feud a l tenures. This appea rs to be the o rig in of

mo narchial and p riestly pow er, and the dawn of c iviliza tion. But such c om bustib le

materials cannot long be pent up; and getting vent in foreign wars and intestineinsurrections, the people acquire some power in the tumult, which obliges their

rulers to g loss over their oppression w ith a show of right. Thus, as wars, agric ulture,



commerce, and literature, expands the mind, despots are compelled, to make

covert corruption hold fast the power which was formerly snatched by open

force.2 And this baneful lurking gangrene is most quickly spread by luxury and

superstition, the sure d reg s of amb ition. The indolent puppet of a c ourt first

becomes a luxurious monster, or fastidious sensualist, and then makes the

c ontag ion which his unna tural sta te sprea ds, the instrument of tyranny.

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 p oints out the a ntidote ; and had Roussea u mounted one step highe r in his

investiga tion; or c ould his eye ha ve p ierced throug h the fog gy a tmo sphere, which

he almost disdained to breathe, his active mind would have darted forward to

c ontemp la te the perfec tion of m an in the estab lishment o f true c iviliza tion, instea d

of ta king his feroc ious flight bac k to the night o f sensua l ignoranc e.

2Men 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



CHAPTER 2.

THE PREVAILING OPINION O F A SEXUAL CHARACTER DISCUSSED.

To a c c ount for, and excuse the tyranny of ma n, many inge nious a rgum ents havebeen brought forward to prove, that the two sexes, in the acquirement of virtue,

oug ht to a im a t a tta ining a very d ifferent c harac ter: or, to spea k explic itly, wo men

are no t a llow ed to ha ve suffic ient streng th of mind to a c quire w hat rea lly 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 w om en a re not a swa rm of e phemeron triflers, why should they be kep t 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

effec t o f ignoranc e!. The m ind will eve r be unsta b le tha t 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 need less, for at least twenty yea rs of the ir lives.

Thus Milton d esc ribes our first frail mothe r; tho ugh when he te lls us tha t 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 co ntemp lation.

How grossly do they insult us, who thus advise us only to render ourselves gentle,

domestic brutes! For insta nc e, 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 b y suc h sinister methods!. "Ce rtainly," 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

ma nner, when they try to sec ure the go od c ond uct of wo men b y 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 unde rstandings now rec eive, they only atta in a know led ge o f 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 weredestined 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 hop es upon, they must be p ermitted to turn to the founta in of light, and no t

forced to shape their c ourse by the twinkling of a me re sa tellite. 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

c ontrast, consistent: but into simila r inc onsistenc ies a re g rea t m en often led by the ir

senses: "To whom thus Eve with p erfec t b ea uty a dorned : My author and d isposer,

what thou bidst Unargued I obey; so God ordains; God is thy law, thou mine; toknow no m ore Is wo ma n's hap p iest knowledge and her praise."

These a re e xac tly the a rgum ents tha t I have used to child ren; but I have added ,

"Your reason is now ga ining streng th, and , till it a rrives a t som e deg ree of maturity,

you must look up to m e for ad vic e: then you oug ht to think, and only rely on God ."

Yet , in the follow ing lines, Milton see ms to coinc ide w ith me, whe n he m akes Ad am

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

harmo ny or delight?.

Whic h must b e m utual, in p rop ortion d ue G iven a nd rec eived; but in disparity.

The one intense, the othe r still rem iss. Ca nnot w ell suit with eithe r, but soon p rove

Ted ious a like: of fe llowship I spea k Suc h as I see k fit to partic ipa te All rat iona l

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-

op erate, if the expression b e not too b old , with the Sup rem e Being.

By ind ividua l educ a tion, I mea n--for the sense o f the wo rd is not p rec isely de fined -

-such an attention to a child as will slowly sharpen the senses, form the temper,

reg ula te the passions, as they b eg in to ferment, and set the unde rstand ing to wo rk

before the body arrives at maturity; so that the man may only have to proceed,

not to b eg in, the imp ortant ta sk of lea rning to think and rea son.

To p revent a ny misc onstruc tion, I must a dd , that I do not believe that a p riva te

education can work the wonders which some sanguine writers have attributed to

it. Men and women must be educa ted , in a great degree, by the op inions andmanners of the soc iety they live in. In eve ry age there has bee n a stream of

popular opinion that has carried all before it, and given a family character, as it

were, to the c entury. It ma y then fairly be inferred , tha t, till soc iety be d ifferently

constituted, much cannot be expected from education. It is, however, sufficient

for my p resent purpose to assert, tha t, wha tever effec t c ircumstances 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

c an save us from a the ism? or if we worship a Go d, is not tha t Go d 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 theheart; or, in other words, to enable the individual to attain such habits of virtue as

will rend er it indep end ent . In fac t, it is a fa rc e to ca ll any being virtuous whose



virtues do not result from the e xerc ise o f its own reason.

This was Roussea u's op inion respec ting men: I extend it to women, and

confidently assert that they have been drawn out of their sphere by false

refinem ent, and not by an end ea vour to a c quire m asc uline q ualities. Still the reg a l

homa ge w hich they receive is so intoxic a ting, tha t, till the ma nners of the time s a re

changed, and formed on more reasonable principles, it may be impossible toconvince them that the illegitimate power, which they obtain by degrading

themselves, is a c urse, a nd tha t they m ust return to na ture a nd eq ua lity, if they wish

to sec ure the plac id sa tisfac tion tha t unsop histica ted a ffec tions imp art. 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 wo uld othe rwise have b een; and , co nseq uently, more useless memb ers

of soc iety. I might have expressed this convic tion in a lower key; but I am a fra id it

would have been the whine of affectation, and not the faithful expression of my

feelings, of the c lea r result, which experienc e a nd reflec tion ha ve led me to d raw.

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

spec ies, and rend er women p lea sing a t the expe nse o f every solid virtue .

Thoug h to reason on Roussea u's ground , if man did a tta in a d eg ree of p erfec tion

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 bea uty wo uld b e equa lly consp icuous. 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 c ome from heaven to tell us the c onseq uence.

Many are the causes that, in the present corrupt state of society, contribute toenslave 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 a n orde rly manner, is a most important p rec ep t, 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 b roken into method , observe. This neg ligent kind of g uesswo rk, for wha t o ther

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 generalizingmatters of fact, so they do to-day, what they did yesterday, merely because they

did it yesterday.



This c ontemp t o f the unde rstanding in early life ha s mo re baneful co nseq uenc es

than is c om monly supposed ; for the little knowled ge which wome n of strong minds

a tta in, is, from va rious c irc umsta nc es, of a more d esultory kind tha n the knowled ge

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 domesticemployments 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 branc h w ith tha t p ersevering a rdour nec essary to give vigour to the fac ulties,

and c learness to the judgm ent. In the present sta te of soc iety, a little lea rning is

req uired to supp ort the c harac ter of a ge ntlema n; and bo ys are ob lige d to subm it

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 notbrought forward by emulation; and having no serious scientific study, if they have

na tural sagac ity it is turned to o soo n on life and m anners. They dwe ll on effec ts,

and m od ific a tions, without trac ing them bac k to c auses; and c om plic a ted rules to

ad just b eha viour are a we ak substitute for simp le p rinc ip les.

As a p roo f that educa tion g ives this appea rance o f weakness to fem a les, we ma y

instance the example of military men, who are, like them, sent into the world

befo re the ir minds have been stored with know led ge or fortified b y p rinc ip les. The

c onseq uenc es a re similar; soldiers ac quire a little superfic ia l know led ge, sna tc hed

from the m uddy c urrent of c onversa tion, and , from continually mixing with soc iety,they ga in, what is termed a knowledg e o f the w orld; a nd this ac quaintanc e w ith

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 judg me nt, forme d b y co mp aring spec ula tion and e xperienc e, deserve such

a d istinct ion? Sold iers, as we ll as wom en, p rac tice the minor virtues with p unc tilious

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 whic h ena b les the fo rme r to see mo re o f life.

It is wandering from my present subject, perhaps, to make a political remark; butas it was produced naturally by the train of my reflections, I shall not pass it silently

over.

Sta nd ing a rmies c an neve r c onsist o f resolute, robust men; they ma y be w ell

disciplined machines, but they will seldom contain men under the influence of

strong passions or with very vigo rous faculties. And as for any dep th of

understa nd ing, I will venture to a ffirm, tha t it is as ra rely to b e fo und in the a rmy a s

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 the ir lives is ga llantry. They w ere taught to p lea se, a nd they on ly live to p lea se.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 grea t m isfortune is this, that the y both a c quire m anners befo re m ora ls, and a

knowledge of life before they have from reflection, any acquaintance with the

grand idea l out line of human na ture. The conseq uenc e is na tural; sa tisfied w ith

common nature, they become a prey to prejudices, and taking all their opinions

on c red it, they b lind ly submit to authority. So tha t if they have any sense, it is a kindof instinctive glance, that catches proportions, and decides with respect to

manners; but fails when arguments are to be pursued below the surface, or

op inions ana lyzed .

Ma y not the sam e remark be app lied to wom en? Nay, the argument may be

c arried still further, for they are b oth thrown out of a useful sta tion by the unna tural

distinctions established in civilized life. Riches and hereditary honours have made

c yphe rs of women to give c onseq uenc e to the numeric a l figure; and id leness 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, anddaughte rs. This is only keep ing them in rank and f ile, it is true. Streng the n the

fema le m ind by enlarging it, and there w ill be an end to b lind ob ed ienc e; but, as

b lind ob ed ienc e is eve r soug ht fo r by p ow er, tyrants and sensua lists a re in the right

when they endeavour to keep women in the dark, bec ause the former only wa nt

slave s, and the lat te r a p lay-thing . The sensua list, inde ed , has bee n the most

dange rous of tyrants, and wo me n have been duped by their love rs, as p rinces by

the ir ministers, whilst d rea ming tha t the y reigne d ove r them.

I now princ ipa lly a llude to Roussea u, for his c ha rac ter of Sop hia is undoub ted ly, a

captivating one, though it appears to me grossly unnatural; however, it is not thesuperstructure, 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

a lwa ys takes p lac e o f admira tion, and the rigid frow n of insulted virtue e ffac es the

smile o f c omp lac enc y, which his eloquent p eriod s a re wo nt to ra ise, whe n I rea d

his vo luptuous reveries. Is this the man, who , in his a rdour for virtue , would banish

a ll the soft a rts of pea c e, and a lmost c arry us bac k to Sparta n d isc ip line?. 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 andenticing 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 b een gratified by the sight of humb le m utual love , not d ignified by sentiment,

nor strengthene d b y a union in inte llec tua l pursuits. The d om estic trifles of the d ay

have a fforded ma tter for c heerful c onverse, and innoc ent c aresses have softene d

to ils which did not req uire grea t exerc ise of mind, or stretc h of thought: yet, has

not the sight of this moderate felic ity exc ited mo re tend erness than respec t? 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 raisedadmira tion, and c arried our thoughts to tha t world whe re sensa tion w ill give p lac e

to rea son.



Women are, therefore, to be considered either as moral beings, or so weak that

they must be entirely sub jec ted to the superior fac ulties of m en.

Let us exam ine this question. Roussea u de c la res, tha t a w om an should never, for

a moment feel herself independent, that she should be governed by fear to

exerc ise he r natura l c unning, and ma de a coq uetish slave in order to render her amore alluring object of desire, a sweeter companion to man, whenever he

c hooses to relax himself. He carries the a rguments, whic h he p retend s to d raw

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 b e imp ressed with unrelenting rigour.

What nonsense! When will a g rea t ma n arise with suffic ient strength of mind to

puff aw ay the fumes which p ride and sensuality have thus sprea d over the subjec t!

If women are by nature inferior to men, their virtues must be the same in quality, ifnot in degree, or virtue is a relative idea; consequently, their conduct should be

found ed on the same princ ip les, and ha ve the same a im.

Connec ted with ma n as daughte rs, wives, and mo thers, their mora l c harac ter 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 d ignity of c onsc ious virtue. They may try to rend er their roa d p lea sant; 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 a bstrac t reflec tions or d ista nt views, as to forge t the a ffec tions and dutiestha t lie b efore them, and a re, in truth, the mea ns appointed to p rod uce 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 sub jec t, eve r supposed tha t Eve w as, litera lly

spea king, one of Ad am's ribs, the de duc tion m ust be a llow ed to fa ll 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 a s we ll as the b rute c rea tion, wa s c rea ted to d o his p lea sure.

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 rea son to c onc lude tha t the ir virtues should d iffer

in respect to their nature. In fact, how can they, if virtue has only one eternal

sta nd ard? I must, the refo re, if I rea son conseq uentia lly, as strenuo usly ma inta in,tha t they ha ve the same simp le d irec tion, as tha t there is a God.



It follow s then, tha t c unning should no t b e o pposed to wisdom , little c ares to grea t

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 pec ulia r grac es, and the op inion o f a w ell know n po et m ight

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 b rink 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 spea k disrespec tfully of love is, I know , high trea son aga inst sentiment a nd fine

fee lings; but I w ish to spea k the simp le language of t ruth, and ra ther to add ress the

hea d than the hea rt. To ende avour to reason love out o f the wo rld , wo uld b e to

out Quixote Cervantes, and equally offend against common sense; but anendeavour 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

understa nd ing should eve r co olly wield , ap pea rs 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

reflec tion ta kes p lac e of sensa tion. But Roussea u, and most o f the ma le writers who

have followed his steps, have warmly inculcated that the whole tendency of

fema le ed uca tion ought to b e d irec ted to one p oint to rende r them p lea sing.

Let me reason with the supporters of this opinion, who have any knowledge of

human nature, do they ima gine tha t ma rriag e c an erad ica te the hab itude of life?

The w oman who ha s only bee n ta ught to p lea se, w ill soon find tha t her c harms are

oblique sun-beams, and that they cannot have much effect on her husband's

hea rt whe n they are seen every da y, when the summe r is past and g one . Will she

then ha ve suffic ient na tive e nergy to look into herself for c om fort, and c ultiva te 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,

end ea vour to forge t the mo rtific a tion her love or p ride has rec eived? When the

husband ceases to be a lover--and the time will inevitably come, her desire ofpleasing will then grow languid, or become a spring of bitterness; and love,

perhap s, the m ost evanescent of a ll pa ssions, gives p lac e to jea lousy 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 b e c onvince d by the homa ge 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

d isc ontent. How then c an the grea t a rt of p lea sing b e such a nec essary study? it

is only useful to a mistress; the c haste wife, and serious mothe r, should on ly considerher power to please as the polish of her virtues, and the affection of her husband

as one of the c om forts tha t render her task less d iffic ult, and her life ha pp ier.



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 a miab le Dr. Greg ory fe ll into a simila r error. I respec t his heart; but entirely

d isapp rove of his celeb ra ted Leg acy to his Daughters.

He advises them to cultivate a fondness for dress, because a fondness for dress, he

asserts, is na tural to the m. I am unab le to c om prehe nd wha t e ither he o r Roussea u

mea n, when they frequent ly use this indefinite term.

If they told us, that in a p re-existent sta te the soul wa s fond of d ress, and b roug ht

this inc lina tion w ith it into a new bod y, I should listen to them with a ha lf smile, as I

often do when I hear a rant about innate elegance. But if he only meant to say

tha t the exerc ise of the fac ulties will p roduc e this fondness, I deny it. It is not

na tural; but a rises, like fa lse amb ition in men, from a love of p ow er.

Dr. Greg ory goes muc h further; he ac tua lly rec om me nds d issimula tion, 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

imm od est. In the nam e of truth and c om mo n sense, why should not one wom an

acknowledge that she can take more exercise than another? or, in other words,

tha t she ha s a sound c onstitution; and why to damp innoc ent vivac ity, is she d arkly

to be told , tha t men will d raw conc lusions whic h 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 a bund anc e o f the hea rt the m outh spe aketh; and a wiser than Solomon ha thsaid, that the heart should be made clean, and not trivial ceremonies observed,

which it is not ve ry d ifficult to fulfill with sc rupulous exac tness 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 pa ssing b reeze ha s pow er?.

To ga in the a ffec tions of a virtuous ma n, is a ffec ta tion nec essary?

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

c onstitution to reta in its na tural streng th, and her nerves a hea lthy 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 forfriendship!.



In a seraglio, I grant, that all these arts are necessary; the epicure must have his

pa la te tic kled , or he will sink into apa thy; but ha ve w omen so little amb ition a s to

be sa tisfied with such a c ond ition?. Can they supinely d rea m life a wa y 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 whic h d ignify mankind? Surely she has not an immorta l soul who c an loiter

life a wa y, me rely emp loyed to a dorn her person, that she may am use the languidhours, 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 fac t, if we revert to history, we sha ll find tha t the wom en

who have distinguished themselves have neither been the most beautiful nor themost gentle of their sex.

Nature, or to spea k with stric t p rop riety God , has ma de a ll things right; but m an 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 na ture, must b e transitory. To see k for a sec ret tha t

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

pernic ious to m ankind . The m ost ho ly ba nd of soc iety is friend ship . It has been we llsa id, b y a shrew d sa tirist, "tha t ra re a s true love is, true friend ship is still rarer."

This is an obvious truth, and the c ause no t lying deep, will not e lude a slight g lanc e

of inquiry.

Love, the common passion, in which chance and sensation take place of choice

and rea son, is in som e deg ree , felt by the ma ss of ma nkind ; for it is not nec essary to

spea k, a t present, of the emot ions tha t rise above or sink below love . This passion,

naturally increased by suspense and difficulties, draws the mind out of its

ac c ustom ed sta te, and exalts the a ffec tions; but the sec urity of m arriage, allow ingthe feve r of love to subside, a hea lthy temp erature is thought insip id, only by tho se

who ha ve no t suffic ient inte llec t to substitute the c a lm tend erness of friend ship, the

confidence of respect, instead of blind admiration, and the sensual emotions of

fondness.

This is, must be, the c ourse o f na ture--friend ship or indifferenc e inevitab ly suc c ee ds

love. And this constitution seems perfectly to harmonize with the system of

gove rnment whic h preva ils in the mo ra l wo rld. Passions a re spurs to a c tion, 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 m an who had som e virtue w hilst he wa s strugg ling for a c row n, often b ec om es

a voluptuous tyrant when it graces his brow; and, when the lover is not lost in the



husband, the dota rd a p rey to c hild ish c apric es, and fond jea lousies, neg lec ts the

serious duties of life, and the caresses which should excite confidence in his

c hild ren a re 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 theyought not to indulge those emotions which disturb the order of society, and

eng ross the thoughts tha t should be o therwise employed. The m ind tha t ha s neve r

bee n eng rossed by one ob jec t wa nts vigour--if it can long be so, it is we ak.

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

touc h on this b ranc h of the sub jec t. I will go still further, and a dvanc e, without

dream ing o f a p aradox, that an unhap py m arriag e is often very ad vantage ous to

a family, and that the neglected wife is, in general, the best mother. And this

wo uld almost a lwa ys be the c onseq uence, if the fem ale m ind wa s 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 to il and wisdom should no t be c aught a t the same time. The w ay 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 respec tab ility of c harac ter.

Supp osing for a mo ment, that the soul is not imm ortal, and tha t m an was only

created for the present scene; I think we should have reason to complain thatlove, infantine fondness, ever grew insipid and palled upon the sense. Let us eat,

d rink, and love, for to-morrow we d ie, would b e in fac t the language of rea son, the

mo ra lity of life; and who but a fool would part with a rea lity for a flee ting shad ow ?.

But, if awed by observing the improvable powers of the mind, we disdain to

c onfine o ur wishes or thoughts to such a c om para tively me an field o f ac tion; that

only appears grand and important as it is connected with a boundless prospect

and sub lime hopes; what nec essity is there for fa lseho od in conduc t, and why must

the sacred majesty of truth be violated to detain a deceitful good that saps the

very foundation o f virtue?. Why must the fema le m ind be ta inted by coq uetish a rts

to gratify the sensualist, and prevent love from subsiding into friendship orcompassionate tenderness, when there are not qualities on which friendship can

be built? Let the ho nest hea rt show itself, and rea son teac h pa ssion to submit to

nec essity; or, let the d ignified pursuit of virtue and knowled ge raise the m ind above

those emotions which ra ther imb itter than sweeten the c up of life, when they a re

not restrained within due b ound s.

I do not mean to allude to the romantic passion, which is the concomitant of

genius. Who c an c lip its wings? But tha t grand pa ssion not prop ortione d to the

puny enjoym ents of life, is only true to the sentiment, and feed s on itself. The

passions which have been celebrated for their durability have always beenunfortunate. They have ac quired streng th by absenc e and constitutiona l

me lanc holy. The fa ncy has hovered round a form o f be auty d imly 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 w as fad ing b efore he r; but this is no p roof o f the

immorta lity of the passion.

Of the same c om plexion is Dr. Grego ry's advice respec ting delic acy o f sentiment,which he ad vises a wom an not to ac quire, 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

dep end enc e on ma n; if, when she ob ta ins a husband she ha s a rrived a t her goa l,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 ma rry. Let her only de termine, w ithout being to o anxious about p resent

happiness, to acquire the qualities that ennoble a rational being, and a rough,

inelega nt husband ma y shoc k her taste without d estroying her peac e o f mind. She

will not model her soul to suit the frailties of her companion, but to bear with them:

his c harac ter may b e a tria l, but not a n imp ed ime nt to virtue.

If Dr. Greg ory co nfined his rem ark to roma ntic expec ta tions of c onstant love a nd

congenial feelings, he should have recollected, that experience will banish what

advic e c an never ma ke us c ea se to wish for, when the ima gination is kept a live a t

the expe nce of rea son.

I ow n it freq uently hap pe ns, that w omen w ho ha ve fostered a rom antic unnatural

delicacy of feeling, waste their lives in imagining how happy they should have

been with a husband w ho c ould love the m w ith a fervid increasing a ffec tion eve ry

day, and a ll day. But they m ight a s we ll p ine m arried as single, and wo uld not b e a

jot more unhappy with a ba d husba nd than long ing for a go od one. That aproper 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 c ultivating her ta ste , lest he r husband should oc c asiona lly shoc k it, is quitting

a substa nc e fo r a shadow . To say the t ruth, I do no t know of w hat 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

op erations of the m ind , are not op ened. Peop le of ta ste, married or single, without

distinction, will ever be disgusted by various things that touch not less observing

minds. On this c onc lusion the a rgum ent must not be a llow ed to hinge; but in the

who le sum o f enjoyment is taste to be d enom ina ted a b lessing?

The question is, whe the r it proc ures most p a in or plea sure?. The answer will dec ide



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

qua lities, that in sub lime p oe tic strains the Deity has bee n 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.

Ge ntleness, considered in this point o f view, bea rs on its front a ll the c harac teristics

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

rea soners from human excellenc e. Or, they (Vide Roussea u, and Swed enb org)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

g iving in ma rriage , we a re not to ld . For thoug h moralists have a greed , tha t 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,

c onsistently rec om me nded as the card ina l virtues of the sex; and , disreg ard ing the

arbitrary economy of nature, one writer has declared that it is masculine for awo ma n to be me lancholy. She wa s c rea ted to be the to y of ma n, his ra ttle, and it

must jing le in his ears, whenever, d ismissing rea son, he c hooses to be amused .

To rec om me nd gent lene ss, indeed, on a b roa d basis is stric tly philosop hic a l.

A frail being should labour to be gentle. But when forbearance confounds right

and wrong, it c ea ses to be a virtue; and, how ever convenient it ma y be found in a

c om panion, tha t c om panion w ill ever be c onsidered as an inferior, and only insp ire

a vap id tend erness, whic h ea sily dege nerates into c ontemp t.

Still, if ad vice could rea lly ma ke a b eing g ent le, whose na tural d isposition admitted

not o f such a fine p olish, something to wa rd the a dva nce ment of o rde r would be

atta ined; b ut if, as might quickly be d emo nstrate d, only affecta tion b e p rod uced

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 yea rs they ma y proc ure the ind ividua l's reg a l swa y.

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 heterogeneousassociations, as fair defects, amiable weaknesses, etc.?. If there is but one criterion

of mo rals, but one a rc hetype for man, wom en app ea r to b e suspe nded 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

mo del. They were ma de to b e loved , and must not a im a t respec t, lest they should

be hunted out o f soc iety a s ma sc uline.

But to view the subjec t in ano ther po int o f view . Do p assive indo lent w om en m ake

the b est wives? Co nfining our d iscussion to the p resent m om ent o f existenc e, letus see how suc h weak c rea tures perform their part?. Do the wom en 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 ed uc a te child ren?. So far from it, tha t, a fter surveying the history of

wom an, I c annot help agree ing with the seve rest sa tirist, 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

them selves from the ga lling yoke of sovereign ma n? So few , tha t the exceptionsremind me of an inge nious c onjec ture respec ting New ton: tha t he was p rob ab ly

a b eing of a superior orde r, ac c ide ntally c ag ed in a huma n bod y. In the sam e

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

sp irits, co nfined by mista ke in a fem ale frame . But if it b e no t p hilosop hica l to think

of sex whe n the soul is ment ione d, the inferiority must d ep end on the orga ns; or the

hea venly fire, which is to ferment the c lay, is not g iven in eq ua l 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 thepresent appearance of things, I shall only insist, that men have increased that

inferiority till wom en a re a lmost sunk below the standard o f ra tiona l c rea tures. 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

remem bered, tha t for a sma ll numb er of distinguished wo men I do no t ask a p lace.

It is difficult for us purblind mortals to say to what height human discoveries and

improve ments may arrive, when the g loo m o f despot ism subsides, which ma kes 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, thatwoman will be either the friend or slave of man. We shall not, as at present, doubt

whethe r she is a m ora l 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 imp lic itly their unde rstandings to the guida nce of ma n. 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 ofhumanity.



Surely there can be b ut one rule of right, if mora lity has an ete rna l found ation, and

whoever sac rific es virtue , stric tly so c a lled , to p resent c onvenienc e, or who se DUTY

it is to act in such a manner, lives only for the passing day, and cannot be an

ac c ountable creature.

The p oe t then should have d rop ped his snee r when he says, "If weak wom en g o

astray, The sta rs a re mo re in fa ult than they." For tha t they a re bound by theadama ntine c ha in of destiny is most c ertain, if it be p roved tha t they a re never to

exerc ise their ow n rea son, never to be inde pend ent, neve r to rise a bove op inion,

or to feel the d ignity of a rational will tha t only bows to God , and o ften forgets tha t

the universe c onta ins any be ing but itself, and the m od el of perfec tion to which its

ardent gaze is turned, to adore attributes that, softened into virtues, may be

imitated in kind , thoug h the deg ree overwhe lms the enrap tured mind.

If, I say, for I would no t imp ress by dec lam ation w hen rea son o ffers her sob er light, if

they are really capable of acting like rational creatures, let them not be treated

like slaves; or, like the b rutes who a re d ep end ent o n the reason o f ma n, when theyassociate with him; but cultivate their minds, give them the salutary, sublime curb

of principle, and let them attain conscious dignity by feeling themselves only

dep end ent on God . Tea c h them , in comm on with ma n, to subm it to nec essity,

instead of g iving, to render them mo re p lea sing, a sex to m orals.

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

ad mits of no mod ification, wo uld be c omm on to bo th. Nay, the o rde r of soc iety, asit is a t p resent regulated , would not be inverted , for wom an wo uld then only have

the rank that reason assigned her, and arts could not be practised to bring the

ba lance e ven, muc h less to turn it.

These ma y be termed Utop ian d rea ms. Thanks to tha t Being who imp ressed 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 indigna tion, the m istaken no tions tha t enslave my sex.

I love man as my fellow ; but his sc ep tre rea l or usurped , extends not to me , unlessthe reason o f an individua l demands my homa ge; and even then the submission is

to rea son, and not to man. In fac t, the c onduct of an ac c ountab le being must

be reg ula ted by the op erations of its ow n rea son; or on w hat 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 eve ry nob ler passion, the ir sole a mb ition is to be fa ir, to ra ise em ot ion instead ofinspiring respect; and this ignoble desire, like the servility in absolute monarchies,

destroys a ll strength of cha rac ter. Liberty is the mother of virtue, and if wo me n



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

bea utiful flaws in na ture; let it a lso b e reme mb ered, tha t they a re the only flaw. As

to the a rgum ent respec ting the subjec tion in which the sex has ever been held, it

reto rts on m an. The m any have a lwa ys been enthralled by the few; and , monsters

who have scarc ely show n any discernment o f huma n exce llenc e, have tyrannized

over thousands of their fellow creatures. Why have men of superior endowmentssubmitted to suc h de gradation?. For, is it not universa lly ac knowled ged tha t kings,

viewed collectively, have ever been inferior, in abilities and virtue, to the same

numb er of me n taken from the c om mo n ma ss of ma nkind--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 streng th, to enjoy with imp unity the p leasure of the

moment--women have only done the same, and therefore till it is proved that the

c ourtier, who servilely resigns the b irthright o f a man, is not a mo ra l agent , it c annot

be demonstrated that woman is essentially inferior to man, because she has

always been subjugated.

Bruta l force ha s hitherto gove rned the w orld , and tha t the sc ienc e o f po litics is in its

infanc y, is evident from philosop hers sc rup ling to give the knowled ge m ost useful to

ma n that dete rminate d istinc tion.

I sha ll not p ursue this a rgume nt a ny further than to esta b lish a n obvious inferenc e,

that as sound politics diffuse liberty, mankind, including woman, will become more

wise and virtuo us.



CHAPTER 3.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

Bodily strength from being the distinction of heroes is now sunk into such unmeritedc ontemp t, tha t men as we ll as wo men, seem to think it unnec essary: the latte r, as

it takes from their feminine graces, and from that lovely weakness, the source of

their undue pow er; and the former, bec ause it appea rs inimica l with the cha rac ter

of a g entlema n.

That they have b oth b y de parting from o ne extreme run into a nother, may easily

be p roved ; but it first ma y be p rop er to ob serve, that a vulga r error has ob ta ined a

degree of credit, which has given force to a false conclusion, in which an effect

has been m istaken for a c ause.

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,

delic a te c onstitutions. Yet the c ontrary, I believe , will appea r to be the fa c t; for, on

diligent inquiry, I find that strength of mind has, in most cases, been accompanied

by superior strength o f bod y, natura l soundness of c onstitution, no t tha t robust to ne

of nerves and vigour of muscles, which arise from bodily labour, when the mind is

quiesc ent , or only d irec ts 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

favo urite sc ienc e, they have w asted the lam p of life, forge tful 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 ha ve ha d iron frame s.

Shakespea re never grasped the a iry da gger with a nerveless hand , nor d id Milton

tremb le when he led Sata n fa r from the c onfines of his d rea ry prison.

These w ere no t the ravings of imbec ility, the sickly effusions of d istempered b ra ins;

but the exuberance of fancy, that "in a fine phrenzy" wandering, was not

c ontinually reminded of its materia l shac kles.

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

bod ily strength seems to g ive m an a na tural superiority over wo ma n; and this is the

only solid basis on which the superiority of the sex can be built. But I still insist, thatnot 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 o f Roussea u'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, whoseima gination had been allowed to run wild , and refine on the imp ressions ma de b y

exquisite senses, that they might, forsooth have a pretext for yielding to a natural

appetite w ithout viola ting a rom antic spec ies of m od esty, which g ra tifies the p ride

and libertinism o f ma n.

Women deluded by these sentiments, sometimes boast of their weakness,

c unningly ob ta ining p ow er by playing on the weakness of me n; and the y may well

g lory in their illicit sway, for, like Turkish b asha ws, they have more rea l po wer tha n

their masters: but virtue is sacrificed to temporary gratifications, and the

respec tab ility of life to the triump h o f 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 ag grega te of soc iety. The many bec ome p ed estal 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 takescare of his linen, it must follow, that the first care of those mothers or fathers, who

rea lly attend to the ed uc a tion o f fema les, should be, if not to streng then the b od y,

a t least, not to destroy the c onstitution b y mistaken no tions of b ea uty and female

exce llenc e; nor should g irls ever be a llow ed to imb ibe the pernic ious notion tha t a

de fec t c an, by a ny chemica l p roc ess of rea soning b ec ome a n excellenc e. 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.3

3A 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 ad-

vanced in strength to be capable of the lighter labours of husbandry and gardening, I employed her as my constant companion. Sele-

ne, for that was her name, soon acquired a dexterity in all these rustic employments which I considered with equal pleasure and admi-

ration. 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 phi-

losophy, 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 educa-

tion 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 princi-

ples; 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 tha t it is na tura l for her to labour to b ec ome still wea ker than na ture

intended her to be? Arguments of this c ast are an insult to co mmo n sense, and

savour of p assion. The Divine Right of husbands, like the d ivine right of kings, ma y, it

is to b e ho pe d, in this enlightened ag e, be contested without d ang er, 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 railwith thoughtless vehem enc e a t innova tion.

The mother, who w ishes to g ive true d ignity of c harac ter to he r daughte r, must,

reg ard less of the sneers of ignoranc e, proc eed on a p lan d iame tric a lly op posite to

that which Rousseau has recommended with all the deluding charms of

eloq uenc e and philosop hic a l sop histry: for his eloq uenc e rend ers absurd ities

plausible, and his dogmatic conclusions puzzle, without convincing those who

have not a b ility to refute them.

Throug hout the who le anima l kingd om every young c rea ture req uires a lmostcontinual exercise, and the infancy of children, conformable to this intimation,

should be passed in harmless gambols, that exercise the feet and hands, without

req uiring very minute d irec tion from the head, or the c onstant a ttention o f 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 b lind zea l.

The c hild is not left a mo me nt to its ow n d irec tion, pa rticu la rly a g irl, and thus

rende red de pende nt--dep endenc e is c a lled natural.

To p reserve persona l bea uty, woman's g lory! the limbs and fac ulties a re c ramp ed

with wo rse tha n Chinese b ands, and the sed enta ry life which they a re c ond emned

to live, whilst boys frolic in the open air, weakens the muscles and relaxes the

nerves. As for Roussea u's rem arks, which ha ve since been ec hoed by severa l

writers, that they ha ve na tura lly, that is from their b irth, inde pend ent of ed uca tion,

a fondness for dolls, dressing, and talking, they are so puerile as not to merit a

serious refuta tion. Tha t a g irl, c ondem ned to sit for hours together listening to the

id le c ha t o f we ak nurses or to a ttend a t her mo ther's toilet, w ill ende avour to join

the conversation, is, indeed very natural; and that she will imitate her mother oraunts, and amuse herself by adorning her lifeless doll, as they do in dressing her,

poo r innoc ent ba be! is undo ubted ly a most natural c onseq uenc e. For men of the

grea test a b ilities have seldo m had suffic ient strength to rise above the surround ing

a tmosphere; and , if the p age of g enius has a lwa ys been blurred by the p rejudices

of the age, some allowance should be made for a sex, who, like kings, always see

things through a fa lse med ium.

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 depend ent . The absurd ity, in short, of supposing tha t a girl isnaturally 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 saga c ious ob server as Roussea u would no t ha ve a dop ted it, if he had not

been ac c ustom ed to ma ke rea son g ive w ay to his desire o f singularity, and truth to

a favourite p arad ox.

Yet thus to give a sex to mind was not very consistent with the principles of a man

who a rgued so w armly, and so w ell, for the imm orta lity of the soul.

But w hat a we ak ba rrier is truth when it stands in the way of a n hypothesis!

Rousseau respected--almost adored virtue--and yet allowed himself to love with

sensua l fond ness. His ima g ina tion consta ntly p rep ared inflamm able 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

de rog ato ry to the charac ter of supreme wisdom.

His ridiculous stories, which tend to prove that girls are naturally attentive to their

persons, without laying any stress on da ily exam ple, a re be low c ontem p t. 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

ungrac eful a ttitude , should be selec ted with the anecdotes of the learned p ig.4

I have, p rob ab ly, had an opportunity of o bserving mo re girls in their infanc y than J.

J. Roussea u. I c an rec ollec t my own fee lings, and I have loo ked stead ily a round

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 beendamp ed by inac tivity, or innoc enc e ta inted by false sham e, will a lwa ys be a rom p,

and the doll will never excite attention unless confinement allows her no

a lterna tive. Girls and b oys, in short, would play harmless together, if the d istinc tion

of sex wa s not inc ulc a ted long b efore nature ma kes any d ifferenc e. I will, go

further, and a ffirm, as an ind isputab le fa c t, that mo st o f the w om en, in the c irc le o f

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 fa ir sex wo uld insinuate .

The b aneful conseq uenc es which flow from ina ttention to hea lth d uring infanc y,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 fa lse d esc rip tions of sensib ility, have b een ea rly entangled with her mo tives of

ac tion. Most men a re som etimes ob lige d to b ea r with bo d ily inconvenienc es, and

4"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 si-zes, 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."



to endure, occasionally, the inclemency of the elements; but genteel women are,

lite ra lly spea king , slaves to the ir bod ies, and g lory in their sub jec tion.

I once knew a weak woman of fashion, who was more than commonly proud of

her delic ac y and sensib ility. She thought a distinguishing ta ste and p uny appet ite

the height of a ll huma n perfec tion, and ac ted ac c ordingly. I have seen this weak

sop histica ted being neg lec t a ll the duties of life, yet rec line w ith self-comp lac enc yon a sofa , and bo ast of her wa nt of ap pe tite as a p roo f of delic ac y that e xtende d

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 he r ostenta tious bounty, and who , in better da ys, had c la ims on he r 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 aw ay, or never impressed by prec ep t, a p oo r substitute it is true, for

c ultiva tion of m ind, thoug h it serves as a fenc e.

Suc h a wom an is not a mo re irra tiona l monster tha n som e o f the Rom an emperors,

who w ere dep raved b y lawless pow er. Yet, sinc e kings have b een more unde r

the restra int o f law, a nd the c urb , however we ak, of honour, the rec ords 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

destruc tive b last which desola tes 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, andthey are made to assume an artificial character before their faculties have

ac quired any streng th. Taught from their infanc y, that bea uty is wo ma n's sc ep tre,

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 thoug hts c onstantly d irec ted to the m ost insignific ant p art o f

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 weaknesseswith surp rise. I must be a llow ed to p ursue the a rgument a little fa rther.

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 a rgument b ranc hes into va rious ramifica tions. Birth, riches, and every intrinsic

advantage that exalt a man above his fellows, without any mental exertion, sink

him in rea lity be low them . In p rop ortion to his we akness, he is p layed up on bydesigning 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. Educ a ted in slavish d ep end enc e, a nd enervated by luxury a nd sloth, where

shall we find men who will stand forth to assert the rights of man; or claim the

privileg e o f mo ra l beings, who should ha ve b ut one roa d to exce llenc e? Slavery to

monarchs and ministers, which the world will be long in freeing itself from, and

whose d ea d ly grasp stops the p rog ress of the hum an mind , is not yet a bolished .

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, ob ta ining pow er by unjust mea ns, by p rac tising or fostering vice ,

evidently lose the rank whic h rea son w ould a ssign them , and they b ec om e e ither

ab jec t slave s or ca p ricious tyrants. They lose a ll simp lic ity, all d ignity o f mind, inacquiring power, and act as men are observed to act when they have been

exalted b y the same means.

It is time to effec t a revo lution in fema le ma nners, time to restore to them the ir 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 ofdestiny, must submit to be a fa ir defec t in crea tion. 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 sub tlest c asuist.

The o nly solid foundation fo r mora lity appea rs to be the c harac ter of the Supreme

Being; the ha rmo ny of whic h a rises from a ba lanc e o f a ttributes; and , to spea k 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 a t the expense o f ano ther equa lly nob le a nd nec essa ry, bea rs the stampof the wa rpe d reason of ma n, the homa ge of passion. Man, ac custome d to b ow

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

a ttributes, and those mo rta ls a re supposed to limit his pow er irreve rent ly, who think

tha t it must b e reg ula ted by his wisdom .

I disclaim that species of humility which, after investigating nature, stops at the

autho r. The high a nd lofty One , who inhab ite th e ternity, doub tless possesses manyattributes of which we can form no conception; but reason tells me that they

c annot c lash with those I adore, and I am c om pelled to listen to her voice .



It seems natural for man to search for excellence, and either to trace it in the

ob jec t that he worships, or b lind ly to invest it with perfec tion as a ga rme nt. But

what goo d effec t c an the latter mod e of w orship have on the m oral co nduct of a

ra tiona l being?. He bend s to power; he ad ores a d a rk c loud , which ma y open a

bright prospect to him, or burst in angry, lawless fury on his devoted head, he

know s not why. And, supp osing tha t the Deity ac ts from the vague imp ulse of a n

undirec ted will, man must a lso fo llow his ow n, or ac t a cc ording to rules, deducedfrom principles which he disclaims as irreverent. Into this dilemma have both

enthusiasts and cooler thinkers fallen, when they laboured to free men from the

who lesome restra ints which a just c onc ep tion o f the c harac ter of Go d imp oses.

It is not imp ious thus to scan the a ttributes of the Almighty: in fac t, who c an 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 wa lk humb ly with our God, is forgotten.

I shall pursue this subject still further, when I consider religion in a light opposite to

tha t rec omme nded by Dr. Greg ory, who trea ts it as a ma tter of sentiment o r taste.

To return from this apparent d igression. It were to be w ished , that wom en w ould

cherish an affection for their husbands, founded on the same principle that

devo tion o ught to rest up on. 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 ea stern princes, or educ a ted in such a ma nner as to be ab le to thinkand ac t 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 rend ered wea k, if not vicious?.

Still I know tha t it will req uire a c onsiderab le leng th of time to e rad ic a te the firmly

rooted prejudices which sensualists have planted; it will also require some time to

c onvince w omen tha t they ac t contrary to their rea l interest on an enla rged sca le,

when they cherish or affect weakness under the name of delicacy, and toconvince the world that the poisoned source of female vices and follies, if it be

nec essa ry, in c om p lianc e with c ustom, to use synonym ous terms in a lax sense, ha s

been the sensua l homage p a id to bea uty: to beauty of features; for it has been

shrewdly observed by a German writer, that a pretty woman, as an object of

desire, is gene ra lly a llow ed to be so b y me n of a ll desc rip tions; whilst a fine w om an,

who inspires more sublime emotions by displaying intellectual beauty, may be

overloo ked o r ob served with indifferenc e, by tho se men who find the ir happ iness in

the gratification of their appetites. I foresee an obvious retort; whilst man remains

such a n imperfec t b eing a s he a ppea rs hitherto to have been, he w ill, more o r less,

be the slave o f his appetites; and those w om en ob ta ining m ost pow er who g ra tifya p red om inant one , the sex is deg raded by a physic a l, if not by a mo ra l nec essity.



This ob jec tion ha s, I g rant, som e fo rc e; but w hile suc h a sub lime p rec ep t exists, as,

"be p ure a s your hea venly father is pure;" it would see m tha t the virtues of m an are

not limited by the Being who alone could limit them; and that he may press

forwa rd without c onsidering whether he steps out of his sphere b y indulg ing suc h a

nob le a mb ition. To the wild b illow s it ha s been sa id , "thus fa r sha lt tho u go, a nd no

further; and here sha ll thy proud waves be stayed ." Vainly then do they bea t and

foam, restrained by the power that confines the struggling planets within theirorb its, ma tte r yields to the g rea t governing Sp irit. But an imm orta l 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-

op erat ing with the Fa ther of sp irits, it tries to gove rn itself by the inva riab le rule tha t,

in a d eg ree , befo re which our ima gina tion faints, the un iverse is reg ula ted .

Besides, if wom en a re ed uca ted for de pende nce, that is, to ac t a c cording to the

will of ano ther fallib le b eing, and subm it, right or wrong, to p ow er, whe re a re w e to

stop ? Are they to be c onsidered as vic eregents, a llow ed to reign over a sma ll

dom ain, and answe rab le fo r their c ond uc t to a highe r tribunal, liab le 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 w ithout reason, they will, having no fixed rules to square their c ond uc t

by, be kind or cruel, just a s the w him of the moment d irec ts; and we ought not to

wo nder if sometimes, ga lled by their hea vy yoke, they take a ma ligna nt p lea sure

in resting it on wea ker shoulde rs.

But, supp osing a wo ma n, tra ined up to o bed ienc e, be ma rried to a sensib le m an,

who d irec ts her judgme nt, without making he r fee l the servility of her sub jec tion, toac t with as muc h prop riety by this reflec ted light a s c an be expec ted when rea son

is taken at second hand, yet she cannot ensure the life of her protector; he may

d ie a nd 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 thoug ht, muc h less ac ted for herself. She ha s only lea rned to p lea se m en, 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 pleasingdoc ile c rea ture, will not c hoose to ma rry a fa mily for love , when the w orld c onta ins

many more p ret ty c rea tures. Wha t is then to b ec om e o f her? She e ither fa lls 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

respec ted , though filling an imp ortant sta tion, who a re no t respec tab le; she p ines

under the a nguish of unava iling impotent reg ret. The serpent's tooth enters into her

very soul, and the vic es of lic ent ious youth b ring he r with sorrow , if not w ith p ove rty

a lso, to the g rave.

This is not an overcha rge d p ic ture; on the c ont ra ry, it is a very po ssible c ase, a nd





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

subd ues every wa ywa rd passion to fulfil the d oub le duty of b eing the father as we ll

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, whichmight aga in have b ee n insp ired and returned . She no long er thinks of p lea sing,

and conscious dignity prevents her from priding herself on account of the praise

which her c ond uc t dem ands. Her c hild ren have her love , and her b righte st hopes

are beyond the g rave, where her ima g inat ion often strays.

I think I see her surrounded by her children, rea p ing the rew ard of he r c are.

The inte lligent eye me ets her's, whilst hea lth a nd innoc enc e smile o n the ir c hubby

cheeks, and as they grow up the cares of life are lessened by their grateful

a tte ntion. She lives to see the virtues which she endea voured to plant onprinciples, 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 ta sk of life thus fulfilled , she c a lmly wa its for the sleep of dea th, a nd rising from

the g rave ma y say, beho ld , thou gavest me a ta lent, and here are five ta lents.

I wish to sum up what I have said in a few words, for I here throw down my

gauntlet, and deny the existenc e of sexua l virtues, not e xc ep ting modesty.

For man and woman, truth, if I understand the meaning of the word, must be the

same ; yet the fanc iful fema le charac ter, so p rettily d rawn by poe ts and nove lists,

demanding the sacrifice of truth and sincerity, virtue becomes a relative idea,

having no o ther founda tion than utility, and of tha t utility me n p retend a rb itra rily to

judge , shap ing it to their ow n c onvenienc e.

Women, I a llow , ma y have d ifferent duties to fulfil; but they a re huma n d uties, and

the principles that should regulate the discharge of them, I sturdily maintain, must

be the sam e.

To bec om e respec ta b le, the exercise of the ir understand ing is nec essary, there is

no other foundation for independence of character; I mean explicitly to say, that

they m ust only bo w to the a uthority of reason, instea d of b eing the mo dest slaves

of op inion.

In the superior ranks of life ho w seldo m do w e m ee t w ith a man of superior ab ilities,

or even c om mo n ac quirements? The rea son ap pea rs to me c lea r; the sta te they

are b orn in wa s an unnatural one. The human charac ter has ever been forme d b y

the employments the individual, or class pursues; and if the faculties are not

sharpened by nec essity, they must rema in ob tuse.

The a rgument ma y fairly be extende d to w om en; for seldom o c cup ied by serious

business, the pursuit of pleasure gives that insignificancy to their character which



rend ers the soc iety of the g rea t so insip id . The same wa nt o f firmness, prod uc ed 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

c ha rac teristics of huma nity c an sc a rcely be d isc erned . Suc h a re the b lessings 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 acquirevirtues which they may call their own, for how can a rational being be ennobled

by any thing tha t is not ob ta ined by its ow n exertions?



CHAPTER 4.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF DEGRADATION TO WHICH WOMAN IS REDUCED

BY VARIOUS CAUSES.

That wo ma n is natura lly weak, or degraded by a c onc urrenc e o f c irc umstances is,

I think, clear. But this position I shall simply contrast with a conclusion, which I have

freq uent ly hea rd fa ll from sensib le me n in favour of an aristoc racy: tha t the ma ss

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

b irthright, they q uietly lick the dust, and say, let us ea t a nd d rink, for to-mo rrow we

d ie. Wom en, I a rgue from analog y, a re d eg raded by the same p rop ensity to enjoy

the present moment; and, at last, despise the freedom which they have not

suffic ient virtue to strugg le to a tta in. But I must b e mo re explic it.

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

wom an is, indeed, very sc anty; for, denying her genius and judgme nt, it is sca rc ely

possib le to d ivine wha t rem ains to c ha rac terize intellec t.

The sta mina of imm orta lity, if I ma y be a llow ed the phrase, is the perfec tibility of

human rea son; for, was ma n c rea ted pe rfec t, or did a flood of knowled ge 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

stamp ed with the hea venly ima ge , that is not p erfec ted by the exerc ise o f its ow n

rea son? Yet outwa rdly ornam ented w ith elab orate c a re, and so ad orned to

delight ma n, "tha t w ith hono ur he m ay love ," (Vide Milton) the soul of wom an is not

a llow ed to ha ve this d istinc tion, and ma n, ever p laced

betwe en he r and rea son, she is a lways rep resented as only crea ted to see through

a g ross med ium, and to take things on trust. But, d ismissing these fa nc iful the ories,

and c onsidering w om an as a who le, let it be wha t it will, instea d of a pa rt 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 d estroy the huma n charac ter.

Into this error men have , probab ly, been led by view ing ed uca tion in a false light;

not considering it as the first step to form a being advancing gradually toward





Plea sure is the business of a wom an's life, ac c ording to the p resent mo d ifica tion o f

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 e xercise of reason, might have p roc ured them, and c hosen rather

to be short-lived queens than labour to attain the sober pleasures that arise fromeq ua lity. Exa lted by the ir inferiority (th is sounds like a c ont rad ic tion) the y c onsta ntly

de ma nd hom ag e a s wom en, though expe rience should teac h them that the men

who pride themselves upon paying this arbitrary insolent respect to the sex, with

the mo st sc rupulous exac tness, are mo st inc lined to tyrannize ove r, and desp ise the

very weakness they cherish. Often do they repeat Mr. Hume's sentiments; when

c om paring the Frenc h and Athenian c harac ter, he a llude s to wom en. "But wha t is

more singula r in this whimsica l na tion, say I to the Athenians, is, tha t a frolic of yours

during the Saturnalia, when the slaves are served by their masters, is seriously

c ontinued by them through the whole yea r, and through the w hole course of their

lives; ac c ompanied too with some c irc umstanc es, which still further augm ent theabsurd ity and rid icule. Your sport on ly eleva tes for a few d ays, those whom

fortune has throw n dow n, and whom she too , in sport, ma y rea lly elevate forever

above you. But this na tion gravely exalts those, whom na ture has sub jec ted to

them, a nd whose inferiority a nd infirmities a re absolutely inc urab le. The wom en,

though w ithout v irtue, are the ir ma sters and sove reigns."

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 c ivility which the d ic ta tes of hum anity, and the politeness of c iviliza tion a uthorise

be twee n man and ma n? And why do they not discover, when "in the noon ofbeauty'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

p lume them selves, and sta lk with moc k-ma jesty from perch to perch. It is true, they

are p rovided with food and ra ime nt, for whic h they neither toil nor sp in; but hea lth,

liberty, and virtue a re given in exc hange . But, where, am ong st m ankind has been

found sufficient strength of mind to enable a being to resign these adventitious

preroga tives; one w ho rising with the c a lm d ignity of rea son a bove op inion, da red

to be proud of the privileges inherent in man? and it is vain to expect it whilst

hereditary power chokes the a ffec tions, and nips rea son in the b ud.

The p assions of m en ha ve thus p lac ed wom en o n 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

indisputa b le. They will smile, yes, the y will smile, thoug h to ld tha t--"In bea uty's

empire is no mean, And woman either slave or queen, Is quickly scorn'd when not

ador'd."

But the adoration c om es first, and the sc orn is not antic ipa ted .

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



ma de it the interest o f the peop le a t large, ind ividually to respec t his sta tion, 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 m ake co nque sts, a re much upo n a p ar.) his authority and her sex, ever stand

betw een them and ra tiona l converse. With a love r, I grant she should b e so, and

her sensibility will naturally lead her to endeavour to excite emotion, not to gratify

her vanity but her hea rt. This I do not a llow to be c oq uetry, it is the a rtless impulse of

nature, I only exclaim against the sexual desire of conquest, when the heart is out

of the question.

This desire is not c onfined to women; "I ha ve e nd ea voured ," says Lord Cheste rfield,

"to ga in the hea rts of tw enty wom en, whose p ersons I wo uld not ha ve g iven a fig

for." The libertine who in a gust o f passion, takes advanta ge o f unsuspec tingtenderness, is a sa int w hen c om pared with this c old-hea rted rasc a l; for I like to use

significant words. Yet only taught to please, women are always on the watch to

p lea se, and with true he roic a rdour endea vour to g a in hea rts me rely to resign, or

spurn them , when the victory is dec ided , and consp ic uous.

I must d escend to the m inutiae o f the subjec t.

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 aninferior. So lud ic rous, in fac t, do these c eremonies appea r to me , that I sc arc ely

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 move d a pac e o r two .

A w ild wish has just flown from my he art to m y hea d, and I will not stifle it tho ugh 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, whilstaccomplishments are acquired with sedulous care: and the same cause accounts

for their p refe rring the g rac eful be fore the heroic virtues.

Mankind, including every description, wish to be loved and respected for

somethig; and the common herd will always take the nearest road to the

c om pletion o f their wishes. The respec t p a id to we a lth a nd bea uty is the mo st

certain and unequivocal; and of course, will always attract the vulgar eye of

c om mon minds. Ab ilities and virtues a re absolutely nec essary to ra ise m en from the

middle rank of life into notice; and the natural consequence is notorious, the

midd le rank conta ins most virtue and ab ilities.

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 fem ale sex are, till the ir c harac ter is formed , in the same c ond ition 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 d o we hear of wom en, who sta rting o ut of obsc urity, boldly c la im respec t on

ac c ount of their grea t ab ilities or da ring virtues? Where a re they to be fo und? "To

be observed, to be attended to, to be taken notice of with sympathy,

c om plac enc y, and a pprob ation, are a ll the advantage s 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 o f the rich. In Dr. Smith's Theory of Mora l Sentiments, I have found a genera l

character of people of rank and fortune, that in my opinion, might with the

grea test p rop riety b e a pp lied to the fem ale sex. I refer the saga c ious rea der to the

whole comparison; but must be allowed to quote a passage to enforce anargument that I mean to insist on, as the one most conclusive against a sexual

c harac ter. For if, excep ting w arriors, no grea t me n of a ny de nomina tion, 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

c ontrad ic ted in c ompa ny, are not a llowed to exert a ny manua l 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 beingseldom absolutely alone, they are more under the influence of sentiments than

passions. Solitud e and reflec tion a re nec essary to g ive to wishes the force of

passions, and enable the imagination to enlarge the object and make it the most

desirab le. The same ma y be sa id o f the ric h; they do not suffic ient ly dea l in ge neral

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

ob server says of the g rea t.

"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, itmust 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 p a tienc e, by self-denial, or by virtue of a ny kind?

As a ll his wo rds, as a ll his mo tions a re a ttended to , he lea rns an ha b itual reg ard for

every circumstance of ordinary behaviour, and studies to perform all those small

duties with the mo st exac t p rop riety. As he is c onsc ious how muc h he is ob served ,

and how much mankind are disposed to favour all his inclinations, he acts, uponthe m ost ind ifferent occ asions, with that freedom and e leva tion whic h the thoug ht

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

sta tion c an ha rd ly eve r a rrive a t. These a re the a rts by which he p rop oses to make

mankind more easily submit to his authority, and to govern their inclinations

ac c ording to his ow n p lea sure: a nd in this he is seldom d isappointed . These a rts,

supported by rank and pre-eminence, are, upon ordinary occasions, sufficient to

gove rn the wo rld . Lew is XIV. during the g rea ter part o f his reign, was reg arded , not

only in France, but over all Europe, as the most perfect model of a great prince.But w hat we re the ta lents and virtues, by w hich he ac quired this grea t reputa tion?

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 a pp lic a tion w ith which he p ursued them ? Was it b y 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

bea uty of his fea tures. The sound of his voice nob le a nd a ffec ting, ga ined those

hearts which his presence intimidated. He had a step and a deportment, whichcould suit only him and his rank, and which would have been ridiculous in any

other person. The embarrassme nt which he oc c asione d to those who spoke to

him, fla ttered tha t sec ret sa tisfac tion w ith whic h he fe lt his ow n superiority.' These

frivolous ac c omp lishments, supported by his rank, and , no d oub t, too, b y a deg ree

of o ther talents and virtues, whic h seems, however, not to have b een muc h ab ove

me d ioc rity, estab lished this p rinc e in the esteem of his ow n a ge , and have d rawn

even from posterity, a go od dea l of respec t for his memo ry. Comp ared 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 a ll d ignity be fore the m."

Woman, also, thus "in herself complete," by possessing all these frivoloud

ac c om plishments, so c hanges the na ture of things, --"Tha t w ha t she wills to do or

say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best; All higher knowledge in her

presenc e fa lls Deg raded . Wisdom in d isc ourse with he r Loses d isc ountena nc 'd, a nd

like fo lly shows; Authority a nd rea son on her wa it."--

And a ll this is built on her love liness!

In the middle rank of life, to continue the comparison, men, in their youth, areprepared 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 suc h nob le struc tures. To rise in the world, and have the liberty of running

from pleasure to pleasure, they must marry advantageously, and to this object

the ir time is sac rificed , and the ir persons ofte n lega lly p rostituted . A ma n, 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, p leasure is c onsidered as mere relaxat ion; whilst w om en seek fo rp lea sure a s the m a in purpose o f existenc e. In fac t, from the e duca tion 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 w hole rac e!

The same love of p lea sure, fostered by the w hole tend enc y of the ir ed uc a tion,g ives a trifling turn to the c ond uc t o f wo men in most c irc umstanc es: for instance,

they are ever anxious about secondary things; and on the watch for adventures,

instea d of b eing o c c upied b y 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

oc c ur on the roa d ; the impression tha t she m ay ma ke on he r fellow travellers; and ,

above a ll, she is anxiously intent on the care of the finery tha t she c a rries with he r,

which is more than ever a part of herself, when going to figure on a new scene;

when, to use a n a p t Frenc h turn of expression, she is going to p rod uc e a sensa tion.Ca n d ignity o f mind exist w ith suc h trivial ca res?

In short, wome n, in gene ra l, as we ll as the ric h of both sexes, have acquired a ll the

fo llies and vices of c iviliza tion, a nd missed the useful fruit. It is not ne c essary for me

always to premise, that I speak of the condition of the whole sex, leaving

excep tions out o f the question. Their senses a re inflamed , and the ir unde rsta nd ings

neg lec ted ; conseq uently they bec om e the p rey o f their senses, delic a tely termed

sensib ility, and a re b low n about b y every momentary gust of feeling . They a re,

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 onlyrenders 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

wa vering, not the w avering p rod uced by de liberation or progressive views, but b y

contradictory emotions. By fits and starts they are warm in many pursuits; yet this

warmth, never co nc entra ted into p erseve ranc e, soo n exhausts itself; exhaled by its

ow n hea t, or mee ting with som e othe r flee ting passion, to which rea son ha s never

g iven a ny spec ific gravity, neut ra lity ensues. Miserab le, indee d, must b e tha t being

whose cultivation of mind has only tended to inflame its passions! A distinction

should b e ma de betw een inflaming a nd streng thening them. The p assions thuspa mp ered , whilst the judgm ent is left unformed , what c an be expec ted to ensue?

Undoub ted ly, a m ixture of ma dness and fo lly!

This ob servat ion should not be confined to the fa ir sex; howeve r, a t p resent , I only

mea n to ap ply 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

soc iety, to ac quire. This overstretc hed sensibility naturally relaxes the othe r pow ersof 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



sta tion; for the exercise o f the understa nd ing, as life advanc es, is the only me thod

pointed out b y nature to c a lm the passions.

Satiety ha s a very different e ffec t, and I have often been forcibly struck by a n

em phatica l desc rip tion of damna tion, when the sp irit is rep resented as c ontinually

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,bec ause it is by the ir sensib ility that they ob ta in p resent pow er.

And will mora lists p retend to assert, tha t th is is the c ond ition in whic h one ha lf o f the

human race should be encouraged to remain with listless inactivity and stupid

ac quiescenc e? Kind instruc tors! wha t w ere we c rea ted for? To remain, it m ay be

sa id , innoc ent; they mea n in a sta te o f childhood .

We might as well never have been born, unless it were necessary that we should

be c rea ted to ena ble ma n to ac quire the nob le p rivileg e of rea son, the pow er of

discerning good from evil, whilst we lie down in the dust from whence we wereta ken, never to rise a ga in.

It w ould be an end less ta sk to t rac e the variety o f mea nnesses, cares, and sorrow s,

into w hich wo men are p lunged by the p reva iling o pinion, that they we re c rea ted

rather to feel than reason, and that all the power they obtain, must be obtained

by their c harms and weakness; "Fine b y de fec t, and amiab ly wea k!" And , made b y

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 gracefulcovering, which may serve to heighten their charms in the eye of the voluptuary,

thoug h it sink them b elow the sc a le o f mo ra l exce llenc e?

Fragile in every sense of the word, they are obliged to look up to man for every

c om fort. In the mo st trifling dangers they c ling to their support, with pa rasitica l

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

frow n of a n old c ow , or the jump of a mo use; a ra t, would b e a serious dange r. In

the name of reason, and even common sense, what can save such beings from

c ontem pt; even though they b e soft and fair?

These fea rs, when not a ffec ted , may b e very pretty; but they shew a deg ree of

imb ec ility, that d eg rade s a rational creature in a w ay w ome n are not a wa re o f--for

love a nd esteem are ve ry 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

musc les a re relaxed and the ir pow ers of d igestion destroyed .

To c a rry the remark still furthe r, if fear in g irls, instead of being c herished , pe rhaps,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



eq ual prop riety b e te rme d the swe et flowe rs tha t smile in the wa lk of ma n; but they

would be more respectable members of society, and discharge the important

duties of life b y the light o f their ow n rea son.

"Educate women like men," says Rousseau, "and the more they resemble our sex

the less power w ill they ha ve over us." This is the very po int I a im a t. I do not w ish

them to ha ve pow er over me n; but over themselves.

In the same strain have I heard men argue against instructing the poor; for many

are the fo rms tha t a ristoc rac y assumes. "Tea c h them to rea d 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 feroc ious bea st.

Without know led ge there c an be no morality!

Ignorance is a fra il base fo r virtue! Yet , that it is the c ond ition for which w om an wa s

organized, has been insisted upon by the writers who have most vehemently

a rgued in favour of the superiority of m an; a superiority not in de gree , but essenc e;

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

who le, b y b lend ing happ ily rea son and sensib ility into one charac ter.

And what is sensibility? "Quickness of sensation; quickness of perception; delicacy."

Thus is it de fined by Dr. Johnson; a nd the definition g ives me no other idea tha n ofthe 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;

inte llec t dwells not there; nor will fire ever ma ke lea d gold!

I c ome round to m y old argument; if wom an b e a llowed to ha ve a n immortal soul,

she m ust ha ve a s the e mp loyme nt of life, an und erstanding to imp rove .

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 toprocreate and rot. Or, granting brutes, of every description, a soul, though not a

rea sonab le one, the exercise o f instinct a nd sensib ility ma y be the step , which they

are to ta ke, in this life, towa rds the a tta inme nt o f rea son in the next; so tha t through

all eternity they will lag behind man, who, why we cannot tell, had the power

g iven him of a tta ining reason in his first m od e of existenc e.

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 areimpediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly the best

wo rks, and o f grea test me rit for the p ub lic , have p roc eeded from the unma rried or



c hild less me n." I say the same of wo me n. But, the we lfa re of soc iety is not built o n

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

req uired : streng th both o f bo dy and mind; yet the m en who, by the ir writings, have

most earnestly laboured to domesticate women, have endeavoured by

arguments dictated by a gross appetite, that satiety had rendered fastidious, toweaken their bodies and cramp their minds. But, if even by these sinister methods

they rea lly persuad ed wo me n, by w orking on their feelings, to stay a t 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,

mo re a tta ched from these d om estic duties, than they c ould b e b y the mo st serious

inte llec tua l pursuit, thoug h it may be ob served , that the mass of mankind will neve r

vigorously pursue an intellectual object, I may be allowed to infer, that reason is

absolutely nec essary to ena b le a wo ma n to p erform any duty p rop erly, and I mustagain repeat, that sensibility is not reason.

The c om parison w ith the ric h still oc c urs to me ; for, when m en neglec t 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

understa nd ing, and ene rva te a ll his pow ers, by reve rsing the o rder of na ture, which

has ever made true pleasure the reward of labour. Pleasure--enervating pleasure

is, likewise, within wom an's rea c h without ea rning it. But, till hered itary po ssessions

are spread ab roa d, how c an w e expec t men to be proud of virtue? And, till they

are, women will govern them by the most direct means, neglecting their dulldom estic duties, to c a tc h the p lea sure tha t is on the wing o f time .

"The power of w om en," says som e a uthor, "is her sensibility;" and men not a ware o f

the consequence, do all they can to make this power swallow up every other.

Those who c onsta ntly employ the ir sensibility will ha ve m ost: for exam ple; 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 sexua l a ttention of ma n pa rticularly ac ts on female sensibility, and

this symp athy has been exerc ised from their youth up . A husband cannot long pay

those attentions with the passion necessary to excite lively emotions, and theheart, 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

suscep tible, and the ta ste fo rmed; for I am a p t to c onc lude, from wha t 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 eve ry considerate benevolent hea rt. Girls, who have been thus we akly

educated, are often cruelly left by their parents without any provision; and, ofcourse, are dependent on, not only the reason, but the bounty of their brothers.

These b rothers a re, to view the fa irest side of the question, go od sort o f men, a nd



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

tolerab le d egree of comfort.

But, when the b rothe r ma rries, a p rob ab le c irc umstance, from being c onsidered a s

the mistress of the family, she is viewed with averted looks as an intruder, an

unnec essary burden on the benevolence o f the master of the house, and his newpartner.

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 w ife, a c old-hearted , narrow-minde d wo ma n, and this is not a n unfair

supp osition; for the p resent mod e of educa tion d oes not tend to enlarge the hea rt

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

d isp leased a t see ing the p rop erty o f HER c hild ren lavished on a n he lpless siste r.

These a re m atte rs of fac t, whic h have c ome under my eye aga in and a ga in.

The c onseq uenc e is ob vious, the w ife ha s rec ourse to c unning 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 , unprep a red for its d iffic ulties; or sent , as a grea t e ffort o f gene rosity, or from

some regard to propriety, with a small stipend, and an uncultivated mind into

joyless solitude.

These tw o w ome n ma y be muc h upon a par, with respec t to rea son a ndhumanity; and c hang ing situa tions, might have a c ted just the same selfish pa rt; but

had they been differently educated, the case would also have been very

d ifferent. The wife w ould not have had tha t sensib ility, of which self is the c entre,

and rea son might have ta ught her not to expec t, and not even to b e flatte red by

the a ffec tion of he r husband, if it led him to viola te p rior dut ies. She w ould 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 o f dependence.

I am, inde ed , persuad ed tha t the hea rt, as we ll as the und erstand ing, is op ened byc ultivat ion; and by, which m ay not a ppea r so c lea r, streng thening the organs; I am

not now ta lking of m om entary flashes of sensib ility, but of a ffec tions. And, pe rhaps,

in the education of both sexes, the most difficult task is so to adjust instruction as

not to narrow the unde rstand ing, whilst the hea rt is wa rme d by the ge nerous juic es

of spring, just raised by the electric fermentation of the season; nor to dry up the

fee lings by em ploying the m ind in investiga tions rem ote 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

me re no tab le w omen. The latte r a re o ften friend ly, honest c rea tures, and have ashrewd 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 g rea tness of mind nor taste . The intellec tua l wo rld is shut aga inst

them ; take them out o f their fam ily or neighb ourhood, and they stand still; the mind

finding no employment, for literature affords a fund of amusement, which they

have neve r soug ht to relish, but frequent ly to desp ise. The sent ime nts and ta ste 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 c hurch in c lothes ma de o f the very be st materia ls. A ma n

of he r ow n size o f understand ing wo uld , probab ly, not agree so w ell 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

na tural selfishness of sensibility expanded by reflec tion, a re very unfit to manage a

family; for by an undue stretch of power, they are always tyrannizing to support a

superiority tha t only rests on the a rb itra ry d istinc tion o f fortune. The ev il is som et imesmore 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 tab le, and outshine her neighbours in finery and parade. If she a ttend to he r

children, it is, in general, to dress them in a costly manner--and, whether, this

a ttention a rises from va nity or fondness, it is eq ua lly pernicious.

Besides, how many women of this description pass their days, or, at least their

evenings, disc ontented ly. Their husbands ac know led ge tha t they a re go od

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 patientdrudge, 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 na tura l right.

A fine lad y, on the c ontra ry, has be en ta ught to look do wn w ith c ontemp t 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 ofprinciples taste is superficial; and grace must arise from something deeper than

imita tion. The ima gina tion, howeve r, is hea ted , and the fe elings rend ered

fastidious, if not sophisticated; or, a counterpoise of judgment is not acquired,

when the he art still rem a ins a rtless, thoug h it b ec om es too tend er.

These w om en a re o ften a miab le; and the ir hea rts a re rea lly mo re sensib le 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 maleac quaintanc e. These a re the fair defec ts in nature; the wo men who ap pea r to b e

created not to enjoy the fellowship of man, but to save him from sinking into



absolute b ruta lity, by rubb ing off the roug h angles of his c harac ter; 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 c an trace thy wisdom in thy works, and feel that thou alone a rt by thy na ture,

exalted above her--for no better purpose? Can she believe that she was only

ma de to submit to m an her equal; a being, who, like her, was sent into the wo rld to

acquire virtue? Can she consent to be occupied merely to please him; merely toadorn 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 know led ge?

Yet, if love b e the supreme good, let w omen b e only educa ted to insp ire it, and let

every charm be polished to intoxicate the senses; but, if they are moral beings, let

them have a c hance to b ec ome intelligent; and let love to m an b e only a p art of

that glowing flame of universal love, which, after encircling humanity, mounts in

gra teful incense to God .

To fulfil do mestic duties muc h resolution is nec essa ry, and a serious kind of

perseverance that requires a more firm support than emotions, however lively and

true to na ture. To g ive a n example of order, the soul of virtue, som e austerity of

behaviour must be adopted, scarcely to be expected from a being who, from its

infanc y, has been made the we athercoc k of its ow n sensa tions. Whoever ra tiona lly

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

tend erness or c omp assion. Severity is frequently the most c erta in, as well as the

mo st sublime proo f of a ffec tion; and the w ant of this pow er over the fee lings, and

of that lofty, dignified affection, which makes a person prefer the future good ofthe beloved object to a present gratification, is the reason why so many fond

mo thers spoil their c hild ren, and has ma de it q uestiona b le, whether neg lige nce or

indulgenc e is most hurtful: but I am inclined to think, tha t the la tte r has done m ost

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

ab le to ma ke, wome n of sensibility a re the m ost unfit for this ta sk, bec ause they w ill

infa llib ly, ca rried away by their fee lings, spoil a c hild 's temp er. The m anagem ent of

the temper, the first and most important branch of education, requires the sobersteady 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 m uc h in masses, and seldo m, if eve r, have a goo d temp er. Tha t

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 profoundthinker, 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 op inions and p rejudices of o thers, instea d of roughly confronting them.

But, treating of education or manners, minds of a superior class are not to be

c onsidered, they m ay be left to c hance; it is the m ultitude, with moderate ab ilities,

who c a ll for instruc tion, and c a tc h the c olour of the a tmo sphere they b rea the. This

respectable concourse, I contend, men and women, should not have theirsensations heightened in the hot-bed of luxurious indolence, at the expence of

the ir understa nd ing; for, unless there b e a ba llast o f und ersta nd ing, they w ill never

bec om e either virtuous or free : an a ristoc racy, found ed o n p rop erty, 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 und ersta nd ing ha s often b een spoken of with contem pt, as a rriving

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 b e a dd ed.) but only ap pea l to experience to d ec ide whether

young men, who a re ea rly introd uce d into comp any (and exam ples now a bo und)

do not ac quire the same prec oc ity. So noto rious is this fac t, that the bare

me ntioning of it must b ring b efore peop le, who a t a ll mix in the w orld , the idea of a

numb er of swa gge ring a pes of men whose und erstand ings a re na rrow ed by be ing

brought into the soc iety of me n when they o ught to have b een spinning a top ortw irling 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 c onnexion w ith the m ind. Strength o f bo dy, and that charac ter of

c ountenanc e, whic h the Frenc h term a physionom ie, wom en d o no t a cquire

before thirty, any more tha n men. The litt le a rtless tric ks of c hild ren, it is true, a reparticularly pleasing and attractive; yet, when the pretty freshness of youth is worn

off, these a rtless g races bec om e stud ied a irs, and d isgust e very person of ta ste . 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

fond le; to g ive sc op e to o ur ima ginations, as we ll as to the sensa tions of o ur hearts.

At tw enty the b ea uty of b oth sexes is eq ua l; but the libertinism o f ma n lea ds him to

make the distinction, and superannuated coquettes are commonly of the sameopinion; for when they can no longer inspire love, they pay for the vigour and

vivac ity of youth. The Frenc h who a dmit mo re o f mind into their notions of b ea uty,



give the p referenc e to women of thirty.

I mean to say, that they allow women to be in their most perfect state, when

vivac ity g ives p lac e to rea son, and to tha t ma jestic seriousness of c harac ter, which

marks maturity; or, the resting point. In youth, till twenty the body shoots out; till

thirty the solids a re a tta ining a deg ree of d ensity; and the flexib le m usc les, growing

daily more rigid, give character to the countenance; that is, they trace theoperations of the mind with the iron pen of fate, and tell us not only what powers

are within, but how they have b een em ployed.

It is proper to observe, that animals who arrive slowly at maturity, are the longest

lived , and of the nob lest spec ies. Men c annot, however, c la im any na tura l

superiority from the grandeur of longevity; for in this respect nature has not

d istinguished the ma le.

Polygamy is another physical degradation; and a plausible argument for a

custom, that blasts every domestic virtue, is drawn from the well-attested fact, thatin the c ountries where it is esta b lished , more females a re born tha n ma les. 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 nec essary, wo ma n must be inferior to ma n, and ma de for him.

With respec t to the forma tion o f the foe tus in the w om b, we a re ve ry 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 observa tions on the sub jec t in Forste r's Ac c ount o f the Isles of the South

Sea , that will expla in my meaning. After observing tha t o f the two sexes among stanimals, the most vigorous and hottest constitution always prevails, and produces

its kind ; he a dds,--"If this be a pp lied to the inhab ita nts of A frica , it is evident tha t 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

orga niza tion, and mo re lively fanc y; but likewise bec ause they a re dep rived in their

ma trimo ny of that share of p hysic a l love which in a monoga mous c ond ition, wo uld

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

mo rta lity, that the p rop ortion o f me n to wo men is nea rly eq ual, or, if any d ifferenc e

ta kes p lace, the ma les born are more numerous, in the p rop ortion o f 105 to 100."

The nec essity of polygam y, therefore, does not a ppea r; yet w hen a ma n sed uces

a wo ma n, it should I think, be te rme d a left-hand ed ma rriage, 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 fo r their fra ilty and wa nt of p rinc ip le; nay, while they dep end on m an for asubsistenc e, instea d of ea rning it b y the exercise of the ir own ha nds or hea ds. But

these wom en should no t in the full me aning o f the relationship , be termed w ives, or



the very purpose of marriage would be subverted, and all those endearing

c harities tha t flow from persona l fidelity, and give a sanc tity to the tie, when ne ither

love nor friend ship unites the hearts, would melt into selfishness. The wom an 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 ma n should have more than one wife.

Still, highly as I respec t marriag e, as the found a tion o f a lmost every soc ial 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 tha t improve the hea rt 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 becomeinfamous. Asylums and Magdalens are not the proper remedies for these abuses.

It is justice, not charity, that is wanting in the world!

A w om an who ha s lost her honour, ima gines tha t she c annot fa ll low er, 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

c irc umsta nc es over which the poor wretc h ha s little p ower, unless she p ossesses 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 arethus rendered systematically vicious.

This, how eve r, arises, in a grea t d eg ree , from the sta te of idleness in w hic h wom en

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 tha n either appet ite or vanity; and this rem ark gives force to the p reva iling

op inion, tha t with c hastity a ll is lost that is respec ta b le in wom an. Her c ha rac ter

dep end s on the o bservanc e o f one virtue, thoug h the only pa ssion fostered in her

hea rt--is love . Nay the honour of a wo ma n is not m ade even to dep end 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

be yond all nam es of m isery is the c ondition o f a be ing, who c ould be de graded

without its ow n c onsent! This exc ess of stric tness I ha ve heard vind ica ted as a

salutary error. I shall answer in the words of Leibnitz--"Errors are often useful; but it is

c om mo nly to remed y other errors."

Most of the evils of life arise from a desire of present enjoyment that outruns itself.

The obed ienc e required of wom en in the ma rriage sta te, com es unde r thisdesc rip tion; the m ind , na tura lly weakened by de pend ing o n authority, never exerts

its own powers, and the obedient wife is thus rendered a weak indolent mother.



Or, supposing tha t this is not a lwa ys the c onseq uenc e, a future sta te of e xistenc e is

scarcely taken into the reckoning when only negative virtues are cultivated. For in

trea ting of m orals, pa rtic ula rly when wo men a re a lluded to, writers have too often

c onsidered virtue in a very limited sense, and ma de the foundation o f it

Solely worldly utility; nay, a still more frag ile b ase ha s been g iven to this stup endous

fabric, and the wayward fluctuating feelings of men have been made thestandard of virtue. Yes, virtue as well as religion, has been subjected to the

decisions of taste.

It w ould a lmost p rovoke a smile o f c ontemp t, if the va in a bsurd ities of m an d id 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

ap pea red to m e ap plic ab le to the whole human rac e.

A love of pleasure or sway seems to divide mankind, and the husband who lords itin his litt le ha rem , thinks only of his p leasure o r his c onvenienc e. To suc h 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 extinc tion, in its ow n flame , ma y be te rmed the violent dea th of

love . But the w ife who has thus been rend ered lic entious, will p rob ab ly endea vour

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 agod dess. She is still handsom e, a nd , instead of transferring her fond ness 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

c hild ren. They are only to d ress and live to p lease them : and love, even innoc ent

love, soon sinks into lasciviousness when the exercise of a duty is sacrificed to its

indulgence.

Persona l atta c hment is a very happy foundation fo r friend ship ; yet, when even tw o

virtuous young people marry, it would, perhaps, be happy if some circumstancechecked their passion; if the recollection of some prior attachment, or

disap pointed affec tion, mad e it on one side , at lea st, rathe r a ma tc h 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 dea th ought to d issolve.

Friendship is a serious affection; the most sublime of all affections, because it is

found ed on p rinc ip le, and c em ented by time . The very reverse m ay be sa id 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, andfor the same ob jec t c an on ly be felt in suc c ession. The va in fea rs and fond

jealousies, the winds which fan the flame of love, when judiciously or artfully



tempe red , are bo th inco mp atible w ith the tender c onfide nce and sincere respec t

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

p ictures. Dangerous, bec ause they not only a fford a plausib le excuse to the

voluptuary, who disguises sheer sensuality under a sentimental veil; but as theysprea d a ffec ta tion, and ta ke from the d ignity of virtue. Virtue, as the very wo rd

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.

Plea sure p rep ares the fad ing wrea th, and mixes the intoxic a ting c up ; but the fruit

which virtue g ives, is the rec om penc e of toil: and , gradua lly seen as it ripens, only

affords calm satisfaction; nay, appearing to be the result of the natural tendency

of things, it is sca rc ely ob served . Brea d , the c om mo n food of life, seldo m thoughtof 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

eleva tes the sp irits or tickles the pa la te. The lively hea ted imagina tion 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 sta b ility to the shadow y reve ries whic h the mind na turally fa lls into when

realities are found vapid. It can then depict love with celestial charms, and doteon the grand ideal object; it can imagine a degree of mutual affection that shall

refine the soul, and not expire w hen it ha s served as a "sc a le to hea venly;" and , like

devo tion, ma ke it absorb every me aner affec tion a nd desire. In ea c h other's a rms,

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 o f som e unexpec ted guest. Like M ilton's, it would o nly

c onta in angels, or men sunk below the d ignity of rationa l c rea tures.

Happiness is not material, it cannot be seen or felt! Yet the eager pursuit of thegood which every one shapes to his own fancy, proclaims man the lord of this

low er world , and to b e a n intellige ntia l c rea ture, who is not to rec eive, but acquire

happ iness. They, the refo re, who com plain of the delusions of passion, d o 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 effectof idleness than of a lively fancy. Women have seldom sufficient serious

employment to silence their feelings; a round of little cares, or vain pursuits,





c harac ter bo th genera lly and ind ividua lly. The tho ughts of women ever hover

around their persons, and is it surprising that their persons are reckoned most

va luab le? Yet som e d eg ree of liberty of mind is nec essary even to fo rm the p erson;

and this ma y be o ne reason w hy som e g entle w ives have so few a ttrac tions 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 ano ther fetter, that b y c alling the atte ntion c ontinually to the bo dy,c ramp s the a c tivity 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

dep ortme nt of wom en, who dress merely for the sake of dressing. In fac t, 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

sma ttering of literature, and c onversing mo re with me n, on g enera l top ics, ac quire

more knowledge than the women who ape their fashions and faults withoutsharing 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 c hild ren b y the sweat of the ir b row , and keep tog ether fam ilies tha t the vices

of the fathe rs would have sc atte red ab roa d; but gentlewomen a re too indo lent to

be actively virtuous, and are softened rather than refined by civilization. Indeed

the go od sense whic h I have m et with among the p oor wome n who have ha d few

ad vanta ges of ed ucation, and yet have a c ted heroica lly, 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 willendea vour to enslave wo ma n: and w ho ca n tell how ma ny generations ma y be

necessary to give vigour to the virtue and talents of the freed posterity of abject

slave s? ('Supposing tha t wom en a re vo lunta ry slaves--slave ry 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

understa nd ing. Whether this a rises from a p hysic a l or ac c identa l wea kness of

faculties, time alone can determine; for I shall not lay any great stress upon theexample of a few w omen (Sappho, Eloisa , Mrs. Mac aulay, the Empress of Russia,

Ma dame d 'Eon, etc . These, and ma ny more, ma y be reckoned e xc ep tions; 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

c ontend tha t the me n who ha ve been plac ed in simila r situa tions have ac quired a

similar character, I speak of bodies of men, and that men of genius and talents

have started o ut of a c lass, in which wome n have never yet been p lac ed .



CHAPTER 5.

ANIMADVERSIONS ON SOME OF THE WRITERS WHO HAVE RENDERED WOMEN

OBJECTS OF PITY, BORDERING ON C ONTEMPT.

The o p inions spec iously supported , in som e m od ern pub lic a tions on the fe ma le

c harac ter, and ed uca tion, whic h have g iven the tone to most of the o bservations

ma de, in a m ore cursory ma nner, on the sex, remain now to b e 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 muchingenuity, that it seems necessary to attack it in a more circumstantial manner,

and ma ke the ap plication myself.

Sophia, says Roussea u, should b e a s perfec t 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 p roc eed s to p rove, that women oug ht to b e w ea k and p assive, bec ause

she has less bod ily strength tha n man; and from henc e infers, tha t she was formed

to please and to be subject to him; and that it is her duty to render herselfagreeab le to he r master--this being the grand end of he r existenc e.

Supp osing w omen to have be en formed only to p lea se, and be subjec t to ma n,

the conclusion is just, she ought to sacrifice every other consideration to render

herself agreeab le to him: and let this b ruta l desire of self-p reservat ion be the

grand spring of all her actions, when it is proved to be the iron bed of fate, to fit

which, her c harac ter should b e stretc hed or co ntrac ted , reg ard less of a ll 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

ba se, I ma y be a llowed to doub t whether woma n wa s c rea ted for ma n: 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,

poe tica l c osmo go ny, and the ac count o f the fall of ma n, we re literally true, I c ould

not believe what my reason told me was derogatory to the character of the

Suprem e Being: and , having no fea r of the devil befo re 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 b eing onc e d em onstra ted ," c ontinues Roussea u, "tha t man and wo ma n a re no t,

nor ought to be, constituted alike in temperament and character, it follows of

c ourse, tha t they should not be ed uca ted in the same manner. In pursuing the

directions of nature, they ought indeed to act in concert, but they should not be

eng aged 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 a re from the ir ea rliest infanc y fond of d ress. Not content w ith be ing p retty,

they a re desirous of being thought so; w e see , by a ll their little a irs, tha t this thought

engages their attention; and they are hardly capable of understanding what issaid to them, before they are to be governed by talking to them of what people

will think of the ir beha viour. The same mo tive, howe ver, ind isc ree tly made use of

with boys, has not the same effec t: p rovided they a re let to pursue their

amusements a t p lea sure, they care very little what peop le think of them . Time and

pa ins a re nec essa ry to sub jec t b oys to this mot ive.

"Whenc esoever g irls derive th is first lesson it is a very good one. As the bod y is born,

in a manner be fore the soul, our first c onc ern should b e to c ultivate the fo rmer; this

order is c om mon to b oth sexes, but the ob jec t of tha t c ultiva tion is d ifferent. In the

one sex it is the d eve lop ement o f c orporea l pow ers; in the othe r, that of p ersona lc harms: not that either the qua lity of streng th or bea uty oug ht to be c onfined

exclusively to one sex; but only that the order of the cultivation of both is in that

respec t reversed . Women c ertainly req uire as muc h streng th a s to ena b le them to

mo ve and ac t grac efully, and men as muc h ad dress as to q ualify them to a c t 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 alsoits peculiar taste to distinguish in this particular. Boys love sports of noise and

ac tivity; to b ea t the d rum, to w hip the to p , and to d rag a bout the ir 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 the ir ta ste p la inly adapted to the ir destination. The physic a l part of the a rt

of p lea sing lies in d ress; and this is a ll whic h child ren a re c apac ita ted to c ultiva te o f

tha t art."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Here then we see a primary propensity firmly established, which you need only to

pursue and regula te . The little c rea ture will doub tless 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 a re usua lly taught these young fema les: in which we d o not ap pea r 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 ve ry rea d ily ap p ly them selves to the use o f their nee d les.

They ima gine them selves a lrea dy grown up, and think with p lea sure tha t suc h



qua lific a tions will enab le them to dec orate themselves."

This is c erta inly only an e duc a tion o f the bod y; but Roussea u is not the only ma n

who has indirectly said that merely the person of a young woman, without any

mind, unless anima l sp irits c om e und er tha t desc ript ion, is very p leasing. To rend er

it weak, and what some may call beautiful, the understanding is neglected, and

g irls forced to sit still, p lay w ith dolls, and listen to foolish c onversa tions; the e ffec t o fhabit 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 on ly to extrac t the grossness of vic e.

He did not go back to nature, or his ruling appetite disturbed the operations of

rea son, else he would not have d rawn these c rude inferenc es.

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 aga inst imm od esty. I spea k of past times. The very confessions whic h

mere children are obliged to make, and the questions asked by the holy men I

assert these fac ts on goo d authority, we re suffic ient to impress a sexual cha rac ter;

and the educa tion of soc iety was a sc hool of coquetry and art. At the age o f ten

or eleven; nay, often muc h sooner, girls beg an to c oq uet, and ta lked , unrep roved,

of esta b lishing themselves in the wo rld by marriage.

In short, they were made women, almost from their very birth, and compliments

were listened to instead of instruc tion. These, wea kening the mind , Nature wa s

supp osed to ha ve a c ted like a step -mother, when she fo rmed this a fter-thoug ht of

creation.

Not a llow ing them unde rstand ing, how ever, it w as but c onsistent to subjec t them

to authority, independent of reason; and to prepare them for this subjection, he

g ives the fo llow ing advice : "Girls oug ht to be a c tive and d iligent ; nor is tha t a ll; they

should a lso b e e a rly sub jec ted to restraint. This misfortune , if it rea lly be o ne, isinseparable from their sex; nor do they ever throw it off but to suffer more cruel

evils.

They must b e sub jec t, a ll the ir lives, to the m ost c onsta nt a nd severe restraint,

which is tha t of dec orum: it is, therefo re, nec essary to ac custom them ea rly 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

othe rs. If, indeed, they a re fond of b eing a lwa ys a t work, they should b e som etimes

c om pelled to lay it aside.

Dissipation, levity, and inconstancy, are faults that readily spring up from their first

p rop ensities, when c orrupted or perverted by too muc h indulgence. To p revent



this abuse, we should learn them, above all things, to lay a due restraint on

themselves. The life o f a m od est wom an is red uc ed , by our ab surd institutions, to a

perpetual conflict with herself: not but it is just that this sex should partake of the

sufferings which a rise from those evils it ha th caused us."

And why is the life o f a mo dest wom an a perpetua l c onflic t? I should a nswer, that

this very system of education makes it so. Modesty, temperance, and self-denial,a re the sob er offsp ring of rea son; b ut w hen sensib ility is nurtured a t the expe nse 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 nob ler passions and mo tives will govern their appet ites and sent ime nts.

"The c ommon atta chment a nd reg ard o f a mo ther, nay, mere hab it, will ma ke her

beloved by her child ren, if she d oes nothing to incur their hate.

Even the restraint she lays them under, if w ell direc ted , will inc rea se the ir affec tion,

instead of lessening it; because a state of dependence being natural to the sex,they perce ive them selves forme d fo r ob ed ienc e."

This is beg ging the question; for servitud e not only deb ases the ind ividua l, but its

effects seem to be transmitted to posterity. Considering the length of time that

wo men have b een dep end ent, is it surp rising tha t some o f them hug their c hains,

and fawn like the spaniel? "These dogs," ob serves a na tura list, "a t first kep t the ir ea rs

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 littleliberty; 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 simp le. Slave s and mobs have a lwa ys indulged

themselves in the same exc esses, when onc e they b roke loose from a utho rity. The

bent bow recoils with violence, when the hand is suddenly relaxed that forcibly

held it: and sensib ility, the p laything of outward c irc umsta nc es, must be sub jec ted

to a uthority, or mod erated by rea son.

"There results," he c ontinues, "from this hab itua l restraint, a trac ta b leness 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 them selves above those op inions.

The first and mo st important qua lific a tion in a w om an is go od -nature o r swe etness

of temper; formed to obey a being so imperfect as man, often full of vices, and

a lways full of fa ults, she o ught to lea rn bet ime s even to suffer injustice , and to bea r

the insults of a husband without complaint; it is not for his sake, but her own, that

she should b e o f a m ild d isposition. The p erverseness and ill-na ture of the wom enonly 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 w ith such an imp erfec t b eing a s ma n, they ought to lea rn 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

be long only to man.

The being who pa tient ly end ures injustice, a nd silently bears insults, will soon

bec om e unjust, or unab le to d isc ern right from w rong . Besides, I deny the fa c t, this

is not the true w ay to fo rm o r me liorate the tem per; for, as a sex, me n have b ette r

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 hea rt. Peop le of sensib ility have seldo m g oo d temp ers. 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 saybehaviour, 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

gent le irrita b le c rea tures, very troub lesom e c om panions.

"Eac h sex," he further a rgues, "should preserve its pec ulia r 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 b rute, and will soo ner or later triumph over him." True, the m ildness of

reason; but abject fear always inspires contempt; and tears are only eloquentwhe n they flow dow n fair c heeks.

Of what materials can that heart be composed, which can melt when insulted,

and instead o f revolting a t injustice, kiss the rod? Is it unfair to infer, tha t 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

bec om es vague when a ny part is supposed to rest on fa lseho od . These a re m ere

exped ients, and exped ients a re only useful for the mo me nt.

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 a fter pa rting with a love r. These a re a ll p rep ara tions for adultery; or, should

the fea r of the wo rld , or of he ll, restrain her desire o f p lea sing other me n, when she

c an no longer plea se her husba nd, wha t substitute c an be found b y a be ing w ho

wa s only formed by nature and a rt to please man? wha t ca n ma ke her amend s

for this p rivat ion, or where is she to see k for a fresh em ployment? where find

suffic ient streng th o f mind to dete rmine to beg in the sea rch, when her hab its a re

fixed , and vanity has long ruled her cha otic mind?

But this pa rtial mo ra list rec om me nds c unning system atica lly a nd p lausib ly.



"Daughters should be always submissive; their mothers, however, should not be

inexorab le. To ma ke a young person trac tab le, she oug ht not to be ma de

unhappy; to make her modest she ought not to be rendered stupid. On the

c ontrary, I should no t b e d isp lea sed a t her being p ermitted to use som e art, not to

elude punishment in case of disobedience, but to exempt herself from the

nec essity of ob eying. It is not nec essary to make her dep end enc e burdensom e,but o nly to let her fee l it. Sub tilty is a ta lent na tural 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

preve nt its abuse."

"Whatever is, is right," he then proceeds triumphantly to infer. Granted; yet, per-

haps, 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 p rop ortions in the wom b of time ; but m an, who c an only inspec t d isjoin-

ted parts, finds many things wrong; and it is a part of the system, and thereforeright, tha t he should end ea vour to alter wha t appea rs to him to b e so, even w hile

he bow s to the wisdom of his Crea tor, and respec ts the darkness he labours to d is-

perse.

The inferenc e tha t fo llows is just, supposing the p rinc iple to be sound : "The superio-

rity of address, peculiar to the female sex, is a very equitable indemnification for

their inferiority in p oint of streng th: without this, wom an would no t b e the c ompa-

nion 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 inher favo ur, but her sub tilty and her beauty. Is it not very rea sona b le, therefore, she

should cultiva te bo th?" Greatness of mind ca n never dwe ll with c unning or ad-

dress; for I shall not boggle about words, when their direct signification is insincerity

and falsehood ; but c ontent myself with observing, tha t if any c lass of m ankind be

so created that it must necessarily be educated by rules, not strictly deducible

from truth, virtue is an a ffa ir of c onve ntion.

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,

tha t the mind formed by its pursuits, is expa nded by grea t views swa llow ing up littleones, or tha t it b ec om es 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 subsis-

tenc e, the true d efinition o f indepe ndence ; and to b ea r those b od ily inco nvenien-

c es and exertions tha t a re requisite to strengthen the m ind .

Let us then, by b eing a llow ed to ta ke the same exerc ise a s boys, not only during in-

fanc y, but youth, arrive a t perfec tion of b od y, that w e may know how far the na tu-

ral superiority of man extends. For what reason or virtue can be expected from ac rea ture w hen the seed-time of life is neg lec ted ?



None--d id not the w inds of heaven c asua lly sca tte r ma ny useful seeds in the fa llow

ground.

"Beauty cannot be acquired by dress, and coquetry is an art not so early and

speed ily a tta ined . While girls a re yet young, how ever, they are in a ca pac ity to

study agreeable gesture, a pleasing modulation of voice, an easy carriage and

beha viour; as we ll as to ta ke the advantage of g rac efully ad apting the ir looks andattitudes to time , plac e, and oc c asion. Their app lic a tion, therefore, should no t b e

solely c onfined to the a rts of industry and the need le, when they c om e to d isp lay

other ta lents, whose ut ility is a lrea dy apparent ." "For my p art I wo uld ha ve a young

Englishwoman cultivate her agreeable talents, in order to please her future hus-

band, with as muc h c are and assiduity as a young Circassian c ultiva tes her's, to fit

her for the Haram o f an Eastern bashaw."

To render women c om p lete ly insignificant, he adds,--"The to ngues of w om en a re

very voluble; they spea k earlier, mo re read ily, and mo re a greea b ly than the men;

they a re a cc used a lso o f spea king m uch mo re: but so it ought to be, and I shouldbe ve ry rea dy to c onvert this rep roa ch into a com plime nt; their lips and eyes have

the same ac tivity, and for the same rea son. A ma n spea ks of w hat he knows, a wo-

ma n o f wha t p lea ses her; the o ne requires know led ge , the o ther taste; the p rinc i-

pa l ob jec t o f a ma n's d iscourse should b e wha t is useful, that of a wo ma n's wha t is

agreeable.

There ought to be nothing in comm on b etw een their d ifferent c onversa tion b ut

truth."

"We ought not, therefore, to restrain the prattle of girls, in the same manner as weshould tha t o f boys, with tha t seve re q uestion, 'To w ha t purpose a re you ta lking?'

but by a nother, which is no less d iffic ult to answer, 'How will your disc ourse be rec ei-

ved?' 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 diffi-

cult, is, that it must ever be subordinate to the former, of never speaking falsely or

te lling an untruth." To gove rn the tongue in this manner must require g rea t a dd ress

indeed; and it is too much practised both by men and women. Out of the abun-

dance o f the hea rt how few spea k! So few, tha t I, who love simp lic ity, wo uld g lad ly

g ive up politeness for a q uarter of the virtue tha t ha s been sac rific ed to a n eq uivo-c a l qua lity, which, a t b est, should only be the polish of virtue.

But to c om plete the sketch. "It is ea sy to b e c onc eived, tha t if ma le c hild ren b e no t

in a c apac ity to form any true no tions of religion, those ide as must b e g rea tly abo-

ve the conception of the females: it is for this very reason, I would begin to speak

to them the e arlier on this subjec t; for if we we re to wa it till they were in a c apac ity

to discuss methodically such profound questions, we should run a risk of never

spea king to them on this sub jec t as long as they lived . Rea son in wom en is a p rac -

tic a l rea son, ca pac ita ting them a rtfully to d iscover the m ea ns of a tta ining a know n

end , but w hich would never enab le them to d isc over tha t end itself. The soc ia l re-la tions of the sexes a re indeed truly admirab le: from the ir union there results a mo-

ral pe rson, of whic h wo ma n ma y be termed the eyes, and ma n the ha nd, with this



dependence on each other, that it is from the man that the woman is to learn

wha t she is to see , and it is of the wo ma n tha t man is to lea rn wha t he o ught to d o.

If woman could recur to the first principles of things as well as man, and man was

c ap ac itate d to e nter into their minutae as we ll as woma n, alwa ys indepe ndent 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

fac ulties tend to one c om mo n end ; it is d iffic ult to say which of them c ond uc es themost to it: each follows the impulse of the other; each is obedient, and both are

masters."

"As the c ond uc t o f a wo ma n is subservient to the p ublic op inion, her faith in mat-

ters of relig ion, should for tha t ve ry rea son, be sub jec t to authority.

'Every daughte r oug ht to be o f the same religion a s her mothe r, and every wife to

be of the same religion as her husband: for, though such religion should be false,

that doc ility whic h induc es the mother and da ughter to subm it to the order of na-

ture, ta kes away, in the sight of God , the c rimina lity of the ir error'.* As they are notin a capacity to judge for themselves, they ought to abide by the decision of their

fathers and husbands as c onfidently as by tha t o f the churc h."5

"As authority ought to regulate the religion of the women, it is not so needful to

expla in to them the rea sons for their belief, as to lay dow n p rec isely the tene ts they

are to believe: for the creed, which presents only obscure ideas to the mind, is the

source of fana ticism; a nd tha t w hich p resents absurd ities, lea ds to infide lity."

Ab solute, unc ontrove rted authority, it see ms, must subsist somew here: b ut is no t th is

a d irec t a nd exc lusive a pprop ria tion o f reason? The RIGHTS of huma nity ha ve

been thus c onfined to the ma le line from Ad am downw ards. Roussea u wo uldcarry his male aristocracy still further, for he insinuates, that he should not blame

those, who c ontend for lea ving w oman in a state of the most p rofound 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

c ustom s p rod uced by huma n passions; else she m ight p rop aga te a t hom e w ithout

being rendered less voluptuous and innocent by the exercise of her

understanding: excepting, indeed, during the first year of marriage, when she

might e mploy it to d ress, like Sophia. "Her dress is extremely mo dest in ap pea ranc e,

and yet very c oq uet tish in fac t: she doe s not make a d isp lay of her c harms, she

conceals them; but, in concealing them, she knows how to affect yourima ginat ion. Every one who see s her, will say, There is a m od est and d isc reet g irl;

but while you a re near her, your eyes and a ffec tions wa nder all ove r her pe rson, so

that you cannot withdraw them; and you would conclude that every part of her

dress, simp le as it seems, wa s on ly put in its p rop er orde r to b e ta ken to p iec es by

the ima gina tion." Is this mod esty? Is this a p rep ara tion for immo rta lity? Ag a in.

What op inion a re w e to form of a system of educa tion, when the a uthor says of his

heroine, "that with her, doing things well is but a secondary concern; her principal

c onc ern is to d o them nea tly."

5 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.



Sec ond ary, in fa c t, a re a ll her virtues and qua lities, for, respec ting religion, he

makes her parents thus address her, accustomed to submission--"Your husband will

instruct you in go od time."

After thus c ramp ing a woma n's mind, if, in order to keep it fa ir, he has not ma de it

quite a b lank, he a dvises her to reflec t, that a reflec ting m an ma y not yaw n in hercompany, when he is tired of caressing her. What has she to reflect about, who

must ob ey? and wo uld it not b e a refinement on c ruelty only to op en her mind to

make the darkness and misery of her fate visible? Yet these are his sensible

remarks; how c onsistent w ith wha t I have a lrea dy been ob liged to q uote , to give a

fair view of the sub jec t, the rea der may de termine.

"They who pass the ir whole lives in working for the ir da ily b rea d , have no idea s

beyond their business or their interest, and all their understanding seems to lie in

the ir finge rs' end s. This igno ranc e is ne ither prejudic ial to the ir integ rity nor their

morals; it is often of service to them. Som et imes, by m ea ns of reflec tion, we a re ledto c om pound with our duty, and w e c onc lude, by substituting a ja rgo n of wo rds, in

the roo m of th ings. Our ow n c onsc ienc e is the most enlightened philosop her. There

is no need of b eing a c quainted with Tully's offic es, to make a ma n of p rob ity: 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

rend er soc iety a greea b le; and it is a me lancholy thing fo r a fathe r of a fam ily, who

is fond of hom e, to b e o bliged to b e a lwa ys wrapp ed up in himself, and to ha ve

nob od y ab out him to whom he c an imp art his sentiments.

"Besides, how should a woman void of reflection be capable of educating herc hild ren? How should she d isc ern what is p rop er for them? How should she inc line

them to those virtues she is unac qua inted with, or to tha t merit of w hich she ha s no

idea ? She can on ly soo th or c hide them ; rend er 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 he r his rea son --when they bo th tog ether ma ke 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 maybe generalizing his ideas as he bets away his fortune, leaving all the minutiae of

ed uca tion to his helpm ate or c hanc e.

But, granting tha t woman oug ht to be b ea utiful, innoc ent, and silly, to render her a

mo re a lluring and indulge nt c om panion--wha t is her understand ing sac rificed 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

eve r insisted mo re o n the transient na ture of love .

Thus speaks the p hilosopher. "Sensua l p lea sures a re transient . The ha b itua l sta te ofthe a ffec tions a lways loses by the ir g ra tific a tion. The ima gina tion, which dec ks the

object of our desires, is lost in fruition.



Exce pting the Sup rem e Being , who is self-existent, the re is no thing beautiful but

wha t is idea l."

But he returns to his uninte lligib le paradoxes aga in, when he thus add resses Sop hia.

"Emilius, in becoming your husband, is become your master, and claims your

ob ed ienc e. Suc h is the orde r of na ture. When a ma n is married, howe ver, to such awife a s Sop hia , it is p rop er he should be d irec ted by her: this is a lso agreeab le 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

p leasures. It m ay c ost you, perhap s, som e d isagree ab le self-denia l; but you w ill be

certain of maintaining your empire over him, if you can preserve it over yourself;

wha t I have a lrea dy ob served, a lso show s me , that this d ifficult a ttem pt d oes not

surpa ss your c ourage.

"Would you have your husband constantly at your feet? keep him at some

d ista nc e from your pe rson. You w ill long ma inta in the a uthority of love , if you knowbut how to rend er your favo urs ra re a nd va luab le. It is thus you m ay employ even

the a rts of c oq uet ry in the servic e o f virtue, and those o f love in tha t of rea son."

I sha ll c lose my extrac ts with a just desc rip tion of a c om fortab le c oup le.

"And yet you must not ima gine, that e ven such ma nag ement w ill a lwa ys suffic e.

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 thetransports 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

ma rried p eop le than love . Bea uty he dec la res will not be valued , or even seen,

after a couple have lived six months together; artificial graces and coquetry will

likew ise pa ll on the senses: why then doe s he say, tha t a g irl should b e ed uc a ted

for her husband w ith the same care a s 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 end s? Will it be a llowe d tha t the surest wa y to make a wife cha ste, is to

teac h her to p rac tise the wanton arts of a m istress, terme d virtuous c oq uetry 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

susp ic ion, and rend eredinteresting by sense?



The man w ho c an b e c ontented to live w ith a pretty useful c ompa nion w ithout a

mind, has lost in voluptuous gratifications a taste for more refined enjoyments; he

has neve r felt the c a lm sa tisfac tion tha t refreshes the parc hed hea rt, like the silent

de w of heaven--of be ing beloved by one who could understand him. In the

soc iety o f his wife he is still a lone , unless when the man is sunk in the b rute. "The

c ha rm o f life," says a grave philosop hica l rea soner, is "sympa thy; nothing p leases us

more than to observe in other men a fellow-feeling with all the emotions of ourow n b rea st."

But, according to the tenor of reasoning by which women are kept from the tree

of knowled ge , the important yea rs of youth, the usefulness of a ge , and the ra tiona l

hop es of futurity, a re a ll to be sac rific ed , to rend er woma n an ob jec t of d esire fo r a

short time . Besides, how c ould Roussea u expec t them to be virtuous and c onsta nt

when reason is neither allowed to be the foundation of their virtue, nor truth the

ob jec t o f the ir inquiries?

But all Rousseau's errors in reasoning arose from sensibility, and sensibility to theirc harms wo men are very rea dy to forgive! When he should have rea soned he

became impassioned, and reflection inflamed his imagination, instead of

en lighte ning his und ersta nd ing. Even his virtues a lso led him farther astray; for,

born with a warm constitution and lively fancy, nature carried him toward the

other sex with suc h ea ger fondness, that he soo n bec ame lasc ivious. Had he g iven

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

reflec ting o n the sensa tions to w hic h fanc y ga ve force , he trac ed them in the most

g low ing colours, and sunk them deep into his soul.

He then sought for solitude, not to sleep with the man of nature; or calmly

investiga te the c auses of things under the shade w here Sir Isaac Newton indulged

contemplation, but merely to indulge his feelings. And so warmly as he painted

wha t he forcibly felt, tha t, interesting the he art a nd inflaming the ima gination o f his

readers; in proportion to the strength of their fancy, they imagine that their

unde rstand ing is c onvinced , when they only symp athize with a poe tic writer, who

skilfully exhibits the objects of sense, most voluptuously shadowed, or gracefully

veiled ; and thus making us fee l, whilst dreaming tha t we rea son, errone ous

c onc lusions a re 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

ac quired mo re streng th o f mind. Still, if the purpose o f life b e to ed uca te the

intellec tual pa rt of man, all with respec t to him wa s right; yet, had not d ea th 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 whic h ag ita te the c ivilized ma n.

But pea c e to his manes! I war not with his ashes, but his op inions. I war only with



the sensib ility tha t led him to d eg rade w oman by ma king he r the slave o f love .

."Curs'd va ssa lag e, First idoliz'd till love's ho t fire b e o'er, Then slaves to those who

c ourted us befo re." Dryden.

The p ernic ious tendenc y of those b oo ks, in which the w riters insidiously deg rade

the sex, whilst they are p rostra te b efo re the ir persona l c ha rms, ca nnot be to o o ftenor too seve rely 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

oc c urrenc es of the d ay, nor our know led ge to a n ac quaintanc e w ith our love rs' or

husbands' hearts; but let the practice of every duty be subordinate to the grand

one of improving our minds, and p rep aring o ur a ffec tions for a more exalted sta te!

Beware then, my friends, of suffering the heart to be moved by every trivialinc ident: the reed is shaken by a b reeze, and a nnually dies, but the oa k stands

firm, and for ag es b raves the sto rm.

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 fromthe c asua lties of life; and tha t fortune, slipp ing o ff her bandage, will smile on a

well-educ a ted fem ale, and b ring in her hand a n Emilius or a Telemac hus. 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

world ly cares, and b ea r with the vic es and humours of relat ions for whom they

c an neve r fee l a friend ship .

There have b een ma ny wom en in the wo rld w ho, instea d o f be ing supp orted b y

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, inthe 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 p reroga tive, of rising above op inion, to ma n.

SECTION 5.2.

Dr. Fordyce's sermons have long made a part o f a young wo ma n'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; thoughthey must be a llow ed to c onta in ma ny sensible observat ions.





I shall be told, perhaps, that the public have been pleased with these volumes.

True--and Hervey's Me d itations a re still read , though he equa lly sinned aga inst

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

c om pliments? Spea k to them the lang uag e o f truth and sob erness, and awa y with

the lullaby strains of condescending endearment! Let them be taught to respect

themselves as ra tiona l crea tures, and not led to have a passion for their ow n insip id

persons. It move s my ga ll to hea r a p rea c her desc anting on d ress and nee d le-

work; and still more, to hear him address the 'British fair, the fairest of the fair', as if

they had only feelings.

Even rec om mending p iety he uses the follow ing a rgum ent. "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

wo rshipp ing amo ngst her kindred ange ls!" Why a re wo men to be thus b red up

with a desire of conquest? the very epithet, used in this sense, gives me a sickly

qua lm! Does relig ion and virtue offer no stronger mo tives, no brighter rew ard?

Must they always be debased by being made to consider the sex of their

c om panions? Must they b e ta ught a lwa ys to b e p lea sing? And when leve lling the ir

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 ofknowledge 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 rea son.

Why are g irls to be told tha t they resemble ange ls; but to sink them below wo men?

Or, that a gentle, innocent female is an object that comes nearer to the idea

which we have fo rme d o f angels than any other. Yet they are told , a t the same

time, that they are only like angels when they are young and beautiful;

c onseq uent ly, it is the ir pe rsons, not the ir virtues, tha t p roc ure them this homa ge.

Idle empty words! what can such delusive flattery lead to, but vanity and folly?

The lover, it is true, ha s a poet ic licenc e to exa lt his mistress; his rea son is the bubb le

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 p rea cher inte rla rd his d iscourses with suc h fooleries?

In sermons or novels, however, voluptuousness is always true to its text.

Men a re a llow ed by mora lists to c ultiva te , as na ture d irec ts, different q ua lities, and

assume the d ifferent c harac ters, tha t the same passions, mod ified a lmo st 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 c omp lianc e.

I will use the preacher's own words. "Let it be observed, that in your sex manlyexercises 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

rob ust, and d eme anour delic ate 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 anything w rong on the ir part.

But had you behaved to them with more respectfull observance, and a more

equal tenderness; studying their humours, overlooking their mistakes, submitting to

the ir op inions in ma tte rs indifferent, p assing b y little insta nc es 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

inc rea sed their esteem, so far as to have sec ured every deg ree of influenc e tha tc ould c ond uce to their virtue, or your mutua l sa tisfac tion; and your house m ight a t

this day have b een the abod e of d om estic b liss." Such a wom an ought to be an

angel--or she is an ass--for I discern not a trace of the human character, neither

rea son no r passion in this dom estic d rudge, who se b eing is absorbe d in tha t of a

tyrant's.

Still Dr. Fordyc e m ust ha ve ve ry little a c qua inta nc e w ith the hum an hea rt, 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 byreason. 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 no tice of them than stric tly spea king, they d eserve; but a s they ha ve

contributed to vitiate the taste, and enervate the understanding of many of my

fellow -crea tures, I co uld not pass them silently over.

SECTION 5.3.

Suc h p a terna l solic itud e p ervad es Dr. Grego ry's Leg acy 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 ha d the m ost b aneful effec t on the m orals and ma nners of the

fema le w orld.

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 wifed iffuses through the whole w ork, rend ers it ve ry interesting; yet there is a deg ree of

c onc ise e leg anc e c onsp icuous in many passages, that d isturbs this symp athy; and

we p op on the author, when we only expe c ted to me et 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 c onseq uenc e, of instilling sentiments, that m ight d raw them out o f the t rack

of c ommon life, without enab ling them to ac t with co nsonant indep endenc e 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

dec eiving thee! This is the roo t o f the e vil tha t ha s shed a c orrod ing mildew on a ll

thy virtues; and blighting in the bud thy opening faculties, has rendered thee the

wea k thing thou a rt! It is this sep ara te interest-- this insidious sta te o f wa rfare, tha tundermines 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

mod e o f cond uc t. Besides, to strip it of its ima g inary dignity, I must ob serve, 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

pa rticula rly a llude to, it ta kes p lac e o f the m ost serious moral ob liga tions; for a man

is seldom assassina ted when in the co mp any of a wom an. The savage ha nd o frapine 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 sp rinkled , perhap s, with he r husband 's or b rother's b lood .

I sha ll pass over his stric tures on relig ion, bec ause I mea n to d isc uss tha t sub jec t in a

sep arate c hap ter.

The rem arks rela tive to beha viour, thoug h many o f them very sensib le, I entirely

disapprove of, because it appears to me to be beginning, as it were at the wrong

end . A c ultiva ted understanding, and an a ffec tiona te hea rt, will never wa ntsta rc hed rules of dec orum, som ething m ore substantial tha n see mliness will be the

result; and, without understanding, the behaviour here recommended, would be



rank a ffec ta tion. Dec orum, inde ed , is the one thing need ful! dec orum is to

supplant nature, and banish all simplicity and variety of character out of the

female wo rld . Yet wha t good end c an all this superfic ia l c ounsel p rod uce? 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

streng thened b y being emp loyed , the reg ula tion of the beha viour ma y sa fely be

left to its guida nc e.

Why, for instance, should the following caution be given, when art of every kind

must c ontaminate the mind; and why entang le the g rand m otives of a c tion, which

rea son a nd relig ion e qua lly com bine to enforce, with p itiful world ly shifts and slight

of hand tricks to gain the applause of gaping tasteless fools? "Be even cautious in

displaying your good sense.7 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

sec ret, espec ia lly from the men, who ge nerally look with a jea lous and ma ligna nt

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 thenec essity tha t the beha viour of the who le sex should b e m od ula ted to p lea se fools,

or men, who having little claim to respect as individuals, choose to keep close in

the ir pha lanx. Men, indeed, who insist on the ir co mm on superiority, hav ing on ly this

sexual superiority, are certainly very excusable.

There would be no end to rules for beha viour, if it b e p rop er always to adop t the

tone of the c om pany; for thus, for ever varying the key, a flat would o ften p ass for

a natural note.

Surely it would ha ve b ee n wiser to have a dvised wom en to imp rove themselves tillthey rose above the fumes of vanity; and then to let the public opinion come

round --for whe re a re rules of ac c ommo da tion to stop ?

The na rrow pa th o f truth and virtue inc lines neither to the right no r 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 hea rt c lea n, and g ive the hea d emp loyment, and I will venture to predict tha t

there w ill be nothing offensive in the beha viour.

The a ir of fa shion, whic h ma ny young peo p le a re so eager to a tta in, alwa ys strikesme 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

wha t may prop erly be termed c ha rac te r. This va rnish of fa shion, which seldo m

sticks very c lose to sense, may dazzle the we ak; but lea ve na ture to itself, and it w ill

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

nee d of d etermining to hide her ta lents under a b ushel. Let things ta ke their na tura l

c ourse, and a ll w ill be w ell.

It is this system of d issimulation, throughout the vo lume, tha t I desp ise.

7Let 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.



Women are always to seem to be this and that--yet virtue might apostrophize

them, in the words of Hamlet--See ms! I know not see ms!--Have tha t w ithin tha t

passeth show !-- Still the same tone oc c urs; for in a nother p lac e, a fter

rec om me nd ing, (without suffic ient ly disc rimina ting) delic ac y, he a dds, "The men

will com p la in o f your reserve. They will assure you tha t a franker behaviour would

make you more am iab le. But, trust me, they are not since re when they te ll you so.

I acknowledge that on some occasions it might render you more agreeable ascompanions, but it would make you less amiable as women: an important

d istinct ion, which ma ny of your sex are not a ware of."

This desire o f being a lwa ys women, is the very c onsc iousness tha t deg rades the

sex. Exc ep ting with a lover, I must rep ea t with em phasis, a fo rme r ob servat ion--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 mo st ma rked ap proba tion.

"The sentiment, tha t a wo ma n ma y allow a ll innoc ent freedoms, provided hervirtue is secure, is both grossly indelicate and dangerous, and has proved fatal to

many of your sex." With this op inion I perfec tly c oinc ide. A ma n, or a wom an, of

any feeling must a lwa ys wish to c onvinc e a beloved ob jec t tha t it is the c aresses of

the individual, not the sex, that is received and returned with pleasure; and, that

the heart, ra ther tha n the senses, is move d. Without this na tural delic acy, love

bec omes a selfish p ersona l gra tifica tion tha t soon deg rades the c harac ter.

I carry this sentiment still further. Affection, when love is out of the question,

authorises many personal endearments, that naturally flowing from an innocent

hea rt g ive life to the b eha viour; but the persona l intercourse o f appetite, ga llantry,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,

instea d of b eing fla ttered by this unmeaning homa ge to b ea uty. These a re the

privileg es of friend ship , or the mom enta ry hom age which the hea rt p ays 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 ac t from simp ler p rinc ip les. Let them me rit love, and the y willob tain it, though they ma y never be to ld tha t: "The po wer of a fine wom an over

the he arts of men, of men o f the finest parts, is even beyond what she c onc eives."

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

sentime nts, will find the first p rinc iples not q uite so d elica te as the sup erstruc ture.

The sub jec t o f amusem ents is trea ted in too c ursory a m anner; but w ith the samespirit.





That the p lan of life which enab les us to c arry som e know led ge and virtue into

anothe r wo rld , is the one b est c a lc ula ted to e nsure c ontent in this, ca nnot b e d e-

nied; yet few people act according to this principle, though it be universally allo-

wed 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

happ iness. How few ! how very few! have suffic ient foresight o r resolution, to endure

a sma ll evil a t the mom ent, to avoid a grea ter herea fter.

Woman in particular, whose virtue 9 is built o n mutua l prejudices, seldo m a tta ins to

this greatness of mind; so that, becoming the slave of her own feelings, she is easily

sub juga ted by those o f others. Thus deg raded , her rea son, her misty reason! is em -

p loyed ra ther to b urnish than to snap her cha ins.

Indignantly have I hea rd women a rgue in the same trac k as men, and ad op t the

sentiments tha t b ruta lize them with a ll the p ertinac ity o f igno ranc e.

I must illustrate my assertion by a few examples. Mrs. Piozzi, who often repeated byrote, wha t she d id not und erstand , c om es forwa rd w ith Johnsonian period s.

"Seek not fo r happ iness in singularity; and d rea d a refinement of w isdom as a de-

viation into fo lly." Thus she d og ma tica lly addresses a new married ma n; and to elu-

c ida te this pom pous exordium, she a dds, "I sa id tha t the person o f your lady wo uld

not g row mo re p lea sing to you, but p ray let her neve r suspec t tha t it grows less so:

that a woma n will pa rdo n a n a ffront to her unde rstand ing m uch soone r than o ne

to her person, is well known; nor will any of us contradict the assertion. All our at-

tainments, all our arts, are e mp loyed to g ain and keep the hea rt of m an; and wha t

mo rtifica tion c an exc eed the d isappointment, if the end be not o b ta ined : There isno reproof how ever pointed , no p unishment however severe, that a wo ma n of sp i-

rit w ill not p refer to neg lec t; and if she c an end ure it without c om pla int, it only p ro-

ves that she means to make herself amends by the attention of others for the

slights of her husband !"

These a re t rue m asculine sent ime nts. "All our Arts a re employed to ga in and keep

the hea rt of m an:"--and what is the inferenc e?--if her person, and was there ever a

person, though formed with Medicisan symmetry, that was not slighted? be ne-

g lec ted , she will ma ke herself amends by ende avouring to p lea se othe r me n. No-

b le mora lity! But thus is the und ersta nd ing o f the whole sex affronted , and their vir-tue d ep rived of the c om mon basis of virtue. A wo ma n must know, that he r person

cannot be as pleasing to her husband as it was to her lover, and if she be offen-

ded with him fo r being a huma n c rea ture, she m ay as we ll whine about the loss of

his hea rt a s about any other foo lish thing. And this very wa nt o f d iscernment o r un-

reasonable anger, proves that he could not change his fondness for her person in-

to a ffec tion for her virtues or respec t for her understa nd ing.

Whilst women avow, and act up to such opinions, their understandings, at least,

deserve the c ontemp t a nd ob loq uy that me n, who never insult the ir persons, have

pointed ly leve lled a t the female mind. And it is the sentiments of these polite me n,who do not wish to be encumbered with mind, that vain women thoughtlessly

9I mean to use a word that comprehends more than chastity, the sexual virtue.



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

existenc e--the a tta inme nt o f virtue.

The Barone ss de Sta el spea ks the same language as the lady just c ited , with more

enthusiasm. Her eulog ium on Roussea u was ac c identa lly put into my hands, andher sentiments, the sentiments of too many of my sex, may serve as the text for a

few c om ments. "Though Roussea u," she ob serves, "has end ea voured to p reve nt

wo men from interfering in p ublic a ffairs, and ac ting a b rilliant pa rt in the thea tre o f

politics; yet, in spea king o f them, how muc h has he done it to the ir sa tisfac tion! If

he w ished to dep rive them o f som e rights, foreign to the ir sex, how has he fo r eve r

restored to them a ll those to whic h it has a c la im! And in attemp ting to d iminish

their influence over the deliberations of men, how sacredly has he established the

em pire they have o ver their hap p iness! In aiding them to d esc end from an usur-

ped throne, he has firmly seated them upon that to which they were destined by

nature; and though he be full of indignation ag a inst them when they ende avour toresem ble men, yet whe n they c om e b efore him w ith a ll the c harms we aknesses ,

virtues and errors, of the ir sex, his respec t for the ir persons amounts a lmost to ado-

ra tion." True!--For never wa s there a sensua list who p a id mo re fervent a doration at

the shrine o f bea uty. So d evo ut, indeed , was his respec t for the p erson, tha t excep -

ting 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 d isturb the soft p layfulness of love . The master wished to have a meretric ious

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 ofthe ir fa ther, befo re he ha d fulfilled the sac red task.

He denies wo man reason, shuts her out from knowled ge, a nd 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 relaxa-

tion of men, and to perpetuate the species; but he talked with passion, and that

powerful spell worked on the sensibility of a young enc om iast. "What signifies it,"

pursues this rhapsodist, "to women, that his reason disputes with them the empire,

when his hea rt is devoted ly the irs." It is not empire--but eq ua lity, tha t they shouldc ontend for. Yet , if they only wished to leng then out their swa y, they should no t

ent irely trust to their persons, for thoug h bea uty ma y ga in a he a rt, it c annot kee p it,

eve n while the b ea uty is in full bloom , unless the mind lend, at lea st, som e g rac es.

When women are once sufficiently enlightened to discover their real interest, on a

grand sc a le, they w ill, I am persuaded , be very rea dy to resign a ll the p reroga tives

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 sub-

mit; but, endeavouring to act like reasonable creatures, in both situations, they willnot b e tumb led from a throne to a stool.





I w ill not c a ll her's a ma sculine und erstand ing , bec ause I admit not of suc h an a rro-

gant assumption of reason; but I contend that it was a sound one, and that her

judg ment, the matured fruit of p rofound thinking, wa s a proof that a woma n c an

acquire judgment, in the full extent of the word. Possessing more penetration than

saga c ity, more und erstanding than fanc y, she writes with sob er energy, and a rgu-

mentative closeness; yet sympathy and benevolence give an interest to her senti-

me nts, and tha t vita l hea t to a rgum ents, which force s the read er to we igh them.11

When I first thoug ht o f writing these stric tures I anticipa ted Mrs. Ma c aulay's appro-

ba tion with a little o f tha t sanguine a rdour which it has been the business of m y life

to dep ress; but soon hea rd with the sickly qua lm of d isappointed hop e, and the still

seriousness of reg ret--tha t she was no more!

SECTION 5.5.

Taking a view of the d ifferent w orks which have b een written on e duc a tion, Lord

Chesterfield's Letters must not be silently passed over. Not that I mean to analyzehis 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

knowled ge of the world . An a rt, I will venture to assert, tha t p reys sec ret ly, 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

affec tions and grea t 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 mea n to rea son with those world ly-wise instructors, who , instea d of cultiva ting

the judg ment, instil prejudices, and rend er hard the he art tha t g radual experienc e

wo uld only have coo led . An early ac quaintanc e with huma n infirmities; or, wha t 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

ta lents, but grea t virtues.

For the vain attempt to bring forth the fruit of experience, before the sapling has

throw n out its leaves, only exha usts its streng th, a nd p revents its assuming a na tural

form; just as the form and strength of subsiding metals are injured when thea ttrac tion of c ohesion is d isturbed . Tell me , ye who ha ve stud ied the hum an mind,

is it not a strange way to fix principles by showing young people that they are

seldo m stab le? And how c an they be fortified by ha bits when they a re p roved to

be fallac ious by example? Why is the ardour of youth thus to be d amp ed , and

the luxurianc y of fanc y c ut to the quick? This d ry ca ution ma y, it is true, gua rd a

c harac ter from wo rld ly mischanc es; but will infallib ly p rec lude exce llenc e in e ither

virtue or

knowled ge. The stumbling-bloc k throw n a c ross eve ry pa th b y susp ic ion, w ill

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

11Coinciding 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.



c ontem plation for c omfort and supp ort.

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

fee lings insp ire, will enter the world w ith wa rm a nd e rrone ous expec ta tions. But

this appea rs to be the c ourse of na ture; and in morals, as well as in works of ta ste ,

we should b e observant of her sac red ind ica tions, and not p resume to lead whenwe oug ht obseq uiously to follow .

In the wo rld few peop le ac t from princ ip le; p resent feelings, and ea rly hab its, are

the grand springs: but how would the former be dea de ned , and the latte r

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

experienc e rendered them forbea ring? Their fellow c rea tures wo uld not then b e

viewed as frail beings; like themselves, condemned to struggle with human

infirmities, and som et ime s d isp laying the light a nd som etime s the dark side of the ir

c harac ter; extorting a lternate feelings of love a nd d isgust; but g uarded aga inst a sbeasts 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

ac quiring a hasty unnatura l know led ge of the world .

We see a folly swell into a vice, by almost imperceptible degrees, and pity while

we b lame ; but, if the hideous mo nster burst suddenly on our sight, fea r and d isgustrendering 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

mo rtals, forgetting tha t we c annot rea d the hea rt, and that w e ha ve seed s of the

same vic es 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

req uired , when conviction should be b roug ht home to reason.

Suppose, for insta nc e, tha t a young person in the first a rdour of friend ship d eifies

the beloved object--what harm can arise from this mistaken enthusiastic

a tta chment? Perhap s it is nec essary for virtue first to ap pea r in a huma n form to

imp ress youthful hea rts; the idea l mo del, which a mo re m atured and exalted mind

loo ks up to, and shapes for itself, would e lude the ir sight. He who loves not his

brothe r who m he ha th seen, how c an he love Go d? 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 morepropriety, 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 b lessed fruit o f d isappointed hop e! for He who delighteth to d iffuse hap p iness

and show mercy to the weak creatures, who are learning to know him, neverimp lanted a go od p rop ensity to b e 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

pa tiently till they have struck deep their roo t, and b raved ma ny a storm. Is the

mind then, which, in proportion to its dignity advances more slowly towards

perfec tion, to be trea ted with less respec t? To a rgue from analog y, every thing

around us is in a progressive state; and when an unwelcome knowledge of life

p rod uces a lmost a sa tiety o f life, and we d isc over by the na tura l course of things

tha t a ll that is done unde r the sun is vanity, we a re d rawing near the a wful close ofthe d rama . The d ays of ac tivity and hop e a re over, and the op portunities which

the first stage of existenc e has a fforded of a dvanc ing in the sca le of intellige nce,

must soo n be summe d up . A know led ge a t this period o f the futility of life, or

earlier, if obtained by experience, is very useful, because it is natural; but when a

fra il being is shown the follies and vic es of m an, that he m ay be taught p rudently

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 p iety a nd e xperienc e.

I will venture a paradox, and deliver my opinion without reserve; if men were onlyborn 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

explic it, would p roc ure the grea test p ortion of ha pp iness, considering the who le of

life; but know led ge beyond the c onvenienc es of life wo uld b e a c urse.

Why should we injure our hea lth by c lose stud y? The exalted p leasure which

intellectual pursuits afford would scarcely be equivalent to the hours of languortha t follow ; espec ia lly, if it be nec essary to take into the rec koning the doub ts and

disappointments that cloud our researches. Vanity and vexation close every

inquiry: for the c ause w hic h we particularly wished to d iscove r flies like the ho rizon

befo re us as we advanc e. The igno rant, on the contrary, resem ble c hild ren, 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 visib le e ffec ts to d ive into the hidden c ause.

The passions a lso, the winds of life , wo uld be useless, if no t injurious, did the



substanc e w hic h c om poses our thinking being, afte r we have thoug ht in vain, only

become the support of vegetable life, and invigorate a cabbage, or blush in a

rose. The a ppet ites would a nswe r eve ry ea rthly purpose, and p rod uc e 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

d ignity ma kes us g lory in p ossessing them , prove tha t life is merely an ed uc a tion, a

sta te of infanc y, of which the only hopes wo rth c herishing should no t b e sac rific ed .I me an, therefore to infer, tha t we o ught to have a p rec ise idea of what w e w ish to

attain by education, for the immortality of the soul is contradicted by the actions

of many pe op le, who firmly profess the b elief.

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 exam ple of write rs and a rtists will illustra te 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

c ontrad ic tion to them , that the regula tion of the passions is not a lways 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. Ifthen by the exercise of their own reason, they fix on some stable principle, they

ha ve p rob ab ly to tha nk the forc e o f the ir 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 eminenc e, survey the world stripped of a ll its fa lse delusive

c harms. The c lea r a tmo sphere ena b les me to see eac h ob jec t in its true point of

view, while my hea rt is still. I am c a lm a s the p rospec t in a m orning w hen the mists,slowly dispersing, silently unve il the bea uties of na ture, refreshed by rest.

In wha t light w ill the wo rld now appea r? I rub my eyes and think, percha nc e, that

I am just a wa king from a lively dream .

I see the sons and daughters of men pursuing shadow s, 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,whe n they w ere pursuing som e ima ginary present go od .



After viewing objects in this light, it would not be very fanciful to imagine, that this

wo rld w as a stage on whic h a p antom ime is da ily performed for the a musement o f

superiour beings. How would they be diverted to see the ambitious man

c onsuming himself by running a fter a p hantom, and , pursuing the b ubb le fa me in

"the cannon's mouth" that was to blow him to nothing: for when consciousness is

lost, it matte rs not whether we mo unt in a w hirlwind o r desc end in ra in. And should

they compassionately invigorate his sight, and show him the thorny path which ledto 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 na ture he w ould not find it ve ry ea sy to c a tc h the flying strea m? Suc h slaves a re

we to hop e a nd fea r! But, vain as the amb itious 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

mo st trifling g ra tific a tion to be a pp lauded when he should be no mo re! Wherefore

this strugg le, whether man is mo rta l or immo rta l, if tha t nob le passion d id not rea lly

ra ise the being above his fellow s?

And love! What d iverting sc enes wo uld it prod uc e--Panta loo n's tric ks must yield to

mo re e greg ious folly. To see a mo rta l ad orn an ob jec t w ith imag inary 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 ha d only felt wha t has been termed physic a l love? And, would

not the sight of the ob jec t, not seen through the m ed ium o f the imag inat ion, soon

reduce the passion to an appetite, if reflection, the noble distinction of man, didnot g ive it forc e, and make it a n instrument to ra ise him a bove this ea rthy d ross, 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 c ontemp lation, and by ac quiring tha t love of o rde r whic h the strugg les

of p assion p rod uce?

The ha b it o f reflec tion, and the know led ge a tta ined by fostering any pa ssion,

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 forthand strengthen the faculties of each individual, and enable it to attain all the

experienc e tha t an infant c an ob ta in, who does c ertain things, it cannot te ll why.

I desc end from my height , and mixing with my fellow c rea tures, feel myself hurried

along the common stream; ambition, love, hope, and fear, exert their wonted

po wer, though we be c onvince d by reason tha t their present a nd most a ttrac tive

prom ises a re only lying d rea ms; but had the c old hand o f circ umspec tion d amp ed

each generous feeling before it had left any permanent character, or fixed some

hab it, wha t c ould b e e xpec ted , but selfish p rude nc e a nd rea son just rising above

instinc t? Who tha t has rea d Dean Swift's d isgusting desc ript ion of the Yahoos, andinsip id one of Houyhnhnm with a philosop hic a l eye, can a void see ing the futility o f

deg rad ing the passions, or ma king ma n rest in contentme nt?





one d ares to fac e them, though ac tuated by humanity and a rmed b y rea son, 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 venerableaspect, though the reason on which they were built ceases to be a reason, or

ca nnot be trac ed.

Why are w e to love p rejudices, merely bec ause they a re p rejudices? A p rejudice 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 judgm ent: and a re we then advised to c herish op inions only to set

rea son at d efianc e? This mo de of arguing, if a rguing it may be ca lled , rem inds

me of what is vulgarly termed a woman's reason. For women sometimes declare

tha t they love , or believe c erta in th ings, BECAUSE they love, o r be lieve 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 op po nent, they grow ang ry when those g naw ing d oub ts are thrown ba c k toprey on themselves.

The fac t is, that men e xpe c t from ed uca tion, what e duc ation cannot give. A

sagacious parent or tutor may strengthen the body and sharpen the instruments

by w hic h the c hild is to g ather knowledg e; but the honey must b e the reward o f

the ind ividua l's ow n industry. It is a lmo st a s absurd to a ttemp t to make a youth wise

by the experience of another, as to expect the body to grow strong by the

exerc ise w hich 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

advanc es. The business of ed uc a tion in this c ase, is only to conduc t the shoo ting

tend rils to a p rop er pole; yet a fter laying p rec ep t upo n precep t, without a llow ing 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,

whe n they enter life, wha t their parents a re a t the c lose. They do no t consider

that the tree, and even the human body, does not strengthen its fibres till it has

rea c hed its full grow th.

There a ppea rs to be som ething ana log ous in the mind . The senses and the





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

soc iety, to recove r the ir lost g round, is it surp rising tha t wom en every where a ppea r

a defec t in nature? Is it surp rising, when we c onsider wha t a dete rminate effec t a n

early association of ideas has on the character, that they neglect their

understa nd ings, and turn a ll their a ttention to their persons?

The g rea t advanta ges which naturally result from sto ring the m ind with knowled ge,

a re ob vious from the fo llow ing c onsidera tions. The a ssoc iat ion of our ideas is eithe r

habitual or instantaneous; and the latter mode seems rather to depend on theoriginal temp erature o f the mind tha n on the w ill.

When the idea s, and ma tte rs of fa c t, are onc e taken in, they lie b y for use, till som e

fortuitous circumstance makes the information dart into the mind with illustrative

force, tha t has been rec eived a t very d ifferent period s 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 w hether it is rem inisc enc e or ra tioc ina tion, lost sight o f in its c elerity, tha t

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 materia ls, will, in som e d eg ree , arrange themselves. The understa nd ing, 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,13 ho w

little pow er do we possess, and over it how little po wer c an rea son ob ta in! These

fine intractable spirits appear to be the essence of genius, and beaming in its

ea gle eye, produc e in the m ost em inent d eg ree the ha pp y energy o f assoc iating

thoughts that surprise, delight, and instruct.

These a re the g low ing minds tha t c onc entra te p ictures for their fellow -crea tures;

forcing them to view with interest the objects reflected from the impassioned

ima gination, which they p assed over in na ture.

I must be a llow ed to exp la in myself. The ge nera lity of peop le c annot see o r feel

poetically, they want fancy, and therefore fly from solitude in search of sensible

ob jec ts; but when an a uthor lend s them his eyes, they c an see as he saw, a nd be

amused by ima ge s they c ould not selec t, though lying b efore them.

13I have sometimes, when inclined to laugh at materialists, asked whether, as the most powerful effects in nature areapparently 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?



Educ ation thus only supp lies the m an of genius with knowled ge to g ive va riety a nd

c ontrast to his assoc ia tions; but there is an ha b itua l assoc ia tion of ideas, that g row s

"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 d uc tile is the understa nd ing, and yet so stub born, that the assoc iations which

depend on adventitious circumstances, during the period that the body takes to

arrive at ma turity, c an seldom be d isenta ngled by rea son. One idea c a lls upanother, 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 mec hanic a l exac tness.

This ha b itua l slave ry, to first imp ressions, has a more b aneful effec t 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 rea son. But fema les, who a re ma de wom en 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 artthat have smo thered nature.

Every thing that they see or hear serves to fix impressions, call forth emotions, and

assoc ia te ideas, that g ive a sexual cha rac ter to the mind.

Fa lse no tions of b ea uty and delic ac y stop the g row th of their limb s and p rod uce 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 the ir fac titious c harac ter?--whe re find streng th to rec ur to rea sonand rise superior to a system of oppression, that blasts the fair promises of spring?

This c rue l assoc iat ion o f ideas, whic h every thing c onsp ires to tw ist into a ll the ir

habits of thinking, or, to speak with more precision, of feeling, receives new force

whe n they beg in to ac t a little for themselves; for they then p erce ive, tha t 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 imp ression on the ir minds, a ll inc ulca te the same op inions. Educ a ted

in worse than Egyptian bondage, it is unreasonable, as well as cruel, to upbraid

them with faults tha t c an sc arc ely be a voided , unless a deg ree of na tive vigour be

supp osed , that fa lls to the lot o f very few amo ngst mankind .

For instance, the severest sarcasms have been levelled against the sex, and they

have b een rid ic uled for rep ea ting "a set o f phrases lea rnt 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

lea rned by rote! And whe n a ll their ingenuity is ca lled forth to ad just their d ress, "a

passion for a scarlet coat," is so natural, that it never surprised me; and, allowing

Pop e's summ ary of the ir c harac ter to be just, "tha t eve ry woma n is a t heart a rake,"

why should they be bitterly censured for seeking a congenial mind, and preferringa rake to a ma n of sense?





Supp osing, how ever, for a m oment, tha t w om en w ere, in som e future revo lution of

time , to be c ome, wha t I sincerely wish them to b e, even love would a c quire more

serious dignity, and be purified in its own fires; and virtue giving true delicacy to

the ir a ffec tions, they wo uld turn with disgust from a rake. Rea soning then, as well

as feeling, the only province of w om an, at p resent, they m ight ea sily guard aga inst

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'swa nton a irs. They would rec ollec t tha t the flame , (one m ust use a pprop ria te

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 lic entious a rts of variety. Wha t sa tisfac tion could a woma n of de lic ac y

promise herself in a union with such a man, when the very artlessness of her

a ffec tion m ight a ppea r insip id? Thus doe s Dryden desc ribe the situation: "Where

love is duty on the female side, On theirs mere sensual gust, and sought with surly

pride."

But one grand truth wom en have yet to lea rn, though m uch it imp orts them to a c tac c ordingly. In the cho ic e of a husband they should not be led a stray 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 c are; yet is built o n suc h p ure, still affec tions, tha t idle

jealousies would not be allowed to disturb the discharge of the sober duties of life,

nor to eng ross the thoughts tha t ought to be o therwise e mployed. This is a sta te inwhich ma ny men live; but few , very few w om en. And the d ifferenc e may easily be

ac c ounted fo r, without rec urring to a sexual c harac ter. Men, for whom we a re to ld

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 bee n solely em ployed e ither to p rep are the mselves to

excite love, or actually putting their lessons in practice, they cannot live without

love. But, when a sense of duty, or fea r of shame , ob liges them to restrain this

pamp ered desire of p lea sing beyond c ertain leng ths, too far for delic acy, it is true,

though far from criminality, they obstinately determine to love, I speak of their

passion, their husbands to the end of the c hap ter--and then a c ting the part whichthe y fo olishly

exac ted from their lovers, they becom e a b jec t wooers, and fond slaves.

Men of w it and fanc y are often rakes; and fanc y is the foo d of love. Suc h men will

insp ire passion. Ha lf the sex, in its p resent infantine sta te , would pine for a

Love lac e; a man so w itty, so graceful, and so va liant; and c an they DESERVE

blame fo r ac ting a c c ording to p rinc ip les so c onstantly inculc a ted ?

They wa nt a lover and p rote c tor: and b eho ld him kneeling b efo re them --bravery

prostrate to bea uty! The virtues of a husband a re thus thrown by love into thebackground, 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





CHAPTER 7.

MODESTY - COMPREHENSIVELY CONSIDERED, AND NOT AS A SEXUAL VIRTUE.

Mo desty! Sac red o ffspring of sensibility and rea son! true delic acy of mind! ma y Iunblamed presume to investigate thy nature, and trace to its covert the mild

charm, that mellowing each harsh feature of a character, renders what would

othe rwise only insp ire c old admira tion--lovely! Thou tha t smoo thest 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 m y sex from the flow ery bed , on which they sup inely sleep life a way!

In speaking of the association of our ideas, I have noticed two distinct modes; andin d efining mo desty, it a ppea rs to me eq ua lly prop er to d isc riminate tha t p urity of

mind, which is the effec t o f c hastity, from a simp lic ity of charac ter that lea ds us to

form a just op inion of o urselves, eq ua lly dista nt from vanity or presumption, though

by no means incom patib le w ith a lofty consc iousness of our own d ignity. 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,

c onsc ious of his own streng th, till suc c ess g ives it a sanc tion tha t d etermines itsc harac ter. Milton wa s not a rrog ant when he suffered a sugg estion of judg ment to

escape him that proved a prophesy; nor was General Washington when he

ac c ep ted o f the comm and o f the American forc es. The latte r has always be en

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 m uch d ep ende d .

A mod est man is stea dy, an humb le m an timid, and a va in one p resump tuous; this

is the judgment, which the observation of many characters, has led me to form.

Jesus Christ w as mod est, Mo ses was humble, and Peter va in.

Thus d isc rimina ting mod esty from humility in one c ase, I do no t mea n to c onfo und

it with b ashfulness in the o the r. Bashfulness, in fac t, is so d istinc t from mod esty, tha t

the most bashful lass, or raw country lout, often becomes the most impudent; for

their bashfulness being merely the instinctive timidity of ignorance, custom

soo nc hanges it into assuranc e.14

The sha meless behaviour of the p rostitute s who infest the stree ts of London, ra ising

a lterna te em ot ions of p ity and d isgust, ma y serve to illustrate this rem ark. They

trample on virgin bashfulness with a sort of bravado, and glorying in their shame,

14 "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."



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 b een sac rific ed to passion, to ma ke us respec t 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 cultiva ted minds. It is som ething nob ler than innoc enc e; it is the delic ac y of

reflec tion, and not the c oyness of ignoranc e. The reserve o f rea son, 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

mod esty had the w riter of the follow ing rem ark! "The lad y who asked the q uestion

whether women may be instructed in the modern system of botany, consistentlywith female delicacy?" was accused of ridiculous prudery: nevertheless, if she had

prop osed the question to me , I should certa inly have a nswered --They c annot ." Thus

is the fa ir boo k of knowled ge to be shut w ith a n eve rlasting sea l! On rea d ing simila r

passage s I have reverent ia lly lifted up my eyes and hea rt to Him who liveth for ever

and eve r, and sa id, O m y Fa ther, hast Thou b y the very constitution of he r na ture

forb id Thy c hild to see k Thee in the fa ir forms of truth? And, can her soul be sullied

by the know led ge tha t a wfully ca lls 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 sed ate ness of d ep ortment ma y have succ eed ed the p layful,

bew itc hing bashfulness of youth.15

And thus have I argued. To rend er chastity the virtue from whic h unsop histica ted

modesty will naturally flow, the attention should be called away from

em ployments, whic h only exercise the sensib ility; and the hea rt made to bea t time

to humanity, ra ther than to throb with love . The wo ma n who ha s ded ic a ted 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 timeand thoughts have been occupied by gay pleasures or schemes to conquer

hea rts. The regula tion of the b eha viour is not mo desty, thoug h those w ho stud y

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 freq uent ly c ontem pla te sub jec ts tha t exercise the

understanding, without heating the imagination, and artless modesty will give the

finishing touc hes to the p ic ture.

She w ho c an d isc ern the d awn of immortality, in the strea ks tha t shoo t a thwa rt the

misty night of ignorance, promising a clearer day, will respect, as a sacred temple,the body tha t enshrines suc h a n imp rova b le soul. True love , likew ise, sprea ds this

15Modesty, is the graceful calm virtue of maturity; bashfulness, the charm of vivacious youth.



kind of mysterious sanctity round the beloved object, making the lover most

mod est w hen in her presenc e. So reserved is a ffec tion, tha t, rec eiving 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

sauc y sparkling sunb ea ms.

Yet, that a ffec tion d oes not d eserve the ep ithet o f cha ste which do es not receivea 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

presenc e is felt--for this must ever be the food of joy!

As I have a lways been fond of trac ing to its source in nature any preva iling c ustom,

I have frequently thought that it was a sentiment of affection for whatever had

touc hed the p erson o f an a bsent o r lost friend , whic h ga ve b irth to tha t respec t for

relic s, so muc h a bused by selfish p riests.

Devotion, or love, may be allowed to hallow the garments as well as the person;for the lover must want fanc y, who ha s not a sort of sac red respec t for the g love or

slipper of his mistress. He c ould no t confound them w ith vulga r things of the same

kind.

This fine sentiment, perhaps, would not bea r to b e ana lyzed by the experime nta l

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 me mory long holds dea r. But, I have t ripped unaw ares on fairy

ground , feeling the b a lmy g a le o f sp ring stea ling on m e, thoug h November frow ns.

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 ta les of no velists em ploy the thoughts. Nay, from expe rience, and rea son, I

should b e lea d to expec t to meet with mo re mo de sty amo ngst men than wom en,

simp ly bec ause men exerc ise the ir understa nd ings mo re tha n wo me n.

But, with respec t to p rop riety o f beha viour, excep ting one c lass of fema les, women

have evide ntly the ad vantage . What can be m ore disgusting than that imp udent

dross of gallantry, thought so manly, which makes many men stare insultingly at

eve ry fem ale they mee t? Is this respec t fo r the sex?

This loose b ehaviour shows suc h ha b itua l dep ravity, suc h wea kness of m ind, tha t 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

respec t--unless appetite or passion g ives the tone, pec ulia r to it, to the ir 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 c arry the observa tion still further, modesty must heartily d isc laim, 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 muchmo re mod est is the libertine who obeys the c a ll of appetite or fancy, than the lew d

joker who sets the ta b le in a roa r.

This is one o f the m any insta nc es in which the sexua l d istinc tion respec ting m odesty

has p rove d fa ta l to virtue a nd happ iness. It is, how eve r, c a rried still further, and

wo ma n, wea k wom an! made b y her educ a tion the slave o f sensib ility, is req uired ,

on the most t rying oc c asions, to resist tha t sensibility. "Ca n a ny thing," says Knox, be

mo re a bsurd than keep ing w omen in a state of ignoranc e, and yet so vehemently

to insist on the ir resisting temp ta tion? Thus when virtue or honour ma ke it proper to

c hec k a passion, the burden is thrown o n the w ea ker shoulders, co ntrary to rea sonand true modesty, which, at least, should render the self-denial mutual, to say

nothing o f the ge nerosity of b ravery, supp osed to be a ma nly 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 wea kness led her to her husband 's a rms. The woma n is immodest w ho

c an let the shad ow of such a do ubt rema in on her husba nd's mind a moment.

But to sta te the sub jec t in a d ifferent light. The w ant o f mo desty, which I princ ipa lly

deplore as subversive of morality, arises from the state of warfare so strenuouslysupp orted by voluptuous me n a s the very essenc e of m od esty, though, in fac t, its

bane; bec ause it is a refinement on sensua l desire, tha t m en fa ll into who have no t

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 loo ks for affec tion.

Aga in; men b oa st of the ir triump hs over wo men, what d o they bo ast of?

Truly the c rea ture of sensibility was surprised by her sensibility into fo lly--into v ice;16

and the dreadful reckoning falls heavily on her own weak head, when reasonwakes. 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 g rave! And what resource hast thou in an enervated m ind to ra ise a

sinking heart?

But, if the sexes be rea lly to live in a sta te of w arfa re, if nature ha s pointed it out, let

16The poor moth fluttering round a candle, burns its wings.



men act nobly, or let pride whisper to them, that the victory is mean when they

merely vanq uish sensibility. The rea l conq uest is tha t o ver a ffec tion no t taken b y

surp rise--when, like Heloisa , a wom an g ives up a ll the world , deliberately, for love .

I do not now consider the w isdom or virtue o f such a sac rific e, I only co ntend tha t it

was a sacrifice to affection, and not merely to sensibility, though she had her

share. And I must b e a llow ed to c a ll her a mod est wom an, be fore I dismiss this part

of the subjec t, by saying, tha t till men a re m ore c haste, wo me n will be immod est.Where, indeed, could modest women find husbands from whom they would not

c ontinually turn with d isgust? Modesty must b e equa lly cultiva ted by both sexes, or

it will ever remain a sickly hot-house plant, whilst the affectation of it, the fig leaf

borrow ed by wa ntonness, ma y give a zest to vo luptuous 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 inwa rd ly desp ise the weak c rea tures whom they thus sport with. They cannot

submit to resign the highest sensual gratification, nor even to relish the epicurism ofvirtue--self-denial.

To take another view of the subjec t, confining my rema rks to wo men.

The rid icu lous fa lsities which are told to c hild ren, from m ista ken no tions 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

mo ral cha rac ter.

In nurseries, and board ing sc hools, I fear, g irls a re first spoiled ; particularly in the

la tte r. A numb er of girls sleep in the same roo m, 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

the ir ac quiring indelic a te, or immo dest hab its; and as many girls have lea rned very

indelicate tricks, from ignorant servants, the mixing them thus indiscriminately

together, is very imp rop er.

To say the t ruth, wom en a re, in general, too fam ilia r with ea c h other, which lea ds

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 c rea ture ow es to another? Tha t squea mish delic ac y 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 c ould neve r 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, g irls ought to be taught to wa sh and d ress a lone , without any distinc tion

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

wo men take, making a t the sam e time a d isplay of tha t c are, not to let their leg sbe see n, is as c hild ish a s immod est.17

I could proceed still further, till I animadverted on some still more indelicate

c ustoms, which men never fa ll into . Sec rets a re to ld --where silenc e oug ht to reign;

and that regard to cleanliness, which some religious sects have, perhaps, carried

too far, espec ia lly the Essenes, amo ngst the Jew s, by making tha t a n insult to God

which is only an insult to humanity, is viola ted in a b ruta l ma nner. How c an delic a te

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, willnot long respect the mere difference of sex, in their husbands? After their

ma idenish bashfulness is onc e lost, I, in fac t, have gene ra lly observed , tha t wom en

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 respec t to bo th mind and b od y, they a re too

intima te. Tha t dec ent pe rsona l reserve, whic h is the foundation of d ignity of

character, must be kept up between women, or their minds will never gainstrength or mod esty.

On this account also, I object to many females being shut up together in nurseries,

sc hoo ls, or conve nts. I cannot rec ollec t without indigna tion, the jokes and hoiden

tricks, which knots of young women indulged themselves in, when in my youth

ac c ident threw m e, an a wkwa rd rustic , in their wa y. 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

judgm ent, by g eneralizing simp le ones; and modesty b y making the unde rsta ndingdamp the sensib ility.

It may be thoug ht tha t I lay too grea t a stress on persona l reserve; but it is eve r the

hand -maid of modesty. So that were I to nam e the grac es that ought to ad orn

beauty, I should insta ntly exc laim, c leanliness, nea tne ss, and p ersona l reserve. It is

ob vious, I suppose, tha t the reserve I me an, has nothing sexual in it, and tha t I think

it EQUALLY nec essary in b oth sexes. So nec essary ind eed , is tha t reserve a nd

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

17I 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!"



ent irely out o f the question, who pays this kind of ha b itua l respec t to her pe rson.

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

sponta neously in my m ind. I have b een p lea sed a fter b rea thing the sweet b rac ing

morning air, to see the same kind of freshness in the countenances I particularlyloved; I was glad to see them braced, as it were, for the day, and ready to run

the ir course with the sun. The gree tings of a ffec tion in the mo rning a re 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

hudd led on, bec ause she c hose to indulge herself in bed till the last mom ent.

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 thea tta inment of purity of mind. But wome n only dress to g ra tify men of ga llantry; for

the lover is always best pleased with the simple garb that sits close to the shape.

There is an impertinenc e in ornam ents tha t reb uffs a ffec tion; bec ause love a lways

c lings round the idea of hom e.

As a sex, wo men are hab itua lly indolent; and e very thing tends to make them so. I

do not forge t the sta rts of ac tivity which sensib ility p rod uc es; but a s these flights of

feeling only inc rea se the evil, they are not to b e c onfound ed with the slow , orderly

wa lk of reason. So grea t, in rea lity, is their me nta l and bod ily indolenc e, tha t till their

bod y be streng thened and their unde rstand ing enla rge d by ac tive exertions, thereis little reason to expec t tha t mod esty w ill take p lace of b ashfulness. They m ay find

it p rudent to a ssume its sem blanc e; but the fa ir veil will only be worn on ga la days.

Perhaps the re is not a virtue tha t mixes so kind ly with eve ry other as modesty. It is

the pale moon-beam that renders more interesting every virtue it softens, giving

mild grandeur to the c ontrac ted horizon. Nothing c an be more b ea utiful 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 invitedwith placid fervour the mild reflection of her sister's beams to turn to her chaste

bosom.

A C hristian has still nob ler mo tives to inc ite her to p reserve he r cha stity and ac quire

mo desty, for her bod y has been ca lled the Temple o f the living God ; of tha t God

who req uires more than mo desty of m ien. His eye sea rc heth 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

c om munion, which virtue e sta b lishes betwe en m an and his Ma ker, must g ive rise tothe wish of being pure a s he is pure!



After the foregoing remarks, it is almost superfluous to add, that I consider all those

fem inine a irs of ma turity, which suc ceed bashfulness, to which truth is sac rific ed , to

sec ure the hea rt o f a husband, o r ra ther to fo rc e him to be still a lover when na ture

would, had she not been interrupted in her operations, have made love give

p lac e to friend ship , as immo dest. The tend erness whic h a ma n w ill fee l for the

mothe r of his c hild ren is an exce llent sub stitute for the a rdour of unsa tisfied passion;

but to p rolong tha t a rdour it is indelic a te, not to say imm od est, for wom en to feignan unnatura l c oldness of c onstitution. Women as we ll as me n ought to ha ve the

common appetites and passions of their nature, they are only brutal when

unchec ked b y rea son: but the ob liga tion to chec k them is the duty of ma nkind,

not a sexual duty. Nature, in these respects, may safely be left to herself; let

wo men o nly ac quire knowled ge and humanity, and love will tea c h them m od esty.

There is no need of fa lsehood s, disgusting as futile, for stud ied rules of behaviour

only impose on shallow observers; a man of sense soon sees through, and despises

the a ffec tation.

The b eha viour of young p eop le, to eac h othe r, as me n and wo men, is the lastthing tha t should be thoug ht of in educ a tion. In fac t, beha viour in mo st

circumstances is now so much thought of, that simplicity of character is rarely to

be seen; yet, if men w ere only anxious to c ultivate ea c h virtue, and let it take roo t

firmly in the mind , the grace resulting from it, its na tural exteriour mark, would soo n

strip affectation of its flaunting plumes; because, fallacious as unstable, is the

c ond uct tha t is not founded upo n truth!18

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, andthe 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 b lush, the ret iring g rac e, a re a ll proper in the ir sea son; b ut m od esty, be ing the

child of reason, cannot long exist with the sensibility that is not tempered by

reflec tion. Besides, whe n love, eve n 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 c lose union w ith humanity.

18The 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.



CHAPTER 8.

MORALITY UNDERMINED BY SEXUAL NO TIONS OF THE IMPORTANC E 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

inc ulc a ted on the fema le world , were spec ious poisons, tha t inc rusting mo ra lity ea t

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,

undo ubted ly: for stand ing in need o f dep end ents, he is ob lige d to learn the art of

denying without giving offence, and, of evasively feeding hope with thechameleon's food; thus does politeness sport with truth, and eating away the

sincerity and huma nity natura l to man, p rod uce the fine gentlema n.

Women in the same wa y ac quire, from a supp osed nec essity, an equa lly a rtific ia l

mode of behaviour. Yet truth is not with impunity to be sported with, for the

prac tised d issem bler, a t last, be c om es the dupe of his ow n a rts, loses tha t sagac ity

which has been justly termed common sense; namely, a quick perception of

common truths: which are constantly received as such by the unsophisticated

mind, thoug h it m ight not ha ve ha d suffic ient e nergy to d isc over them itself, when

ob scured by loc a l p rejudices.

The g rea ter number of p eop le take their op inions on t rust, to a void the troub le o f

exercising their own minds, and these indolent beings naturally adhere to the

let ter, ra ther tha n the sp irit of a law, divine o r huma n.

"Women," says som e a uthor, I c annot recollec t who , "mind no t wha t only hea ven

sees." Why, indeed should they? it is the e ye o f ma n tha t they have b een ta ught to

dread--and if they can lull their Argus to sleep, they seldom think of heaven or

themselves, bec ause their rep uta tion is sa fe; and it is rep uta tion not c hastity and a ll

its fair tra in, that the y a re e mp loyed to keep free from spot, not as a virtue, but to

preserve the ir sta tion in the wo rld .

To p rove the truth of this rem ark, I nee d on ly advert to the intrigues of m arried

women, particularly in high life, and in countries where women are suitably

married , ac c ording to their respec tive ranks by their parents. If an innoc ent 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 ma rried wo ma n, on the c ontrary, brea ks a mo st sac red eng age me nt,

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



c hildish or vic ious tumult which destroys a ll its energy. Beside s, in time, like those

peo p le who hab itua lly take c ordia ls to ra ise the ir sp irits, she will want a n intrigue to

give life to her thoughts, having lost all relish for pleasures that are not highly

sea soned by hope o r fea r.

Som et ime s married wo me n ac t still mo re a udac iously; I w ill me ntion an insta nc e.

A w om an of q ua lity, noto rious for her ga llantries, thoug h 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

gentlema n had sed uced and a fterwa rds ma rried . This wo ma n had a c tua lly

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

a live heir to a n imm ense esta te c ame from hea ven knows where!

To view this sub jec t in anothe r light.

I have know n a numb er of women who , if they d id not love the ir 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 child ren, yet ha ve p lumed them selves

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,

bec ause they ac ted in this respec t w ith p rop riety.

Weak minds are always fond of resting in the ceremonials of duty, but morality

offe rs muc h simp ler mo tives; and it w ere to be wished tha t superfic ia l mora lists had

sa id less respec ting b eha viour, and outward ob servanc es, for unless virtue, of any

kind , is built on knowled ge, it will only p rod uc e a kind o f insip id d ec enc y. Respec t

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

beha ving well, pe rforms but ha lf her duty; as wha t is thought o f her, is as importantto her as wha t she rea lly is. It follow s henc e, tha t the system o f a wom an's

ed uc a tion should , in this respec t, be d irec tly c ontra ry to tha t of ours.

Op inion is the g rave o f virtue a mong the men; but its throne among w om en."

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

respec t to the o p inion of the world , I am c onvinced , that this c lass of reasone rs a re

mistaken. This reg ard fo r rep uta tion, indep end ent o f its being one o f the na tural

rewards of virtue, however, took its rise from a cause that I have already deploredas 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

onc e lost--wa s lost fo r ever, till this c a re swa llow ing up eve ry other care, rep uta tion

for chastity, bec ame the o ne thing need ful to the sex. But va in is the sc rupulosity o f

ignorance, for neither relig ion nor virtue, when they reside in the hea rt, req uire suc h

a puerile attention to mere ceremonies, because the behaviour must, upon the

who le b e p rop er, when the motive is pure.

To supp ort my op inion I ca n p rod uce very respec tab le a uthority; and the a uthority

of a c ool rea soner ought to have weight to enforc e c onside ra tion, though not to

esta b lish a sentime nt. Spea king of the genera l laws of mora lity, Dr. Smith ob serves-

-"Tha t b y som e very extraordinary and unlucky c ircumstance, a g ood ma n ma y

come to be suspected of a crime of which he was altogether incapable, and

upon that acc ount b e m ost unjustly exposed for the rem aining p art o f 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

ma n, notw ithstand ing his utmo st c irc umspec tion, ma y 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 c om mo n c ourse o f things than those o f the sec ond ;

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

c onfidenc e a nd love of those w e live w ith. A person m ay be e asily misrep resented

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 do ne wrong: this, however, will ra rely happen. On the co ntra ry,

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 we re ever desp ised for certa in vic es without d eserving to be d esp ised . I spea k

not o f the c alumny of the mo ment, whic h hangs over a c harac ter, like o ne 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

p reva ils to sta mp the ir c ha rac ter with the imp ression o f truth. Quietly does the c lea r

light, shining d ay a fter day, refute the ignorant surmise, or ma lic ious ta le, whic h ha s

thrown dirt on a p ure c ha rac ter. A fa lse light distorted , for a short time, its shadow -

-reputation; but it seldom fails to become just when the cloud is dispersed thatp rod uc ed the m ista ke 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

a ll rac es. They who only strive fo r this pa ltry prize, like the Pha risee s, who p rayed a t

the c orners of streets, to b e seen of men, verily ob ta in the rew ard they seek; for the

hea rt of m an cannot b e read by ma n! Still the fa ir fam e tha t is na tura lly reflec ted

by good actions, when the man is only employed to direct his steps aright,

regard less of the lookers-on, is in genera l, not only more t rue but more sure.

There a re, it is true, tria ls when the goo d m an must appea l to G od 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

c ommon law s that huma n be haviour ought to be reg ulate d . The ec c entric orbit of

the comet never influences astronomical calculations respecting the invariable

order estab lished in the mo tion o f the p rinc ipa l bod ies of the sola r 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

excep tions to the rule. I do not say, tha t a prudent, world ly-wise ma n, with only

negative virtues and qualities, may not sometimes obtain a smoother reputation

than a wiser or a bette r ma n. So far from it, tha t I am ap t to c onc lude from

experienc e, that w here the virtue o f two peop le is nea rly eq ual, the most neg ative

c harac ter will be liked best by the world a t large , whilst the o ther may have more

friends in p riva te life. But the hills and da les, c loud s and sunshine, consp icuous in

the virtues of great men, set off each other; and though they afford envious

wea kness a fa irer ma rk to shoo t a t, the rea l cha rac ter will still work its way to light,thoug h bespattered b y wea k a ffec tion, or ingenious ma lice.19

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

a ttention b eing turned to the show instea d of the substa nce.

A simple thing is thus made strangely complicated; nay, sometimes virtue and its

shad ow a re set a t varianc e. We should never, perhaps, have hea rd o f Luc retia,

had she d ied to p reserve her chastity instea d of he r rep uta tion.

If we rea lly de serve our own g ood op inion, we shall c ommo nly be respec ted 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.) Bec ause eac h bysta nder ma y have h is ow n p rejud ic es, besides the

prejud ic es of his age or c ount ry. We should rathe r end ea vour to view ourselves,

as we supp ose tha t Being views us, who see th ea c h thought ripen into a c tion, and

whose judgment never swerves from the eternal rule of right. Righteous are all his

jud gments--just, a s merc iful!

The humble mind tha t seeketh to find favour in His sight, and c a lmly exam ines its

conduct when only His presence is felt, will seldom form a very erroneous opinion

of its ow n virtues. During the still hour of self-collec tion, the angry b row of offended

justic e w ill be fea rfully de prec a ted , or the t ie w hic h d raws ma n to the Deity will be

recognized in the pure sentiment of reverential adoration, that swells the heart

without exc iting a ny tumultuous em ot ions. In these solem n mo me nts man d isc ove rs

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,

bec ause he fee ls himself draw n by som e c ord o f love to a ll his fellow c rea tures, forwhose fo llies he is anxious to find every extenua tion in the ir na ture--in himself. If I, he

19I allude to various biographical writings, but particularly to Boswell's Life of Johnson.



ma y thus a rgue, who e xercise m y own mind, and have been refined b y tribula tion,

find the serpe nt's eg g in som e fo ld of m y hea rt, and c rush it with d iffic ulty, sha ll 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

c hasm o f perdition, that yaw ns to rec eive them. No! no! The ago nized hea rt 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

a ll is mute , tha t we a re formed of the same ea rth, and b rea the 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 e xtend s still furthe r, till a man well p leased observes forc e in

argum ents tha t do no t carry co nvic tion to his ow n bo som , and he glad ly plac es in

the fa irest light to himself, the show s of rea son tha t ha ve led others astray, rejoiced

to find som e reason in all the e rrors of m an; thoug h before c onvinced tha t he w horules the day makes his sun to shine o n a ll. Yet , sha king hand s thus, as it were, w ith

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 g reen o n which that eye m ay look with c omp lac enc y 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 thehea rt tha t had be en hea ted by the pa ssions whic h rea son labo ured to ta me.

The lea d ing p rinc iples which run through a ll my disquisitions, would rend er 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

wom an, as it is absurd ly c a lled , is sa fe, she may neg lec t every soc ia l duty; nay, ruin

her family by gaming and extravaganc e; yet still present a shame less front--for trulyshe is an honourab le woma n!

Mrs. Macaulay has justly observed, that "there is but one fault which a woman of

honour ma y not c om mit w ith imp unity." She then justly and huma nely adds--This

has g iven rise to the trite and foo lish observat ion, tha t the first fa ult a ga inst c hastity

in woman has a rad ic a l pow er to de prave the cha rac ter. But no such fra il beings

c om e out of the hand s of na ture. The hum an mind is built o f nob ler ma teria ls than

to be so easily corrupted; and with all their disadvantages of situation and

ed uca tion, wome n seldom bec ome entirely ab andoned till they are thrown into a

sta te o f de sperat ion, by the venom ous ranc our of their ow n sex."

But, in prop ortion as this reg ard for the rep uta tion o f c hastity is p rized by wom en, it



is desp ised by me n: and the two extrem es a re eq ua lly destruct ive to mo ra lity.

Men are certainly more under the influence of their appetites than women; and

their appetites are more depraved by unbridled indulgence, and the fastidious

c ontrivanc es of sa tiety. Luxury has introduc ed a refineme nt in ea ting tha t destroys

the c onstitution; and , a d eg ree of g luttony whic h is so b ea stly, that a percep tion o f

seemliness of behaviour must be worn out before one being could eatimmoderately in the presence of another, and afterwards complain of the

op pression tha t his intemperanc e natura lly p rod uc ed . Som e wo men, pa rtic ula rly

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 rela tive to beha viour tha t, I think, ought to reg ulate eve ry othe r;

and it is simply to cherish such an habitual respect for mankind, as may prevent usfrom d isgusting a fellow c rea ture for the sake of a p resent indulgenc e. 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 b etw een the sexes, yet, how o ften d o they from sheer

indolenc e, or to enjoy som e t rifling indulgenc e, d isgust?

The d ep ravity o f the appet ite, which b rings the sexes together, has had a still more

fata l effec t. Nature must ever be the stand ard of taste, the guag e of app etite-

-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 a ffec tion with a sensua l gust. The fe elings of a parent ming ling with an instinc t

merely animal, give it d ignity; and the ma n and wo ma n often mee ting on ac c ount

of the child, a mutual interest and affection is excited by the exercise of a

c om mon symp athy. Wome n then having nec essarily som e 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,

litera lly spea king, sta nd ing d ishes to whic h eve ry glutton may have a cc ess.

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

wo men to whom they a llow no refuge from guilt: who m they inexorab ly co nsign 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 femaleweakness, as well as depravity, which I have already enlarged on, branch out of

one grand cause--wa nt of c hastity in men.





The two sexes mutua lly c orrup t and improve each other. This I believe to be an

ind isputa b le t ruth, extend ing it to eve ry virtue. Cha stity, mo desty, pub lic sp irit, and

a ll the nob le train of virtues, on w hic h soc ia l virtue and happ iness a re built, should

be understood and cultivated by all mankind, or they will be cultivated to little

effec t. And , instead of furnishing the vicious or id le w ith a p retext for violat ing som e

sac red duty, by te rming it a sexual one, it would be wiser to show, that nature has

not m ad e a ny differenc e, for that the uncha ste m an do ubly defea ts the p urpo seof na ture b y rend ering wo me n b arren, and destroying his ow n c onstitution, thoug h

he avoids the shame tha t p ursues the c rime in the other sex. These a re the physic a l

consequences, the moral are still more alarming; for virtue is only a nominal

distinction when the duties of citizens, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and

d irec tors of fa milies, be c om e me rely the selfish ties of c onve nienc e.

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

c areful to p reserve their rep uta tion, and me n their honour. A sentiment that often

exists unsupported by virtue, unsupported by that sublime morality which makesthe hab itual breac h of one duty a b rea ch of the whole mo ral law .





only way to acquire that countenance from their fellow creatures, which every

human being w ishes som e way to a tta in. The respec t, conseq uent ly, whic h is pa id

to wealth and mere personal charms, is a true north-east blast, that blights the

tend er blossom s of a ffec tion and virtue. Nature ha s wisely atta c hed a ffec tions to

duties, to swee ten toil, and to g ive tha t vigour to the exertions of reason w hich only

the heart ca n 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

c ompliments whic h vic e a nd folly are ob liged to p ay to virtue a nd the rea l nature

of things.

To illustrate my op inion, I nee d only ob serve, tha t when a wom an 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 neg lec ting to c ultivate an affec tion tha t wo uld eq ually tend to m ake her

useful and happy. True hap p iness, I me an all the contentme nt, and virtuoussatisfaction that can be snatched in this imperfect state, must arise from well

regula ted a ffec tions; and an a ffection includes a d uty. Men are not awa re 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

wom an's life to voluptuous not ions of b ea uty, when in na ture they a ll ha rmo nize.

Cold w ould be the hea rt of a husba nd, were he not rendered unnatural by ea rly

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 ofcementing the matrimonial tie, and twisting esteem with fonder recollections,

we a lth leads wo men to spurn. To p reserve their bea uty, and we ar the flow ery

c rown of the day, tha t g ives 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

reme mb ered with more tenderness when the snow on the head be ga n to c hill the

bosom , than e ven the ir virg in c harms. The m a terna l solic itud e o f a rea sona b le

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

bea utiful sight. So singula r, indeed, are my feelings, and I have endea voured notto catch factitious ones, that after having been fatigued with the sight of insipid

grandeur and the slavish ceremonies that with cumberous pomp supplied the

p lac e o f do mestic a ffec tions, I have turned to som e o ther sc ene to relieve my eye,

by resting it on the refreshing green every where scattered by nature. I have then

view ed with p lea sure a wo ma n nursing her child ren, and d isc harging 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 c lea nliness, to rec eive her husband, who returning we ary hom e in

the e vening, found smiling b abes and a c lea n hea rth. My heart has loitered in the

midst of the g roup , and has even throb bed with sympathetic emotion, when thescraping 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

ea c h other, bec ause e ac h fulfilled the respec tive duties of the ir sta tion, po ssessed

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 dec la re, so vulga r a re m y conc ep tions, that I know not w hat is wa nted

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 som e superfluous money to give to the need y, 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 p revent the hand from d rawing out a n almost empty purse, whispering a t

the same time som e p rude ntia l maxim about the p riority of justice.

Destructive, however, as riches and inherited honours are to the human character,

wo men a re more d eb ased and c ram ped , if possible by them, than men, bec ause

men may still, in some degree, unfold their faculties by becoming soldiers andstatesmen.

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 theadventurous ma rc h of virtue in the historic page .

The sta tesman, it is true, might with m ore p rop riety quit the Faro Bank, or c ard -

ta b le, to guide the helm, for he has still but to shuffle a nd tric k. 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

pa tronage fo r the minister, whose c hief merit is the a rt o f keep ing h imself in p lac e.

It is not nec essary then tha t he should have b ow els for the p oo r, so he c an sec urefor his family the od d tric k. Or should som e show of respec t, for wha t is te rme d with

ignorant ostentation an Englishman's birth-right, be expedient to bubble the gruff

ma stiff that he has to lead by the nose, he c an ma ke an emp ty show, very sa fely,

by giving his single voice, and suffering his light squadron to file off to the other

side. And when a question o f huma nity is ag ita ted , he m ay dip a sop in the m ilk of

human kindness, to silence Ce rberus, and ta lk of the interest w hich his hea rt takes

in an attempt to make the earth no longer cry for vengeance as it sucks in its

c hild ren's b loo d , though his cold ha nd ma y a t the very moment rivet their c ha ins,

by sanc tioning the abom inab le traffick. A minister is no long er a minister tha n while

he c an ca rry a p oint, which he is dete rmined to c arry.

Yet it is not necessary that a minister should feel like a man, when a bold push





fac ulties from rusting.

I know, that as a proof of the inferiority of the sex, Rousseau has exultingly

exc laimed , How c an they lea ve the nursery for the c amp ! And the c am p has by

som e moralists bee n te rme d the school of the most he roic virtues; though, I think, it

would puzzle a keen casuist to prove the reasonableness of the greater number of

wa rs, that have d ubb ed heroes. I do not mean to c onsider this question c ritic a lly;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 a nd sword, I do not c hoo se to c a ll them pests; but surely the p resent system of

wa r, has little c onnec tion w ith virtue o f any de nom inat ion, being ra ther the sc hoo l

of finesse a nd effem inac y, than o f 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 c harac ter of a mo dern soldier with that o f a c ivilized wo ma n, I am no t go ing to

advise them to turn their distaff into a musket, though I sincerely wish to see the

ba yonet c onverted into a pruning hook. I only rec rea ted an ima gination,

fatigued by c ontemp la ting the vices and follies whic h a ll proc eed from a fec ulent

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 m anage her family, ed uc a te he r c hild ren, and a ssist her neighbours.

But, to render her really virtuous and useful, she must not, if she discharge her civil

duties, wa nt, ind ividua lly, the p rote c tion of c ivil laws; she must no t b e dep end ent

on her husband's bounty for her subsistence during his life, or support after his

dea th--for how c an a being b e g enerous who has nothing o f its ow n? or, virtuous,

who is no t free? The w ife, in the p resent sta te of things, who is fa ithful to he r

husband, and neither suckles nor educates her children, scarcely deserves the

name of a wife, and has no right to that of a c itizen. But ta ke aw ay natural rights,

and there is of c ourse a n end of d uties.

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

me lanc holy sight to a thinking mind, than to look into the numerous c arriage s tha t

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

rea son o n the b lank chee ks, whic h before were only undulate d by d imp les, mightrestore lost d ignity to the c harac ter, or ra ther enab le it to a tta in the true d ignity of

its nature. Virtue is not to be acquired even by speculation, much less by the





for the read ing of histo ry will sc arcely be more useful than the p erusa l of romanc es,

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 ma n; and no t of partic ula r me n, who filled a niche in the tem ple of fa me ,

and d rop ped into the b lac k rolling strea m of time, that silently sweep s a ll befo re it,

into the shap eless void c a lled ete rnity. For shape c an it be c a lled , "tha t shap e ha th

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

p rostitution. Women wo uld not then marry for a supp ort, as me n acc ep t of p lac es

under government, and neglect the imp lied duties; nor would an attemp t 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

ma ntuama kers rec koned the next c lass? The few em ployments op en to wo men,

so fa r from being liberal, are menia l; and when a superior educ a tion enab les them

to take charge of the education of children as governesses, they are not treatedlike 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

no thing so pa infully sha rpens the sensibility as suc h a fa ll in life.

Som e of these wom en m ight be restrained from ma rrying b y a p rop er sp irit or

delicacy, and others may not have had it in their power to escape in this pitifulway 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

c ontemp t, droop like "the lily broken do wn b y a p lough 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 haveunderstandings 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 doub t 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,

perhap s, p ity wa s the soft ha ndma id of love, or the harb inger of lust.

How much more respectable is the woman who earns her own bread by fulfilling



any duty, than the most ac c om plished b ea uty! bea uty did I say? so sensib le am I

of the beauty of moral loveliness, or the harmonious propriety that attunes the

passions of a we ll-reg ula ted mind , that I blush a t making the com parison; 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 suc ks in.

Proud of the ir wea kness, however, they m ust a lwa ys be p rote c ted , gua rded from

c are, and a ll the roug h to ils tha t d ignify the m ind. If this be the fia t o f fa te, 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

p lucked them. In how many wa ys 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 c la im w ho d o no t d ischarge its duties.

Those w riters a re particularly useful, in my op inion, who ma ke man feel for ma n,

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 p reva il on them to we igh d ispassiona tely the w hole tenor of my ob servations.

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

c omp anion to ma ke her a help meet for them!

Would men but generously snap our chains, and be content with rationalfellowship, instead of slavish obedience, they would find us more observant

daughters, more affectionate sisters, more faithful wives, more reasonable

mothers--in a word, bette r c itizens. We should then love them w ith true a ffec tion,

bec ause we should lea rn to respec t ourselves; and the p ea c e o f mind of a wo rthy

man would not be interrupted by the idle vanity of his wife, nor his babes sent to

nestle in a strang e b osom , having never found a hom e in their mother's.



CHAPTER 10.

PARENTAL AFFECTION.

Parental affection is, perhaps, the blindest modification of perverse self-love; forwe 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 p rom ote, suc h is the perversity of unp rinc ip led p rejud ices, 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

tot ter unde r investiga tion. Ob ed ienc e, uncond itiona l ob ed ienc e, is the ca tc h-word of tyrants of every description, and to render "assurance doubly sure," one

kind of d espot ism supports another. Tyrants wo uld have c ause to t rem b le if rea son

were to become the rule of duty in any of the relations of life, for the light might

spread till pe rfec t da y ap pe ared. And when it did a ppe ar, how wo uld me n smile

a t the sight o f the bugb ea rs a t which they sta rted during the night of ignorance, or

the tw ilight o f 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 theyinsist on, they do not fear reason, or dread the sifting of subjects that recur to

na tura l justice: bec ause they firmly believe , tha t the more enlightened the huma n

mind bec om es, the dee per roo t will just and simp le princ ip les ta ke. They do no t

rest in expedients, or grant that what is metaphysically true can be practically

fa lse; but d isda ining the shifts of the m om ent they ca lmly wa it till time , sanc tioning

innova tion, silenc es the hiss of selfishne ss or envy.

If the p ower of reflec ting o n the p ast, and da rting the keen e ye of c ontemp lation

into futurity, be the grand privilege of man, it must be granted that some people

enjoy this p reroga tive in a ve ry limited deg ree .

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 innova tor's hand .

Woman, howeve r, a slave in every situat ion to p rejud ic e 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 sac rific ed by these Reb ekahs, and for the sake o f the ir

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

suffic ient hea rt o r mind to fulfil that one c onsc ient iously. It then loses the vene rab le

aspec t of a duty, and assumes the fa ntastic 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 forstreng thening the female unde rstanding, if it w ere p rop erly c onsidered.

The fo rma tion o f the m ind must be b eg un very ea rly, and the te mp er, in partic ula r,

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, tha n in the fee lings 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 b e a go od mo ther--a woma n must have sense, and that indep endenc e ofmind 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 pa rt, in sec ret, aga inst the fathe r, who is held up as

a sc arecrow. If they a re to b e punished , though they have offended the m other,

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

c harac ter rendered more firm, by b eing a llowe d to g overn her own c onduct, she

will never have sufficient sense or command of temper to manage her children

properly. Her parental affection, indeed, scarcely deserves the name, when itdoes 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

send s her ba be to a nurse, and only takes it from a nurse to send it to a sc hoo l?

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 mutualconfidence 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 no t murmur if they miss the reward o f duty--parenta l a ffec tion prod uc es filia l

duty.



CHAPTER 11.

DUTY TO PARENTS.

There see ms to be a n indolent p rop ensity in man to make p resc ription a lways ta ke

p lac e of rea son, and to p lac e every duty on an arbitra ry foundation. The rights of

kings a re d ed uced in a d irec t line from the King of kings; and tha t o f parents from

our first p arent.

Why do we thus go back for principles that should always rest on the same base,

and have the sam e weight to-da y that they had a thousand years ag o--and not a

jot more? If parents d ischarge their duty they ha ve a strong hold a nd sac red c la im

on the gratitude of their children; but few parents are willing to receive the

respec tful affec tion of the ir offsp ring on suc h te rms. They d em and b lind

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

pow erful instinct? The simp le d efinition of the rec ip roc a l duty, which na turally

subsists betw een p a rent and child , ma y be given in a few wo rds: The p arent w ho

pays p rop er attention to helpless infanc y has a right to req uire the same a ttention

whe n the fee b leness of a ge c om es upo n him. But to sub juga te a ra tiona l 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 relig ious system s which do no t a llow right a nd wrong to have a nyexistence, but in the Divine will.

I never knew a pa rent who had pa id more tha n common attention to his c hildren,

d isreg arded (Dr. Johnson m akes the same ob servation.); on the c ont ra ry, the ea rly

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 m an in the world. This wea kness, for a wea kness it is, though the ep ithet

AMIABLE may be ta c ked to it, a rea sona b le man must stee l himself aga inst; 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 anypow er but rea son.

I d istinguish be twe en the na tura l and a cc identa l duty due to p arents.

The p arent who sed ulously end ea vours to form the hea rt a nd enlarge the

understanding of his child, has given that dignity to the discharge of a duty,

c om mo n to the w hole anima l world , that only rea son c an g ive. This is the p arenta l

a ffec tion of humanity, and lea ves instinc tive na tura l affec tion fa r behind. Such a

parent acquires all the rights of the most sacred friendship, and his advice, even

when his c hild is advanc ed in life, dem ands serious considerat ion.

With respec t to ma rriage , thoug h afte r one a nd tw enty a p arent seems to ha ve no



right to withhold his c onsent on a ny acc ount; yet tw enty yea rs of solic itude c a ll for

a return, and the son ought, at lea st, to p rom ise no t to ma rry for two or three yea rs,

should the object of his choice not entirely meet with the approbation of his first

friend.

But, respec t for pa rents is, generally spea king, a m uc h more d eb asing p rinc ip le; it is

on ly a selfish respec t fo r property. The fa ther who is b lind ly obeyed, is ob eyed fromsheer wea kness, or from m otives tha t de grad e the huma n charac ter.

A g rea t p rop ortion o f the m isery that wa nders, in hideo us forms around the w orld , is

a llow ed to rise from the neg lige nce o f parents; and still these a re the peop le w ho

are mo st tenac ious of w hat they term a natura l right, though it b e subversive of the

b irth right o f ma n, the right of a c ting a cc ording to the d irec tion o f his ow n rea son.

I have already very frequently had occasion to observe, that vicious or indolent

peop le a re a lwa ys ea ge r to p rofit by enforc ing a rb itra ry p rivileg es; and ge nerally in

the same proportion as they neglect the discharge of the duties which alonerend er the p rivileg es rea sona b le. This is a t the bot tom, a d icta te of c om mo n sense,

or the instinct of self-defence, peculiar to ignorant weakness; resembling that

instinct , which makes a fish muddy the wa ter it swims in to elude its ene my, instea d

of b oldly fac ing it in the c lea r strea m.

From the c lea r stream o f argument, indeed , the supporters of p resc rip tion, of eve ry

denomination, fly: and ta king refuge in the da rkness, which, in the langua ge o f

sublime poe try, has been supposed to surround the throne of Omnipo tenc e, they

da re to dem and tha t implic it respec t whic h is only due to His unsea rc hab le w ays.

But, let me not be thought presumptuous, the darkness which hides our God fromus, 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

d isc harge of a d uty, the rea sona b leness of which d oes not b ea m on us when we

op en o ur eyes.

The indolent parent of high rank ma y, it is true, extort a show of respec t from his

child, and females on the continent are particularly subject to the views of their

families, who neve r think of c onsulting the ir inc lination, or providing fo r the c om fort

of the poo r victims of the ir p ride. The c onseq uenc e is notorious; these d utiful

daughte rs bec om e a dulteresses, and neg lec t the educa tion o f their c hild ren, fromwho m the y, in their turn, exac t the same kind of obed ienc e.

Females, it is true, in all countries, are too much under the dominion of their

pa rents; and few parents think of a dd ressing their child ren in the fo llow ing m anner,

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 Fa ther of a ll has imp lanted an a ffec tion in me to serve a s 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

tha t is b rea king in on your ow n 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

the m; they lose a ll the ir vigo ur and industry." This stric t ha nd may, in som e d eg ree ,

account for the weakness of women; for girls, from various causes, are more kept

dow n by their pa rents, in every sense of the wo rd , tha n boys. The duty expec ted

from them is, like a ll the d uties a rb itra rily imposed on wom en, more from a sense o f

propriety, more out of respect for decorum, than reason; and thus taught slavishlyto submit to their parents, they a re p rep ared for the slavery of ma rriage . I ma y be

told tha t a numb er of wo men a re no t slaves in the ma rriage sta te. 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 o b ta in b y deb asing me ans. I do not, likewise, d rea m of insinuating tha t e ither

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 ab jec t. I a lso lament, tha t parents, indo lent ly ava iling them selves 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;bec ause the y will not let it rest on the only ba sis on w hich a duty c an rest sec urely:

for, unless it be founded on knowledge, it cannot gain sufficient strength to resist

the squa lls of p assion, or the silent sapp ing o f self-love. But it is no t 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 roo t in their hea rts, the c hild of exercised symp athy and rea son, 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

fa ils to p rod uc e its na tural effec t--filia l respec t.

Child ren c annot b e ta ught to o early to subm it to reason, the true d efinition o f 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

prom ote our rea l inte rest.

Why should the minds of c hild ren b e w arped as they just b eg in to expa nd, only to

favour the indolence of parents, who insist on a privilege without being willing to

pay the pric e fixed by nature? I have before had oc c asion to o bserve, tha t a right

a lways includes a duty, and I think it m ay, likewise fa irly be inferred , tha t they fo rfeitthe right, who d o no t fulfil the d uty.

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

c ond uc t flow s tha t sa luta ry po wer, whic h a jud ic ious parent g radually ga ins over a

child's mind. And this power becomes strong indeed, if tempered by an even

d isp lay of a ffec tion b roug ht hom e to the child 's hea rt. For, I believe , as a ge neral

rule, it must be allowed, that the affection which we inspire always resembles that

we c ultiva te; so that na tura l affec tions, whic h have b een supp osed a lmo st d istinc tfrom 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 a nima l c apric iousness when they merely reside in the hea rt.

It is the irregular exercise of parental authority that first injures the mind, and to

the se irreg ularities g irls a re more sub jec t than b oys. The will of those w ho never

allow their will to be disputed, unless they happen to be in a good humour, when

they relax proportiona lly, is a lmost a lways unrea sona b le.

To elud e this a rb itra ry a uthority, girls very ea rly lea rn 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 o f som e a c c identa l cloud -- either her hair was ill-dressed ,20 or she ha d lost

more money at cards, the night before, than she was willing to own to her

husband; o r some such moral ca use o f ange r.

After observing sallies of this kind, I have been led into a melancholy train of

reflec tion respec ting females, conc lud ing tha t w hen their first a ffec tion must leadthem astray, or make their duties clash till they rest on mere whims and customs,

little ca n be expe c ted from them a s they ad vanc e in life. How, indeed , c an an

instructor remedy this evil? for to teach them virtue on any solid principle is to

tea c h them to desp ise the ir parents.

Children ca nnot, ought no t to b e ta ught to ma ke a llow anc e 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

sub lime virtues of ma turity tha t lea ds us to be seve re with respec t to ourselves, and

forbearing to others; but children should only be taught the simple virtues, for ifthey 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 bec om e unjust in the same prop ortion a s they g row indulgent .

The a ffec tions of c hild ren, and wea k peop le, a re a lways selfish; they love others,

bec ause o thers love them, and not on a cc ount o f their virtues. Yet, till esteem and

love are blended together in the first affection, and reason made the foundation

of the first duty, mora lity will stum ble at the threshold. But, till soc iety is very

d ifferently c onstituted , pa rents, I fea r, will still insist o n b eing ob eyed , bec ause they

will be obeyed, and constantly endeavour to settle that power on a Divine right,which w ill not b ea r the investiga tion of rea son.

20I 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?



CHAPTER 12.

ON NATIONAL EDUCATION.

The g ood effec ts resulting from a ttention to p riva te e duc a tion w ill ever be veryc onfined , and the p arent who really puts his ow n hand to the p low , will a lwa ys, in

some d eg ree b e d isap po inted , till ed ucation bec omes a g rand national c onc ern.

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 c hild very soon contrac ts a benumbing indo lenc e o f mind, which he ha s 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 w ill infallib ly be b rought forward , if the c hild c ould b e c onfined to the soc iety

of a m an, however sag ac ious that man ma y be.

Besides, in youth the seeds of every affection should be sown, and the respectful

reg ard , which is felt for a p arent , is very different from the soc ial affec tions tha t a re

to c onstitute the happ iness of life a s it advanc es.

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 p lay and c ha t w ith c hild ren; and the very respec t he ente rta ins, for filia l

esteem a lwa ys has a dash of fea r mixed with it, will, if it d o not tea ch him c unning,

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

spea k wha t they think; neither afra id of b eing reproved for their presump tion, nor

laughed a t fo r 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

ra ther wa rmly in favour of a p riva te educ a tion; but further experienc e ha s led me

to view the sub jec t in a d ifferent light. I still, how eve r, think sc hoo ls, as they a re now

regulated, the hot-beds of vice and folly, and the knowledge of human nature,

supposed to be a tta ined there, merely cunning selfishness.



At sc hoo l, bo ys bec om e gluttons and slovens, and , instea d of c ultiva ting dom estic

affections, very early rush into the libertinism which destroys the constitution before

it is formed; hardening the hea rt as it wea kens the understa nd ing .

I should, in fact, be averse to boarding-schools, if it were for no other reason than

the unsettled state o f mind which the expe c tation of the vac ations produc e. On

these the children's thoughts are fixed with eager anticipating hopes, for, at least,to spea k with mo deration, ha lf of the time, and when they a rrive they are spent in

tota l dissipa tion and bea stly indulgenc e.

But, on the c ontrary, when they a re b rought up a t home, though they ma y pursue

a plan of study in a more orderly manner than can be adopted, when near a

fourth part of the year is ac tua lly spent in id lene ss, and as muc h mo re in reg ret a nd

anticipation; yet they there ac quire to o high an op inion o f their own imp ortanc e,

from being allowed to tyrannize over servants, and from the anxiety expressed by

mo st mo thers, on the score of ma nners, who, eage r to te ac h the ac com plishments

of a gentleman, stifle, in their b irth, the virtue s of a man. Thus b rought intoc ompa ny when they oug ht to b e seriously emp loyed , and trea ted like m en when

they a re still boys, they bec om e va in and e ffeminate .

The only way to a void two extreme s eq ua lly injurious to mo ra lity, would b e to

c ontrive some way of comb ining a pub lic and priva te educ a tion. Thus to make

me n c itizens, two natura l step s might be taken, which seem d irec tly to lea d 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

othe r child ren.

I still recollect, with pleasure, the country day school; where a boy trudged in the

morning, wet o r dry, ca rrying his boo ks, and his d inner, if it we re a t a c onsiderab le

distanc e; a servant d id not then lead ma ster by the ha nd, for, when he ha d onc e

put on c oa t a nd b reec hes, he wa s a llow ed to shift for himself, and return alone in

the evening to rec ount the fea ts of the da y c lose at the parenta l knee . His

father's house wa s his home, and wa s ever a fter fondly rem embered; nay, I appea l

to some superior men w ho w ere ed uca ted in this ma nner, whether the recollec tion

of some shady lane where they conned their lesson; or, of some stile, where they

sa t ma king a kite, or mend ing a ba t, has not endea red their c ountry to them?

But, what boy ever recollected with pleasure the years he spent in close

c onfinement, at a n ac ad emy near Lond on? unless indee d he should by c hanc e

remember the poor scare-crow of an usher whom he tormented; or, the tartman,

from who m he c aught a c ake, to d evour it w ith the ca ttish appetite o f selfishness.

At boarding schools of every description, the relaxation of the junior boys is

mischief; and o f the senior, vice . Besides, in great sc hoo ls what ca n be more

prejudicial to the moral character, than the system of tyranny and abject slavery

which is esta b lished among st the boys, to say nothing o f the slavery to forms, which

ma kes religion wo rse than a farce? For wha t go od c an be expec ted from theyouth who receives the sacrament of the Lord's supper, to avoid forfeiting half-a-

guinea , whic h he prob ab ly a fterwa rds spend s in som e sensua l manner? Ha lf the



employment of the youths is to elude the necessity of attending public worship;

and we ll they may, for such a c onstant rep etition o f the same thing m ust b e a very

irksom e restraint on their na tural vivac ity. As these c eremonies have the m ost fata l

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 poo r souls in purga tory, why should they no t be a bolished ?

But the fe ar of innova tion, in this country, extends to every thing . This is only a

covert fear, the apprehensive timidity of indolent slugs, who guard, by sliming it

ove r, the snug p lac e, which they c onsider in the light of a n hered ita ry esta te; and

eat, drink, and enjoy themselves, instead of fulfilling the duties, excepting a few

em pty forms, for which it was end owed . These a re the p eop le w ho m ost

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 memoryhave sc raped tog ether. No, wise in the ir gene ra tion, they venerate the p resc rip tive

right of p ossession, as a strong ho ld, a nd still let the slugg ish b ell tingle to p rayers, as

during the days, when the eleva tion of the host w as supposed to a tone for the sins

of the people, lest one reformation should lead to another, and the spirit kill the

let ter. These Rom ish customs have the most ba neful effec t on the mo ra ls 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 boyrepeats his task, and frequently the college cant escapes from the preacher the

mo ment a fter he has left the pulp it, and even whilst he is ea ting the d inner whic h

he earned in suc h a d ishonest manner.

Nothing, indeed, can be more irreverent than the cathedral service as it is now

performed in this c ountry, neither do es it c onta in a set of w ea ker me n tha n those

who a re the slave s of this c hild ish routine. A d isgusting skeleto n of the fo rmer sta te

is still exhibited; but all the solemnity, that interested the imagination, if it did not

purify the hea rt, is stripped off. The p erformanc e o f high mass on the c ont inent

must impress every mind, where a spark of fancy glows, with that awfulmelanc holy, tha t sub lime tend erness, so nea r a -kin to devot ion. I do not say, tha t

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 p refe rred to the c old parade tha t insults the understa nd ing without

rea c hing the hea rt.

Among st rem arks on na tional educ a tion, such ob serva tions c annot b e m isp laced ,

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 havepresumptuously endeavoured to confine in one narrow channel, the living waters

tha t ever flow towa rd Go d-- the sublime oc ea n of existenc e! What wo uld 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 ga ve them b irth, whose b right image

they faintly reflect.

In public schools, however, religion, confounded with irksome ceremonies andunreasonable restraints, assumes the most ungracious aspect: not the sober

austere o ne tha t c om mands respec t whilst it insp ires fea r; but a ludicrous c ast, tha t

serves to point a pun. For, in fac t, mo st o f the goo d stories and sma rt 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 , pe rhaps, in the kingdom , a m ore d og ma tica l or luxurious set of m en,

than the pedantic tyrants who reside in colleges and preside at public schools.

The vac a tions a re eq ua lly injurious to the morals of the ma sters and pup ils, and theintercourse, 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 ma nsion, whose sta te is awkward ly aped on a sma ller sc a le. The

boys, who live at a great expence with the masters and assistants, are never

dom estic a ted , though p lac ed there for tha t p urpose; for, after a silent d inner, they

swallow a hasty glass of wine, and retire to plan some mischievous trick, or to

rid ic ule the person o r ma nners of the very peop le they ha ve just b een c ringing to ,

and who m they o ught to consider as the rep resenta tives of the ir pa rents.

Can it then be a matter of surprise, that boys become selfish and vicious who arethus shut out from soc ia l converse? o r tha t a mitre o ften g rac es the b row of o ne o f

the se d iligent p asto rs? The desire of living in the same style, as the rank just a bove

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 watc h for preferment?

So fa r, howeve r, from thinking of the mo ra ls of b oys, I have hea rd seve ra l ma stersof sc hoo ls a rgue , that they only unde rtook to te ac h La tin and Greek; and that they

had fulfilled their duty, by send ing som e g oo d sc holars to c olleg e.

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 o ur ge ntry and we a lthy c om moners a re m ostly ed uca ted a t these

seminaries, and will any one pretend to assert, that the majority, making every

a llow ance, com e und er the desc rip tion of tolerab le scholars?

It is not fo r the b enefit o f soc iety tha t a few brilliant men should b e b roug ht forward



at the expenc e of the multitude. It is true, tha t grea t men seem to sta rt up, as

great revolutions occur, at proper intervals, to restore order, and to blow aside the

c loud s tha t thicken ove r the fa c e o f truth; but let more rea son a nd virtue p reva il 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

goo d c itizens, you must first exerc ise the a ffec tions of a son a nd a b rothe r. This is

the only way to expand the heart; for public affections, as well as public virtues,must eve r grow out o f the p riva te c harac ter, or they a re m erely me teo rs tha t shoo t

athw art a d ark sky, and disap pe a r as they are ga zed at and ad mired .

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

p layed w ith. The exerc ise of youthful symp a thies forms the mora l 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

friend ships a re fo rmed , the g enia l juic es mo unting a t the same t ime, kind ly mix; or,

rather the heart, tempered for the reception of friendship, is accustomed to seekfor pleasure in something m ore nob le than the c hurlish g ra tifica tion o f appetite.

In o rder then to insp ire a love of home and dom estic p lea sures, child ren o ught 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 apriva te educ a tion prod uc e self-imp ortanc e, or insulates a m an in his family, the e vil

is only shifted , not rem ed ied .

This train of rea soning b rings me b ac k to a sub jec t, on whic h I me an to d well, the

necessity of establishing proper day-schools.

But these should be national establishments, for whilst school-masters are

de pe ndent on the c ap ric e of p arents, little exertion c an b e expec ted 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 thevac a tion, is show n to eve ry visiter, is p rod uc tive o f more m isc hief than would a t first

be supposed . For they are seldom done entirely, to spea k with mod eration, 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

prog ress of gradua l imp rove me nt. The me mo ry is loa ded with uninte llig ib le wo rds,

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 tea ches young p eop le how to b eg in to think. The imagination should not b e

allowed to debauch the understanding before it gained strength, or vanity will

bec ome the forerunner of vice: for every wa y of exhib iting the ac quirements of ac hild is injurious to its mora l charac ter.



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

pom p of ignoranc e a nd folly. Suc h exhib itions only serve to strike the sprea d ing

fibres of vanity through the whole mind; for they neither teach children to speak

fluent ly, nor behave g rac efully. So fa r from it, tha t the se frivo lous pursuits might

comprehensively be termed the study of affectation: for we now rarely see asimple, bashful boy, though few people of taste were ever disgusted by that

awkward sheepishness so natural to the age, which schools and an early

introd uction into soc iety, have c hange d into impud enc e a nd ap ish grima ce.

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

lea ds them to wish, tha t their c hildren should outshine those of the ir neighbours?

Without great good luck, a sensible, conscientious man, would starve before hecould raise a school, if he disdained to bubble weak parents, by practising the

sec ret tric ks of the c ra ft.

In the best reg ula ted schoo ls, however, whe re swa rms a re no t c ramm ed tog ether

ma ny ba d hab its must b e a c quired ; but, at c omm on sc hools, the bo dy, heart, and

understanding, are equally stunted, for parents are often only in quest of the

c heape st sc hool, and the master could not live, if he d id not ta ke a muc h 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 andgarden 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 Sunda y, visit the schoo l, and a re imp ressed by the very pa rade tha t

rend ers the situa tion of the ir c hild ren unc om fortab le.

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

sc hoo l. Not allow ed , perhaps, to step out of one b roa d wa lk in a supe rb 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,

instea d of b ound ing, as na ture d irec ts to c om plete her own d esign, in the va rious

a ttitudes so c ond uc ive to hea lth. The p ure a nima l sp irits, which m ake both mind

and bod y shoot out, and unfold the te nder blossom s of hope a re 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

rem ain the slaves of p ow er!

The little respec t which the ma le world p ay to c hastity is, I am p ersuaded , 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

mo de sty at home.

I have alrea dy anima dverted on the b ad hab its which fema les ac quire 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 viewthroughout--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 ena b led to ea rn their ow n subsistenc e, inde pend ent o f men; in the

same ma nner, I me an, to p revent misconstruc tion, as one ma n is inde pend ent o f

anothe r. Nay, ma rriage w ill never be held sac red t ill wo me n by being brought up

with men, a re p rep ared to be their com panions, ra ther tha n the ir mistresses; for the

mean doublings of cunning will ever render them contemptible, whilst oppressionrend ers them timid. So convinc ed am I of this truth, tha t I w ill venture to p red ic t,

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

streng th b y the d isc harge of m utual 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 robeof politeness, but the sob er effec t of c lea nliness of mind . Would no t this simp le

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

c harac ter; but the ma in p illa rs of friend ship , are respec t a nd c onfidenc e--estee m is

never founded on it ca nnot tell wha t.

A taste for the fine arts requires great cultivation; but not more than a taste for the

virtuous a ffec tions: and b oth suppose tha t enla rge me nt of mind whic h opens so

many sources of mental pleasure. Why do people hurry to noisy scenes and

c rowded c irc les? I should answe r, bec ause they wa nt ac tivity of mind, bec ause

they ha ve no t c herished the virtues of the hea rt.

They o nly, therefore, see and fee l in the g ross, and c ont inua lly p ine a fter variety,

finding every thing tha t is simp le, insipid.

This a rgume nt may be c a rried further tha n philosop hers a re a ware o f, for if na turedestined wo ma n, in pa rticula r, for the d ischarge of d om estic d uties, she m ade he r

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 p rivileg e o f conveying p ure joy to the hea rt.

With what a languid yawn have I seen an admirable poem thrown down, that a

ma n of true taste returns to, aga in and aga in with rap ture; and , whilst melody hasalmost suspended respiration, a lady has asked me where I bought my gown. I

have seen a lso a n eye g lanc ed cold ly ove r a mo st exquisite p icture, 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 b e a llowed to observe, tha t men of the first genius,and most cultivated minds, have appeared to have the highest relish for the

simp le b ea uties of na ture; and they must ha ve fo rc ib ly felt, wha t they ha ve so w ell

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 vib ra ting w ith ea c h em otion, that e nab les the p oe t to personify ea c h

passion, and the pa inter to sketch w ith a penc il of fire.

True taste is eve r the work of the und ersta nd ing em ployed in ob serving na tural

effects; and till women have more understanding, it is vain to expect them to

possess domestic ta ste . Their live ly senses will ever be a t work to ha rden the irhearts, and the emotions struck out of them will continue to be vivid and transitory,

unless a p rop er ed uc a tion stores the ir minds with know led ge.

It is the w ant of d omestic taste, and not the ac quireme nt of knowled ge, that takes

wo men out of the ir fam ilies, and tea rs the smiling babe from the b rea st tha t ought

to afford it nourishment. Women have been allowed to remain in ignorance, and

slavish d ep end enc e, ma ny, very ma ny yea rs, and still we hea r of nothing b ut the ir

fondness of pleasure and sway, their preference of rakes and soldiers, their childish

atta chment to toys, and the va nity that m akes them value a c c omplishments more

tha n 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 Franc e, and in how many other c ountries have men bee n the luxurious

despots, and wo me n the cra fty ministers? Does this p rove tha t ignoranc e and

dep end enc e dome stica te 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 hea rts have not b een debauc hed by know led ge, nor their

minds led astray by scientific pursuits; yet, they do not fulfil the peculiar duties,which as wo men they are ca lled up on by nature to fulfil. On the c ontrary, the

sta te of warfare which subsists betw een the sexes, ma kes them em p loy those wiles,



tha t frustra te the m ore op en d esigns of fo rc e.

When, therefo re, I ca ll women slaves, I mea n in a politica l and c ivil sense; fo r, ind i-

rec tly they ob tain too muc h p ower, and are d eb ased by their exertions to o bta in

illic it sway.

Let a n enlightened nation then try wha t e ffect rea son w ould have to bring themback 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 g row wiser and bec om e free . They c annot b e injured by the expe riment; for it

is not in the pow er of ma n to rende r them mo re insignific ant than they a re a t p re-

sent.

To rend er this p rac tica b le, day schoo ls for pa rticular ages should be esta b lished by

government, in whic h boys and g irls might be educ a ted tog ether. The sc hoo l for

the younger children, from five to nine years of age, ought to be absolutely free

and op en to a ll c lasses.21 A suffic ient numb er of m asters should a lso b e c hosen b ya select committee, in each parish, to whom any complaint of negligence, etc.

might b e m ade, if signed by six of the c hild ren's parents.

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, indee d, c an tend to d ep rave the c harac ter more tha n outward subm ission

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 p lay hours?

But no thing of this kind could o c c ur in a n elementa ry day-schoo l, where b oys and

girls, the rich and poor, should meet together. And to prevent any of the

d istinct ions of va nity, they should be d ressed a like, and a ll ob liged to submit to the

same d isc ip line, or lea ve the sc hoo l. The sc hoo l-roo m o ught to be surround ed by a

la rge p iec e of g round , in which the c hild ren m ight be usefully exerc ised , for at this

ag e they should not b e c onfined to a ny sed enta ry emp loyment for more than a n

hour at a time. But these relaxations might all be rendered a part of elementary

ed uca tion, for many things imp rove and amuse the senses, when introd uced as a

kind of show, to the p rinc ip les of which d ryly la id dow n, child ren w ould turn a d ea fear. For instance, botany, mechanics, and astronomy. Reading, writing, arithmetic,

na tural history, and som e simp le experiments in na tural philosop hy, might fill up the

day; but these pursuits should never encroach on gymnastic plays in the open air.

The e lements of relig ion, histo ry, the histo ry of m an, and politics, might a lso b e

ta ught by conve rsa tions, in the soc ra tic fo rm.

After the age of nine, girls and boys, intended for domestic employments, or

me c hanic a l trades, ought to be removed to o ther sc hoo ls, and rec eive instruc tion,

in some m ea sure a pprop ria ted to the destina tion o f ea c h individua l, the two sexes

being still together in the morning; but in the afternoon, the girls should attend a

21Treating 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.



school, where plain work, mantua-making, millinery, etc. would be their

employment.

The young peop le of superior ab ilities, or fortune, might now be taught, in another

sc hoo l, the dead and living lang uage s, the elements of sc ienc e, and c ontinue 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 Ishould not fea r any o ther conseq uence , than that some e arly atta c hment m ight

take place; which, whilst it had the best effect on the moral character of the

young peop le, might not perfec tly ag ree with the views of the parents, for it w ill be

a long time, I fea r, be fore the wo rld is so e nlightened , that p arents, only anxious to

rend er the ir children virtuous, will let them choose c om panions for life themselves.

Besides, this would be a sure way to promote early marriages, and from early

marriages the mo st sa luta ry physic a l and mo ra l effec ts na turally flow .

What a different character does a married citizen assume from the selfishc oxcom b, who lives but for himself, and who is often a fra id 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 ma n.

In this p lan of e duc a tion, the c onstitution o f boys wo uld not b e ruined by the ea rly

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 andcoquetry, yet allow friendship and love to temper the heart for the discharge of

higher duties.

These w ould b e sc hoo ls of m orality--and the happ iness of m an, allow ed to flow

from the p ure springs of d uty and affec tion, what ad vanc es might not the human

mind m ake? Soc iety c an only be ha ppy and free in prop ortion a s it is virtuous; but

the present distinctions, established in society, corrode all private, and blast all

pub lic virtue.

I have a lrea dy inveighed aga inst the c ustom of c onfining g irls to their need le, andshutting 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

c unning. My very soul has often sickened a t ob serving the sly tric ks p rac tised by

wom en to g a in som e foolish thing on which their silly hea rts we re set . Not a llow ed

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 angrybrow.



But these littlenesses would not degrade their character, if women were led to

respec t themselves, if p olitic a l and mo ra l subjec ts we re o pened to them ; and I will

venture to a ffirm, tha t this is the o nly wa y to ma ke them prop erly at tentive to their

dom estic duties. An ac tive m ind em braces the w hole c irc le o f its duties, and finds

time eno ugh for a ll. It is not, I assert, a b old a ttemp t to em ulate masc uline 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 --thelove of p lea sure a nd the love of swa y, tha t will reign pa ramo unt in an emp ty 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

va riety. The c onseq uenc e is ob vious; in gay sc ene s of d issipa tion we m ee t the

artific ia l mind and fac e, for those who fly from solitude d rea d next to solitude, the

dom estic c irc le; not having it in the ir pow er to a muse o r interest, they fee l the ir ow ninsignific anc e, o r find nothing to amuse or interest them selves.

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 ta ken from one pub lic p lac e to ano ther, richly c aparisone d. 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

c a lled with the most sed ulous c are, whilst they we re p rep a ring for the p eriod tha t

decides their fate for life. Instead of pursuing this idle routine, sighing for tasteless

show, and he artless state, with what dignity would the youths of both sexes formattachments 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 sc hoo ls young peo p le o f fortune ought to rem ain, more o r less, till they were

of a ge. Those, who were designed for pa rticular p rofessions, might a ttend , three or

four mornings in the w eek, the sc hoo ls approp ria ted for their imme d iate instruct ion.

I only drop these observations at present, as hints; rather, indeed as an outline of

the p lan I mean, than a d ige sted one ; but I must add , tha t I highly approve o f one

reg ula tion m entioned in the p amp hlet a lrea dy a lluded to (The Bishop of Autun),

that of making the children and youths independent of the masters respectingpunishments. They should be tried by the ir pee rs, whic h would be an admirab le

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 bec om es peevishly cunning, or feroc iously ove rbea ring .

My ima gination darts forward w ith be nevo lent fervour to g ree t these a miab le a nd

respectable groups, in spite of the sneering of cold hearts, who are at liberty to

utter, with frigid self-imp ortanc e, the d amning ep ithet-rom antic ; the force o f 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 thingeasy, is not preferable to that rough and repulsing reason, which always finds in

ind ifferenc e for the pub lic good, the first ob stac le to wha teve r wo uld p rom ote it."



I know tha t libertines will also exclaim, that wo ma n w ould b e unsexed by ac quiring

strength of body and mind, and that beauty, soft bewitching beauty! would no

long er ad orn the d aughte rs of m en. I am of a very different op inion, for I think, that,

on the c ontra ry, we should then see dignified be auty, and true g rac e; to p rod uce

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

respec t the human bo dy as a ma jestic p ile, fit to rec eive a no b le inhab itant, in therelics of antiquity.

I do not forget the popular opinion, that the Grecian statues were not modelled

a fter nature. I me an, not a cc ording to the p rop ortions of a p artic ula r ma n; but that

beautiful limbs and features were selected from various bodies to form an

ha rmonious whole. This might , in som e deg ree , be true. The fine idea l p ic ture of

an exalted ima gination might b e superior to the m ateria ls which the pa inter found

in na ture, and thus it m ight w ith p rop riety b e te rmed ra ther the model of ma nkind

than of a man. It was not, however, the mechanical selection of limbs and

fea tures, but the eb ullition o f an hea ted fanc y tha t b urst forth; and the fine sensesand enlarge d unde rstand ing of the a rtist selec ted the solid ma tter, which he d rew

into this g low ing foc us.

I ob served that it was not mec hanic al, be c ause a whole wa s produc ed --a mode l

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 forcib ly ac t on it, in our luxurious sta te of soc iety, did not reta rd its expa nsion,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

c ountenances of som e c ountry peo p le, who se m inds have no t b een exerc ised . To

rende r the person p erfec t, physic al and moral bea uty ought to b e a ttained a t the

sam e time; eac h lend ing a nd rec eiving force by the c ombination. Judg ment must

reside on the b row, affection and fanc y bea m in the eye, and humanity curve the

c hee k, or va in is the sparkling of the finest eye o r the elegantly turned finish of the

fa irest fea tures; whilst in eve ry motion tha t d isp lays the a c tive 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

ed uc a tion, for it is not a t p resent one of our na tiona l virtues. Tend erness for the ir

humble dumb domestics, amongst the lower class, is oftener to be found in a

savage than a civilized state. For civilization prevents that intercourse whichc rea tes a ffec tion in the rude hut, or mud c ab in, and lea ds uncultiva ted minds who

are o nly dep raved by the refinements which p reva il in the soc iety, where they a re



trodden under foot by the rich, to domineer over them to revenge the insults that

they are ob liged to b ea r from the ir superiours.

This ha b itua l cruelty is first c aught a t sc hool, where it is one of the ra re sports of the

boys to torment the m iserab le brutes tha t fa ll in the ir wa y.

The t ransition, as they grow up , from barbarity to b rutes to dom estic tyranny ove rwives, 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

tha t it ma y be delivered as an axiom , tha t those who c an see p a in, unmoved , will

soon lea rn to inflict it.

The vulga r a re swa yed by present fe elings, and the hab its which the y have

accidentally acquired; but on partial feelings much dependence cannot be

placed, though they be just; for, when they are not invigorated by reflection,

c ustom we akens them, till they a re scarc ely felt. The symp athies of o ur nature a re

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,

amo ngst the rich.

The lady who shed s tears for the b ird sta rved in a sna re, a nd exec ra tes 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 ho urs wa iting fo r her, when the sharp frost b ites, or the rain bea tsaga inst the well-closed windows which d o no t admit a b rea th of a ir to te ll 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

c roo ked in a nursery. This illustration o f my a rgument is d rawn from a matte r of fac t.

The w om an whom I allude to wa s hand som e, rec koned very handsom e, by those

who do no t miss the m ind when the fa c e is p lump and fair; but her unde rstand ing

had not b een led from fema le d uties by literature, nor her innocenc e d eb auched

by knowledge. No, she was quite feminine, according to the masculine

ac c ep ta tion o f the wo rd ; and , so fa r from loving these spoiled b rutes tha t filled the

place which her children ought to have occupied, she only lisped out a prettymixture of Frenc h and English nonsense, to p lease the m en w ho floc ked round her.

The w ife, mother, and huma n c rea ture, were a ll swa llow ed up by the fac titious

character, which an improper education, and the selfish vanity of beauty, had

produced.

I do not like to make a d istinc tion without a d ifferenc e, and I ow n that I have been

as muc h d isgusted by the fine lad y who took her lap-dog to he r bosom , instea d of

her child; as by the ferocity of a man, who, beating his horse, declared, that he

knew a s we ll when he d id wrong as a Christian.

This b roo d of fo lly show s how mista ken they are w ho, if they a llow w om en to lea ve

their harams, do not cultivate their understanding, in order to plant virtues in their





of her sex; and therefore he laboured to b ring w oman dow n to her's. He found he r

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

wo ma n, she c ea sed to ha ve a n affec tion for him. And it was very natura l tha t sheshould, for having so few sentiments in common, when the sexual tie was broken,

wha t wa s to ho ld her? To hold her a ffec tion whose sensib ility wa s c onfined to one

sex, nay, to one ma n, it req uires sense to turn sensib ility into the b roa d channel o f

humanity: many women have not mind enough to have an affection for a

wom an, or a friend ship for a man. But the sexual we akness tha t makes wom an

depend on man for a subsistence, produces a kind of cattish affection, which

lea ds a wife to purr ab out her husba nd, as she w ould ab out a ny man who fed and

caressed her.

Men, are however, often gratified by this kind of fondness which is confined in abeastly 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 intellec tua l sc a le, is the mind tha t c an c ontinue

to love when neither virtue nor sense give a human appearance to an animal

appetite. But sense will a lwa ys p rep ond erate ; and if wo men are not, in genera l,

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

fam ilies ma ny c itizens, who wo uld have stayed a t home , had their wives had more

sense, or the graces which result from the exercise of the understanding andfanc y, the leg itima te p arents of ta ste. A w oman of ta lents, if she b e no t a bsolutely

ugly, will always obtain great power, raised by the w eakness of her sex; and in

prop ortion a s me n ac quire virtue a nd delicac y: by the exertion o f rea son, they w ill

look for bo th in women, but they c an o nly ac quire them in the same w ay tha t 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

grea t swa y? co rrup ting themselves and the men w ith who se p assions they played?

In short, in whatever light I view the sub jec t, rea son and experienc e c onvince me ,tha t the only metho d of lead ing wo me n to fulfil their pec ulia r duties, is to free them

from a ll restra int b y a llow ing them to partic ipa te the inherent rights of m ankind.

Ma ke them free, and they will quic kly bec om e w ise a nd virtuous, as me n be c om e

mo re so; for the imp rovement must b e m utua l, or the justic e w hich one half of the

human race are obliged to submit to, retorting on their oppressors, the virtue of

ma n will be worm-eaten b y the insec t who m he keeps unde r his feet .

Let men take their choice, man and woman were made for each other, though

not to be c ome one b eing; and if they will not imp rove w ome n, they will dep ravethem!



I spea k of the imp roveme nt and e ma nc ipa tion o f the whole sex, for I know tha t the

be haviour of a few w ome n, who by a cc ident, or following a strong be nt of nature,

have a c quired a portion o f know led ge supe rior to tha t o f the rest o f their sex, has

often b een over-be a ring; but there ha ve b een instanc es of w ome n who, atta ining

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 e xc lama tions then which any advic e respec ting fema le lea rning,commonly produces, especially from pretty women, often arise from envy. When

hey c hance to see tha t even the lustre o f their eyes, and the flippant sportiveness

of refined c oq uetry will not a lwa ys sec ure them a ttention, during a who le evening,

should a wo ma n of a more c ultivated understand ing endeavour to g ive 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

c onversation, whic h ma de the me n forge t that they were p retty wom en.

But, allowing what is very natural to man--that the possession of rare abilities isreally 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 sma ll portion o f know led ge as those w omen a tta ined , who ha ve sneeringly

been termed lea rned wo men, could be singular? Suffic iently so to puff up the

possessor, and exc ite envy in her contem poraries, and som e o f 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 expo sed , only bec ause they a do pte d the advice of some med ic al 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 asensible 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 som e o f the c asua lties of infanc y which no p rudenc e c an wa rd 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

lasc iviousness of man? The w ant o f natura l a ffec tion in ma ny wome n, who a re

drawn from their duty by the admiration of men, and the ignorance of others,

rend er the infanc y of ma n a muc h more p erilous sta te tha n tha t of b rutes; yet m en

are unwilling to place women in situations proper to enable them to acquire

suffic ient und ersta nd ing to know how even to nurse the ir babes.

So forc ib ly does this truth strike me, tha t I would rest the whole te ndenc y of m yreasoning upon it; for whatever tends to incapacitate the maternal character,

takes woma n out o f 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 w ea kness of the m other will be visited on the c hild ren! Andwhilst 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

gene ra l rules. The being who c an think justly in one trac k, will soo nextend 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

ma kes a nonent ity of a wife.

In public schools women, to guard against the errors of ignorance, should betaught 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,

pa rents, and husbands; for the b ills of m orta lity a re swe lled by the b lunders 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

forge tting the sc ienc e of mora lity, nor the stud y of the p olitica l history of ma nkind .

A man has been termed a microcosm; and every family might also be called a

sta te. Sta tes, it is true, have mostly been g ove rned by a rts tha t d isgrace 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

rea sonab lene ss of c ontend ing for the rights of hum anity. Thus mo ra lity, po lluted 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 bec ome the rule of private c onduc t.

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 tha t the p a tient fortitude of reason might ha ve p revente d .

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 ob eying throug h fea r, instea d of p rac tising the forbea rance, which we a ll standin need of ourselves? The c onc lusion whic h I wish to d raw is ob vious; ma ke wom en

ra tiona l creatures and free c itizens, and they w ill quickly bec om e g ood wives, and



mothers; that is--if men do no t neglec t the duties of husbands and fa thers.

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 produc ed , is not c onfined to the mo rbid p a rt, but p ervad es soc iety a t 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 IGNO RANC E OF WO MEN G ENERATES;

WITH CONC LUDING REFLECTIONS ON THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT THAT A

REVOLUTION IN FEMALE MANNERS MIGHT NATURALLY BE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE.

There a re many follies, in som e d eg ree , pec ulia r to w om en: sins aga inst rea son, of

commission, as well as of omission; but all flowing from ignorance or prejudice, I

sha ll only point out such as appea r to b e injurious to the ir mo ra l c ha rac te r. And in

anima dverting on the m, I wish espec ia lly to p rove , that the w ea kness of m ind and

bo dy, whic h men have ende avoured by va rious motives to p erpe tuate, p revents

the ir d isc ha rg ing the p ec ulia r duty of their sex: for whe n weakness of bod y will not

permit them to suckle their children, and weakness of mind makes them spoil their

tempers--is wo ma n in a na tural sta te?

SECTION 13.1.

One glaring instance of the weakness which proceeds from ignorance, first claims

atte ntion, and ca lls for seve re reproo f.

In this metropolis a number of lurking leeches infamously gain a subsistence by

prac tising on the c red ulity of women, p retending to c ast nat ivities, 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

c onsider the know ledge o f their duty as the o ne thing nec essary to know, or, to live

in the p resent m om ent b y the d isc harge of it, a re ve ry anxious to peep into futurity,

to learn what they have to expect to render life interesting, and to break the

vac uum of ignoranc e. I must be a llow ed to expostulate seriously with the lad ies,

who follow these idle inventions; for ladies, mistresses of families, are not ashamed

to d rive in their ow n carriages to the doo r of the c unning m an.

And if any of them should peruse this work, I entreat them to answer to their own

hea rts the fo llow ing questions, not forgett ing tha t they a re in the p resenc e o f 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

de pend ent on him?

Do yo u rely on his wisdom, so c onsp icuous in his works, and in your own fram e, and

are you c onvince d, that he ha s ordered all things whic h do no t c ome under the

cognizance of your senses, in the same perfect harmony, to fulfil his designs?

Do you ac know led ge tha t the p ow er of loo king into futurity and see ing things tha t

are not, as if they were, is an attribute of the Creator? And should he, by an



impression on the minds of h is c rea tures, think fit to imp art to them som e e vent hid

in the shades of time, yet unborn, to whom would the secret be revealed by

immed iate insp ira tion? The op inion o f ag es will answer this question--to reve rend

old men, to p eop le d istinguished for eminent p iety.

The o rac les of o ld we re thus delivered by priests ded ic a ted to the servic e o f the

Go d, who wa s supposed to insp ire the m. The g la re of w orld ly pomp whichsurround ed these imp ostors, and the respec t pa id to them by artful politicians, who

knew how to ava il themselves of this useful eng ine to b end the nec ks 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, how eve r c ontra ry to reason, could no t be reckoned imp ious. But, ca n 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 themo ney, whic h the p oo r c ry for in va in?

Say not tha t suc h questions a re a n insult to c ommon sense fo r 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, a s I have throughout supposed

myself ta lking to ignorant wome n, for igno rant ye are in the most emp hatica l

sense of the word, it would be absurd to reason with you on the egregious folly of

desiring to know wha t the Suprem e Wisdom has c onc ea led .

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

huma n c rea tures wise a nd virtuous: and tha t, were it sanc tioned 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 bo dy to be c ome subject to m ortal inspe c tion, ca n they be foreseen b y

a vicious wo rld ling, who pampers his appetites by preying on the foo lish one s?

Perhaps, however, you devoutly believe in the devil, and imagine, to shift thequestion, tha t he may a ssist his vota ries? but if rea lly respec ting the pow er of suc h

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 o f the c onstruc tion o f the human frame? If not, it is p rop er

that you should be told, what every child ought to know, that when its admirable

ec onomy has been disturbed by intem peranc e or indolence, I spea k not o f violentdisorders, 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 mirac le, are d eleg a ted by God, or assisted by the solver of a ll these kindof difficulties--the devil.

Do they, whe n they put to flight, as it is sa id , disorders tha t have b a ffled the p ow ers

of medicine, work in conformity to the light of reason? Or do they effect these

wond erful c ures by supernatura l a id?

By a communication, an adept may answer, with the world of spirits. A noble

privileg e, it must be a llowe d. Som e of the anc ients me ntion familia r dem ons, 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 tounde rtake. Yet the m en w ho laid c la im to this p rivileg e, out o f the o rder of na ture,

insisted , that it wa s the rewa rd or co nseq uenc e o f supe rior temp eranc e a nd p iety.

But the present workers of wonders are not raised above their fellows by superior

tem peranc e o r sanc tity. They d o no t c ure fo r the love of God , but m oney. 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

d isp lay crutche s, and mo dels of limb s ma de sound by a to uc h or a wo rd .

I am not conversant with the technical terms, nor initiated into the arcana,

therefore I ma y spea k imp rop erly; but it is c lea r, that men who will not c onform tothe 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 friend s of man.

It is, howeve r, little short of b lasphem y to p retend to suc h pow er.

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 sogrossly insult the wisdom of God, as to suppose, that a miracle will be allowed to

d isturb his ge neral laws, to restore to hea lth the intemperate a nd vicious, merely to

ena b le them to pursue the same c ourse w ith impunity? Be w hole, and sin no mo re,

sa id Jesus. And a re g rea ter mirac les to be p erformed by those w ho d o not fo llow

his foo tstep s, who hea led the b od y to rea c h the mind?

The ment ioning of the name of Christ, a fter such vile imposto rs ma y d isp lea se som e

of m y rea ders--I respec t the ir warmth; but let them not forge t, that the follow ers of

these delusions bea r his name, a nd p rofess to be the d isc ip les of him, who sa id , by

their works we should know who were the children of God or the servants of sin. Iallow 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 mea ns, or we ma ke the Supreme Judge partia l and

revengeful.

Is he a ma n, that he should c hange , or punish out of resentm ent? He--the c ommo n

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, inp rop ortion to the w isdom which w e a tta in. The p oison c onta ins the a ntidote ; 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 a ttributes of G od , I believe , that wha tever punishment may follow ,

will tend , like the anguish of d isea se, to show the ma lignity o f vice , for the p urpose

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 believethat the Deity paid no attention to the conduct of men, than that he punished

without the b enevolent design o f reforming.

To suppose only, that an a ll-wise and pow erful Being, a s goo d as he is grea t,

should c rea te a being, fo resee ing, tha t a fter fifty o r sixty years of feve rish existenc e,

it would be plunged into never ending woe--is blasphemy. On what will the worm

feed tha t is neve r to d ie? On folly, on ignoranc e, say ye--I should b lush indigna ntly

at drawing the natural conclusion, could I insert it, and wish to withdraw myself

from the wing o f my God ! On such a supp osition, I spea k with reverenc e, he wo uld

be a consuming fire. We should wish, though vainly, to fly from his presence whenfea r ab sorbe d love , and da rkness involved a ll his c ounsels.

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 wo rds, like peo p le in the comm on conc erns of life, they do ho ma ge

to p ow er, and c ringe unde r the foo t tha t c an c rush them. Rationa l relig ion, on the

c ontrary, is a sub mission to the will of a being so p erfec tly wise, tha t a ll he wills must

be direc ted by the prope r motive--must b e rea sona ble.

And, if thus we respect God, can we give credit to the mysterious insinuationswhich insult his laws? Ca n we believe , thoug h it should sta re us in the fac e, tha t 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

inc idents tha t can only be foreseen by God .

SECTION 13.2.

Another instance of that feminine weakness of character, often produced by a

c onfined ed uc a tion, is a rom antic twist of the mind, which ha s been very p rop erlytermed sentimenta l.



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 a re the w om en w ho a re amused by the reve ries of the stup id nove lists, who,knowing little of human nature, work up stale tales, and describe meretricious

sc enes, all reta iled in a sentimenta l ja rgo n, whic h eq ually tend to c orrup t the taste,

and d raw the hea rt aside from its da ily duties. I do no t me ntion the unde rstanding,

because never having been exercised, its slumbering energies rest inactive, like

the lurking particles of fire whic h a re supposed universa lly to p ervad e m atte r.

Females, in fact, denied all political privileges, and not allowed, as married

wom en, exce p ting in c rimina l c ases, a c ivil existenc e, have the ir a ttention na turally

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 imperfectlyperformed, when no t c onnec ted with the genera l good. The m ighty business of

female life is to p lea se, and , restra ined from ente ring into mo re imp ortant c onc erns

by political and civil oppression, sentiments become events, and reflection

de ep ens wha t it should, and w ould have e ffac ed , if the understand ing ha d be en

allowed to take a w ide r rang e.

But, confined to t rifling employm ents, they natura lly imb ibe op inions 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 ta sk, and d isquisitions add ressed to the understa nd ing , into lerab ly ted ious, anda lmost uninte llig ib le? Thus a re they nec essarily depend ent on the novelist fo r

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 m ust rec eive a d eg ree of enlargem ent, and ob ta in a little streng th by a slight

exertion of its thinking powers; besides, even the productions that are only

addressed to the ima gination, ra ise the rea der a little a bove the gross gratifica tion

of a pp etites, to which the m ind has not g iven a shad e o f de lic ac y.

This observa tion is the result of experienc e; for I ha ve know n severa l nota b lewo men, and one in pa rtic ular, who wa s a very goo d woma n--as go od as such a

narrow m ind would allow he r to be, who took c are that her daughte rs (three in

number) should never see a novel. As she was a woman of fortune and fashion,

they ha d various ma sters to a ttend them , and a sort of me nia l go verness to wa tc h

the ir footsteps. From the ir masters they learned how tab les, cha irs, etc . we re ca lled

in Frenc h a nd Ita lian; but a s the few books throw n in their wa y we re fa r above their

capacities, or devotional, they neither acquired ideas nor sentiments, and passed

their time , when not com pelled to rep ea t w ords, in d ressing, q uarrelling with ea ch

other, or conversing with their maids by stealth, till they were brought into

c ompa ny as ma rriag ea ble.

Their mother, a widow , was busy in the me an time in keep ing up her conne xions,



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 o f the wo rd , and spoiled tem pers, entered life p uffed up with notions

of their own conseq uence, and looking d own with c ontempt o n those w ho c ould

not vie with them in dress and parade.

With respect to love, nature, or their nurses, had taken care to teach them thephysical 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

delic a te p hrases, whe n they spoke free ly, ta lking o f ma trimony.

Co uld these g irls have been injured by the p erusa l of nove ls? I a lmost forgot a

shad e in the c harac ter of one of them; she a ffec ted a simp lic ity bo rdering o n 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 theirc hap ters and psa lms befo re b rea kfast, never touc hing a silly nove l.

This is only one instanc e; but I rec ollec t many othe r wo men w ho, not led b y

degrees to proper studies, and not permitted to choose for themselves, have

indeed been overgrown c hild ren; or have ob ta ined , by mixing in the world , a little

of what is termed common sense; that is, a distinct manner of seeing common

oc c urrenc es, as they stand de tac hed : but wha t deserves the name of intellec t,

the power of gaining general or abstract ideas, or even intermediate ones, was

out of the question. Their minds were quiesc ent , and when they were not roused

by sensible objects and employments of that kind, they were low-spirited, wouldc ry, 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 niec e, who had c onsiderab le ab ilities, had , be fore she w as left to his

guardianship , been indulged in desultory rea d ing. Her he ende avoured to lea d ,

and did lead, to history and moral essays; but his daughter whom a fond weakmother had indulged, and who consequently was averse to every thing like

app lic a tion, he a llow ed to rea d novels; and used to justify his c ond uc t by saying,

tha t if she ever a tta ined a relish for rea d ing them, he should ha ve som e founda tion

to w ork upo n; and tha t erroneous op inions we re b ette r than none a t a ll.

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 ta lents lea rned to desp ise them.

The b est method , I believe , that c an be a dop ted to c orrec t a fondness for novels isto rid ic ule them; not ind isc rimina tely, for then it wo uld have little effec t; 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

na ture, just o p inions might be substituted instead of rom antic sent ime nts.

In one respect, however, the majority of both sexes resemble, and equally show a

wa nt of taste and m od esty. Ignorant wome n, forced to b e chaste to preserve

their rep uta tion, a llow their ima gination to reve l in the unnatural and meretric iousscenes sketched by the novel writers of the day, slighting as insipid the sober

dignity and matronly grace of history,22 whilst men carry the same vitiated taste

into life, and fly for amusement to the w anton, from the unsop histic a ted c harms of

virtue, and the g rave respec ta b ility of sense.

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 onlymimick in the d ark the flame of p assion.

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 o f emula tion a nd m agna nimity.

I agree with Rousseau, that the physical part of the art of pleasing consists inornaments, 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 g race whic h is an effec t of virtue, and not the m otive of ac tion, 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 w om en adorn them selves; for whe re women a re a llow ed to b e so

far on a level w ith m en, soc iety ha s advanc ed a t least o ne step in c iviliza tion.

The a tte ntion to d ress, therefo re, which has been thought a sexual p rop ensity, I

think natural to mankind. But I ought to express myself with more precision. When

the mind is not suffic iently opened to take p lea sure in reflec tion, the bod y w ill be

adorned w ith sed ulous care; and amb ition w ill appea r in tat too ing o r pa inting it.

So fa r is the first inc lina tion c a rried , tha t even the hellish yoke of slave ry canno t stifle

22 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.



the savage desire of admiration which the black heroes inherit from both their

pa rents, for a ll the ha rd ly-ea rned savings of a slave a re c om monly expende d in a

little tawdry finery. And I have seldom known a good male or female servant that

was not pa rticularly fond of d ress. Their c lothe s were their riches; and I a rgue 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, politic s, or literature; but, says Swift, "how na turally do wom en app ly theirhands 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 g rand p ursuits tha t exalt the huma n rac e a nd p romote general happ iness.

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-

c rea tures with whom they never c lash. But wom en a re very differently situa ted w ith

respec t to ea c h other--for they a re a ll riva ls.

Befo re m arriage it is the ir business to p lea se m en; a nd a fter, with a few excep tions,

they follow the same sc ent , with all the p erseve ring p ertinac ity 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 c ontem porary wits is p rove rb ia l.

Is it then surprising, that when the sole ambition of woman centres in beauty, and

inte rest g ives vanity add itiona l force , perpe tua l riva lships hould ensue? They a re a llrunning the same race, and would rise above the virtue of mortals if they did not

view ea c h o ther with a susp ic ious 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

nec essa ry to c onc ate nate that a bstrac t tra in of thought w hic h produc es

princ ip les. And tha t w omen, from their ed uca tion and the p resent sta te of c ivilized

life, are in the same c ond ition, c annot, I think, be c ontroverted . To laugh a t them

then, or satirize the follies of a being who is never to be allowed to act freely fromthe 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 p roved , that they ought to ob ey ma n imp lic itly, and I sha ll imm ed ia tely

agree that it is woman's duty to cultivate a fondness for dress, in order to please,

and a p rop ensity to c unning for her ow n p reservation.

The virtues, howe ver, whic h are supported by ignoranc e, must eve r be wavering-

-the ho use b uilt on sand c ould not end ure a sto rm. It is a lmo st unnec essary to d rawthe 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



jea lous eye . Fea r not tha t the iron will ente r into the ir sou ls--for the souls tha t can

bea r such trea tme nt are ma de o f yielding ma teria ls, just anima ted enough to give

life to the b od y.

"Matter too soft a lasting mark to bear, And best distinguish'd by black, brown, or

fair."

The m ost c ruel wound s will of c ourse soo n hea l, and they ma y still peop le the

wo rld , and d ress to p lea se ma n--all the purposes which c ertain celebrate d writers

have allowed that they were c rea ted 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

nob le in it, and may mostly be resolved into selfishness, as we ll as the a ffec tion o fchildren 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

wo men have seldom so m uc h generosity as men;" and tha t the ir narrow a ffec tions,

to which justice and humanity are often sacrificed, render the sex apparently

inferior, espec ia lly as they a re c ommo nly insp ired by men; but I c ontend , that the

heart would expand as the understanding gained strength, if women were not

dep ressed from the ir c rad les.

I know that a little sensibility and great weakness will produce a strong sexual

attachment, and that reason must cement friendship; consequently I allow, thatmore friendship is to be found in the male than the female world, and that men

have a higher sense of justice . The exc lusive a ffec tions of wom en seem indeed to

resem ble Ca to 's most unjust love for his c ount ry. He wished to c rush Cartha ge, no t

to save Rom e, but to p rom ote its va in g lory; and in g ene ra l, it is to simila r princ ip les

tha t huma nity is sac rific ed , for genuine d uties support ea ch othe r.

Besides, how can wom en be just o r gene rous, when they a re the slaves of injustice .

SECTION 13.5.

As the rea ring of c hild ren, tha t is, the laying a foundation o f sound hea lth b oth o f

body and mind in the rising generation, has justly been insisted on as the peculiar



de stination of wo ma n, the ignoranc e tha t incap ac itate s them must b e c ontrary to

the order of things. And I contend, that their minds can take in much more, and

oug ht to do so, or they will never bec om e sensib le mo thers. Ma ny men at tend 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 byunnatural negligence nor blind fondness, how few are managed properly with

respec t to the infant m ind ! So tha t to b rea k the sp irit, allow ed to b ec om e vicious a t

hom e, a child is sent to sc hoo l; and the m ethods ta ken the re, which m ust b e ta ken

to keep a numb er of c hild ren in order, sc a tter the seeds of a lmo st every vic e in the

soil thus forc ibly to rn up.

I have som etimes c ompared the strugg les of the se p oo r c hild ren w ho ought ne ver

to ha ve felt restra int, nor wo uld , had they been a lwa ys held in with an even ha nd,

to the despa iring p lunges of a sp irited filly, which I have seen b rea king on a strand ;

its feet sinking d eeper and deeper in the sand every time it end ea voured to throwits rider, till a t last it sullenly sub mitted .

I have always found horses, an animal I am attached to, very tractable when

trea ted with humanity and stea d iness, so tha t I doub t whether the violent m ethods

taken to b rea k them, d o not essentially injure them; I am, how ever, ce rta in tha t a

c hild should never be thus forcibly tam ed a fter it ha s injudic iously been a llow ed 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 ofchildren. Afterwards it too often happens that half the business of education is to

c orrec t, and very imperfec tly is it done , if do ne ha stily, the fa ults, which the y would

never have acquired if their mo thers had had mo re und erstand ing.

One striking insta nc e o f the fo lly of wom en m ust not be omitted . The m anner in

which they treat servants in the presence of children, permitting them to suppose,

tha t they ought to wa it on them, and b ea r their humours.

A child should always be made to receive assistance from a man or woman as a

favo ur; and , as the first lesson of independ enc e, they should p rac tic a lly be taught,by the example o f their mo ther, not to req uire tha t persona l a ttend ance whic h it is

an insult to humanity to require, when in health; and instead of being led to

assume a irs of c onseq uenc e, a sense o f the ir own wea kness should first make the m

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

aga in, bec ause master or miss hung about ma mm a, to sta y a little longer. Thus

made slavishly to attend the little idol, all those most disgusting humours were

exhib ited which c harac terize a spoiled c hild .

In short, spea king of the m a jority o f mothers, they lea ve the ir child ren ent irely to thec are o f servants: or, bec ause they a re their c hild ren, trea t them as if they we re little

dem i-god s, though I have a lwa ys ob served, tha t the wo me n who thus idolize the ir



children, seldom show common humanity to servants, or feel the least tenderness

for any c hild ren b ut their ow n.

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 anyplan of education that a more rational father may adopt; for unless a mother

c oncurs, the fa ther 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 na ture ha s so wisely orde red things, tha t d id wom en suc kle the ir c hild ren,

they would preserve their own health, and there would be such an interval

betw een the b irth of ea c h c hild , that we should seldom see a house full of b abes.

And did they pursue a plan of conduct, and not waste their time in following thefashionable vagaries of dress, the management of their household and children

need not shut them out from literature, nor p revent their a tta c hing them selves to a

sc ienc e, w ith tha t stea dy eye which streng thens the mind, or p rac tising one of the

fine a rts tha t c ultiva te the taste.

But, visiting to d isp lay finery, ca rd p laying, and ba lls, not to me ntion the idle b ustle

of morning trifling, draw women from their duty, to render them insignificant, to

rende r them p lea sing, ac c ording to the present a cc ep tation of the word, to e very

man, but their husband. For a round of pleasures in which the affections are not

exerc ised , ca nnot b e sa id to imp rove the und erstand ing, thoug h it b e erroneouslyc a lled see ing the w orld ; yet the hea rt is rend ered c old a nd averse to duty, by such

a senseless intercourse, which becomes necessary from habit, even when it has

c ea sed to a muse.

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 tha t a foo lish ignorant wom an should be a goo d 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

simp le princ ip les, and c lea ring away the rubb ish which ob sc ured them. But, as a ll

rea ders a re not saga c ious, I must b e a llow ed to add som e explana tory rem arks 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





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 p rop erly ed uc a ted till friend ship subsists betwe en parents. Virtue flies

from a house divided against itself--and a whole legion of devils take up their

residence there.

The a ffec tion o f husbands and wives c annot b e p ure when they have so fewsentiments in common, and when so little confidence is established at home, as

must b e the c ase w hen the ir pursuits a re so d ifferent. Tha t intima c y from whic h

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 mo desty of w om en, charac terized as such, will often b e o nly the a rtful veil ofwantonness, 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 d issente rs, for insta nc e, a c lass of peo p le, with stric t truth

c ha rac terized as cunning? And m ay I not lay som e stress on this fac t to prove,

that when any power but reason curbs the free spirit of man, dissimulation is

p rac tised , and the va rious shifts of art a re natura lly c a lled forth? Grea t a ttentionto 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 p rim littleness. I spea k co llec tively, for I know how m any orname nts

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

prod uced b y a simila r c ause.

Asserting the rights which women in common with men ought to contend for, I

have no t atte mp ted to extenuate their faults; but to p rove them to b e the na tural

consequence of their education and station in society. If so, it is reasonable to

supp ose, tha t they will cha nge their c harac ter, and c orrec t the ir vic es and follies,whe n they a re a llow ed to be free in a physica l, moral, and c ivil 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

we ak being to her duty. If the latte r, it w ill be exped ient to op en a fresh trade w ith

Russia for whips; a present which a father should always make to his son-in-law on

his we dd ing d ay, tha t a husband m ay keep his who le fa mily in order by the same

mea ns; and without a ny viola tion of justice reign, w ielding this scep tre, 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 the ir duties va nish, for rights and duties a re insep arab le.

Be just then, O ye men of understanding! and mark not more severely what

wom en d o a miss, than the vicious tric ks of the horse o r the ass for who m ye p rovide

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 und erstanding!

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Vindication of the rights of women