CHAPTER 13.

by Mary Wollstonecraft

　　SOME INSTANCES OF THE FOLLY WHICH THE IGNORANCE OF WOMEN GENERATES;WITH CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ON THE MORAL IMPROVEMENT THAT AREVOLUTION IN FEMALE MANNERS MIGHT NATURALLY BE EXPECTED TOPRODUCE.There are many follies, in some degree, peculiar to women: sinsagainst reason, of commission, as well as of omission; but allflowing from ignorance or prejudice, I shall only point out such asappear to be injurious to their moral character. And inanimadverting on them, I wish especially to prove, that theweakness of mind and body, which men have endeavoured by variousmotives to perpetuate, prevents their discharging the peculiar dutyof their sex: for when weakness of body will not permit them tosuckle their children, and weakness of mind makes them spoil theirtempers—is woman in a natural state?

　　SECTION 13.1.One glaring instance of the weakness which proceeds from ignorance,first claims attention, and calls for severe reproof.

　　In this metropolis a number of lurking leeches infamously gain asubsistence by practising on the credulity of women, pretending tocast nativities, to use the technical phrase; and many females who,proud of their rank and fortune, look down on the vulgar withsovereign contempt, show by this credulity, that the distinction isarbitrary, and that they have not sufficiently cultivated theirminds to rise above vulgar prejudices. Women, because they havenot been led to consider the knowledge of their duty as the onething necessary to know, or, to live in the present moment by thedischarge of it, are very anxious to peep into futurity, to learnwhat they have to expect to render life interesting, and to breakthe vacuum of ignorance. I must be allowed to expostulateseriously with the ladies, who follow these idle inventions; forladies, mistresses of families, are not ashamed to drive in theirown carriages to the door of the cunning man. And if any of themshould peruse this work, I entreat them to answer to their ownhearts the following questions, not forgetting that they are in thepresence of God.

　　Do you believe that there is but one God, and that he is powerful,wise, and good?

　　Do you believe that all things were created by him, and that allbeings are dependent on him?

　　Do you rely on his wisdom, so conspicuous in his works, and in yourown frame, and are you convinced, that he has ordered all thingswhich do not come under the cognizance of your senses, in the sameperfect harmony, to fulfil his designs?

　　Do you acknowledge that the power of looking into futurity andseeing things that are not, as if they were, is an attribute of theCreator? And should he, by an impression on the minds of hiscreatures, think fit to impart to them some event hid in the shadesof time, yet unborn, to whom would the secret be revealed byimmediate inspiration? The opinion of ages will answer thisquestion—to reverend old men, to people distinguished for eminentpiety.

　　The oracles of old were thus delivered by priests dedicated to theservice of the God, who was supposed to inspire them. The glare ofworldly pomp which surrounded these impostors, and the respect paidto them by artful politicians, who knew how to avail themselves ofthis useful engine to bend the necks of the strong under thedominion of the cunning, spread a sacred mysterious veil ofsanctity over their lies and abominations. Impressed by suchsolemn devotional parade, a Greek or Roman lady might be excused,if she inquired of the oracle, when she was anxious to pry intofuturity, or inquire about some dubious event: and her inquiries,however contrary to reason, could not be reckoned impious. But,can the professors of Christianity ward off that imputation? Can aChristian suppose, that the favourites of the most High, the highlyfavoured would be obliged to lurk in disguise, and practise themost dishonest tricks to cheat silly women out of the money, whichthe poor cry for in vain?

　　Say not that such questions are an insult to common sense for it isyour own conduct, O ye foolish women! which throws an odium on yoursex! And these reflections should make you shudder at yourthoughtlessness, and irrational devotion, for I do not suppose thatall of you laid aside your religion, such as it is, when youentered those mysterious dwellings. Yet, as I have throughoutsupposed myself talking to ignorant women, for ignorant ye are inthe most emphatical sense of the word, it would be absurd to reasonwith you on the egregious folly of desiring to know what theSupreme Wisdom has concealed.

　　Probably you would not understand me, were I to attempt to show youthat it would be absolutely inconsistent with the grand purpose oflife, that of rendering human creatures wise and virtuous: andthat, were it sanctioned by God, it would disturb the orderestablished in creation; and if it be not sanctioned by God, do youexpect to hear truth? Can events be foretold, events which havenot yet assumed a body to become subject to mortal inspection, canthey be foreseen by a vicious worldling, who pampers his appetitesby preying on the foolish ones?

　　Perhaps, however, you devoutly believe in the devil, and imagine,to shift the question, that he may assist his votaries? but ifreally respecting the power of such a being, an enemy to goodnessand to God, can you go to church after having been under such anobligation to him. From these delusions to those still morefashionable deceptions, practised by the whole tribe ofmagnetisers, the transition is very natural. With respect to them,it is equally proper to ask women a few questions.

　　Do you know any thing of the construction of the human frame? Ifnot, it is proper that you should be told, what every child oughtto know, that when its admirable economy has been disturbed byintemperance or indolence, I speak not of violent disorders, but ofchronical diseases, it must be brought into a healthy state againby slow degrees, and if the functions of life have not beenmaterially injured, regimen, another word for temperance, air,exercise, and a few medicines prescribed by persons who havestudied the human body, are the only human means, yet discovered,of recovering that inestimable blessing health, that will bearinvestigation.

　　Do you then believe, that these magnetisers, who, by hocus pocustricks, pretend, to work a miracle, are delegated by God, orassisted by the solver of all these kind of difficulties—thedevil.

　　Do they, when they put to flight, as it is said, disorders thathave baffled the powers of medicine, work in conformity to thelight of reason? Or do they effect these wonderful cures bysupernatural aid?

　　By a communication, an adept may answer, with the world of spirits.A noble privilege, it must be allowed. Some of the ancientsmention familiar demons, who guarded them from danger, by kindlyintimating (we cannot guess in what manner,) when any danger wasnigh; or pointed out what they ought to undertake. Yet the men wholaid claim to this privilege, out of the order of nature, insisted,that it was the reward or consequence of superior temperance andpiety. But the present workers of wonders are not raised abovetheir fellows by superior temperance or sanctity. They do not curefor the love of God, but money. These are the priests of quackery,though it be true they have not the convenient expedient of sellingmasses for souls in purgatory, nor churches, where they can displaycrutches, and models of limbs made sound by a touch or a word.

　　I am not conversant with the technical terms, nor initiated intothe arcana, therefore I may speak improperly; but it is clear, thatmen who will not conform to the law of reason, and earn asubsistence in an honest way, by degrees, are very fortunate inbecoming acquainted with such obliging spirits. We cannot, indeed,give them credit for either great sagacity or goodness, else theywould have chosen more noble instruments, when they wished to showthemselves the benevolent friends of man.

　　It is, however, little short of blasphemy to pretend to such power.

　　>From the whole tenor of the dispensations of Providence, it appearsevident to sober reason, that certain vices produce certaineffects: and can any one so grossly insult the wisdom of God, as tosuppose, that a miracle will be allowed to disturb his generallaws, to restore to health the intemperate and vicious, merely toenable them to pursue the same course with impunity? Be whole, andsin no more, said Jesus. And are greater miracles to be performedby those who do not follow his footsteps, who healed the body toreach the mind?

　　The mentioning of the name of Christ, after such vile impostors maydisplease some of my readers—I respect their warmth; but let themnot forget, that the followers of these delusions bear his name,and profess to be the disciples of him, who said, by their works weshould 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 bemagnetised, than to restrain our appetites or govern our passions;but health of body or mind can only be recovered by these means, orwe make the Supreme Judge partial and revengeful.

　　Is he a man, that he should change, or punish out of resentment?He—the common father, wounds but to heal, says reason, and ourirregularities producing certain consequences, we are forciblyshown the nature of vice; that thus learning to know good fromevil, by experience, we may hate one and love the other, inproportion to the wisdom which we attain. The poison contains theantidote; and we either reform our evil habits, and cease to sinagainst our own bodies, to use the forcible language of scripture,or a premature death, the punishment of sin, snaps the thread oflife.

　　Here an awful stop is put to our inquiries. But, why should Iconceal my sentiments? Considering the attributes of God, Ibelieve, that whatever punishment may follow, will tend, like theanguish of disease, to show the malignity of vice, for the purposeof reformation. Positive punishment appears so contrary to thenature of God, discoverable in all his works, and in our ownreason, that I could sooner believe that the Deity paid noattention to the conduct of men, than that he punished without thebenevolent design of reforming.

　　To suppose only, that an all-wise and powerful Being, as good as heis great, should create a being, foreseeing, that after fifty orsixty years of feverish existence, it would be plunged into neverending woe—is blasphemy. On what will the worm feed that is neverto die? On folly, on ignorance, say ye—I should blush indignantlyat drawing the natural conclusion, could I insert it, and wish towithdraw myself from the wing of my God! On such a supposition, Ispeak with reverence, he would be a consuming fire. We shouldwish, though vainly, to fly from his presence when fear absorbedlove, and darkness involved all his counsels.

　　I know that many devout people boast of submitting to the Will ofGod blindly, as to an arbitrary sceptre or rod, on the sameprinciple as the Indians worship the devil. In other words, likepeople in the common concerns of life, they do homage to power, andcringe under the foot that can crush them. Rational religion, onthe contrary, is a submission to the will of a being so perfectlywise, that all he wills must be directed by the proper motive—mustbe reasonable.

　　And, if thus we respect God, can we give credit to the mysteriousinsinuations which insult his laws? Can we believe, though itshould stare us in the face, that he would work a miracle toauthorize confusion by sanctioning an error? Yet we must eitherallow these impious conclusions, or treat with contempt everypromise to restore health to a diseased body by supernatural means,or to foretell, the incidents that can only be foreseen by God.

　　SECTION 13.2.Another instance of that feminine weakness of character, oftenproduced by a confined education, is a romantic twist of the mind,which has been very properly termed SENTIMENTAL.

　　Women, subjected by ignorance to their sensations, and only taughtto look for happiness in love, refine on sensual feelings, andadopt metaphysical notions respecting that passion, which lead themshamefully to neglect the duties of life, and frequently in themidst of these sublime refinements they plunge into actual vice.

　　These are the women who are amused by the reveries of the stupidnovelists, who, knowing little of human nature, work up staletales, and describe meretricious scenes, all retailed in asentimental jargon, which equally tend to corrupt the taste, anddraw the heart aside from its daily duties. I do not mention theunderstanding, because never having been exercised, its slumberingenergies rest inactive, like the lurking particles of fire whichare supposed universally to pervade matter.

　　Females, in fact, denied all political privileges, and not allowed,as married women, excepting in criminal cases, a civil existence,have their attention naturally drawn from the interest of the wholecommunity to that of the minute parts, though the private duty ofany member of society must be very imperfectly performed, when notconnected with the general good. The mighty business of femalelife is to please, and, restrained from entering into moreimportant concerns by political and civil oppression, sentimentsbecome events, and reflection deepens what it should, and wouldhave effaced, if the understanding had been allowed to take a widerrange.

　　But, confined to trifling employments, they naturally imbibeopinions which the only kind of reading calculated to interest aninnocent frivolous mind, inspires. Unable to grasp any thinggreat, is it surprising that they find the reading of history avery dry task, and disquisitions addressed to the understanding,intolerably tedious, and almost unintelligible? Thus are theynecessarily dependent on the novelist for amusement. Yet, when Iexclaim against novels, I mean when contrasted with those workswhich exercise the understanding and regulate the imagination. Forany kind of reading I think better than leaving a blank still ablank, because the mind must receive a degree of enlargement, andobtain a little strength by a slight exertion of its thinkingpowers; besides, even the productions that are only addressed tothe imagination, raise the reader a little above the grossgratification of appetites, to which the mind has not given a shadeof delicacy.

　　This observation is the result of experience; for I have knownseveral notable women, and one in particular, who was a very goodwoman—as good as such a narrow mind would allow her to be, whotook care that her daughters (three in number) should never see anovel. As she was a woman of fortune and fashion, they had variousmasters to attend them, and a sort of menial governess to watchtheir footsteps. From their masters they learned how tables,chairs, etc. were called in French and Italian; but as the fewbooks thrown in their way were far above their capacities, ordevotional, they neither acquired ideas nor sentiments, and passedtheir time, when not compelled to repeat WORDS, in dressing,quarrelling with each other, or conversing with their maids bystealth, till they were brought into company as marriageable.

　　Their mother, a widow, was busy in the mean time in keeping up herconnexions, as she termed a numerous acquaintance lest her girlsshould want a proper introduction into the great world. And theseyoung ladies, with minds vulgar in every sense of the word, andspoiled tempers, entered life puffed up with notions of their ownconsequence, and looking down with contempt on those who could notvie with them in dress and parade.

　　With respect to love, nature, or their nurses, had taken care toteach them the physical meaning of the word; and, as they had fewtopics of conversation, and fewer refinements of sentiment, theyexpressed their gross wishes not in very delicate phrases, whenthey spoke freely, talking of matrimony.

　　Could these girls have been injured by the perusal of novels? Ialmost forgot a shade in the character of one of them; she affecteda simplicity bordering on folly, and with a simper would utter themost immodest remarks and questions, the full meaning of which shehad learned whilst secluded from the world, and afraid to speak inher mother's presence, who governed with a high hand; they wereall educated, as she prided herself, in a most exemplary manner;and read their chapters and psalms before breakfast, never touchinga silly novel.

　　This is only one instance; but I recollect many other women who,not led by degrees to proper studies, and not permitted to choosefor themselves, have indeed been overgrown children; or haveobtained, by mixing in the world, a little of what is termed commonsense; that is, a distinct manner of seeing common occurrences, asthey stand detached: but what deserves the name of intellect, thepower of gaining general or abstract ideas, or even intermediateones, was out of the question. Their minds were quiescent, andwhen they were not roused by sensible objects and employments ofthat kind, they were low-spirited, would cry, or go to sleep.

　　When, therefore, I advise my sex not to read such flimsy works, itis to induce them to read something superior; for I coincide inopinion with a sagacious man, who, having a daughter and nieceunder his care, pursued a very different plan with each.

　　The niece, who had considerable abilities, had, before she was leftto his guardianship, been indulged in desultory reading. Her heendeavoured to lead, and did lead, to history and moral essays; buthis daughter whom a fond weak mother had indulged, and whoconsequently was averse to every thing like application, he allowedto read novels; and used to justify his conduct by saying, that ifshe ever attained a relish for reading them, he should have somefoundation to work upon; and that erroneous opinions were betterthan none at all.

　　In fact, the female mind has been so totally neglected, thatknowledge was only to be acquired from this muddy source, till fromreading novels some women of superior talents learned to despisethem.

　　The best method, I believe, that can be adopted to correct afondness for novels is to ridicule them; not indiscriminately, forthen it would have little effect; but, if a judicious person, withsome turn for humour, would read several to a young girl, and pointout, both by tones and apt comparisons with pathetic incidents andheroic characters in history, how foolishly and ridiculously theycaricatured human nature, just opinions might be substitutedinstead of romantic sentiments.

　　In one respect, however, the majority of both sexes resemble, andequally show a want of taste and modesty. Ignorant women, forcedto be chaste to preserve their reputation, allow their imaginationto revel in the unnatural and meretricious scenes sketched by thenovel writers of the day, slighting as insipid the sober dignityand matronly grace of history,* whilst men carry the same vitiatedtaste into life, and fly for amusement to the wanton, from theunsophisticated charms of virtue, and the grave respectability ofsense.

　　(*Footnote. I am not now alluding to that superiority of mindwhich leads to the creation of ideal beauty, when life surveyedwith a penetrating eye, appears a tragi-comedy, in which little canbe seen to satisfy the heart without the help of fancy.)

　　Besides, the reading of novels makes women, and particularly ladiesof fashion, very fond of using strong expressions and superlativesin conversation; and, though the dissipated artificial life whichthey lead prevents their cherishing any strong legitimate passion,the language of passion in affected tones slips for ever from theirglib tongues, and every trifle produces those phosphoric burstswhich only mimick in the dark the flame of passion.

　　SECTION 13.3.Ignorance and the mistaken cunning that nature sharpens in weakheads, as a principle of self-preservation, render women very fondof dress, and produce all the vanity which such a fondness maynaturally be expected to generate, to the exclusion of emulationand magnanimity.

　　I agree with Rousseau, that the physical part of the art ofpleasing consists in ornaments, and for that very reason I shouldguard girls against the contagious fondness for dress so common toweak women, that they may not rest in the physical part. Yet, weakare the women who imagine that they can long please without the aidof the mind; or, in other words, without the moral art of pleasing.But the moral art, if it be not a profanation to use the word art,when alluding to the grace which is an effect of virtue, and notthe motive of action, is never to be found with ignorance; thesportiveness of innocence, so pleasing to refined libertines ofboth sexes, is widely different in its essence from this superiorgracefulness.

　　A strong inclination for external ornaments ever appears inbarbarous states, only the men not the women adorn themselves; forwhere women are allowed to be so far on a level with men, societyhas advanced at least one step in civilization.

　　The attention to dress, therefore, which has been thought a sexualpropensity, I think natural to mankind. But I ought to expressmyself with more precision. When the mind is not sufficientlyopened to take pleasure in reflection, the body will be adornedwith sedulous care; and ambition will appear in tattooing orpainting it.

　　So far is the first inclination carried, that even the hellish yokeof slavery cannot stifle the savage desire of admiration which theblack heroes inherit from both their parents, for all thehardly-earned savings of a slave are commonly expended in a littletawdry finery. And I have seldom known a good male or femaleservant that was not particularly fond of dress. Their clotheswere their riches; and I argue from analogy, that the fondness fordress, so extravagant in females, arises from the same cause—wantof cultivation of mind. When men meet they converse aboutbusiness, politics, or literature; but, says Swift, "how naturallydo women apply their hands to each others lappets and ruffles."And very natural it is—for they have not any business to interestthem, have not a taste for literature, and they find politics dry,because they have not acquired a love for mankind by turning theirthoughts to the grand pursuits that exalt the human race andpromote general happiness.

　　Besides, various are the paths to power and fame, which by accidentor choice men pursue, and though they jostle against each other,for men of the same profession are seldom friends, yet there is amuch greater number of their fellow-creatures with whom they neverclash. But women are very differently situated with respect toeach other—for they are all rivals.

　　Before marriage it is their business to please men; and after, witha few exceptions, they follow the same scent, with all thepersevering pertinacity of instinct. Even virtuous women neverforget their sex in company, for they are for ever trying to makethemselves AGREEABLE. A female beauty and a male wit, appear to beequally anxious to draw the attention of the company to themselves;and the animosity of contemporary wits is proverbial.

　　Is it then surprising, that when the sole ambition of woman centresin beauty, and interest gives vanity additional force, perpetualrivalships should ensue? They are all running the same race, andwould rise above the virtue of mortals if they did not view eachother with a suspicious and even envious eye.

　　An immoderate fondness for dress, for pleasure and for sway, arethe passions of savages; the passions that occupy those uncivilizedbeings who have not yet extended the dominion of the mind, or evenlearned to think with the energy necessary to concatenate thatabstract train of thought which produces principles. And thatwomen, from their education and the present state of civilizedlife, are in the same condition, cannot, I think, be controverted.To laugh at them then, or satirize the follies of a being who isnever to be allowed to act freely from the light of her own reason,is as absurd as cruel; for that they who are taught blindly to obeyauthority, will endeavour cunningly to elude it, is most naturaland certain.

　　Yet let it be proved, that they ought to obey man implicitly, and Ishall immediately agree that it is woman's duty to cultivate afondness for dress, in order to please, and a propensity to cunningfor her own preservation.

　　The virtues, however, which are supported by ignorance, must everbe wavering—the house built on sand could not endure a storm. Itis almost unnecessary to draw the inference. If women are to bemade virtuous by authority, which is a contradiction in terms, letthem be immured in seraglios and watched with a jealous eye. Fearnot that the iron will enter into their souls—for the souls thatcan bear such treatment are made of yielding materials, justanimated enough to give life to the body.

　　"Matter too soft a lasting mark to bear,

　　And best distinguish'd by black, brown, or fair."

　　The most cruel wounds will of course soon heal, and they may stillpeople the world, and dress to please man—all the purposes whichcertain celebrated writers have allowed that they were created tofill.

　　SECTION 13.4.Women are supposed to possess more sensibility, and even humanity,than men, and their strong attachments and instantaneous emotionsof compassion are given as proofs; but the clinging affection ofignorance has seldom any thing noble in it, and may mostly beresolved into selfishness, as well as the affection of children andbrutes. I have known many weak women whose sensibility wasentirely engrossed by their husbands; and as for their humanity, itwas very faint indeed, or rather it was only a transient emotion ofcompassion, "Humanity does not consist in a squeamish ear," saysan eminent orator. "It belongs to the mind as well as the nerves."

　　But this kind of exclusive affection, though it degrade theindividual, should not be brought forward as a proof of theinferiority of the sex, because it is the natural consequence ofconfined views: for even women of superior sense, having theirattention turned to little employments, and private plans, rarelyrise to heroism, unless when spurred on by love; and love as anheroic passion, like genius, appears but once in an age. Itherefore agree with the moralist who asserts, "that women haveseldom so much generosity as men;" and that their narrowaffections, to which justice and humanity are often sacrificed,render the sex apparently inferior, especially as they are commonlyinspired by men; but I contend, that the heart would expand as theunderstanding gained strength, if women were not depressed fromtheir cradles.

　　I know that a little sensibility and great weakness will produce astrong sexual attachment, and that reason must cement friendship;consequently I allow, that more friendship is to be found in themale than the female world, and that men have a higher sense ofjustice. The exclusive affections of women seem indeed to resembleCato's most unjust love for his country. He wished to crushCarthage, not to save Rome, but to promote its vain glory; and ingeneral, it is to similar principles that humanity is sacrificed,for genuine duties support each other.

　　Besides, how can women be just or generous, when they are theslaves of injustice.

　　SECTION 13.5.As the rearing of children, that is, the laying a foundation ofsound health both of body and mind in the rising generation, hasjustly been insisted on as the peculiar destination of woman, theignorance that incapacitates them must be contrary to the order ofthings. And I contend, that their minds can take in much more, andought to do so, or they will never become sensible mothers. Manymen attend to the breeding of horses, and overlook the managementof the stable, who would, strange want of sense and feeling! thinkthemselves degraded by paying any attention to the nursery; yet,how many children are absolutely murdered by the ignorance ofwomen! But when they escape, and are neither destroyed byunnatural negligence nor blind fondness, how few are managedproperly with respect to the infant mind! So that to break thespirit, allowed to become vicious at home, a child is sent toschool; and the methods taken there, which must be taken to keep anumber of children in order, scatter the seeds of almost every vicein the soil thus forcibly torn up.

　　I have sometimes compared the struggles of these poor children whoought never to have felt restraint, nor would, had they been alwaysheld in with an even hand, to the despairing plunges of a spiritedfilly, which I have seen breaking on a strand; its feet sinkingdeeper and deeper in the sand every time it endeavoured to throwits rider, till at last it sullenly submitted.

　　I have always found horses, an animal I am attached to, verytractable when treated with humanity and steadiness, so that Idoubt whether the violent methods taken to break them, do notessentially injure them; I am, however, certain that a child shouldnever be thus forcibly tamed after it has injudiciously beenallowed to run wild; for every violation of justice and reason, inthe treatment of children, weakens their reason. And, so early dothey 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 businessof education is to correct, and very imperfectly is it done, ifdone hastily, the faults, which they would never have acquired iftheir mothers had had more understanding.

　　One striking instance of the folly of women must not be omitted.The manner in which they treat servants in the presence ofchildren, permitting them to suppose, that they ought to wait onthem, and bear their humours. A child should always be made toreceive assistance from a man or woman as a favour; and, as thefirst lesson of independence, they should practically be taught, bythe example of their mother, not to require that personalattendance which it is an insult to humanity to require, when inhealth; and instead of being led to assume airs of consequence, asense of their own weakness should first make them feel the naturalequality of man. Yet, how frequently have I indignantly heardservants imperiously called to put children to bed, and sent awayagain and again, because master or miss hung about mamma, to stay alittle longer. Thus made slavishly to attend the little idol, allthose most disgusting humours were exhibited which characterize aspoiled child.

　　In short, speaking of the majority of mothers, they leave theirchildren entirely to the care of servants: or, because they aretheir children, treat them as if they were little demi-gods, thoughI have always observed, that the women who thus idolize theirchildren, seldom show common humanity to servants, or feel theleast tenderness for any children but their own.

　　It is, however, these exclusive affections, and an individualmanner of seeing things, produced by ignorance, which keep womenfor ever at a stand, with respect to improvement, and make many ofthem dedicate their lives to their children only to weaken theirbodies and spoil their tempers, frustrating also any plan ofeducation that a more rational father may adopt; for unless amother concurs, the father who restrains will ever be considered asa tyrant.

　　But, fulfilling the duties of a mother, a woman with a soundconstitution, may still keep her person scrupulously neat, andassist to maintain her family, if necessary, or by reading andconversations with both sexes, indiscriminately, improve her mind.For nature has so wisely ordered things, that did women suckletheir children, they would preserve their own health, and therewould be such an interval between the birth of each child, that weshould seldom see a house full of babes. And did they pursue aplan of conduct, and not waste their time in following thefashionable vagaries of dress, the management of their householdand children need not shut them out from literature, nor preventtheir attaching themselves to a science, with that steady eye whichstrengthens the mind, or practising one of the fine arts thatcultivate the taste.

　　But, visiting to display finery, card playing, and balls, not tomention the idle bustle of morning trifling, draw women from theirduty, to render them insignificant, to render them pleasing,according to the present acceptation of the word, to every man, buttheir husband. For a round of pleasures in which the affectionsare not exercised, cannot be said to improve the understanding,though it be erroneously called seeing the world; yet the heart isrendered cold and averse to duty, by such a senseless intercourse,which becomes necessary from habit, even when it has ceased toamuse.

　　But, till more equality be established in society, till ranks areconfounded and women freed, we shall not see that dignifieddomestic happiness, the simple grandeur of which cannot be relishedby ignorant or vitiated minds; nor will the important task ofeducation ever be properly begun till the person of a woman is nolonger preferred to her mind. For it would be as wise to expectcorn from tares, or figs from thistles, as that a foolish ignorantwoman should be a good mother.

　　SECTION 13.6.It is not necessary to inform the sagacious reader, now I enter onmy concluding reflections, that the discussion of this subjectmerely consists in opening a few simple principles, and clearingaway the rubbish which obscured them. But, as all readers are notsagacious, I must be allowed to add some explanatory remarks tobring the subject home to reason—to that sluggish reason, whichsupinely takes opinions on trust, and obstinately supports them tospare itself the labour of thinking.

　　Moralists have unanimously agreed, that unless virtue be nursed byliberty, it will never attain due strength—and what they say ofman I extend to mankind, insisting, that in all cases morals mustbe fixed on immutable principles; and that the being cannot betermed rational or virtuous, who obeys any authority but that ofreason.

　　To render women truly useful members of society, I argue, that theyshould be led, by having their understandings cultivated on a largescale, to acquire a rational affection for their country, foundedon knowledge, because it is obvious, that we are little interestedabout what we do not understand. And to render this generalknowledge of due importance, I have endeavoured to show thatprivate duties are never properly fulfilled, unless theunderstanding enlarges the heart; and that public virtue is only anaggregate of private. But, the distinctions established in societyundermine both, by beating out the solid gold of virtue, till itbecomes only the tinsel-covering of vice; for, whilst wealthrenders a man more respectable than virtue, wealth will be soughtbefore virtue; and, whilst women's persons are caressed, when achildish simper shows an absence of mind—the mind will lie fallow.Yet, true voluptuousness must proceed from the mind—for what canequal the sensations produced by mutual affection, supported bymutual respect? What are the cold or feverish caresses ofappetite, but sin embracing death, compared with the modestoverflowings of a pure heart and exalted imagination? Yes, let metell the libertine of fancy when he despises understanding inwoman—that the mind, which he disregards, gives life to theenthusiastic affection from which rapture, short-lived as it is,alone can flow! And, that, without virtue, a sexual attachmentmust expire, like a tallow candle in the socket, creatingintolerable disgust. To prove this, I need only observe, that menwho have wasted great part of their lives with women, and with whomthey have sought for pleasure with eager thirst, entertain themeanest opinion of the sex. Virtue, true refiner of joy! iffoolish men were to fright thee from earth, in order to give looseto all their appetites without a check—some sensual wight of tastewould scale the heavens to invite thee back, to give a zest topleasure!

　　That women at present are by ignorance rendered foolish or vicious,is, I think, not to be disputed; and, that the most salutaryeffects tending to improve mankind, might be expected from aREVOLUTION in female manners, appears at least, with a face ofprobability, to rise out of the observation. For as marriage hasbeen termed the parent of those endearing charities, which draw manfrom the brutal herd, the corrupting intercourse that wealth,idleness, and folly produce between the sexes, is more universallyinjurious to morality, than all the other vices of mankindcollectively considered. To adulterous lust the most sacred dutiesare sacrificed, because, before marriage, men, by a promiscuousintimacy with women, learned to consider love as a selfishgratification—learned to separate it not only from esteem, butfrom the affection merely built on habit, which mixes a littlehumanity with it. Justice and friendship are also set at defiance,and that purity of taste is vitiated, which would naturally lead aman to relish an artless display of affection, rather than affectedairs. But that noble simplicity of affection, which dares toappear unadorned, has few attractions for the libertine, though itbe the charm, which, by cementing the matrimonial tie, secures tothe pledges of a warmer passion the necessary parental attention;for children will never be properly educated till friendshipsubsists between parents. Virtue flies from a house dividedagainst itself—and a whole legion of devils take up theirresidence there.

　　The affection of husbands and wives cannot be pure when they haveso few sentiments in common, and when so little confidence isestablished at home, as must be the case when their pursuits are sodifferent. That intimacy from which tenderness should flow, willnot, cannot subsist between the vicious.

　　Contending, therefore, that the sexual distinction, which men haveso warmly insisted upon, is arbitrary, I have dwelt on anobservation, that several sensible men, with whom I have conversedon the subject, allowed to be well founded; and it is simply this,that the little chastity to be found amongst men, and consequentdisregard of modesty, tend to degrade both sexes; and further, thatthe modesty of women, characterized as such, will often be only theartful veil of wantonness, instead of being the natural reflectionof purity, till modesty be universally respected.

　　>From the tyranny of man, I firmly believe, the greater number offemale follies proceed; and the cunning, which I allow, makes atpresent a part of their character, I likewise have repeatedlyendeavoured to prove, is produced by oppression. Were notdissenters, for instance, a class of people, with strict truthcharacterized as cunning? And may I not lay some stress on thisfact to prove, that when any power but reason curbs the free spiritof man, dissimulation is practised, and the various shifts of artare naturally called forth? Great attention to decorum, which wascarried to a degree of scrupulosity, and all that puerile bustleabout trifles and consequential solemnity, which Butler'scaricature of a dissenter brings before the imagination, shapedtheir persons as well as their minds in the mould of primlittleness. I speak collectively, for I know how many ornaments tohuman nature have been enrolled amongst sectaries; yet, I assert,that the same narrow prejudice for their sect, which women have fortheir families, prevailed in the dissenting part of the community,however worthy in other respects; and also that the same timidprudence, or headstrong efforts, often disgraced the exertions ofboth. Oppression thus formed many of the features of theircharacter perfectly to coincide with that of the oppressed half ofmankind; 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 wasbrought about? A similar attention to preserve their reputationwas conspicuous in the dissenting and female world, and wasproduced by a similar cause.

　　Asserting the rights which women in common with men ought tocontend for, I have not attempted to extenuate their faults; but toprove them to be the natural consequence of their education andstation in society. If so, it is reasonable to suppose, that theywill change their character, and correct their vices and follies,when they are allowed to be free in a physical, moral, and civilsense.

　　Let woman share the rights, and she will emulate the virtues ofman; for she must grow more perfect when emancipated, or justifythe authority that chains such a weak being to her duty. If thelatter, it will be expedient to open a fresh trade with Russia forwhips; a present which a father should always make to hisson-in-law on his wedding day, that a husband may keep his wholefamily in order by the same means; and without any violation ofjustice reign, wielding this sceptre, sole master of his house,because he is the only being in it who has reason; the divine,indefeasible, earthly sovereignty breathed into man by the Masterof the universe. Allowing this position, women have not anyinherent rights to claim; and, by the same rule their dutiesvanish, for rights and duties are inseparable.

　　Be just then, O ye men of understanding! and mark not more severelywhat women do amiss, than the vicious tricks of the horse or theass for whom ye provide provender, and allow her the privileges ofignorance, to whom ye deny the rights of reason, or ye will beworse than Egyptian task-masters, expecting virtue where nature hasnot given understanding!