CHAPTER 8.

by Mary Wollstonecraft

　　MORALITY UNDERMINED BY SEXUAL NOTIONS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOODREPUTATION.It has long since occurred to me, that advice respecting behaviour,and all the various modes of preserving a good reputation, whichhave been so strenuously inculcated on the female world, werespecious poisons, that incrusting morality eat away the substance.And, that this measuring of shadows produced a false calculation,because their length depends so much on the height of the sun, andother adventitious circumstances.

　　>From whence arises the easy fallacious behaviour of a courtier?>From this situation, undoubtedly: for standing in need ofdependents, he is obliged to learn the art of denying withoutgiving offence, and, of evasively feeding hope with the chameleon'sfood; thus does politeness sport with truth, and eating away thesincerity and humanity natural to man, produce the fine gentleman.

　　Women in the same way acquire, from a supposed necessity, anequally artificial mode of behaviour. Yet truth is not withimpunity to be sported with, for the practised dissembler, at last,becomes the dupe of his own arts, loses that sagacity which hasbeen justly termed common sense; namely, a quick perception ofcommon truths: which are constantly received as such by theunsophisticated mind, though it might not have had sufficientenergy to discover them itself, when obscured by local prejudices.The greater number of people take their opinions on trust, to avoidthe trouble of exercising their own minds, and these indolentbeings naturally adhere to the letter, rather than the spirit of alaw, divine or human. "Women," says some author, I cannotrecollect who, "mind not what only heaven sees." Why, indeedshould they? it is the eye of man that they have been taught todread—and if they can lull their Argus to sleep, they seldom thinkof heaven or themselves, because their reputation is safe; and itis reputation not chastity and all its fair train, that they areemployed to keep free from spot, not as a virtue, but to preservetheir station in the world.

　　To prove the truth of this remark, I need only advert to theintrigues of married women, particularly in high life, and incountries where women are suitably married, according to theirrespective ranks by their parents. If an innocent girl become aprey to love, she is degraded forever, though her mind was notpolluted by the arts which married women, under the convenientcloak of marriage, practise; nor has she violated any duty—but theduty of respecting herself. The married woman, on the contrary,breaks a most sacred engagement, and becomes a cruel mother whenshe is a false and faithless wife. If her husband has still anaffection for her, the arts which she must practise to deceive him,will render her the most contemptible of human beings; and at anyrate, the contrivances necessary to preserve appearances, will keepher mind in that childish or vicious tumult which destroys all itsenergy. Besides, in time, like those people who habitually takecordials to raise their spirits, she will want an intrigue to givelife to her thoughts, having lost all relish for pleasures that arenot highly seasoned by hope or fear.

　　Sometimes married women act still more audaciously; I will mentionan instance.

　　A woman of quality, notorious for her gallantries, though as shestill lived with her husband, nobody chose to place her in theclass where she ought to have been placed, made a point of treatingwith the most insulting contempt a poor timid creature, abashed bya sense of her former weakness, whom a neighbouring gentleman hadseduced and afterwards married. This woman had actually confoundedvirtue with reputation; and, I do believe, valued herself on thepropriety of her behaviour before marriage, though when oncesettled, to the satisfaction of her family, she and her lord wereequally faithless—so that the half alive heir to an immense estatecame from heaven knows where!

　　To view this subject in another light.

　　I have known a number of women who, if they did not love theirhusbands, loved nobody else, giving themselves entirely up tovanity and dissipation, neglecting every domestic duty; nay, evensquandering away all the money which should have been saved fortheir helpless younger children, yet have plumed themselves ontheir unsullied reputation, as if the whole compass of their dutyas wives and mothers was only to preserve it. Whilst otherindolent women, neglecting every personal duty, have thought thatthey deserved their husband's affection, because they acted in thisrespect with propriety.

　　Weak minds are always fond of resting in the ceremonials of duty,but morality offers much simpler motives; and it were to be wishedthat superficial moralists had said less respecting behaviour, andoutward observances, for unless virtue, of any kind, is built onknowledge, it will only produce a kind of insipid decency. Respectfor the opinion of the world, has, however, been termed theprincipal duty of woman in the most express words, for Rousseaudeclares, "that reputation is no less indispensable than chastity.""A man," adds he, "secure in his own good conduct, depends only onhimself, and may brave the public opinion; but a woman, in behavingwell, performs but half her duty; as what is thought of her, is asimportant to her as what she really is. It follows hence, that thesystem of a woman's education should, in this respect, be directlycontrary to that of ours. Opinion is the grave of virtue among themen; but its throne among women." It is strictly logical to infer,that the virtue that rests on opinion is merely worldly, and thatit is the virtue of a being to whom reason has been denied. But,even with respect to the opinion of the world, I am convinced, thatthis class of reasoners are mistaken.

　　This regard for reputation, independent of its being one of thenatural rewards of virtue, however, took its rise from a cause thatI have already deplored as the grand source of female depravity,the impossibility of regaining respectability by a return tovirtue, though men preserve theirs during the indulgence of vice.It was natural for women then to endeavour to preserve what oncelost—was lost for ever, till this care swallowing up every othercare, reputation for chastity, became the one thing needful to thesex. But vain is the scrupulosity of ignorance, for neitherreligion nor virtue, when they reside in the heart, require such apuerile attention to mere ceremonies, because the behaviour must,upon the whole be proper, when the motive is pure.

　　To support my opinion I can produce very respectable authority; andthe authority of a cool reasoner ought to have weight to enforceconsideration, though not to establish a sentiment. Speaking ofthe general laws of morality, Dr. Smith observes—"That by somevery extraordinary and unlucky circumstance, a good man may come tobe suspected of a crime of which he was altogether incapable, andupon that account be most unjustly exposed for the remaining partof his life to the horror and aversion of mankind. By an accidentof this kind he may be said to lose his all, notwithstanding hisintegrity and justice, in the same manner as a cautious man,notwithstanding his utmost circumspection, may be ruined by anearthquake or an inundation. Accidents of the first kind, however,are perhaps still more rare, and still more contrary to the commoncourse of things than those of the second; and it still remainstrue, that the practice of truth, justice and humanity, is acertain and almost infallible method of acquiring what thosevirtues chiefly aim at, the confidence and love of those we livewith. A person may be easily misrepresented with regard to aparticular action; but it is scarcely possible that he should be sowith regard to the general tenor of his conduct. An innocent manmay be believed to have done wrong: this, however, will rarelyhappen. On the contrary, the established opinion of the innocenceof his manners will often lead us to absolve him where he hasreally been in the fault, notwithstanding very strongpresumptions."

　　I perfectly coincide in opinion with this writer, for I verilybelieve, that few of either sex were ever despised for certainvices without deserving to be despised. I speak not of the calumnyof the moment, which hangs over a character, like one of the densefogs of November over this metropolis, till it gradually subsidesbefore the common light of day, I only contend, that the dailyconduct of the majority prevails to stamp their character with theimpression of truth. Quietly does the clear light, shining dayafter day, refute the ignorant surmise, or malicious tale, whichhas thrown dirt on a pure character. A false light distorted, fora short time, its shadow—reputation; but it seldom fails to becomejust when the cloud is dispersed that produced the mistake invision.

　　Many people, undoubtedly in several respects, obtain a betterreputation than, strictly speaking, they deserve, for unremittingindustry will mostly reach its goal in all races. They who onlystrive for this paltry prize, like the Pharisees, who prayed at thecorners of streets, to be seen of men, verily obtain the rewardthey seek; for the heart of man cannot be read by man! Still thefair fame that is naturally reflected by good actions, when the manis only employed to direct his steps aright, regardless of thelookers-on, is in general, not only more true but more sure.

　　There are, it is true, trials when the good man must appeal to Godfrom the injustice of man; and amidst the whining candour orhissing of envy, erect a pavilion in his own mind to retire to,till the rumour be overpast; nay, the darts of undeserved censuremay pierce an innocent tender bosom through with many sorrows; butthese are all exceptions to general rules. And it is according tothese common laws that human behaviour ought to be regulated. Theeccentric orbit of the comet never influences astronomicalcalculations respecting the invariable order established in themotion of the principal bodies of the solar system.

　　I will then venture to affirm, that after a man has arrived atmaturity, the general outline of his character in the world isjust, allowing for the before mentioned exceptions to the rule. Ido not say, that a prudent, worldly-wise man, with only negativevirtues and qualities, may not sometimes obtain a smootherreputation than a wiser or a better man. So far from it, that I amapt to conclude from experience, that where the virtue of twopeople is nearly equal, the most negative character will be likedbest by the world at large, whilst the other may have more friendsin private life. But the hills and dales, clouds and sunshine,conspicuous in the virtues of great men, set off each other; andthough they afford envious weakness a fairer mark to shoot at, thereal character will still work its way to light, though bespatteredby weak affection, or ingenious malice.*

　　(*Footnote. I allude to various biographical writings, butparticularly to Boswell's Life of Johnson.)

　　With respect to that anxiety to preserve a reputation hardlyearned, which leads sagacious people to analyze it, I shall notmake the obvious comment; but I am afraid that morality is veryinsidiously undermined, in the female world, by the attention beingturned to the show instead of the substance. A simple thing isthus made strangely complicated; nay, sometimes virtue and itsshadow are set at variance. We should never, perhaps, have heardof Lucretia, had she died to preserve her chastity instead of herreputation. If we really deserve our own good opinion, we shallcommonly be respected in the world; but if we pant after higherimprovement and higher attainments, it is not sufficient to viewourselves as we suppose that we are viewed by others, though thishas been ingeniously argued as the foundation of our moralsentiments. (Smith.) Because each bystander may have his ownprejudices, besides the prejudices of his age or country. Weshould rather endeavour to view ourselves, as we suppose that Beingviews us, who seeth each thought ripen into action, and whosejudgment never swerves from the eternal rule of right. Righteousare all his judgments—just, as merciful!

　　The humble mind that seeketh to find favour in His sight, andcalmly examines its conduct when only His presence is felt, willseldom form a very erroneous opinion of its own virtues. Duringthe still hour of self-collection, the angry brow of offendedjustice will be fearfully deprecated, or the tie which draws man tothe Deity will be recognized in the pure sentiment of reverentialadoration, that swells the heart without exciting any tumultuousemotions. In these solemn moments man discovers the germ of thosevices, which like the Java tree shed a pestiferous vapouraround—death is in the shade! and he perceives them withoutabhorrence, because he feels himself drawn by some cord of love toall his fellow creatures, for whose follies he is anxious to findevery extenuation in their nature—in himself. If I, he may thusargue, who exercise my own mind, and have been refined bytribulation, find the serpent's egg in some fold of my heart, andcrush it with difficulty, shall not I pity those who are stampedwith less vigour, or who have heedlessly nurtured the insidiousreptile till it poisoned the vital stream it sucked? Can I,conscious of my secret sins, throw off my fellow creatures, andcalmly see them drop into the chasm of perdition, that yawns toreceive them. No! no! The agonized heart will cry withsuffocating impatience—I too am a man! and have vices, hid,perhaps, from human eye, that bend me to the dust before God, andloudly tell me when all is mute, that we are formed of the sameearth, and breathe the same element. Humanity thus rises naturallyout of humility, and twists the cords of love that in variousconvolutions entangle the heart.

　　This sympathy extends still further, till a man well pleasedobserves force in arguments that do not carry conviction to his ownbosom, and he gladly places in the fairest light to himself, theshows of reason that have led others astray, rejoiced to find somereason in all the errors of man; though before convinced that hewho rules the day makes his sun to shine on all. Yet, shakinghands thus, as it were, with corruption, one foot on earth, theother with bold strides mounts to heaven, and claims kindred withsuperiour natures. Virtues, unobserved by men, drop their balmyfragrance at this cool hour, and the thirsty land, refreshed by thepure streams of comfort that suddenly gush out, is crowned withsmiling verdure; this is the living green on which that eye maylook with complacency that is too pure to behold iniquity! But myspirits flag; and I must silently indulge the reverie thesereflections lead to, unable to describe the sentiments that havecalmed my soul, when watching the rising sun, a soft showerdrizzling through the leaves of neighbouring trees, seemed to fallon my languid, yet tranquil spirits, to cool the heart that hadbeen heated by the passions which reason laboured to tame.

　　The leading principles which run through all my disquisitions,would render it unnecessary to enlarge on this subject, if aconstant attention to keep the varnish of the character fresh, andin good condition, were not often inculcated as the sum total offemale duty; if rules to regulate the behaviour, and to preservethe reputation, did not too frequently supersede moral obligations.But, with respect to reputation, the attention is confined to asingle virtue—chastity. If the honour of a woman, as it isabsurdly called, is safe, she may neglect every social duty; nay,ruin her family by gaming and extravagance; yet still present ashameless front —for truly she is an honourable woman!

　　Mrs. Macaulay has justly observed, that "there is but one faultwhich a woman of honour may not commit with impunity." She thenjustly and humanely adds—This has given rise to the trite andfoolish observation, that the first fault against chastity in womanhas a radical power to deprave the character. But no such frailbeings come out of the hands of nature. The human mind is built ofnobler materials than to be so easily corrupted; and with all theirdisadvantages of situation and education, women seldom becomeentirely abandoned till they are thrown into a state ofdesperation, by the venomous rancour of their own sex."

　　But, in proportion as this regard for the reputation of chastity isprized by women, it is despised by men: and the two extremes areequally destructive to morality.

　　Men are certainly more under the influence of their appetites thanwomen; and their appetites are more depraved by unbridledindulgence, and the fastidious contrivances of satiety. Luxury hasintroduced a refinement in eating that destroys the constitution;and, a degree of gluttony which is so beastly, that a perception ofseemliness of behaviour must be worn out before one being could eatimmoderately in the presence of another, and afterwards complain ofthe oppression that his intemperance naturally produced. Somewomen, particularly French women, have also lost a sense of decencyin this respect; for they will talk very calmly of an indigestion.It were to be wished, that idleness was not allowed to generate, onthe rank soil of wealth, those swarms of summer insects that feedon putrefaction; we should not then be disgusted by the sight ofsuch brutal excesses.

　　There is one rule relative to behaviour that, I think, ought toregulate every other; and it is simply to cherish such an habitualrespect for mankind, as may prevent us from disgusting a fellowcreature for the sake of a present indulgence. The shamefulindolence of many married women, and others a little advanced inlife, frequently leads them to sin against delicacy. For, thoughconvinced that the person is the band of union between the sexes,yet, how often do they from sheer indolence, or to enjoy sometrifling indulgence, disgust?

　　The depravity of the appetite, which brings the sexes together, hashad a still more fatal effect. Nature must ever be the standard oftaste, the guage of appetite—yet how grossly is nature insulted bythe voluptuary. Leaving the refinements of love out of thequestion; nature, by making the gratification of an appetite, inthis respect, as well as every other, a natural and imperious lawto preserve the species, exalts the appetite, and mixes a littlemind and affection with a sensual gust. The feelings of a parentmingling with an instinct merely animal, give it dignity; and theman and woman often meeting on account of the child, a mutualinterest and affection is excited by the exercise of a commonsympathy. Women then having necessarily some duty to fulfil, morenoble than to adorn their persons, would not contentedly be theslaves of casual appetite, which is now the situation of a veryconsiderable number who are, literally speaking, standing dishes towhich every glutton may have access.

　　I may be told, that great as this enormity is, it only affects adevoted part of the sex—devoted for the salvation of the rest.But, false as every assertion might easily be proved, thatrecommends the sanctioning a small evil to produce a greater good;the mischief does not stop here, for the moral character, and peaceof mind, of the chaster part of the sex, is undermined by theconduct of the very women to whom they allow no refuge from guilt:whom they inexorably consign to the exercise of arts that luretheir husbands from them, debauch their sons and force them, letnot modest women start, to assume, in some degree, the samecharacter themselves. For I will venture to assert, that all thecauses of female weakness, as well as depravity, which I havealready enlarged on, branch out of one grand cause—want ofchastity in men.

　　This intemperance, so prevalent, depraves the appetite to such adegree, that a wanton stimulus is necessary to rouse it; but theparental design of nature is forgotten, and the mere person, andthat, for a moment, alone engrosses the thoughts. So voluptuous,indeed, often grows the lustful prowler, that he refines on femalesoftness.

　　To satisfy this genius of men, women are made systematicallyvoluptuous, and though they may not all carry their libertinism tothe same height, yet this heartless intercourse with the sex, whichthey allow themselves, depraves both sexes, because the taste ofmen is vitiated; and women, of all classes, naturally square theirbehaviour to gratify the taste by which they obtain pleasure andpower. Women becoming, consequently weaker, in mind and body, thanthey ought to be, were one of the grand ends of their being takeninto the account, that of bearing and nursing children, have notsufficient strength to discharge the first duty of a mother; andsacrificing to lasciviousness the parental affection, that ennoblesinstinct, either destroy the embryo in the womb, or cast it offwhen born. Nature in every thing demands respect, and those whoviolate her laws seldom violate them with impunity. The weakenervated women who particularly catch the attention of libertines,are unfit to be mothers, though they may conceive; so that the richsensualist, who has rioted among women, spreading depravity andmisery, when he wishes to perpetuate his name, receives from hiswife only an half-formed being that inherits both its father's andmother's weakness.

　　Contrasting the humanity of the present age with the barbarism ofantiquity, great stress has been laid on the savage custom ofexposing the children whom their parents could not maintain; whilstthe man of sensibility, who thus, perhaps, complains, by hispromiscuous amours produces a most destructive barrenness andcontagious flagitiousness of manners. Surely nature never intendedthat women, by satisfying an appetite, should frustrate the verypurpose for which it was implanted?

　　I have before observed, that men ought to maintain the women whomthey have seduced; this would be one means of reforming femalemanners, and stopping an abuse that has an equally fatal effect onpopulation and morals. Another, no less obvious, would be to turnthe attention of woman to the real virtue of chastity; for tolittle respect has that woman a claim, on the score of modesty,though her reputation may be white as the driven snow, who smileson the libertine whilst she spurns the victims of his lawlessappetites and their own folly.

　　Besides, she has a taint of the same folly, pure as she esteemsherself, when she studiously adorns her person only to be seen bymen, to excite respectful sighs, and all the idle homage of what iscalled innocent gallantry. Did women really respect virtue for itsown sake, they would not seek for a compensation in vanity, for theself-denial which they are obliged to practise to preserve theirreputation, nor would they associate with men who set reputation atdefiance.

　　The two sexes mutually corrupt and improve each other. This Ibelieve to be an indisputable truth, extending it to every virtue.Chastity, modesty, public spirit, and all the noble train ofvirtues, on which social virtue and happiness are built, should beunderstood and cultivated by all mankind, or they will becultivated to little effect. And, instead of furnishing thevicious or idle with a pretext for violating some sacred duty, byterming it a sexual one, it would be wiser to show, that nature hasnot made any difference, for that the unchaste man doubly defeatsthe purpose of nature by rendering women barren, and destroying hisown constitution, though he avoids the shame that pursues the crimein the other sex. These are the physical consequences, the moralare still more alarming; for virtue is only a nominal distinctionwhen the duties of citizens, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, anddirectors of families, become merely the selfish ties ofconvenience.

　　Why then do philosophers look for public spirit? Public spiritmust be nurtured by private virtue, or it will resemble thefactitious sentiment which makes women careful to preserve theirreputation, and men their honour. A sentiment that often existsunsupported by virtue, unsupported by that sublime morality whichmakes the habitual breach of one duty a breach of the whole morallaw.