a vindication of the rights of woman-第17章

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s　have　been　more　under　the　restraint　of　law；　and　the　curb；　however　weak；　of　honour；　the　records　of　history　are　not　filled　with　such　unnatural　instances　of　folly　and　cruelty；　nor　does　the　despotism　that　kills　virtue　and　genius　in　the　bud；　hover　over　Europe　with　that　destructive　blast　which　desolates　Turkey；　and　renders　the　men；　as　well　as　the　soil　unfruitful。　Women　are　every　where　in　this　deplorable　state；　for；　in　order　to　preserve　their　innocence；　as　ignorance　is　courteously　termed；　truth　is　hidden　from　them；　and　they　are　made　to　assume　an　artificial　character　before　their　faculties　have　acquired　any　strength。　Taught　from　their　infancy；　that　beauty　is　woman's　sceptre；　the　mind　shapes　itself　to　the　body；　and；　roaming　round　its　gilt　cage；　only　seeks　to　adorn　its　prison。　　Men　have　various　employments　and　pursuits　which　engage　their　attention；　and　give　a　character　to　the　opening　mind；　but　women；　confined　to　one；　and　having　their　thoughts　constantly　directed　to　the　most　insignificant　part　of　themselves；　seldom　extend　their　views　beyond　the　triumph　of　the　hour。　　But　was　their　understanding　once　emancipated　from　the　slavery　to　which　the　pride　and　sensuality　of　man　and　their　short　sighted　desire；　like　that　of　dominion　in　tyrants；　of　present　sway；　has　subjected　them；　we　should　probably　read　of　their　weaknesses　with　surprise。　　I　must　be　allowed　to　pursue　the　argument　a　little　farther。　Perhaps；　if　the　existence　of　an　evil　being　was　allowed；　who；　in　the　allegorical　language　of　scripture；　went　about　seeking　whom　he　should　devour；　he　could　not　more　effectually　degrade　the　human　character　than　by　giving　a　man　absolute　power。　This　argument　branches　into　various　ramifications。　　Birth；　riches；　and　every　intrinsic　advantage　that　exalt　a　man　above　his　fellows；　without　any　mental　exertion；　sink　him　in　reality　below　them。　　In　proportion　to　his　weakness；　he　is　played　upon　by　designing　men；　till　the　bloated　monster　has　lost　all　traces　of　humanity。　　And　that　tribes　of　men；　like　flocks　of　sheep；　should　quietly　follow　such　a　leader；　is　a　solecism　that　only　a　desire　of　present　enjoyment　and　narrowness　of　understanding　can　solve。　　Educated　in　slavish　dependence；　and　enervated　by　luxury　and　sloth；　where　shall　we　find　men　who　will　stand　forth　to　assert　the　rights　of　man；　or　claim　the　privilege　of　moral　beings；　who　should　have　but　one　road　to　excellence？　Slavery　to　monarchs　and　ministers；　which　the　world　will　be　long　in　freeing　itself　from；　and　whose　deadly　grasp　stops　the　progress　of　the　human　mind；　is　not　yet　abolished。　Let　not　men　then　in　the　pride　of　power；　use　the　same　arguments　that　tyrannic　kings　and　venal　ministers　have　used；　and　fallaciously　assert；　that　woman　ought　to　be　subjected　because　she　has　always　been　so。　　But；　when　man；　governed　by　reasonable　laws；　enjoys　his　natural　freedom；　let　him　despise　woman；　if　she　do　not　share　it　with　him；　and；　till　that　glorious　period　arrives；　in　descanting　on　the　folly　of　the　sex；　let　him　not　overlook　his　own。　Women；　it　is　true；　obtaining　power　by　unjust　means；　by　practising　or　fostering　vice；　evidently　lose　the　rank　which　reason　would　assign　them；　and　they　become　either　abject　slaves　or　capricious　tyrants。　　They　lose　all　simplicity；　all　dignity　of　mind；　in　acquiring　power；　and　act　as　men　are　observed　to　act　when　they　have　been　exalted　by　the　same　means。　It　is　time　to　effect　a　revolution　in　female　manners；　time　to　restore　to　them　their　lost　dignity；　and　make　them；　as　a　part　of　the　human　species；　labour　by　reforming　themselves　to　reform　the　world。　It　is　time　to　separate　unchangeable　morals　from　local　manners。　　If　men　be　demi…gods；　why　let　us　serve　them！　　And　if　the　dignity　of　the　female　soul　be　as　disputable　as　that　of　animals；　if　their　reason　does　not　afford　sufficient　light　to　direct　their　conduct　whilst　unerring　instinct　is　denied；　they　are　surely　of　all　creatures　the　most　miserable　and；　bent　beneath　the　iron　hand　of　destiny；　must　submit　to　be　a　FAIR　DEFECT　in　creation。　　But　to　justify　the　ways　of　providence　respecting　them；　by　pointing　out　some　irrefragable　reason　for　thus　making　such　a　large　portion　of　mankind　accountable　and　not　accountable；　would　puzzle　the　subtlest　casuist。　The　only　solid　foundation　for　morality　appears　to　be　the　character　of　the　Supreme　Being；　the　harmony　of　which　arises　from　a　balance　of　attributes；　and；　to　speak　with　reverence；　one　attribute　seems　to　imply　the　NECESSITY　of　another。　　He　must　be　just；　because　he　is　wise；　he　must　be　good；　because　he　is　omnipotent。　　For；　to　exalt　one　attribute　at　the　expense　of　another　equally　noble　and　necessary；　bears　the　stamp　of　the　warped　reason　of　man；　the　homage　of　passion。　Man；　accustomed　to　bow　down　to　power　in　his　savage　state；　can　seldom　divest　himself　of　this　barbarous　prejudice　even　when　civilization　determines　how　much　superior　mental　is　to　bodily　strength；　and　his　reason　is　clouded　by　these　crude　opinions；　even　when　he　thinks　of　the　Deity。　　His　omnipotence　is　made　to　swallow　up；　or　preside　over　his　other　attributes；　and　those　mortals　are　supposed　to　limit　his　power　irreverently；　who　think　that　it　must　be　regulated　by　his　wisdom。　I　disclaim　that　species　of　humility　which；　after　investigating　nature；　stops　at　the　author。　　The　high　and　lofty　One；　who　inhabiteth　eternity；　doubtless　possesses　many　attributes　of　which　we　can　form　no　conception；　but　reason　tells　me　that　they　cannot　clash　with　those　I　adore；　and　I　am　compelled　to　listen　to　her　voice。　It　seems　natural　for　man　to　search　for　excellence；　and　either　to　trace　it　in　the　object　that　he　worships；　or　blindly　to　invest　it　with　perfection　as　a　garment。　　But　what　good　effect　can　the　latter　mode　of　worship　have　on　the　moral　conduct　of　a　rational　being？　　He　bends　to　power；　he　adores　a　dark　cloud；　which　may　open　a　bright　prospect　to　him；　or　burst　in　angry；　lawless　fury　on　his　devoted　head；　he　knows　not　why。　　And；　supposing　that　the　Deity　acts　from　the　vague　impulse　of　an　undirected　will；　man　must　also　follow　his　own；　or　act　according　to　rules；　deduced　from　principles　which　he　disclaims　as　irreverent。　　Into　this　dilemma　have　both　enthusiasts　and　cooler　thinkers　fallen；　when　they　laboured　to　free　men　from　the　wholesome　restraints　which　a　just　conception　of　the　character　of　God　imposes。　It　is　not　impious　thus　to　scan　the　attributes　of　the　Almighty：　　in　fact；　who　can　avoid　it　that　exercises　his　faculties？　for　to　love　God　as　the　fountain　of　wisdom；　goodness；　and　power；　appears　to　be　the　only　worship　useful　to　a　being　who　wishes　to　acquire　either　virtue　or　knowledge。　　A　blind　unsettled　affection　may；　like　human　passions；　occupy　the　mind　and　warm　the　heart；　whilst；　to　do　justice；　love　mercy；　and　walk　humbly　with　our　God；　is　forgotten。　　I　shall　pursue　this　subject　still　further；　when　I　consider　religion　in　a　light　opposite　to　that　recommended　by　Dr。　Gregory；　who　treats　it　as　a　matter　of　sentiment　or　taste。　To　return　from　this　apparent　digression。　　It　were　to　be　wished；　that　women　would　cherish　an　affection　for　their　husbands；　founded　on　the　same　principle　that　devotion　ought　to　rest　upon。　　No　other　firm　base　is　there　under　heaven；　for　let　them　beware　of　the　fallacious　light　of　sentiment；　too　often　used　as　a　softer　phrase　for　sensuality。　　It　follows　then；　I　think；　that　from　their　infancy　women　should　either　be　s