a vindication of the rights of woman-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　phrase　for　sensuality。　　It　follows　then；　I　think；　that　from　their　infancy　women　should　either　be　shut　up　like　eastern　princes；　or　educated　in　such　a　manner　as　to　be　able　to　think　and　act　for　themselves。　Why　do　men　halt　between　two　opinions；　and　expect　impossibilities？　Why　do　they　expect　virtue　from　a　slave；　or　from　a　being　whom　the　constitution　of　civil　society　has　rendered　weak；　if　not　vicious？　Still　I　know　that　it　will　require　a　considerable　length　of　time　to　eradicate　the　firmly　rooted　prejudices　which　sensualists　have　planted；　it　will　also　require　some　time　to　convince　women　that　they　act　contrary　to　their　real　interest　on　an　enlarged　scale；　when　they　cherish　or　affect　weakness　under　the　name　of　delicacy；　and　to　convince　the　world　that　the　poisoned　source　of　female　vices　and　follies；　if　it　be　necessary；　in　compliance　with　custom；　to　use　synonymous　terms　in　a　lax　sense；　has　been　the　sensual　homage　paid　to　beauty：　　to　beauty　of　features；　for　it　has　been　shrewdly　observed　by　a　German　writer；　that　a　pretty　woman；　as　an　object　of　desire；　is　generally　allowed　to　be　so　by　men　of　all　descriptions；　whilst　a　fine　woman；　who　inspires　more　sublime　emotions　by　displaying　intellectual　beauty；　may　be　overlooked　or　observed　with　indifference；　by　those　men　who　find　their　happiness　in　the　gratification　of　their　appetites。　　I　foresee　an　obvious　retort；　whilst　man　remains　such　an　imperfect　being　as　he　appears　hitherto　to　have　been；　he　will；　more　or　less；　be　the　slave　of　his　appetites；　and　those　women　obtaining　most　power　who　gratify　a　predominant　one；　the　sex　is　degraded　by　a　physical；　if　not　by　a　moral　necessity。　This　objection　has；　I　grant；　some　force；　but　while　such　a　sublime　precept　exists；　as；　〃be　pure　as　your　heavenly　father　is　pure；〃　it　would　seem　that　the　virtues　of　man　are　not　limited　by　the　Being　who　alone　could　limit　them；　and　that　he　may　press　forward　without　considering　whether　he　steps　out　of　his　sphere　by　indulging　such　a　noble　ambition。　　To　the　wild　billows　it　has　been　said；　〃thus　far　shalt　thou　go；　and　no　further；　and　here　shall　thy　proud　waves　be　stayed。〃　　Vainly　then　do　they　beat　and　foam；　restrained　by　the　power　that　confines　the　struggling　planets　within　their　orbits；　matter　yields　to　the　great　governing　Spirit。　　But　an　immortal　soul；　not　restrained　by　mechanical　laws；　and　struggling　to　free　itself　from　the　shackles　of　matter；　contributes　to；　instead　of　disturbing；　the　order　of　creation；　when；　co…operating　with　the　Father　of　spirits；　it　tries　to　govern　itself　by　the　invariable　rule　that；　in　a　degree；　before　which　our　imagination　faints；　the　universe　is　regulated。　Besides；　if　women　are　educated　for　dependence；　that　is；　to　act　according　to　the　will　of　another　fallible　being；　and　submit；　right　or　wrong；　to　power；　where　are　we　to　stop？　　Are　they　to　be　considered　as　viceregents；　allowed　to　reign　over　a　small　domain；　and　answerable　for　their　conduct　to　a　higher　tribunal；　liable　to　error？　It　will　not　be　difficult　to　prove；　that　such　delegates　will　act　like　men　subjected　by　fear；　and　make　their　children　and　servants　endure　their　tyrannical　oppression。　　As　they　submit　without　reason；　they　will；　having　no　fixed　rules　to　square　their　conduct　by；　be　kind　or　cruel；　just　as　the　whim　of　the　moment　directs；　and　we　ought　not　to　wonder　if　sometimes；　galled　by　their　heavy　yoke；　they　take　a　malignant　pleasure　in　resting　it　on　weaker　shoulders。　But；　supposing　a　woman；　trained　up　to　obedience；　be　married　to　a　sensible　man；　who　directs　her　judgment；　without　making　her　feel　the　servility　of　her　subjection；　to　act　with　as　much　propriety　by　this　reflected　light　as　can　be　expected　when　reason　is　taken　at　second　hand；　yet　she　cannot　ensure　the　life　of　her　protector；　he　may　die　and　leave　her　with　a　large　family。　A　double　duty　devolves　on　her；　to　educate　them　in　the　character　of　both　father　and　mother；　to　form　their　principles　and　secure　their　property。　　But；　alas！　she　has　never　thought；　much　less　acted　for　herself。　　She　has　only　learned　to　please　men；　to　depend　gracefully　on　them；　yet；　encumbered　with　children；　how　is　she　to　obtain　another　protector；　a　husband　to　supply　the　place　of　reason？　　A　rational　man；　for　we　are　not　treading　on　romantic　ground；　though　he　may　think　her　a　pleasing　docile　creature；　will　not　choose　to　marry　a　FAMILY　for　love；　when　the　world　contains　many　more　pretty　creatures。　　What　is　then　to　become　of　her？　　She　either　falls　an　easy　prey　to　some　mean　fortune　hunter；　who　defrauds　her　children　of　their　paternal　inheritance；　and　renders　her　miserable；　or　becomes　the　victim　of　discontent　and　blind　indulgence。　　Unable　to　educate　her　sons；　or　impress　them　with　respect；　for　it　is　not　a　play　on　words　to　assert；　that　people　are　never　respected；　though　filling　an　important　station；　who　are　not　respectable；　she　pines　under　the　anguish　of　unavailing　impotent　regret。　　The　serpent's　tooth　enters　into　her　very　soul；　and　the　vices　of　licentious　youth　bring　her　with　sorrow；　if　not　with　poverty　also；　to　the　grave。　This　is　not　an　overcharged　picture；　on　the　contrary；　it　is　a　very　possible　case；　and　something　similar　must　have　fallen　under　every　attentive　eye。　I　have；　however；　taken　it　for　granted；　that　she　was　well　disposed；　though　experience　shows；　that　the　blind　may　as　easily　be　led　into　a　ditch　as　along　the　beaten　road。　　But　supposing；　no　very　improbable　conjecture；　that　a　being　only　taught　to　please　must　still　find　her　happiness　in　pleasing；　what　an　example　of　folly；　not　to　say　vice；　will　she　be　to　her　innocent　daughters！　　The　mother　will　be　lost　in　the　coquette；　and；　instead　of　making　friends　of　her　daughters；　view　them　with　eyes　askance；　for　they　are　rivalsrivals　more　cruel　than　any　other；　because　they　invite　a　comparison；　and　drive　her　from　the　throne　of　beauty；　who　has　never　thought　of　a　seat　on　the　bench　of　reason。　It　does　not　require　a　lively　pencil；　or　the　discriminating　outline　of　a　caricature；　to　sketch　the　domestic　miseries　and　petty　vices　which　such　a　mistress　of　a　family　diffuses。　　Still　she　only　acts　as　a　woman　ought　to　act；　brought　up　according　to　Rousseau's　system。　She　can　never　be　reproached　for　being　masculine；　or　turning　out　of　her　sphere；　nay；　she　may　observe　another　of　his　grand　rules；　and；　cautiously　preserving　her　reputation　free　from　spot；　be　reckoned　a　good　kind　of　woman。　　Yet　in　what　respect　can　she　be　termed　good？　She　abstains；　it　is　true；　without　any　great　struggle；　from　committing　gross　crimes；　but　how　does　she　fulfil　her　duties？　Duties！in　truth　she　has　enough　to　think　of　to　adorn　her　body　and　nurse　a　weak　constitution。　With　respect　to　religion；　she　never　presumed　to　judge　for　herself；　but　conformed；　as　a　dependent　creature　should；　to　the　ceremonies　of　the　church　which　she　was　brought　up　in；　piously　believing；　that　wiser　heads　than　her　own　have　settled　that　business：　　and　not　to　doubt　is　her　point　of　perfection。　　She　therefore　pays　her　tythe　of　mint　and　cummin；　and　thanks　her　God　that　she　is　not　as　other　women　are。　　These　are　the　blessed　effects　of　a　good　education！　these　the　virtues　of　man's　helpmate。　　I　must　relieve　myself　by　drawing　a　different　picture。　Let　fancy　now　present　a　woman　with　a　tolerable　understanding；　for　I　do　not　wish　to　leave　the　line　of　mediocrity；　whose　constitution；　strengthened　by　exercise；　has　all