a vindication of the rights of woman-第20章

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elf。　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　stamped　with　the　heavenly　image；　that　is　not　perfected　by　the　exercise　of　its　own　reason？　　Yet　outwardly　ornamented　with　elaborate　care；　and　so　adorned　to　delight　man；　〃that　with　honour　he　may　love；〃　（Vide　Milton）　the　soul　of　woman　is　not　allowed　to　have　this　distinction；　and　man；　ever　placed　between　her　and　reason；　she　is　always　represented　as　only　created　to　see　through　a　gross　medium；　and　to　take　things　on　trust。　　But；　dismissing　these　fanciful　theories；　and　considering　woman　as　a　whole；　let　it　be　what　it　will；　instead　of　a　part　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　destroy　the　human　character。　Into　this　error　men　have；　probably；　been　led　by　viewing　education　in　a　false　light；　not　considering　it　as　the　first　step　to　form　a　being　advancing　gradually　toward　perfection；　（This　word　is　not　strictly　just；　but　I　cannot　find　a　better。）　but　only　as　a　preparation　for　life。　　On　this　sensual　error；　for　I　must　call　it　so；　has　the　false　system　of　female　manners　been　reared；　which　robs　the　whole　sex　of　its　dignity；　and　classes　the　brown　and　fair　with　the　smiling　flowers　that　only　adorn　the　land。　　This　has　ever　been　the　language　of　men；　and　the　fear　of　departing　from　a　supposed　sexual　character；　has　made　even　women　of　superior　sense　adopt　the　same　sentiments。　　Thus　understanding；　strictly　speaking；　has　been　denied　to　woman；　and　instinct；　sublimated　into　wit　and　cunning；　for　the　purposes　of　life；　has　been　substituted　in　its　stead。　The　power　of　generalizing　ideas；　of　drawing　comprehensive　conclusions　from　individual　observations；　is　the　only　acquirement　for　an　immortal　being；　that　really　deserves　the　name　of　knowledge。　Merely　to　observe；　without　endeavouring　to　account　for　any　thing；　may；　（in　a　very　incomplete　manner）　serve　as　the　common　sense　of　life；　but　where　is　the　store　laid　up　that　is　to　clothe　the　soul　when　it　leaves　the　body？　This　power　has　not　only　been　denied　to　women；　but　writers　have　insisted　that　it　is　inconsistent；　with　a　few　exceptions；　with　their　sexual　character。　　Let　men　prove　this；　and　I　shall　grant　that　woman　only　exists　for　man。　　I　must；　however；　previously　remark；　that　the　power　of　generalizing　ideas；　to　any　great　extent；　is　not　very　common　amongst　men　or　women。　　But　this　exercise　is　the　true　cultivation　of　the　understanding；　and　every　thing　conspires　to　render　the　cultivation　of　the　understanding　more　difficult　in　the　female　than　the　male　world。　I　am　naturally　led　by　this　assertion　to　the　main　subject　of　the　present　chapter；　and　shall　now　attempt　to　point　out　some　of　the　causes　that　degrade　the　sex；　and　prevent　women　from　generalizing　their　observations。　I　shall　not　go　back　to　the　remote　annals　of　antiquity　to　trace　the　history　of　woman；　it　is　sufficient　to　allow；　that　she　has　always　been　either　a　slave　or　a　despot；　and　to　remark；　that　each　of　these　situations　equally　retards　the　progress　of　reason。　　The　grand　source　of　female　folly　and　vice　has　ever　appeared　to　me　to　arise　from　narrowness　of　mind；　and　the　very　constitution　of　civil　governments　has　put　almost　insuperable　obstacles　in　the　way　to　prevent　the　cultivation　of　the　female　understanding：　　yet　virtue　can　be　built　on　no　other　foundation！　　The　same　obstacles　are　thrown　in　the　way　of　the　rich；　and　the　same　consequences　ensue。　Necessity　has　been　proverbially　termed　the　mother　of　invention；　the　aphorism　may　be　extended　to　virtue。　　It　is　an　acquirement；　and　an　acquirement　to　which　pleasure　must　be　sacrificed；　and　who　sacrifices　pleasure　when　it　is　within　the　grasp；　whose　mind　has　not　been　opened　and　strengthened　by　adversity；　or　the　pursuit　of　knowledge　goaded　on　by　necessity？　　Happy　is　it　when　people　have　the　cares　of　life　to　struggle　with；　for　these　struggles　prevent　their　becoming　a　prey　to　enervating　vices；　merely　from　idleness！　　But；　if　from　their　birth　men　and　women　are　placed　in　a　torrid　zone；　with　the　meridian　sun　of　pleasure　darting　directly　upon　them；　how　can　they　sufficiently　brace　their　minds　to　discharge　the　duties　of　life；　or　even　to　relish　the　affections　that　carry　them　out　of　themselves？　Pleasure　is　the　business　of　a　woman's　life；　according　to　the　present　modification　of　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　exercise　of　reason；　might　have　procured　them；　and　chosen　rather　to　be　short…lived　queens　than　labour　to　attain　the　sober　pleasures　that　arise　from　equality。　Exalted　by　their　inferiority　（this　sounds　like　a　contradiction）　they　constantly　demand　homage　as　women；　though　experience　should　teach　them　that　the　men　who　pride　themselves　upon　paying　this　arbitrary　insolent　respect　to　the　sex；　with　the　most　scrupulous　exactness；　are　most　inclined　to　tyrannize　over；　and　despise　the　very　weakness　they　cherish。　　Often　do　they　repeat　Mr。　Hume's　sentiments；　when　comparing　the　French　and　Athenian　character；　he　alludes　to　women。　　〃But　what　is　more　singular　in　this　whimsical　nation；　say　I　to　the　Athenians；　is；　that　a　frolic　of　yours　during　the　Saturnalia；　when　the　slaves　are　served　by　their　masters；　is　seriously　continued　by　them　through　the　whole　year；　and　through　the　whole　course　of　their　lives；　accompanied　too　with　some　circumstances；　which　still　further　augment　the　absurdity　and　ridicule。　　Your　sport　only　elevates　for　a　few　days；　those　whom　fortune　has　thrown　down；　and　whom　she　too；　in　sport；　may　really　elevate　forever　above　you。　　But　this　nation　gravely　exalts　those；　whom　nature　has　subjected　to　them；　and　whose　inferiority　and　infirmities　are　absolutely　incurable。　　The　women；　though　without　virtue；　are　their　masters　and　sovereigns。〃　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　civility　which　the　dictates　of　humanity；　and　the　politeness　of　civilization　authorise　between　man　and　man？　　And　why　do　they　not　discover；　when　〃in　the　noon　of　beauty'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　plume　themselves；　and　stalk　with　mock…majesty　from　perch　to　perch。　　It　is　true；　they　are　provided　with　food　and　raiment；　for　which　they　neither　toil　nor　spin；　but　health；　liberty；　and　virtue　are　given　in　exchange。　　But；　where；　amongst　mankind　has　been　found　sufficient　strength　of　mind　to　enable　a　being　to　resign　these　adventitious　prerogatives；　one　who　rising　with　the　calm　dignity　of　reason　above　opinion；　dared　to　be　proud　of　the　privileges　inherent　in　man？　and　it　is　vain　to　expect　it　whilst　hereditary　power　chokes　the　affections；　and　nips　reason　in　the　bud。　The　passions　of　men　have　thus　pla