a vindication of the rights of woman-第25章

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istinction　of　fortune。　　The　evil　is　sometimes　more　serious；　and　domestics　are　deprived　of　innocent　indulgences；　and　made　to　work　beyond　their　strength；　in　order　to　enable　the　notable　woman　to　keep　a　better　table；　and　outshine　her　neighbours　in　finery　and　parade。　　If　she　attend　to　her　children；　it　is；　in　general；　to　dress　them　in　a　costly　mannerand；　whether；　this　attention　arises　from　vanity　or　fondness；　it　is　equally　pernicious。　Besides；　how　many　women　of　this　description　pass　their　days；　or；　at　least　their　evenings；　discontentedly。　　Their　husbands　acknowledge　that　they　are　good　managers；　and　chaste　wives；　but　leave　home　to　seek　for　more　agreeable；　may　I　be　allowed　to　use　a　significant　French　word；　piquant　society；　and　the　patient　drudge；　who　fulfils　her　task；　like　a　blind　horse　in　a　mill；　is　defrauded　of　her　just　reward；　for　the　wages　due　to　her　are　the　caresses　of　her　husband；　and　women　who　have　so　few　resources　in　themselves；　do　not　very　patiently　bear　this　privation　of　a　natural　right。　A　fine　lady；　on　the　contrary；　has　been　taught　to　look　down　with　contempt　on　the　vulgar　employments　of　life；　though　she　has　only　been　incited　to　acquire　accomplishments　that　rise　a　degree　above　sense；　for　even　corporeal　accomplishments　cannot　be　acquired　with　any　degree　of　precision；　unless　the　understanding　has　been　strengthened　by　exercise。　　Without　a　foundation　of　principles　taste　is　superficial；　and　grace　must　arise　from　something　deeper　than　imitation。　　The　imagination；　however；　is　heated；　and　the　feelings　rendered　fastidious；　if　not　sophisticated；　or；　a　counterpoise　of　judgment　is　not　acquired；　when　the　heart　still　remains　artless；　though　it　becomes　too　tender。　These　women　are　often　amiable；　and　their　hearts　are　really　more　sensible　to　general　benevolence；　more　alive　to　the　sentiments　that　civilize　life；　than　the　square　elbowed　family　drudge；　but；　wanting　a　due　proportion　of　reflection　and　self…government；　they　only　inspire　love；　and　are　the　mistresses　of　their　husbands；　whilst　they　have　any　hold　on　their　affections；　and　the　platonic　friends　of　his　male　acquaintance。　　These　are　the　fair　defects　in　nature；　the　women　who　appear　to　be　created　not　to　enjoy　the　fellowship　of　man；　but　to　save　him　from　sinking　into　absolute　brutality；　by　rubbing　off　the　rough　angles　of　his　character；　and　by　playful　dalliance　to　give　some　dignity　to　the　appetite　that　draws　him　to　them。　　Gracious　Creator　of　the　whole　human　race！　hast　thou　created　such　a　being　as　woman；　who　can　trace　thy　wisdom　in　thy　works；　and　feel　that　thou　alone　art　by　thy　nature；　exalted　above　herfor　no　better　purpose？　Can　she　believe　that　she　was　only　made　to　submit　to　man　her　equal；　a　being；　who；　like　her；　was　sent　into　the　world　to　acquire　virtue？　Can　she　consent　to　be　occupied　merely　to　please　him；　merely　to　adorn　the　earth；　when　her　soul　is　capable　of　rising　to　thee？　　And　can　she　rest　supinely　dependent　on　man　for　reason；　when　she　ought　to　mount　with　him　the　arduous　steeps　of　knowledge？　Yet；　if　love　be　the　supreme　good；　let　women　be　only　educated　to　inspire　it；　and　let　every　charm　be　polished　to　intoxicate　the　senses；　but；　if　they　are　moral　beings；　let　them　have　a　chance　to　become　intelligent；　and　let　love　to　man　be　only　a　part　of　that　glowing　flame　of　universal　love；　which；　after　encircling　humanity；　mounts　in　grateful　incense　to　God。　To　fulfil　domestic　duties　much　resolution　is　necessary；　and　a　serious　kind　of　perseverance　that　requires　a　more　firm　support　than　emotions；　however　lively　and　true　to　nature。　　To　give　an　example　of　order；　the　soul　of　virtue；　some　austerity　of　behaviour　must　be　adopted；　scarcely　to　be　expected　from　a　being　who；　from　its　infancy；　has　been　made　the　weathercock　of　its　own　sensations。　Whoever　rationally　means　to　be　useful；　must　have　a　plan　of　conduct；　and；　in　the　discharge　of　the　simplest　duty；　we　are　often　obliged　to　act　contrary　to　the　present　impulse　of　tenderness　or　compassion。　Severity　is　frequently　the　most　certain；　as　well　as　the　most　sublime　proof　of　affection；　and　the　want　of　this　power　over　the　feelings；　and　of　that　lofty；　dignified　affection；　which　makes　a　person　prefer　the　future　good　of　the　beloved　object　to　a　present　gratification；　is　the　reason　why　so　many　fond　mothers　spoil　their　children；　and　has　made　it　questionable；　whether　negligence　or　indulgence　is　most　hurtful：　　but　I　am　inclined　to　think；　that　the　latter　has　done　most　harm。　Mankind　seem　to　agree；　that　children　should　be　left　under　the　management　of　women　during　their　childhood。　　Now；　from　all　the　observation　that　I　have　been　able　to　make；　women　of　sensibility　are　the　most　unfit　for　this　task；　because　they　will　infallibly；　carried　away　by　their　feelings；　spoil　a　child's　temper。　　The　management　of　the　temper；　the　first　and　most　important　branch　of　education；　requires　the　sober　steady　eye　of　reason；　a　plan　of　conduct　equally　distant　from　tyranny　and　indulgence；　yet　these　are　the　extremes　that　people　of　sensibility　alternately　fall　into；　always　shooting　beyond　the　mark。　　I　have　followed　this　train　of　reasoning　much　further；　till　I　have　concluded；　that　a　person　of　genius　is　the　most　improper　person　to　be　employed　in　education；　public　or　private。　Minds　of　this　rare　species　see　things　too　much　in　masses；　and　seldom；　if　ever；　have　a　good　temper。　　That　habitual　cheerfulness；　termed　good　humour；　is；　perhaps；　as　seldom　united　with　great　mental　powers；　as　with　strong　feelings。　　And　those　people　who　follow；　with　interest　and　admiration；　the　flights　of　genius；　or；　with　cooler　approbation　suck　in　the　instruction；　which　has　been　elaborately　prepared　for　them　by　the　profound　thinker；　ought　not　to　be　disgusted；　if　they　find　the　former　choleric；　and　the　latter　morose；　because　liveliness　of　fancy；　and　a　tenacious　comprehension　of　mind；　are　scarcely　compatible　with　that　pliant　urbanity　which　leads　a　man；　at　least　to　bend　to　the　opinions　and　prejudices　of　others；　instead　of　roughly　confronting　them。　But；　treating　of　education　or　manners；　minds　of　a　superior　class　are　not　to　be　considered；　they　may　be　left　to　chance；　it　is　the　multitude；　with　moderate　abilities；　who　call　for　instruction；　and　catch　the　colour　of　the　atmosphere　they　breathe。　　This　respectable　concourse；　I　contend；　men　and　women；　should　not　have　their　sensations　heightened　in　the　hot…bed　of　luxurious　indolence；　at　the　expence　of　their　understanding；　for；　unless　there　be　a　ballast　of　understanding；　they　will　never　become　either　virtuous　or　free：　　an　aristocracy；　founded　on　property；　or　sterling　talents；　will　ever　sweep　before　it；　the　alternately　timid　and　ferocious　slaves　of　feeling。　Numberless　are　the　arguments；　to　take　another　view　of　the　subject；　brought　forward　with　a　show　of　reason；　because　supposed　to　be　deduced　from　nature；　that　men　have　used　morally　and　physically　to　degrade　the　sex。　　I　must　notice　a　few。　The　female　understanding　has　often　been　spoken　of　with　contempt；　as　arriving　sooner　at　maturity　than　the　male。　　I　shall　not　answer　this　argument　by　alluding　to　the　early　proofs　of　reason；　as　well　as　genius；　in　Cowley；　Milton；　and　Pope；　（Many　other　names　might　be　added。）　but　only　appeal　to　experience　to　decide　whether　young　men；　who　are　early　introduced　into　company　（and　examples　now　abound）　do　not　acquire　the　same　precocity。　　So　notorious　is