a vindication of the rights of woman-第27章

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re　always　taught　to　look　up　to　man　for　a　maintenance；　and　to　consider　their　persons　as　the　proper　return　for　his　exertions　to　support　them。　　Meretricious　airs；　and　the　whole　science　of　wantonness；　has　then　a　more　powerful　stimulus　than　either　appetite　or　vanity；　and　this　remark　gives　force　to　the　prevailing　opinion；　that　with　chastity　all　is　lost　that　is　respectable　in　woman。　　Her　character　depends　on　the　observance　of　one　virtue；　though　the　only　passion　fostered　in　her　heartis　love。　Nay　the　honour　of　a　woman　is　not　made　even　to　depend　on　her　will。　When　Richardson　makes　Clarissa　tell　Lovelace　that　he　had　robbed　her　of　her　honour；　he　must　have　had　strange　notions　of　honour　and　virtue。　　For；　miserable　beyond　all　names　of　misery　is　the　condition　of　a　being；　who　could　be　degraded　without　its　own　consent！　　This　excess　of　strictness　I　have　heard　vindicated　as　a　salutary　error。　I　shall　answer　in　the　words　of　Leibnitz〃Errors　are　often　useful；　but　it　is　commonly　to　remedy　other　errors。〃　Most　of　the　evils　of　life　arise　from　a　desire　of　present　enjoyment　that　outruns　itself。　　The　obedience　required　of　women　in　the　marriage　state；　comes　under　this　description；　the　mind；　naturally　weakened　by　depending　on　authority；　never　exerts　its　own　powers；　and　the　obedient　wife　is　thus　rendered　a　weak　indolent　mother。　　Or；　supposing　that　this　is　not　always　the　consequence；　a　future　state　of　existence　is　scarcely　taken　into　the　reckoning　when　only　negative　virtues　are　cultivated。　　For　in　treating　of　morals；　particularly　when　women　are　alluded　to；　writers　have　too　often　considered　virtue　in　a　very　limited　sense；　and　made　the　foundation　of　it　SOLELY　worldly　utility；　nay；　a　still　more　fragile　base　has　been　given　to　this　stupendous　fabric；　and　the　wayward　fluctuating　feelings　of　men　have　been　made　the　standard　of　virtue。　　Yes；　virtue　as　well　as　religion；　has　been　subjected　to　the　decisions　of　taste。　It　would　almost　provoke　a　smile　of　contempt；　if　the　vain　absurdities　of　man　did　not　strike　us　on　all　sides；　to　observe；　how　eager　men　are　to　degrade　the　sex　from　whom　they　pretend　to　receive　the　chief　pleasure　of　life；　and　I　have　frequently；　with　full　conviction；　retorted　Pope's　sarcasm　on　them；　or；　to　speak　explicitly；　it　has　appeared　to　me　applicable　to　the　whole　human　race。　　A　love　of　pleasure　or　sway　seems　to　divide　mankind；　and　the　husband　who　lords　it　in　his　little　harem；　thinks　only　of　his　pleasure　or　his　convenience。　　To　such　lengths；　indeed；　does　an　intemperate　love　of　pleasure　carry　some　prudent　men；　or　worn　out　libertines；　who　marry　to　have　a　safe　companion；　that　they　seduce　their　own　wives。　　Hymen　banishes　modesty；　and　chaste　love　takes　its　flight。　Love；　considered　as　an　animal　appetite；　cannot　long　feed　on　itself　without　expiring。　　And　this　extinction；　in　its　own　flame；　may　be　termed　the　violent　death　of　love。　　But　the　wife　who　has　thus　been　rendered　licentious；　will　probably　endeavour　to　fill　the　void　left　by　the　loss　of　her　husband's　attentions；　for　she　cannot　contentedly　become　merely　an　upper　servant　after　having　been　treated　like　a　goddess。　　She　is　still　handsome；　and；　instead　of　transferring　her　fondness　to　her　children；　she　only　dreams　of　enjoying　the　sunshine　of　life。　　Besides；　there　are　many　husbands　so　devoid　of　sense　and　parental　affection；　that　during　the　first　effervescence　of　voluptuous　fondness；　they　refuse　to　let　their　wives　suckle　their　children。　　They　are　only　to　dress　and　live　to　please　them：　　and　love；　even　innocent　love；　soon　sinks　into　lasciviousness　when　the　exercise　of　a　duty　is　sacrificed　to　its　indulgence。　Personal　attachment　is　a　very　happy　foundation　for　friendship；　yet；　when　even　two　virtuous　young　people　marry；　it　would；　perhaps；　be　happy　if　some　circumstance　checked　their　passion；　if　the　recollection　of　some　prior　attachment；　or　disappointed　affection；　made　it　on　one　side；　at　least；　rather　a　match　founded　on　esteem。　In　that　case　they　would　look　beyond　the　present　moment；　and　try　to　render　the　whole　of　life　respectable；　by　forming　a　plan　to　regulate　a　friendship　which　only　death　ought　to　dissolve。　Friendship　is　a　serious　affection；　the　most　sublime　of　all　affections；　because　it　is　founded　on　principle；　and　cemented　by　time。　　The　very　reverse　may　be　said　of　love。　　In　a　great　degree；　love　and　friendship　cannot　subsist　in　the　same　bosom；　even　when　inspired　by　different　objects　they　weaken　or　destroy　each　other；　and　for　the　same　object　can　only　be　felt　in　succession。　　The　vain　fears　and　fond　jealousies；　the　winds　which　fan　the　flame　of　love；　when　judiciously　or　artfully　tempered；　are　both　incompatible　with　the　tender　confidence　and　sincere　respect　of　friendship。　Love；　such　as　the　glowing　pen　of　genius　has　traced；　exists　not　on　earth；　or　only　resides　in　those　exalted；　fervid　imaginations　that　have　sketched　such　dangerous　pictures。　　Dangerous；　because　they　not　only　afford　a　plausible　excuse　to　the　voluptuary；　who　disguises　sheer　sensuality　under　a　sentimental　veil；　but　as　they　spread　affectation；　and　take　from　the　dignity　of　virtue。　　Virtue；　as　the　very　word　imports；　should　have　an　appearance　of　seriousness；　if　not　austerity；　and　to　endeavour　to　trick　her　out　in　the　garb　of　pleasure；　because　the　epithet　has　been　used　as　another　name　for　beauty；　is　to　exalt　her　on　a　quicksand；　a　most　insidious　attempt　to　hasten　her　fall　by　apparent　respect。　　Virtue；　and　pleasure　are　not；　in　fact；　so　nearly　allied　in　this　life　as　some　eloquent　writers　have　laboured　to　prove。　　Pleasure　prepares　the　fading　wreath；　and　mixes　the　intoxicating　cup；　but　the　fruit　which　virtue　gives；　is　the　recompence　of　toil：　　and；　gradually　seen　as　it　ripens；　only　affords　calm　satisfaction；　nay；　appearing　to　be　the　result　of　the　natural　tendency　of　things；　it　is　scarcely　observed。　　Bread；　the　common　food　of　life；　seldom　thought　of　as　a　blessing；　supports　the　constitution；　and　preserves　health；　still　feasts　delight　the　heart　of　man；　though　disease　and　even　death　lurk　in　the　cup　or　dainty　that　elevates　the　spirits　or　tickles　the　palate。　　The　lively　heated　imagination　in　the　same　style；　draws　the　picture　of　love；　as　it　draws　every　other　picture；　with　those　glowing　colours；　which　the　daring　hand　will　steal　from　the　rainbow　that　is　directed　by　a　mind；　condemned；　in　a　world　like　this；　to　prove　its　noble　origin；　by　panting　after　unattainable　perfection；　ever　pursuing　what　it　acknowledges　to　be　a　fleeting　dream。　　An　imagination　of　this　vigorous　cast　can　give　existence　to　insubstantial　forms；　and　stability　to　the　shadowy　reveries　which　the　mind　naturally　falls　into　when　realities　are　found　vapid。　　It　can　then　depict　love　with　celestial　charms；　and　dote　on　the　grand　ideal　object；　it　can　imagine　a　degree　of　mutual　affection　that　shall　refine　the　soul；　and　not　expire　when　it　has　served　as　a　〃scale　to　heavenly；〃　and；　like　devotion；　make　it　absorb　every　meaner　affection　and　desire。　In　each　other's　arms；　as　in　a　temple；　with　its　summit　lost　in　the　clouds；　the　world　is　to　be　shut　out；　and　every　thought　and　wish；　that　do　not　nurture　pure　affection　and　permanent　virtue。　　Permanent　virtue！　alas！　Rousseau；　respectable　visionary！　thy　paradise　would　soon　be　violated　by　the　entrance　of　some　unexpected　guest。　　Like　Milton's；　it　would　only　contain　angels；　or　men　sunk　below　the　dignity　of　ratio