a vindication of the rights of woman-第3章

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　former　should　only　be　the　natural　reflection　of　the　latter；　yet；　when　various　causes　have　produced　factitious　and　corrupt　manners；　which　are　very　early　caught；　morality　becomes　an　empty　name。　　The　personal　reserve；　and　sacred　respect　for　cleanliness　and　delicacy　in　domestic　life；　which　French　women　almost　despise；　are　the　graceful　pillars　of　modesty；　but；　far　from　despising　them；　if　the　pure　flame　of　patriotism　have　reached　their　bosoms；　they　should　labour　to　improve　the　morals　of　their　fellow…citizens；　by　teaching　men；　not　only　to　respect　modesty　in　women；　but　to　acquire　it　themselves；　as　the　only　way　to　merit　their　esteem。　Contending　for　the　rights　of　women；　my　main　argument　is　built　on　this　simple　principle；　that　if　she　be　not　prepared　by　education　to　become　the　companion　of　man；　she　will　stop　the　progress　of　knowledge；　for　truth　must　be　common　to　all；　or　it　will　be　inefficacious　with　respect　to　its　influence　on　general　practice。　And　how　can　woman　be　expected　to　co…operate；　unless　she　know　why　she　ought　to　be　virtuous？　　Unless　freedom　strengthen　her　reason　till　she　comprehend　her　duty；　and　see　in　what　manner　it　is　connected　with　her　real　good？　　If　children　are　to　be　educated　to　understand　the　true　principle　of　patriotism；　their　mother　must　be　a　patriot；　and　the　love　of　mankind；　from　which　an　orderly　train　of　virtues　spring；　can　only　be　produced　by　considering　the　moral　and　civil　interest　of　mankind；　but　the　education　and　situation　of　woman；　at　present；　shuts　her　out　from　such　investigations。　In　this　work　I　have　produced　many　arguments；　which　to　me　were　conclusive；　to　prove；　that　the　prevailing　notion　respecting　a　sexual　character　was　subversive　of　morality；　and　I　have　contended；　that　to　render　the　human　body　and　mind　more　perfect；　chastity　must　more　universally　prevail；　and　that　chastity　will　never　be　respected　in　the　male　world　till　the　person　of　a　woman　is　not；　as　it　were；　idolized　when　little　virtue　or　sense　embellish　it　with　the　grand　traces　of　mental　beauty；　or　the　interesting　simplicity　of　affection。　Consider；　Sir；　dispassionately；　these　observations；　for　a　glimpse　of　this　truth　seemed　to　open　before　you　when　you　observed；　〃that　to　see　one　half　of　the　human　race　excluded　by　the　other　from　all　participation　of　government；　was　a　political　phenomenon　that；　according　to　abstract　principles；　it　was　impossible　to　explain。〃　If　so；　on　what　does　your　constitution　rest？　　If　the　abstract　rights　of　man　will　bear　discussion　and　explanation；　those　of　woman；　by　a　parity　of　reasoning；　will　not　shrink　from　the　same　test：　though　a　different　opinion　prevails　in　this　country；　built　on　the　very　arguments　which　you　use　to　justify　the　oppression　of　woman；　prescription。　Consider；　I　address　you　as　a　legislator；　whether；　when　men　contend　for　their　freedom；　and　to　be　allowed　to　judge　for　themselves；　respecting　their　own　happiness；　it　be　not　inconsistent　and　unjust　to　subjugate　women；　even　though　you　firmly　believe　that　you　are　acting　in　the　manner　best　calculated　to　promote　their　happiness？　Who　made　man　the　exclusive　judge；　if　woman　partake　with　him　the　gift　of　reason？　In　this　style；　argue　tyrants　of　every　denomination　from　the　weak　king　to　the　weak　father　of　a　family；　they　are　all　eager　to　crush　reason；　yet　always　assert　that　they　usurp　its　throne　only　to　be　useful。　　Do　you　not　act　a　similar　part；　when　you　FORCE　all　women；　by　denying　them　civil　and　political　rights；　to　remain　immured　in　their　families　groping　in　the　dark？　For　surely；　sir；　you　will　not　assert；　that　a　duty　can　be　binding　which　is　not　founded　on　reason？　If；　indeed；　this　be　their　destination；　arguments　may　be　drawn　from　reason；　and　thus　augustly　supported；　the　more　understanding　women　acquire；　the　more　they　will　be　attached　to　their　duty；　comprehending　it；　for　unless　they　comprehend　it；　unless　their　morals　be　fixed　on　the　same　immutable　principles　as　those　of　man；　no　authority　can　make　them　discharge　it　in　a　virtuous　manner。　　They　may　be　convenient　slaves；　but　slavery　will　have　its　constant　effect；　degrading　the　master　and　the　abject　dependent。　But；　if　women　are　to　be　excluded；　without　having　a　voice；　from　a　participation　of　the　natural　rights　of　mankind；　prove　first；　to　ward　off　the　charge　of　injustice　and　inconsistency；　that　they　want　reason；　else　this　flaw　in　your　NEW　CONSTITUTION；　the　first　constitution　founded　on　reason；　will　ever　show　that　man　must；　in　some　shape；　act　like　a　tyrant；　and　tyranny；　in　whatever　part　of　society　it　rears　its　brazen　front；　will　ever　undermine　morality。　I　have　repeatedly　asserted；　and　produced　what　appeared　to　me　irrefragable　arguments　drawn　from　matters　of　fact；　to　prove　my　assertion；　that　women　cannot；　by　force；　be　confined　to　domestic　concerns；　for　they　will　however　ignorant；　intermeddle　with　more　weighty　affairs；　neglecting　private　duties　only　to　disturb；　by　cunning　tricks；　the　orderly　plans　of　reason　which　rise　above　their　comprehension。　Besides；　whilst　they　are　only　made　to　acquire　personal　accomplishments；　men　will　seek　for　pleasure　in　variety；　and　faithless　husbands　will　make　faithless　wives；　such　ignorant　beings；　indeed；　will　be　very　excusable　when；　not　taught　to　respect　public　good；　nor　allowed　any　civil　right；　they　attempt　to　do　themselves　justice　by　retaliation。　The　box　of　mischief　thus　opened　in　society；　what　is　to　preserve　private　virtue；　the　only　security　of　public　freedom　and　universal　happiness？　Let　there　be　then　no　coercion　ESTABLISHED　in　society；　and　the　common　law　of　gravity　prevailing；　the　sexes　will　fall　into　their　proper　places。　　And；　now　that　more　equitable　laws　are　forming　your　citizens；　marriage　may　become　more　sacred；　your　young　men　may　choose　wives　from　motives　of　affection；　and　your　maidens　allow　love　to　root　out　vanity。　The　father　of　a　family　will　not　then　weaken　his　constitution　and　debase　his　sentiments；　by　visiting　the　harlot；　nor　forget；　in　obeying　the　call　of　appetite；　the　purpose　for　which　it　was　implanted；　and　the　mother　will　not　neglect　her　children　to　practise　the　arts　of　coquetry；　when　sense　and　modesty　secure　her　the　friendship　of　her　husband。　But；　till　men　become　attentive　to　the　duty　of　a　father；　it　is　vain　to　expect　women　to　spend　that　time　in　their　nursery　which　they；　〃wise　in　their　generation；〃　choose　to　spend　at　their　glass；　for　this　exertion　of　cunning　is　only　an　instinct　of　nature　to　enable　them　to　obtain　indirectly　a　little　of　that　power　of　which　they　are　unjustly　denied　a　share；　for；　if　women　are　not　permitted　to　enjoy　legitimate　rights；　they　will　render　both　men　and　themselves　vicious；　to　obtain　illicit　privileges。　I　wish；　sir；　to　set　some　investigations　of　this　kind　afloat　in　France；　and　should　they　lead　to　a　confirmation　of　my　principles；　when　your　constitution　is　revised；　the　rights　of　woman　may　be　respected；　if　it　be　fully　proved　that　reason　calls　for　this　respect；　and　loudly　demands　JUSTICE　for　one　half　of　the　human　race。　I　am；　sir；　Yours　respectfully；　M。　W。



INTRODUCTION

After　considering　the　historic　page；　and　viewing　the　living　world　with　anxious　solicitude；　the　most　melancholy　emotions　of　sorrowful　indignation　have　depressed　my　spirits；　and　I　have　sighed　when　obliged　to　confess；　that　either　nature　has　made　a　great　difference　between　man　and　man；　or　that　the　civilization；　which　has　hi