a vindication of the rights of woman-第49章

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this　class　of　reasoners　are　mistaken。　This　regard　for　reputation；　independent　of　its　being　one　of　the　natural　rewards　of　virtue；　however；　took　its　rise　from　a　cause　that　I　have　already　deplored　as　the　grand　source　of　female　depravity；　the　impossibility　of　regaining　respectability　by　a　return　to　virtue；　though　men　preserve　theirs　during　the　indulgence　of　vice。　It　was　natural　for　women　then　to　endeavour　to　preserve　what　once　lostwas　lost　for　ever；　till　this　care　swallowing　up　every　other　care；　reputation　for　chastity；　became　the　one　thing　needful　to　the　sex。　　But　vain　is　the　scrupulosity　of　ignorance；　for　neither　religion　nor　virtue；　when　they　reside　in　the　heart；　require　such　a　puerile　attention　to　mere　ceremonies；　because　the　behaviour　must；　upon　the　whole　be　proper；　when　the　motive　is　pure。　To　support　my　opinion　I　can　produce　very　respectable　authority；　and　the　authority　of　a　cool　reasoner　ought　to　have　weight　to　enforce　consideration；　though　not　to　establish　a　sentiment。　　Speaking　of　the　general　laws　of　morality；　Dr。　Smith　observes〃That　by　some　very　extraordinary　and　unlucky　circumstance；　a　good　man　may　come　to　be　suspected　of　a　crime　of　which　he　was　altogether　incapable；　and　upon　that　account　be　most　unjustly　exposed　for　the　remaining　part　of　his　life　to　the　horror　and　aversion　of　mankind。　　By　an　accident　of　this　kind　he　may　be　said　to　lose　his　all；　notwithstanding　his　integrity　and　justice；　in　the　same　manner　as　a　cautious　man；　notwithstanding　his　utmost　circumspection；　may　be　ruined　by　an　earthquake　or　an　inundation。　　Accidents　of　the　first　kind；　however；　are　perhaps　still　more　rare；　and　still　more　contrary　to　the　common　course　of　things　than　those　of　the　second；　and　it　still　remains　true；　that　the　practice　of　truth；　justice　and　humanity；　is　a　certain　and　almost　infallible　method　of　acquiring　what　those　virtues　chiefly　aim　at；　the　confidence　and　love　of　those　we　live　with。　　A　person　may　be　easily　misrepresented　with　regard　to　a　particular　action；　but　it　is　scarcely　possible　that　he　should　be　so　with　regard　to　the　general　tenor　of　his　conduct。　　An　innocent　man　may　be　believed　to　have　done　wrong：　　this；　however；　will　rarely　happen。　　On　the　contrary；　the　established　opinion　of　the　innocence　of　his　manners　will　often　lead　us　to　absolve　him　where　he　has　really　been　in　the　fault；　notwithstanding　very　strong　presumptions。〃　I　perfectly　coincide　in　opinion　with　this　writer；　for　I　verily　believe；　that　few　of　either　sex　were　ever　despised　for　certain　vices　without　deserving　to　be　despised。　　I　speak　not　of　the　calumny　of　the　moment；　which　hangs　over　a　character；　like　one　of　the　dense　fogs　of　November　over　this　metropolis；　till　it　gradually　subsides　before　the　common　light　of　day；　I　only　contend；　that　the　daily　conduct　of　the　majority　prevails　to　stamp　their　character　with　the　impression　of　truth。　　Quietly　does　the　clear　light；　shining　day　after　day；　refute　the　ignorant　surmise；　or　malicious　tale；　which　has　thrown　dirt　on　a　pure　character。　　A　false　light　distorted；　for　a　short　time；　its　shadowreputation；　but　it　seldom　fails　to　become　just　when　the　cloud　is　dispersed　that　produced　the　mistake　in　vision。　Many　people；　undoubtedly　in　several　respects；　obtain　a　better　reputation　than；　strictly　speaking；　they　deserve；　for　unremitting　industry　will　mostly　reach　its　goal　in　all　races。　　They　who　only　strive　for　this　paltry　prize；　like　the　Pharisees；　who　prayed　at　the　corners　of　streets；　to　be　seen　of　men；　verily　obtain　the　reward　they　seek；　for　the　heart　of　man　cannot　be　read　by　man！　　Still　the　fair　fame　that　is　naturally　reflected　by　good　actions；　when　the　man　is　only　employed　to　direct　his　steps　aright；　regardless　of　the　lookers…on；　is　in　general；　not　only　more　true　but　more　sure。　There　are；　it　is　true；　trials　when　the　good　man　must　appeal　to　God　from　the　injustice　of　man；　and　amidst　the　whining　candour　or　hissing　of　envy；　erect　a　pavilion　in　his　own　mind　to　retire　to；　till　the　rumour　be　overpast；　nay；　the　darts　of　undeserved　censure　may　pierce　an　innocent　tender　bosom　through　with　many　sorrows；　but　these　are　all　exceptions　to　general　rules。　　And　it　is　according　to　these　common　laws　that　human　behaviour　ought　to　be　regulated。　　The　eccentric　orbit　of　the　comet　never　influences　astronomical　calculations　respecting　the　invariable　order　established　in　the　motion　of　the　principal　bodies　of　the　solar　system。　I　will　then　venture　to　affirm；　that　after　a　man　has　arrived　at　maturity；　the　general　outline　of　his　character　in　the　world　is　just；　allowing　for　the　before　mentioned　exceptions　to　the　rule。　　I　do　not　say；　that　a　prudent；　worldly…wise　man；　with　only　negative　virtues　and　qualities；　may　not　sometimes　obtain　a　smoother　reputation　than　a　wiser　or　a　better　man。　　So　far　from　it；　that　I　am　apt　to　conclude　from　experience；　that　where　the　virtue　of　two　people　is　nearly　equal；　the　most　negative　character　will　be　liked　best　by　the　world　at　large；　whilst　the　other　may　have　more　friends　in　private　life。　　But　the　hills　and　dales；　clouds　and　sunshine；　conspicuous　in　the　virtues　of　great　men；　set　off　each　other；　and　though　they　afford　envious　weakness　a　fairer　mark　to　shoot　at；　the　real　character　will　still　work　its　way　to　light；　though　bespattered　by　weak　affection；　or　ingenious　malice。*　（*Footnote。　　I　allude　to　various　biographical　writings；　but　particularly　to　Boswell's　Life　of　Johnson。）　With　respect　to　that　anxiety　to　preserve　a　reputation　hardly　earned；　which　leads　sagacious　people　to　analyze　it；　I　shall　not　make　the　obvious　comment；　but　I　am　afraid　that　morality　is　very　insidiously　undermined；　in　the　female　world；　by　the　attention　being　turned　to　the　show　instead　of　the　substance。　　A　simple　thing　is　thus　made　strangely　complicated；　nay；　sometimes　virtue　and　its　shadow　are　set　at　variance。　　We　should　never；　perhaps；　have　heard　of　Lucretia；　had　she　died　to　preserve　her　chastity　instead　of　her　reputation。　　If　we　really　deserve　our　own　good　opinion；　we　shall　commonly　be　respected　in　the　world；　but　if　we　pant　after　higher　improvement　and　higher　attainments；　it　is　not　sufficient　to　view　ourselves　as　we　suppose　that　we　are　viewed　by　others；　though　this　has　been　ingeniously　argued　as　the　foundation　of　our　moral　sentiments。　　（Smith。）　　Because　each　bystander　may　have　his　own　prejudices；　besides　the　prejudices　of　his　age　or　country。　　We　should　rather　endeavour　to　view　ourselves；　as　we　suppose　that　Being　views　us；　who　seeth　each　thought　ripen　into　action；　and　whose　judgment　never　swerves　from　the　eternal　rule　of　right。　　Righteous　are　all　his　judgmentsjust；　as　merciful！　The　humble　mind　that　seeketh　to　find　favour　in　His　sight；　and　calmly　examines　its　conduct　when　only　His　presence　is　felt；　will　seldom　form　a　very　erroneous　opinion　of　its　own　virtues。　　During　the　still　hour　of　self…collection；　the　angry　brow　of　offended　justice　will　be　fearfully　deprecated；　or　the　tie　which　draws　man　to　the　Deity　will　be　recognized　in　the　pure　sentiment　of　reverential　adoration；　that　swells　the　heart　without　exciting　any　tumultuous　emotions。　　In　these　solemn　moments　man　discovers　the　germ　of　those　vices；　which　like　the　Java　tree　shed　a　pestiferous　vapour　arounddeath　is　in　the　shade！　and　he　perceives　them　without　abhorrence；　because　he　feels　himself　drawn　by　some　cord　of　love　to　all　his　fe