a vindication of the rights of woman-第52章

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viewing　every　thing　through　one　medium；　and　that　a　false　one；　they　are　unable　to　discern　in　what　true　merit　and　happiness　consist。　　False；　indeed；　must　be　the　light　when　the　drapery　of　situation　hides　the　man；　and　makes　him　stalk　in　masquerade；　dragging　from　one　scene　of　dissipation　to　another　the　nerveless　limbs　that　hang　with　stupid　listlessness；　and　rolling　round　the　vacant　eye　which　plainly　tells　us　that　there　is　no　mind　at　home。　I　mean；　therefore；　to　infer；　that　the　society　is　not　properly　organized　which　does　not　compel　men　and　women　to　discharge　their　respective　duties；　by　making　it　the　only　way　to　acquire　that　countenance　from　their　fellow　creatures；　which　every　human　being　wishes　some　way　to　attain。　　The　respect；　consequently；　which　is　paid　to　wealth　and　mere　personal　charms；　is　a　true　north…east　blast；　that　blights　the　tender　blossoms　of　affection　and　virtue。　Nature　has　wisely　attached　affections　to　duties；　to　sweeten　toil；　and　to　give　that　vigour　to　the　exertions　of　reason　which　only　the　heart　can　give。　　But；　the　affection　which　is　put　on　merely　because　it　is　the　appropriated　insignia　of　a　certain　character；　when　its　duties　are　not　fulfilled　is　one　of　the　empty　compliments　which　vice　and　folly　are　obliged　to　pay　to　virtue　and　the　real　nature　of　things。　To　illustrate　my　opinion；　I　need　only　observe；　that　when　a　woman　is　admired　for　her　beauty；　and　suffers　herself　to　be　so　far　intoxicated　by　the　admiration　she　receives；　as　to　neglect　to　discharge　the　indispensable　duty　of　a　mother；　she　sins　against　herself　by　neglecting　to　cultivate　an　affection　that　would　equally　tend　to　make　her　useful　and　happy。　　True　happiness；　I　mean　all　the　contentment；　and　virtuous　satisfaction　that　can　be　snatched　in　this　imperfect　state；　must　arise　from　well　regulated　affections；　and　an　affection　includes　a　duty。　　Men　are　not　aware　of　the　misery　they　cause；　and　the　vicious　weakness　they　cherish；　by　only　inciting　women　to　render　themselves　pleasing；　they　do　not　consider；　that　they　thus　make　natural　and　artificial　duties　clash；　by　sacrificing　the　comfort　and　respectability　of　a　woman's　life　to　voluptuous　notions　of　beauty；　when　in　nature　they　all　harmonize。　Cold　would　be　the　heart　of　a　husband；　were　he　not　rendered　unnatural　by　early　debauchery；　who　did　not　feel　more　delight　at　seeing　his　child　suckled　by　its　mother；　than　the　most　artful　wanton　tricks　could　ever　raise；　yet　this　natural　way　of　cementing　the　matrimonial　tie；　and　twisting　esteem　with　fonder　recollections；　wealth　leads　women　to　spurn。　　To　preserve　their　beauty；　and　wear　the　flowery　crown　of　the　day；　that　gives　them　a　kind　of　right　to　reign　for　a　short　time　over　the　sex；　they　neglect　to　stamp　impressions　on　their　husbands'　hearts；　that　would　be　remembered　with　more　tenderness　when　the　snow　on　the　head　began　to　chill　the　bosom；　than　even　their　virgin　charms。　　The　maternal　solicitude　of　a　reasonable　affectionate　woman　is　very　interesting；　and　the　chastened　dignity　with　which　a　mother　returns　the　caresses　that　she　and　her　child　receive　from　a　father　who　has　been　fulfilling　the　serious　duties　of　his　station；　is　not　only　a　respectable；　but　a　beautiful　sight。　　So　singular；　indeed；　are　my　feelings；　and　I　have　endeavoured　not　to　catch　factitious　ones；　that　after　having　been　fatigued　with　the　sight　of　insipid　grandeur　and　the　slavish　ceremonies　that　with　cumberous　pomp　supplied　the　place　of　domestic　affections；　I　have　turned　to　some　other　scene　to　relieve　my　eye；　by　resting　it　on　the　refreshing　green　every　where　scattered　by　nature。　I　have　then　viewed　with　pleasure　a　woman　nursing　her　children；　and　discharging　the　duties　of　her　station　with；　perhaps；　merely　a　servant　made　to　take　off　her　hands　the　servile　part　of　the　household　business。　　I　have　seen　her　prepare　herself　and　children；　with　only　the　luxury　of　cleanliness；　to　receive　her　husband；　who　returning　weary　home　in　the　evening；　found　smiling　babes　and　a　clean　hearth。　　My　heart　has　loitered　in　the　midst　of　the　group；　and　has　even　throbbed　with　sympathetic　emotion；　when　the　scraping　of　the　well　known　foot　has　raised　a　pleasing　tumult。　Whilst　my　benevolence　has　been　gratified　by　contemplating　this　artless　picture；　I　have　thought　that　a　couple　of　this　description；　equally　necessary　and　independent　of　each　other；　because　each　fulfilled　the　respective　duties　of　their　station；　possessed　all　that　life　could　give。　　Raised　sufficiently　above　abject　poverty　not　to　be　obliged　to　weigh　the　consequence　of　every　farthing　they　spend；　and　having　sufficient　to　prevent　their　attending　to　a　frigid　system　of　economy　which　narrows　both　heart　and　mind。　　I　declare；　so　vulgar　are　my　conceptions；　that　I　know　not　what　is　wanted　to　render　this　the　happiest　as　well　as　the　most　respectable　situation　in　the　world；　but　a　taste　for　literature；　to　throw　a　little　variety　and　interest　into　social　converse；　and　some　superfluous　money　to　give　to　the　needy；　and　to　buy　books。　　For　it　is　not　pleasant　when　the　heart　is　opened　by　compassion；　and　the　head　active　in　arranging　plans　of　usefulness；　to　have　a　prim　urchin　continually　twitching　back　the　elbow　to　prevent　the　hand　from　drawing　out　an　almost　empty　purse；　whispering　at　the　same　time　some　prudential　maxim　about　the　priority　of　justice。　Destructive；　however；　as　riches　and　inherited　honours　are　to　the　human　character；　women　are　more　debased　and　cramped；　if　possible　by　them；　than　men；　because　men　may　still；　in　some　degree；　unfold　their　faculties　by　becoming　soldiers　and　statesmen。　As　soldiers；　I　grant；　they　can　now　only　gather；　for　the　most　part；　vainglorious　laurels；　whilst　they　adjust　to　a　hair　the　European　balance；　taking　especial　care　that　no　bleak　northern　nook　or　sound　incline　the　beam。　　But　the　days　of　true　heroism　are　over；　when　a　citizen　fought　for　his　country　like　a　Fabricius　or　a　Washington；　and　then　returned　to　his　farm　to　let　his　virtuous　fervour　run　in　a　more　placid；　but　not　a　less　salutary　stream。　　No；　our　British　heroes　are　oftener　sent　from　the　gaming　table　than　from　the　plough；　and　their　passions　have　been　rather　inflamed　by　hanging　with　dumb　suspense　on　the　turn　of　a　die；　than　sublimated　by　panting　after　the　adventurous　march　of　virtue　in　the　historic　page。　The　statesman；　it　is　true；　might　with　more　propriety　quit　the　Faro　Bank；　or　card…table；　to　guide　the　helm；　for　he　has　still　but　to　shuffle　and　trick。　　The　whole　system　of　British　politics；　if　system　it　may　courteously　be　called；　consisting　in　multiplying　dependents　and　contriving　taxes　which　grind　the　poor　to　pamper　the　rich；　thus　a　war；　or　any　wild　goose　chace　is；　as　the　vulgar　use　the　phrase；　a　lucky　turn…up　of　patronage　for　the　minister；　whose　chief　merit　is　the　art　of　keeping　himself　in　place。　It　is　not　necessary　then　that　he　should　have　bowels　for　the　poor；　so　he　can　secure　for　his　family　the　odd　trick。　　Or　should　some　show　of　respect；　for　what　is　termed　with　ignorant　ostentation　an　Englishman's　birth…right；　be　expedient　to　bubble　the　gruff　mastiff　that　he　has　to　lead　by　the　nose；　he　can　make　an　empty　show；　very　safely；　by　giving　his　single　voice；　and　suffering　his　light　squadron　to　file　off　to　the　other　side。　　And　when　a　question　of　humanity　is　agitated；　he　may　dip　a　sop　in　the　milk　of　human　kindness；　to　silence　Cerberus；　and　talk　of　the　interest　which