a vindication of the rights of woman-第6章

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ural　rights；　is　one　of　the　absurd　sophisms　which　daily　insult　common　sense。　The　civilization　of　the　bulk　of　the　people　of　Europe；　is　very　partial；　nay；　it　may　be　made　a　question；　whether　they　have　acquired　any　virtues　in　exchange　for　innocence；　equivalent　to　the　misery　produced　by　the　vices　that　have　been　plastered　over　unsightly　ignorance；　and　the　freedom　which　has　been　bartered　for　splendid　slavery。　　The　desire　of　dazzling　by　riches；　the　most　certain　pre…eminence　that　man　can　obtain；　the　pleasure　of　commanding　flattering　sycophants；　and　many　other　complicated　low　calculations　of　doting　self…love；　have　all　contributed　to　overwhelm　the　mass　of　mankind；　and　make　liberty　a　convenient　handle　for　mock　patriotism。　For　whilst　rank　and　titles　are　held　of　the　utmost　importance；　before　which　Genius　〃must　hide　its　diminished　head；〃　it　is；　with　a　few　exceptions；　very　unfortunate　for　a　nation　when　a　man　of　abilities；　without　rank　or　property；　pushes　himself　forward　to　notice。　　Alas！　what　unheard　of　misery　have　thousands　suffered　to　purchase　a　cardinal's　hat　for　an　intriguing　obscure　adventurer；　who　longed　to　be　ranked　with　princes；　or　lord　it　over　them　by　seizing　the　triple　crown！　Such；　indeed；　has　been　the　wretchedness　that　has　flowed　from　hereditary　honours；　riches；　and　monarchy；　that　men　of　lively　sensibility　have　almost　uttered　blasphemy　in　order　to　justify　the　dispensations　of　providence。　　Man　has　been　held　out　as　independent　of　his　power　who　made　him；　or　as　a　lawless　planet　darting　from　its　orbit　to　steal　the　celestial　fire　of　reason；　and　the　vengeance　of　heaven；　lurking　in　the　subtile　flame；　sufficiently　punished　his　temerity；　by　introducing　evil　into　the　world。　Impressed　by　this　view　of　the　misery　and　disorder　which　pervaded　society；　and　fatigued　with　jostling　against　artificial　fools；　Rousseau　became　enamoured　of　solitude；　and；　being　at　the　same　time　an　optimist；　he　labours　with　uncommon　eloquence　to　prove　that　man　was　naturally　a　solitary　animal。　　Misled　by　his　respect　for　the　goodness　of　God；　who　certainly　for　what　man　of　sense　and　feeling　can　doubt　it！　gave　life　only　to　communicate　happiness；　he　considers　evil　as　positive；　and　the　work　of　man；　not　aware　that　he　was　exalting　one　attribute　at　the　expense　of　another；　equally　necessary　to　divine　perfection。　Reared　on　a　false　hypothesis；　his　arguments　in　favour　of　a　state　of　nature　are　plausible；　but　unsound。　　I　say　unsound；　for　to　assert　that　a　state　of　nature　is　preferable　to　civilization　in　all　its　possible　perfection；　is；　in　other　words；　to　arraign　supreme　wisdom；　and　the　paradoxical　exclamation；　that　God　has　made　all　things　right；　and　that　evil　has　been　introduced　by　the　creature　whom　he　formed；　knowing　what　he　formed；　is　as　unphilosophical　as　impious。　When　that　wise　Being；　who　created　us　and　placed　us　here；　saw　the　fair　idea；　he　willed；　by　allowing　it　to　be　so；　that　the　passions　should　unfold　our　reason；　because　he　could　see　that　present　evil　would　produce　future　good。　　Could　the　helpless　creature　whom　he　called　from　nothing；　break　loose　from　his　providence；　and　boldly　learn　to　know　good　by　practising　evil　without　his　permission？　　No。　How　could　that　energetic　advocate　for　immortality　argue　so　inconsistently？　　Had　mankind　remained　for　ever　in　the　brutal　state　of　nature；　which　even　his　magic　pen　cannot　paint　as　a　state　in　which　a　single　virtue　took　root；　it　would　have　been　clear；　though　not　to　the　sensitive　unreflecting　wanderer；　that　man　was　born　to　run　the　circle　of　life　and　death；　and　adorn　God's　garden　for　some　purpose　which　could　not　easily　be　reconciled　with　his　attributes。　But　if；　to　crown　the　whole；　there　were　to　be　rational　creatures　produced；　allowed　to　rise　in　excellency　by　the　exercise　of　powers　implanted　for　that　purpose；　if　benignity　itself　thought　fit　to　call　into　existence　a　creature　above　the　brutes；　who　could　think　and　improve　himself；　why　should　that　inestimable　gift；　for　a　gift　it　was；　if　a　man　was　so　created　as　to　have　a　capacity　to　rise　above　the　state　in　which　sensation　produced　brutal　ease；　be　called；　in　direct　terms；　a　curse？　　A　curse　it　might　be　reckoned；　if　all　our　existence　was　bounded　by　our　continuance　in　this　world；　for　why　should　the　gracious　fountain　of　life　give　us　passions；　and　the　power　of　reflecting；　only　to　embitter　our　days；　and　inspire　us　with　mistaken　notions　of　dignity？　　Why　should　he　lead　us　from　love　of　ourselves　to　the　sublime　emotions　which　the　discovery　of　his　wisdom　and　goodness　excites；　if　these　feelings　were　not　set　in　motion　to　improve　our　nature；　of　which　they　make　a　part；　and　render　us　capable　of　enjoying　a　more　godlike　portion　of　happiness？　　Firmly　persuaded　that　no　evil　exists　in　the　world　that　God　did　not　design　to　take　place；　I　build　my　belief　on　the　perfection　of　God。　Rousseau　exerts　himself　to　prove；　that　all　WAS　right　originally：　　a　crowd　of　authors　that　all　IS　now　right：　　and　I；　that　all　WILL　BE　right。　But；　true　to　his　first　position；　next　to　a　state　of　nature；　Rousseau　celebrates　barbarism；　and；　apostrophizing　the　shade　of　Fabricius；　he　forgets　that；　in　conquering　the　world；　the　Romans　never　dreamed　of　establishing　their　own　liberty　on　a　firm　basis；　or　of　extending　the　reign　of　virtue。　　Eager　to　support　his　system；　he　stigmatizes；　as　vicious；　every　effort　of　genius；　and　uttering　the　apotheosis　of　savage　virtues；　he　exalts　those　to　demigods；　who　were　scarcely　humanthe　brutal　Spartans；　who　in　defiance　of　justice　and　gratitude；　sacrificed；　in　cold　blood；　the　slaves　that　had　shown　themselves　men　to　rescue　their　oppressors。　Disgusted　with　artificial　manners　and　virtues；　the　citizen　of　Geneva；　instead　of　properly　sifting　the　subject；　threw　away　the　wheat　with　the　chaff；　without　waiting　to　inquire　whether　the　evils；　which　his　ardent　soul　turned　from　indignantly；　were　the　consequence　of　civilization；　or　the　vestiges　of　barbarism。　　He　saw　vice　trampling　on　virtue；　and　the　semblance　of　goodness　taking　place　of　the　reality；　he　saw　talents　bent　by　power　to　sinister　purposes；　and　never　thought　of　tracing　the　gigantic　mischief　up　to　arbitrary　power；　up　to　the　hereditary　distinctions　that　clash　with　the　mental　superiority　that　naturally　raises　a　man　above　his　fellows。　　He　did　not　perceive；　that　the　regal　power；　in　a　few　generations；　introduces　idiotism　into　the　noble　stem；　and　holds　out　baits　to　render　thousands　idle　and　vicious。　Nothing　can　set　the　regal　character　in　a　more　contemptible　point　of　view；　than　the　various　crimes　that　have　elevated　men　to　the　supreme　dignity。　　Vile　intrigues；　unnatural　crimes；　and　every　vice　that　degrades　our　nature；　have　been　the　steps　to　this　distinguished　eminence；　yet　millions　of　men　have　supinely　allowed　the　nerveless　limbs　of　the　posterity　of　such　rapacious　prowlers；　to　rest　quietly　on　their　ensanguined　thrones。　What　but　a　pestilential　vapour　can　hover　over　society；　when　its　chief　director　is　only　instructed　in　the　invention　of　crimes；　or　the　stupid　routine　of　childish　ceremonies？　　Will　men　never　be　wise？　will　they　never　cease　to　expect　corn　from　tares；　and　figs　from　thistles？　It　is　impossible　for　any　man；　when　the　most　favourable　circumstances　concur；　to　acquire　sufficient　knowledge　and　strength　of　mind　to　discharge　the　duties　of　a　king；　entrusted　with　uncontrolled　power；　how　then　must　they　be　viola