a vindication of the rights of woman-第61章

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of　heart　and　taste；　and　the　harlot's　rouge　will　supply　the　place　of　that　celestial　suffusion　which　only　virtuous　affections　can　give　to　the　face。　　Gallantry；　and　what　is　called　love；　may　subsist　without　simplicity　of　character；　but　the　main　pillars　of　friendship；　are　respect　and　confidenceesteem　is　never　founded　on　it　cannot　tell　what。　A　taste　for　the　fine　arts　requires　great　cultivation；　but　not　more　than　a　taste　for　the　virtuous　affections：　　and　both　suppose　that　enlargement　of　mind　which　opens　so　many　sources　of　mental　pleasure。　Why　do　people　hurry　to　noisy　scenes　and　crowded　circles？　　I　should　answer；　because　they　want　activity　of　mind；　because　they　have　not　cherished　the　virtues　of　the　heart。　　They　only；　therefore；　see　and　feel　in　the　gross；　and　continually　pine　after　variety；　finding　every　thing　that　is　simple；　insipid。　This　argument　may　be　carried　further　than　philosophers　are　aware　of；　for　if　nature　destined　woman；　in　particular；　for　the　discharge　of　domestic　duties；　she　made　her　susceptible　of　the　attached　affections　in　a　great　degree。　　Now　women　are　notoriously　fond　of　pleasure；　and　naturally　must　be　so；　according　to　my　definition；　because　they　cannot　enter　into　the　minutiae　of　domestic　taste；　lacking　judgment　the　foundation　of　all　taste。　　For　the　understanding；　in　spite　of　sensual　cavillers；　reserves　to　itself　the　privilege　of　conveying　pure　joy　to　the　heart。　With　what　a　languid　yawn　have　I　seen　an　admirable　poem　thrown　down；　that　a　man　of　true　taste　returns　to；　again　and　again　with　rapture；　and；　whilst　melody　has　almost　suspended　respiration；　a　lady　has　asked　me　where　I　bought　my　gown。　　I　have　seen　also　an　eye　glanced　coldly　over　a　most　exquisite　picture；　rest；　sparkling　with　pleasure；　on　a　caricature　rudely　sketched；　and　whilst　some　terrific　feature　in　nature　has　spread　a　sublime　stillness　through　my　soul；　I　have　been　desired　to　observe　the　pretty　tricks　of　a　lap…dog；　that　my　perverse　fate　forced　me　to　travel　with。　　Is　it　surprising；　that　such　a　tasteless　being　should　rather　caress　this　dog　than　her　children？　　Or；　that　she　should　prefer　the　rant　of　flattery　to　the　simple　accents　of　sincerity？　To　illustrate　this　remark　I　must　be　allowed　to　observe；　that　men　of　the　first　genius；　and　most　cultivated　minds；　have　appeared　to　have　the　highest　relish　for　the　simple　beauties　of　nature；　and　they　must　have　forcibly　felt；　what　they　have　so　well　described；　the　charm；　which　natural　affections；　and　unsophisticated　feelings　spread　round　the　human　character。　　It　is　this　power　of　looking　into　the　heart；　and　responsively　vibrating　with　each　emotion；　that　enables　the　poet　to　personify　each　passion；　and　the　painter　to　sketch　with　a　pencil　of　fire。　True　taste　is　ever　the　work　of　the　understanding　employed　in　observing　natural　effects；　and　till　women　have　more　understanding；　it　is　vain　to　expect　them　to　possess　domestic　taste。　　Their　lively　senses　will　ever　be　at　work　to　harden　their　hearts；　and　the　emotions　struck　out　of　them　will　continue　to　be　vivid　and　transitory；　unless　a　proper　education　stores　their　minds　with　knowledge。　It　is　the　want　of　domestic　taste；　and　not　the　acquirement　of　knowledge；　that　takes　women　out　of　their　families；　and　tears　the　smiling　babe　from　the　breast　that　ought　to　afford　it　nourishment。　Women　have　been　allowed　to　remain　in　ignorance；　and　slavish　dependence；　many；　very　many　years；　and　still　we　hear　of　nothing　but　their　fondness　of　pleasure　and　sway；　their　preference　of　rakes　and　soldiers；　their　childish　attachment　to　toys；　and　the　vanity　that　makes　them　value　accomplishments　more　than　virtues。　History　brings　forward　a　fearful　catalogue　of　the　crimes　which　their　cunning　has　produced；　when　the　weak　slaves　have　had　sufficient　address　to　over…reach　their　masters。　　In　France；　and　in　how　many　other　countries　have　men　been　the　luxurious　despots；　and　women　the　crafty　ministers？　　Does　this　prove　that　ignorance　and　dependence　domesticate　them？　　Is　not　their　folly　the　by…word　of　the　libertines；　who　relax　in　their　society；　and　do　not　men　of　sense　continually　lament；　that　an　immoderate　fondness　for　dress　and　dissipation　carries　the　mother　of　a　family　for　ever　from　home？　Their　hearts　have　not　been　debauched　by　knowledge；　nor　their　minds　led　astray　by　scientific　pursuits；　yet；　they　do　not　fulfil　the　peculiar　duties；　which　as　women　they　are　called　upon　by　nature　to　fulfil。　　On　the　contrary；　the　state　of　warfare　which　subsists　between　the　sexes；　makes　them　employ　those　wiles；　that　frustrate　the　more　open　designs　of　force。　When；　therefore；　I　call　women　slaves；　I　mean　in　a　political　and　civil　sense；　for；　indirectly　they　obtain　too　much　power；　and　are　debased　by　their　exertions　to　obtain　illicit　sway。　Let　an　enlightened　nation　then　try　what　effect　reason　would　have　to　bring　them　back　to　nature；　and　their　duty；　and　allowing　them　to　share　the　advantages　of　education　and　government　with　man；　see　whether　they　will　become　better；　as　they　grow　wiser　and　become　free。　　They　cannot　be　injured　by　the　experiment；　for　it　is　not　in　the　power　of　man　to　render　them　more　insignificant　than　they　are　at　present。　To　render　this　practicable；　day　schools　for　particular　ages　should　be　established　by　government；　in　which　boys　and　girls　might　be　educated　together。　　The　school　for　the　younger　children；　from　five　to　nine　years　of　age；　ought　to　be　absolutely　free　and　open　to　all　classes。*　　A　sufficient　number　of　masters　should　also　be　chosen　by　a　select　committee；　in　each　parish；　to　whom　any　complaint　of　negligence；　etc。　might　be　made；　if　signed　by　six　of　the　children's　parents。　（*Footnote。　　Treating　this　part　of　the　subject；　I　have　borrowed　some　hints　from　a　very　sensible　pamphlet　written　by　the　late　bishop　of　Autun　on　public　Education。）　Ushers　would　then　be　unnecessary；　for；　I　believe；　experience　will　ever　prove；　that　this　kind　of　subordinate　authority　is　particularly　injurious　to　the　morals　of　youth。　　What；　indeed；　can　tend　to　deprave　the　character　more　than　outward　submission　and　inward　contempt？　　Yet；　how　can　boys　be　expected　to　treat　an　usher　with　respect　when　the　master　seems　to　consider　him　in　the　light　of　a　servant；　and　almost　to　countenance　the　ridicule　which　becomes　the　chief　amusement　of　the　boys　during　the　play　hours？　But　nothing　of　this　kind　could　occur　in　an　elementary　day…school；　where　boys　and　girls；　the　rich　and　poor；　should　meet　together。　　And　to　prevent　any　of　the　distinctions　of　vanity；　they　should　be　dressed　alike；　and　all　obliged　to　submit　to　the　same　discipline；　or　leave　the　school。　　The　school…room　ought　to　be　surrounded　by　a　large　piece　of　ground；　in　which　the　children　might　be　usefully　exercised；　for　at　this　age　they　should　not　be　confined　to　any　sedentary　employment　for　more　than　an　hour　at　a　time。　　But　these　relaxations　might　all　be　rendered　a　part　of　elementary　education；　for　many　things　improve　and　amuse　the　senses；　when　introduced　as　a　kind　of　show；　to　the　principles　of　which　dryly　laid　down；　children　would　turn　a　deaf　ear。　　For　instance；　botany；　mechanics；　and　astronomy。　　Reading；　writing；　arithmetic；　natural　history；　and　some　simple　experiments　in　natural　philosophy；　might　fill　up　the　day；　but　these　pursuits　should　never　encroach　on　gymnastic　plays　in　the　open　air。　　The　elements　of　religion；　history；　the　history　of　man；　and