a vindication of the rights of woman-第66章

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pear　to　be　injurious　to　their　moral　character。　　And　in　animadverting　on　them；　I　wish　especially　to　prove；　that　the　weakness　of　mind　and　body；　which　men　have　endeavoured　by　various　motives　to　perpetuate；　prevents　their　discharging　the　peculiar　duty　of　their　sex：　　for　when　weakness　of　body　will　not　permit　them　to　suckle　their　children；　and　weakness　of　mind　makes　them　spoil　their　tempersis　woman　in　a　natural　state？　SECTION　13。1。　One　glaring　instance　of　the　weakness　which　proceeds　from　ignorance；　first　claims　attention；　and　calls　for　severe　reproof。　In　this　metropolis　a　number　of　lurking　leeches　infamously　gain　a　subsistence　by　practising　on　the　credulity　of　women；　pretending　to　cast　nativities；　to　use　the　technical　phrase；　and　many　females　who；　proud　of　their　rank　and　fortune；　look　down　on　the　vulgar　with　sovereign　contempt；　show　by　this　credulity；　that　the　distinction　is　arbitrary；　and　that　they　have　not　sufficiently　cultivated　their　minds　to　rise　above　vulgar　prejudices。　　Women；　because　they　have　not　been　led　to　consider　the　knowledge　of　their　duty　as　the　one　thing　necessary　to　know；　or；　to　live　in　the　present　moment　by　the　discharge　of　it；　are　very　anxious　to　peep　into　futurity；　to　learn　what　they　have　to　expect　to　render　life　interesting；　and　to　break　the　vacuum　of　ignorance。　　I　must　be　allowed　to　expostulate　seriously　with　the　ladies；　who　follow　these　idle　inventions；　for　ladies；　mistresses　of　families；　are　not　ashamed　to　drive　in　their　own　carriages　to　the　door　of　the　cunning　man。　　And　if　any　of　them　should　peruse　this　work；　I　entreat　them　to　answer　to　their　own　hearts　the　following　questions；　not　forgetting　that　they　are　in　the　presence　of　God。　Do　you　believe　that　there　is　but　one　God；　and　that　he　is　powerful；　wise；　and　good？　Do　you　believe　that　all　things　were　created　by　him；　and　that　all　beings　are　dependent　on　him？　Do　you　rely　on　his　wisdom；　so　conspicuous　in　his　works；　and　in　your　own　frame；　and　are　you　convinced；　that　he　has　ordered　all　things　which　do　not　come　under　the　cognizance　of　your　senses；　in　the　same　perfect　harmony；　to　fulfil　his　designs？　Do　you　acknowledge　that　the　power　of　looking　into　futurity　and　seeing　things　that　are　not；　as　if　they　were；　is　an　attribute　of　the　Creator？　　And　should　he；　by　an　impression　on　the　minds　of　his　creatures；　think　fit　to　impart　to　them　some　event　hid　in　the　shades　of　time；　yet　unborn；　to　whom　would　the　secret　be　revealed　by　immediate　inspiration？　　The　opinion　of　ages　will　answer　this　questionto　reverend　old　men；　to　people　distinguished　for　eminent　piety。　The　oracles　of　old　were　thus　delivered　by　priests　dedicated　to　the　service　of　the　God；　who　was　supposed　to　inspire　them。　　The　glare　of　worldly　pomp　which　surrounded　these　impostors；　and　the　respect　paid　to　them　by　artful　politicians；　who　knew　how　to　avail　themselves　of　this　useful　engine　to　bend　the　necks　of　the　strong　under　the　dominion　of　the　cunning；　spread　a　sacred　mysterious　veil　of　sanctity　over　their　lies　and　abominations。　　Impressed　by　such　solemn　devotional　parade；　a　Greek　or　Roman　lady　might　be　excused；　if　she　inquired　of　the　oracle；　when　she　was　anxious　to　pry　into　futurity；　or　inquire　about　some　dubious　event：　　and　her　inquiries；　however　contrary　to　reason；　could　not　be　reckoned　impious。　　But；　can　the　professors　of　Christianity　ward　off　that　imputation？　　Can　a　Christian　suppose；　that　the　favourites　of　the　most　High；　the　highly　favoured　would　be　obliged　to　lurk　in　disguise；　and　practise　the　most　dishonest　tricks　to　cheat　silly　women　out　of　the　money；　which　the　poor　cry　for　in　vain？　Say　not　that　such　questions　are　an　insult　to　common　sense　for　it　is　your　own　conduct；　O　ye　foolish　women！　which　throws　an　odium　on　your　sex！　　And　these　reflections　should　make　you　shudder　at　your　thoughtlessness；　and　irrational　devotion；　for　I　do　not　suppose　that　all　of　you　laid　aside　your　religion；　such　as　it　is；　when　you　entered　those　mysterious　dwellings。　　Yet；　as　I　have　throughout　supposed　myself　talking　to　ignorant　women；　for　ignorant　ye　are　in　the　most　emphatical　sense　of　the　word；　it　would　be　absurd　to　reason　with　you　on　the　egregious　folly　of　desiring　to　know　what　the　Supreme　Wisdom　has　concealed。　Probably　you　would　not　understand　me；　were　I　to　attempt　to　show　you　that　it　would　be　absolutely　inconsistent　with　the　grand　purpose　of　life；　that　of　rendering　human　creatures　wise　and　virtuous：　　and　that；　were　it　sanctioned　by　God；　it　would　disturb　the　order　established　in　creation；　and　if　it　be　not　sanctioned　by　God；　do　you　expect　to　hear　truth？　　Can　events　be　foretold；　events　which　have　not　yet　assumed　a　body　to　become　subject　to　mortal　inspection；　can　they　be　foreseen　by　a　vicious　worldling；　who　pampers　his　appetites　by　preying　on　the　foolish　ones？　Perhaps；　however；　you　devoutly　believe　in　the　devil；　and　imagine；　to　shift　the　question；　that　he　may　assist　his　votaries？　but　if　really　respecting　the　power　of　such　a　being；　an　enemy　to　goodness　and　to　God；　can　you　go　to　church　after　having　been　under　such　an　obligation　to　him。　　From　these　delusions　to　those　still　more　fashionable　deceptions；　practised　by　the　whole　tribe　of　magnetisers；　the　transition　is　very　natural。　　With　respect　to　them；　it　is　equally　proper　to　ask　women　a　few　questions。　Do　you　know　any　thing　of　the　construction　of　the　human　frame？　　If　not；　it　is　proper　that　you　should　be　told；　what　every　child　ought　to　know；　that　when　its　admirable　economy　has　been　disturbed　by　intemperance　or　indolence；　I　speak　not　of　violent　disorders；　but　of　chronical　diseases；　it　must　be　brought　into　a　healthy　state　again　by　slow　degrees；　and　if　the　functions　of　life　have　not　been　materially　injured；　regimen；　another　word　for　temperance；　air；　exercise；　and　a　few　medicines　prescribed　by　persons　who　have　studied　the　human　body；　are　the　only　human　means；　yet　discovered；　of　recovering　that　inestimable　blessing　health；　that　will　bear　investigation。　Do　you　then　believe；　that　these　magnetisers；　who；　by　hocus　pocus　tricks；　pretend；　to　work　a　miracle；　are　delegated　by　God；　or　assisted　by　the　solver　of　all　these　kind　of　difficultiesthe　devil。　Do　they；　when　they　put　to　flight；　as　it　is　said；　disorders　that　have　baffled　the　powers　of　medicine；　work　in　conformity　to　the　light　of　reason？　Or　do　they　effect　these　wonderful　cures　by　supernatural　aid？　By　a　communication；　an　adept　may　answer；　with　the　world　of　spirits。　A　noble　privilege；　it　must　be　allowed。　　Some　of　the　ancients　mention　familiar　demons；　who　guarded　them　from　danger；　by　kindly　intimating　（we　cannot　guess　in　what　manner；）　when　any　danger　was　nigh；　or　pointed　out　what　they　ought　to　undertake。　　Yet　the　men　who　laid　claim　to　this　privilege；　out　of　the　order　of　nature；　insisted；　that　it　was　the　reward　or　consequence　of　superior　temperance　and　piety。　　But　the　present　workers　of　wonders　are　not　raised　above　their　fellows　by　superior　temperance　or　sanctity。　　They　do　not　cure　for　the　love　of　God；　but　money。　　These　are　the　priests　of　quackery；　though　it　be　true　they　have　not　the　convenient　expedient　of　selling　masses　for　souls　in　purgatory；　nor　churches；　where　they　can　display　crutches；　and　models　of　limbs　made　sound　by　a　touch　or　a　word。　I　am　not　conversant　with　the　technical　terms；　nor　initiated　into　the　arcana；　therefore　I　may　speak　improperly；　but　it　is　clear；　th