a vindication of the rights of woman-第7章

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nd　to　discharge　the　duties　of　a　king；　entrusted　with　uncontrolled　power；　how　then　must　they　be　violated　when　his　very　elevation　is　an　insuperable　bar　to　the　attainment　of　either　wisdom　or　virtue；　when　all　the　feelings　of　a　man　are　stifled　by　flattery；　and　reflection　shut　out　by　pleasure！　　Surely　it　is　madness　to　make　the　fate　of　thousands　depend　on　the　caprice　of　a　weak　fellow　creature；　whose　very　station　sinks　him　NECESSARILY　below　the　meanest　of　his　subjects！　　But　one　power　should　not　be　thrown　down　to　exalt　anotherfor　all　power　intoxicates　weak　man；　and　its　abuse　proves；　that　the　more　equality　there　is　established　among　men；　the　more　virtue　and　happiness　will　reign　in　society。　　But　this；　and　any　similar　maxim　deduced　from　simple　reason；　raises　an　outcrythe　church　or　the　state　is　in　danger；　if　faith　in　the　wisdom　of　antiquity　is　not　implicit；　and　they　who；　roused　by　the　sight　of　human　calamity；　dare　to　attack　human　authority；　are　reviled　as　despisers　of　God；　and　enemies　of　man。　　These　are　bitter　calumnies；　yet　they　reached　one　of　the　best　of　men；　（Dr。　Price。）　whose　ashes　still　preach　peace；　and　whose　memory　demands　a　respectful　pause；　when　subjects　are　discussed　that　lay　so　near　his　heart。　After　attacking　the　sacred　majesty　of　kings；　I　shall　scarcely　excite　surprise；　by　adding　my　firm　persuasion；　that　every　profession；　in　which　great　subordination　of　rank　constitutes　its　power；　is　highly　injurious　to　morality。　A　standing　army；　for　instance；　is　incompatible　with　freedom；　because　subordination　and　rigour　are　the　very　sinews　of　military　discipline；　and　despotism　is　necessary　to　give　vigour　to　enterprises　that　one　will　directs。　　A　spirit　inspired　by　romantic　notions　of　honour；　a　kind　of　morality　founded　on　the　fashion　of　the　age；　can　only　be　felt　by　a　few　officers；　whilst　the　main　body　must　be　moved　by　command；　like　the　waves　of　the　sea；　for　the　strong　wind　of　authority　pushes　the　crowd　of　subalterns　forward；　they　scarcely　know　or　care　why；　with　headlong　fury。　Besides；　nothing　can　be　so　prejudicial　to　the　morals　of　the　inhabitants　of　country　towns；　as　the　occasional　residence　of　a　set　of　idle　superficial　young　men；　whose　only　occupation　is　gallantry；　and　whose　polished　manners　render　vice　more　dangerous；　by　concealing　its　deformity　under　gay　ornamental　drapery。　　An　air　of　fashion；　which　is　but　a　badge　of　slavery；　and　proves　that　the　soul　has　not　a　strong　individual　character；　awes　simple　country　people　into　an　imitation　of　the　vices；　when　they　cannot　catch　the　slippery　graces　of　politeness。　　Every　corps　is　a　chain　of　despots；　who；　submitting　and　tyrannizing　without　exercising　their　reason；　become　dead　weights　of　vice　and　folly　on　the　community。　　A　man　of　rank　or　fortune；　sure　of　rising　by　interest；　has　nothing　to　do　but　to　pursue　some　extravagant　freak；　whilst　the　needy　GENTLEMAN；　who　is　to　rise；　as　the　phrase　turns；　by　his　merit；　becomes　a　servile　parasite　or　vile　pander。　Sailors；　the　naval　gentlemen；　come　under　the　same　description；　only　their　vices　assume　a　different　and　a　grosser　cast。　　They　are　more　positively　indolent；　when　not　discharging　the　ceremonials　of　their　station；　whilst　the　insignificant　fluttering　of　soldiers　may　be　termed　active　idleness。　　More　confined　to　the　society　of　men；　the　former　acquire　a　fondness　for　humour　and　mischievous　tricks；　whilst　the　latter；　mixing　frequently　with　well…bred　women；　catch　a　sentimental　cant。　　But　mind　is　equally　out　of　the　question；　whether　they　indulge　the　horse…laugh　or　polite　simper。　May　I　be　allowed　to　extend　the　comparison　to　a　profession　where　more　mind　is　certainly　to　be　found；　for　the　clergy　have　superior　opportunities　of　improvement；　though　subordination　almost　equally　cramps　their　faculties？　The　blind　submission　imposed　at　college　to　forms　of　belief；　serves　as　a　noviciate　to　the　curate　who　most　obsequiously　respects　the　opinion　of　his　rector　or　patron；　if　he　means　to　rise　in　his　profession。　　Perhaps　there　cannot　be　a　more　forcible　contrast　than　between　the　servile；　dependent　gait　of　a　poor　curate；　and　the　courtly　mien　of　a　bishop。　　And　the　respect　and　contempt　they　inspire　render　the　discharge　of　their　separate　functions　equally　useless。　It　is　of　great　importance　to　observe；　that　the　character　of　every　man　is；　in　some　degree；　formed　by　his　profession。　　A　man　of　sense　may　only　have　a　cast　of　countenance　that　wears　off　as　you　trace　his　individuality；　whilst　the　weak；　common　man；　has　scarcely　ever　any　character；　but　what　belongs　to　the　body；　at　least；　all　his　opinions　have　been　so　steeped　in　the　vat　consecrated　by　authority；　that　the　faint　spirit　which　the　grape　of　his　own　vine　yields　cannot　be　distinguished。　Society；　therefore；　as　it　becomes　more　enlightened；　should　be　very　careful　not　to　establish　bodies　of　men　who　must　necessarily　be　made　foolish　or　vicious　by　the　very　constitution　of　their　profession。　In　the　infancy　of　society；　when　men　were　just　emerging　out　of　barbarism；　chiefs　and　priests；　touching　the　most　powerful　springs　of　savage　conducthope　and　fearmust　have　had　unbounded　sway。　　An　aristocracy；　of　course；　is　naturally　the　first　form　of　government。　But　clashing　interests　soon　losing　their　equipoise；　a　monarchy　and　hierarchy　break　out　of　the　confusion　of　ambitious　struggles；　and　the　foundation　of　both　is　secured　by　feudal　tenures。　　This　appears　to　be　the　origin　of　monarchial　and　priestly　power；　and　the　dawn　of　civilization。　　But　such　combustible　materials　cannot　long　be　pent　up；　and　getting　vent　in　foreign　wars　and　intestine　insurrections；　the　people　acquire　some　power　in　the　tumult；　which　obliges　their　rulers　to　gloss　over　their　oppression　with　a　show　of　right。　　Thus；　as　wars；　agriculture；　commerce；　and　literature；　expands　the　mind；　despots　are　compelled；　to　make　covert　corruption　hold　fast　the　power　which　was　formerly　snatched　by　open　force。*　　And　this　baneful　lurking　gangrene　is　most　quickly　spread　by　luxury　and　superstition；　the　sure　dregs　of　ambition。　　The　indolent　puppet　of　a　court　first　becomes　a　luxurious　monster；　or　fastidious　sensualist；　and　then　makes　the　contagion　which　his　unnatural　state　spreads；　the　instrument　of　tyranny。　（*Footnote。　　Men　of　abilities　scatter　seeds　that　grow　up；　and　have　a　great　influence　on　the　forming　opinion；　and　when　once　the　public　opinion　preponderates；　through　the　exertion　of　reason；　the　overthrow　of　arbitrary　power　is　not　very　distant。）　It　is　the　pestiferous　purple　which　renders　the　progress　of　civilization　a　curse；　and　warps　the　understanding；　till　men　of　sensibility　doubt　whether　the　expansion　of　intellect　produces　a　greater　portion　of　happiness　or　misery。　　But　the　nature　of　the　poison　points　out　the　antidote；　and　had　Rousseau　mounted　one　step　higher　in　his　investigation；　or　could　his　eye　have　pierced　through　the　foggy　atmosphere；　which　he　almost　disdained　to　breathe；　his　active　mind　would　have　darted　forward　to　contemplate　the　perfection　of　man　in　the　establishment　of　true　civilization；　instead　of　taking　his　ferocious　flight　back　to　the　night　of　sensual　ignorance。

CHAPTER　2。　THE　PREVAILING　OPINION　OF　A　SEXUAL　CHARACTER　DISCUSSED。　To　account　for；　and　excuse　the　tyranny　of　man；　many　ingenious　arguments　have　been　brought　forward　to　prove；　that　the　two　sexes；　in　the　acquirement　of　virtue；　ought　to　aim　at　attaining　a　very　diff