a vindication of the rights of woman-第71章

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men；　and　with　whom　they　have　sought　for　pleasure　with　eager　thirst；　entertain　the　meanest　opinion　of　the　sex。　　Virtue；　true　refiner　of　joy！　if　foolish　men　were　to　fright　thee　from　earth；　in　order　to　give　loose　to　all　their　appetites　without　a　checksome　sensual　wight　of　taste　would　scale　the　heavens　to　invite　thee　back；　to　give　a　zest　to　pleasure！　That　women　at　present　are　by　ignorance　rendered　foolish　or　vicious；　is；　I　think；　not　to　be　disputed；　and；　that　the　most　salutary　effects　tending　to　improve　mankind；　might　be　expected　from　a　REVOLUTION　in　female　manners；　appears　at　least；　with　a　face　of　probability；　to　rise　out　of　the　observation。　　For　as　marriage　has　been　termed　the　parent　of　those　endearing　charities；　which　draw　man　from　the　brutal　herd；　the　corrupting　intercourse　that　wealth；　idleness；　and　folly　produce　between　the　sexes；　is　more　universally　injurious　to　morality；　than　all　the　other　vices　of　mankind　collectively　considered。　　To　adulterous　lust　the　most　sacred　duties　are　sacrificed；　because；　before　marriage；　men；　by　a　promiscuous　intimacy　with　women；　learned　to　consider　love　as　a　selfish　gratificationlearned　to　separate　it　not　only　from　esteem；　but　from　the　affection　merely　built　on　habit；　which　mixes　a　little　humanity　with　it。　　Justice　and　friendship　are　also　set　at　defiance；　and　that　purity　of　taste　is　vitiated；　which　would　naturally　lead　a　man　to　relish　an　artless　display　of　affection；　rather　than　affected　airs。　　But　that　noble　simplicity　of　affection；　which　dares　to　appear　unadorned；　has　few　attractions　for　the　libertine；　though　it　be　the　charm；　which；　by　cementing　the　matrimonial　tie；　secures　to　the　pledges　of　a　warmer　passion　the　necessary　parental　attention；　for　children　will　never　be　properly　educated　till　friendship　subsists　between　parents。　　Virtue　flies　from　a　house　divided　against　itselfand　a　whole　legion　of　devils　take　up　their　residence　there。　The　affection　of　husbands　and　wives　cannot　be　pure　when　they　have　so　few　sentiments　in　common；　and　when　so　little　confidence　is　established　at　home；　as　must　be　the　case　when　their　pursuits　are　so　different。　　That　intimacy　from　which　tenderness　should　flow；　will　not；　cannot　subsist　between　the　vicious。　Contending；　therefore；　that　the　sexual　distinction；　which　men　have　so　warmly　insisted　upon；　is　arbitrary；　I　have　dwelt　on　an　observation；　that　several　sensible　men；　with　whom　I　have　conversed　on　the　subject；　allowed　to　be　well　founded；　and　it　is　simply　this；　that　the　little　chastity　to　be　found　amongst　men；　and　consequent　disregard　of　modesty；　tend　to　degrade　both　sexes；　and　further；　that　the　modesty　of　women；　characterized　as　such；　will　often　be　only　the　artful　veil　of　wantonness；　instead　of　being　the　natural　reflection　of　purity；　till　modesty　be　universally　respected。　From　the　tyranny　of　man；　I　firmly　believe；　the　greater　number　of　female　follies　proceed；　and　the　cunning；　which　I　allow；　makes　at　present　a　part　of　their　character；　I　likewise　have　repeatedly　endeavoured　to　prove；　is　produced　by　oppression。　　Were　not　dissenters；　for　instance；　a　class　of　people；　with　strict　truth　characterized　as　cunning？　　And　may　I　not　lay　some　stress　on　this　fact　to　prove；　that　when　any　power　but　reason　curbs　the　free　spirit　of　man；　dissimulation　is　practised；　and　the　various　shifts　of　art　are　naturally　called　forth？　　Great　attention　to　decorum；　which　was　carried　to　a　degree　of　scrupulosity；　and　all　that　puerile　bustle　about　trifles　and　consequential　solemnity；　which　Butler's　caricature　of　a　dissenter　brings　before　the　imagination；　shaped　their　persons　as　well　as　their　minds　in　the　mould　of　prim　littleness。　　I　speak　collectively；　for　I　know　how　many　ornaments　to　human　nature　have　been　enrolled　amongst　sectaries；　yet；　I　assert；　that　the　same　narrow　prejudice　for　their　sect；　which　women　have　for　their　families；　prevailed　in　the　dissenting　part　of　the　community；　however　worthy　in　other　respects；　and　also　that　the　same　timid　prudence；　or　headstrong　efforts；　often　disgraced　the　exertions　of　both。　　Oppression　thus　formed　many　of　the　features　of　their　character　perfectly　to　coincide　with　that　of　the　oppressed　half　of　mankind；　for　is　it　not　notorious；　that　dissenters　were　like　women；　fond　of　deliberating　together；　and　asking　advice　of　each　other；　till　by　a　complication　of　little　contrivances；　some　little　end　was　brought　about？　　A　similar　attention　to　preserve　their　reputation　was　conspicuous　in　the　dissenting　and　female　world；　and　was　produced　by　a　similar　cause。　Asserting　the　rights　which　women　in　common　with　men　ought　to　contend　for；　I　have　not　attempted　to　extenuate　their　faults；　but　to　prove　them　to　be　the　natural　consequence　of　their　education　and　station　in　society。　　If　so；　it　is　reasonable　to　suppose；　that　they　will　change　their　character；　and　correct　their　vices　and　follies；　when　they　are　allowed　to　be　free　in　a　physical；　moral；　and　civil　sense。　Let　woman　share　the　rights；　and　she　will　emulate　the　virtues　of　man；　for　she　must　grow　more　perfect　when　emancipated；　or　justify　the　authority　that　chains　such　a　weak　being　to　her　duty。　　If　the　latter；　it　will　be　expedient　to　open　a　fresh　trade　with　Russia　for　whips；　a　present　which　a　father　should　always　make　to　his　son…in…law　on　his　wedding　day；　that　a　husband　may　keep　his　whole　family　in　order　by　the　same　means；　and　without　any　violation　of　justice　reign；　wielding　this　sceptre；　sole　master　of　his　house；　because　he　is　the　only　being　in　it　who　has　reason；　the　divine；　indefeasible；　earthly　sovereignty　breathed　into　man　by　the　Master　of　the　universe。　　Allowing　this　position；　women　have　not　any　inherent　rights　to　claim；　and；　by　the　same　rule　their　duties　vanish；　for　rights　and　duties　are　inseparable。　Be　just　then；　O　ye　men　of　understanding！　and　mark　not　more　severely　what　women　do　amiss；　than　the　vicious　tricks　of　the　horse　or　the　ass　for　whom　ye　provide　provender；　and　allow　her　the　privileges　of　ignorance；　to　whom　ye　deny　the　rights　of　reason；　or　ye　will　be　worse　than　Egyptian　task…masters；　expecting　virtue　where　nature　has　not　given　understanding！



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