a vindication of the rights of woman-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o　the　character　of　supreme　wisdom。　His　ridiculous　stories；　which　tend　to　prove　that　girls　are　NATURALLY　attentive　to　their　persons；　without　laying　any　stress　on　daily　example；　are　below　contempt。　　And　that　a　little　miss　should　have　such　a　correct　taste　as　to　neglect　the　pleasing　amusement　of　making　O's；　merely　because　she　perceived　that　it　was　an　ungraceful　attitude；　should　be　selected　with　the　anecdotes　of　the　learned　pig。*　（*Footnote。　　〃I　once　knew　a　young　person　who　learned　to　write　before　she　learned　to　read；　and　began　to　write　with　her　needle　before　she　could　use　a　pen。　　At　first　indeed；　she　took　it　into　her　head　to　make　no　other　letter　than　the　O：　　this　letter　she　was　constantly　making　of　all　sizes；　and　always　the　wrong　way。　Unluckily　one　day；　as　she　was　intent　on　this　employment；　she　happened　to　see　herself　in　the　looking　glass；　when；　taking　a　dislike　to　the　constrained　attitude　in　which　she　sat　while　writing；　she　threw　away　her　pen；　like　another　Pallas；　and　determined　against　making　the　O　any　more。　　Her　brother　was　also　equally　averse　to　writing：　　it　was　the　confinement；　however；　and　not　the　constrained　attitude；　that　most　disgusted　him。〃　Rousseau's　〃Emilius。〃）　I　have；　probably；　had　an　opportunity　of　observing　more　girls　in　their　infancy　than　J。　J。　Rousseau。　　I　can　recollect　my　own　feelings；　and　I　have　looked　steadily　around　me；　yet；　so　far　from　coinciding　with　him　in　opinion　respecting　the　first　dawn　of　the　female　character；　I　will　venture　to　affirm；　that　a　girl；　whose　spirits　have　not　been　damped　by　inactivity；　or　innocence　tainted　by　false　shame；　will　always　be　a　romp；　and　the　doll　will　never　excite　attention　unless　confinement　allows　her　no　alternative。　　Girls　and　boys；　in　short；　would　play　harmless　together；　if　the　distinction　of　sex　was　not　inculcated　long　before　nature　makes　any　difference。　　I　will；　go　further；　and　affirm；　as　an　indisputable　fact；　that　most　of　the　women；　in　the　circle　of　my　observation；　who　have　acted　like　rational　creatures；　or　shown　any　vigour　of　intellect；　have　accidentally　been　allowed　to　run　wild；　as　some　of　the　elegant　formers　of　the　fair　sex　would　insinuate。　The　baneful　consequences　which　flow　from　inattention　to　health　during　infancy；　and　youth；　extend　further　than　is　supposed；　dependence　of　body　naturally　produces　dependence　of　mind；　and　how　can　she　be　a　good　wife　or　mother；　the　greater　part　of　whose　time　is　employed　to　guard　against　or　endure　sickness；　nor　can　it　be　expected；　that　a　woman　will　resolutely　endeavour　to　strengthen　her　constitution　and　abstain　from　enervating　indulgences；　if　artificial　notions　of　beauty；　and　false　descriptions　of　sensibility；　have　been　early　entangled　with　her　motives　of　action。　　Most　men　are　sometimes　obliged　to　bear　with　bodily　inconveniences；　and　to　endure；　occasionally；　the　inclemency　of　the　elements；　but　genteel　women　are；　literally　speaking；　slaves　to　their　bodies；　and　glory　in　their　subjection。　I　once　knew　a　weak　woman　of　fashion；　who　was　more　than　commonly　proud　of　her　delicacy　and　sensibility。　　She　thought　a　distinguishing　taste　and　puny　appetite　the　height　of　all　human　perfection；　and　acted　accordingly。　　I　have　seen　this　weak　sophisticated　being　neglect　all　the　duties　of　life；　yet　recline　with　self…complacency　on　a　sofa；　and　boast　of　her　want　of　appetite　as　a　proof　of　delicacy　that　extended　to；　or；　perhaps；　arose　from；　her　exquisite　sensibility：　　for　it　is　difficult　to　render　intelligible　such　ridiculous　jargon。　　Yet；　at　the　moment；　I　have　seen　her　insult　a　worthy　old　gentlewoman；　whom　unexpected　misfortunes　had　made　dependent　on　her　ostentatious　bounty；　and　who；　in　better　days；　had　claims　on　her　gratitude。　　Is　it　possible　that　a　human　creature　should　have　become　such　a　weak　and　depraved　being；　if；　like　the　Sybarites；　dissolved　in　luxury；　every　thing　like　virtue　had　not　been　worn　away；　or　never　impressed　by　precept；　a　poor　substitute　it　is　true；　for　cultivation　of　mind；　though　it　serves　as　a　fence　against　vice？　Such　a　woman　is　not　a　more　irrational　monster　than　some　of　the　Roman　emperors；　who　were　depraved　by　lawless　power。　　Yet；　since　kings　have　been　more　under　the　restraint　of　law；　and　the　curb；　however　weak；　of　honour；　the　records　of　history　are　not　filled　with　such　unnatural　instances　of　folly　and　cruelty；　nor　does　the　despotism　that　kills　virtue　and　genius　in　the　bud；　hover　over　Europe　with　that　destructive　blast　which　desolates　Turkey；　and　renders　the　men；　as　well　as　the　soil　unfruitful。　Women　are　every　where　in　this　deplorable　state；　for；　in　order　to　preserve　their　innocence；　as　ignorance　is　courteously　termed；　truth　is　hidden　from　them；　and　they　are　made　to　assume　an　artificial　character　before　their　faculties　have　acquired　any　strength。　Taught　from　their　infancy；　that　beauty　is　woman's　sceptre；　the　mind　shapes　itself　to　the　body；　and；　roaming　round　its　gilt　cage；　only　seeks　to　adorn　its　prison。　　Men　have　various　employments　and　pursuits　which　engage　their　attention；　and　give　a　character　to　the　opening　mind；　but　women；　confined　to　one；　and　having　their　thoughts　constantly　directed　to　the　most　insignificant　part　of　themselves；　seldom　extend　their　views　beyond　the　triumph　of　the　hour。　　But　was　their　understanding　once　emancipated　from　the　slavery　to　which　the　pride　and　sensuality　of　man　and　their　short　sighted　desire；　like　that　of　dominion　in　tyrants；　of　present　sway；　has　subjected　them；　we　should　probably　read　of　their　weaknesses　with　surprise。　　I　must　be　allowed　to　pursue　the　argument　a　little　farther。　Perhaps；　if　the　existence　of　an　evil　being　was　allowed；　who；　in　the　allegorical　language　of　scripture；　went　about　seeking　whom　he　should　devour；　he　could　not　more　effectually　degrade　the　human　character　than　by　giving　a　man　absolute　power。　This　argument　branches　into　various　ramifications。　　Birth；　riches；　and　every　intrinsic　advantage　that　exalt　a　man　above　his　fellows；　without　any　mental　exertion；　sink　him　in　reality　below　them。　　In　proportion　to　his　weakness；　he　is　played　upon　by　designing　men；　till　the　bloated　monster　has　lost　all　traces　of　humanity。　　And　that　tribes　of　men；　like　flocks　of　sheep；　should　quietly　follow　such　a　leader；　is　a　solecism　that　only　a　desire　of　present　enjoyment　and　narrowness　of　understanding　can　solve。　　Educated　in　slavish　dependence；　and　enervated　by　luxury　and　sloth；　where　shall　we　find　men　who　will　stand　forth　to　assert　the　rights　of　man；　or　claim　the　privilege　of　moral　beings；　who　should　have　but　one　road　to　excellence？　Slavery　to　monarchs　and　ministers；　which　the　world　will　be　long　in　freeing　itself　from；　and　whose　deadly　grasp　stops　the　progress　of　the　human　mind；　is　not　yet　abolished。　Let　not　men　then　in　the　pride　of　power；　use　the　same　arguments　that　tyrannic　kings　and　venal　ministers　have　used；　and　fallaciously　assert；　that　woman　ought　to　be　subjected　because　she　has　always　been　so。　　But；　when　man；　governed　by　reasonable　laws；　enjoys　his　natural　freedom；　let　him　despise　woman；　if　she　do　not　share　it　with　him；　and；　till　that　glorious　period　arrives；　in　descanting　on　the　folly　of　the　sex；　let　him　not　overlook　his　own。　Women；　it　is　true；　obtaining　power　by　unjust　means；　by　practising　or　fostering　vice；　evidently　lose　the　rank　which　reason　would　assign　them；　and　they　become　either　abject　slaves　or　capricious　tyrants。　　They　lose　all　simplicity；　all　dignity　of　mind；　in　acquiring　power；　and　act　as　men　are　observed　to　act　when　they　have　been　exalted　by　the　same　means。　It　is　time　to　effect　a　revolution　in　female　manners；　time　to　restore　to　them　their　lost　dignity；　and　make　them；　as　a　part　of　the　human　species；　labour　by　reforming　themselves　to　reform　the　world。　It　is　time　to　separate　unchangeable　morals　from　local　manners。　　If　men　be　demi…gods；　why　let　us　serve　them！　　And　if　the　dignity　of　the　female　soul　be　as　disputable　as　that　of　animals；　if　their　reason　does　not　afford　sufficient　light　to　direct　their　conduct　whilst　unerring　instinct　is　denied；　they　are　surely　of　all　creatures　the　most　miserable　and；　bent　beneath　the　iron　hand　of　destiny；　must　submit　to　be　a　FAIR　DEFECT　in　creation。　　But　to　justify　the　ways　of　providence　respecting　them；　by　pointing　out　some　irrefragable　reason　for　thus　making　such　a　large　portion　of　mankind　accountable　and　not　accountable；　would　puzzle　the　subtlest　casuist。　The　only　solid　foundation　for　morality　appears　to　be　the　character　of　the　Supreme　Being；　the　harmony　of　which　arises　from　a　balance　of　attributes；　and；　to　speak　with　reverence；　one　attribute　seems　to　imply　the　NECESSITY　of　another。　　He　must　be　just；　because　he　is　wise；　he　must　be　good；　because　he　is　omnipotent。　　For；　to　exalt　one　attribute　at　the　expense　of　another　equally　noble　and　necessary；　bears　the　stamp　of　the　warped　reason　of　man；　the　homage　of　passion。　Man；　accustomed　to　bow　down　to　power　in　his　savage　state；　can　seldom　divest　himself　of　this　barbarous　prejudice　even　when　civilization　determines　how　much　superior　mental　is　to　bodily　strength；　and　his　reason　is　clouded　by　these　crude　opinions；　even　when　he　thinks　of　the　Deity。　　His　omnipotence　is　made　to　swallow　up；　or　preside　over　his　other　attributes；　and　those　mortals　are　supposed　to　limit　his　power　irreverently；　who　think　that　it　must　be　regulated　by　his　wisdom。　I　disclaim　that　species　of　humility　which；　after　investigating　nature；　stops　at　the　author。　　The　high　and　lofty