a vindication of the rights of woman-第16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！


to　account　for　any　thing；　may；　（in　a　very　incomplete　manner）　serve　as　the　common　sense　of　life；　but　where　is　the　store　laid　up　that　is　to　clothe　the　soul　when　it　leaves　the　body？　This　power　has　not　only　been　denied　to　women；　but　writers　have　insisted　that　it　is　inconsistent；　with　a　few　exceptions；　with　their　sexual　character。　　Let　men　prove　this；　and　I　shall　grant　that　woman　only　exists　for　man。　　I　must；　however；　previously　remark；　that　the　power　of　generalizing　ideas；　to　any　great　extent；　is　not　very　common　amongst　men　or　women。　　But　this　exercise　is　the　true　cultivation　of　the　understanding；　and　every　thing　conspires　to　render　the　cultivation　of　the　understanding　more　difficult　in　the　female　than　the　male　world。　I　am　naturally　led　by　this　assertion　to　the　main　subject　of　the　present　chapter；　and　shall　now　attempt　to　point　out　some　of　the　causes　that　degrade　the　sex；　and　prevent　women　from　generalizing　their　observations。　I　shall　not　go　back　to　the　remote　annals　of　antiquity　to　trace　the　history　of　woman；　it　is　sufficient　to　allow；　that　she　has　always　been　either　a　slave　or　a　despot；　and　to　remark；　that　each　of　these　situations　equally　retards　the　progress　of　reason。　　The　grand　source　of　female　folly　and　vice　has　ever　appeared　to　me　to　arise　from　narrowness　of　mind；　and　the　very　constitution　of　civil　governments　has　put　almost　insuperable　obstacles　in　the　way　to　prevent　the　cultivation　of　the　female　understanding：　　yet　virtue　can　be　built　on　no　other　foundation！　　The　same　obstacles　are　thrown　in　the　way　of　the　rich；　and　the　same　consequences　ensue。　Necessity　has　been　proverbially　termed　the　mother　of　invention；　the　aphorism　may　be　extended　to　virtue。　　It　is　an　acquirement；　and　an　acquirement　to　which　pleasure　must　be　sacrificed；　and　who　sacrifices　pleasure　when　it　is　within　the　grasp；　whose　mind　has　not　been　opened　and　strengthened　by　adversity；　or　the　pursuit　of　knowledge　goaded　on　by　necessity？　　Happy　is　it　when　people　have　the　cares　of　life　to　struggle　with；　for　these　struggles　prevent　their　becoming　a　prey　to　enervating　vices；　merely　from　idleness！　　But；　if　from　their　birth　men　and　women　are　placed　in　a　torrid　zone；　with　the　meridian　sun　of　pleasure　darting　directly　upon　them；　how　can　they　sufficiently　brace　their　minds　to　discharge　the　duties　of　life；　or　even　to　relish　the　affections　that　carry　them　out　of　themselves？　Pleasure　is　the　business　of　a　woman's　life；　according　to　the　present　modification　of　society；　and　while　it　continues　to　be　so；　little　can　be　expected　from　such　weak　beings。　　Inheriting；　in　a　lineal　descent　from　the　first　fair　defect　in　nature；　the　sovereignty　of　beauty；　they　have；　to　maintain　their　power；　resigned　their　natural　rights；　which　the　exercise　of　reason；　might　have　procured　them；　and　chosen　rather　to　be　short…lived　queens　than　labour　to　attain　the　sober　pleasures　that　arise　from　equality。　Exalted　by　their　inferiority　（this　sounds　like　a　contradiction）　they　constantly　demand　homage　as　women；　though　experience　should　teach　them　that　the　men　who　pride　themselves　upon　paying　this　arbitrary　insolent　respect　to　the　sex；　with　the　most　scrupulous　exactness；　are　most　inclined　to　tyrannize　over；　and　despise　the　very　weakness　they　cherish。　　Often　do　they　repeat　Mr。　Hume's　sentiments；　when　comparing　the　French　and　Athenian　character；　he　alludes　to　women。　　〃But　what　is　more　singular　in　this　whimsical　nation；　say　I　to　the　Athenians；　is；　that　a　frolic　of　yours　during　the　Saturnalia；　when　the　slaves　are　served　by　their　masters；　is　seriously　continued　by　them　through　the　whole　year；　and　through　the　whole　course　of　their　lives；　accompanied　too　with　some　circumstances；　which　still　further　augment　the　absurdity　and　ridicule。　　Your　sport　only　elevates　for　a　few　days；　those　whom　fortune　has　thrown　down；　and　whom　she　too；　in　sport；　may　really　elevate　forever　above　you。　　But　this　nation　gravely　exalts　those；　whom　nature　has　subjected　to　them；　and　whose　inferiority　and　infirmities　are　absolutely　incurable。　　The　women；　though　without　virtue；　are　their　masters　and　sovereigns。〃　Ah！　why　do　women；　I　write　with　affectionate　solicitude；　condescend　to　receive　a　degree　of　attention　and　respect　from　strangers；　different　from　that　reciprocation　of　civility　which　the　dictates　of　humanity；　and　the　politeness　of　civilization　authorise　between　man　and　man？　　And　why　do　they　not　discover；　when　〃in　the　noon　of　beauty's　power；〃　that　they　are　treated　like　queens　only　to　be　deluded　by　hollow　respect；　till　they　are　led　to　resign；　or　not　assume；　their　natural　prerogatives？　　Confined　then　in　cages；　like　the　feathered　race；　they　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　plume　themselves；　and　stalk　with　mock…majesty　from　perch　to　perch。　　It　is　true；　they　are　provided　with　food　and　raiment；　for　which　they　neither　toil　nor　spin；　but　health；　liberty；　and　virtue　are　given　in　exchange。　　But；　where；　amongst　mankind　has　been　found　sufficient　strength　of　mind　to　enable　a　being　to　resign　these　adventitious　prerogatives；　one　who　rising　with　the　calm　dignity　of　reason　above　opinion；　dared　to　be　proud　of　the　privileges　inherent　in　man？　and　it　is　vain　to　expect　it　whilst　hereditary　power　chokes　the　affections；　and　nips　reason　in　the　bud。　The　passions　of　men　have　thus　placed　women　on　thrones；　and；　till　mankind　become　more　reasonable；　it　is　to　be　feared　that　women　will　avail　themselves　of　the　power　which　they　attain　with　the　least　exertion；　and　which　is　the　most　indisputable。　　They　will　smile；　yes；　they　will　smile；　though　told　that　〃In　beauty's　empire　is　no　mean；　And　woman　either　slave　or　queen；　Is　quickly　scorn'd　when　not　ador'd。〃　But　the　adoration　comes　first；　and　the　scorn　is　not　anticipated。　Lewis　the　XIVth；　in　particular；　spread　factitious　manners；　and　caught　in　a　specious　way；　the　whole　nation　in　his　toils；　for　establishing　an　artful　chain　of　despotism；　he　made　it　the　interest　of　the　people　at　large；　individually　to　respect　his　station；　and　support　his　power。　　And　women；　whom　he　flattered　by　a　puerile　attention　to　the　whole　sex；　obtained　in　his　reign　that　prince…like　distinction　so　fatal　to　reason　and　virtue。　A　king　is　always　a　king；　and　a　woman　always　a　woman：　（And　a　wit；　always　a　wit；　might　be　added；　for　the　vain　fooleries　of　wits　and　beauties　to　obtain　attention；　and　make　conquests；　are　much　upon　a　par。）　　his　authority　and　her　sex；　ever　stand　between　them　and　rational　converse。　　With　a　lover；　I　grant　she　should　be　so；　and　her　sensibility　will　naturally　lead　her　to　endeavour　to　excite　emotion；　not　to　gratify　her　vanity　but　her　heart。　　This　I　do　not　allow　to　be　coquetry；　it　is　the　artless　impulse　of　nature；　I　only　exclaim　against　the　sexual　desire　of　conquest；　when　the　heart　is　out　of　the　question。　This　desire　is　not　confined　to　women；　〃I　have　endeavoured；〃　says　Lord　Chesterfield；　〃to　gain　the　hearts　of　twenty　women；　whose　persons　I　would　not　have　given　a　fig　for。〃　　The　libertine　who　in　a　gust　of　passion；　takes　advantage　of　unsuspecting　tenderness；　is　a　saint　when　compared　with　this　cold…hearted　rascal；　for　I　like　to　use　significant　words。　　Yet　only　taught　to　please；　women　are　always　on　the　watch　to　please；　and　with　true　heroic　ardour　endeavour　to　gain　hearts　merely　to　resign；　or　spurn　them；　when　the　victory　is　decided；　and　conspicuous。　I　must　descend　to　the　minutiae　of　the　subject。　I　lament　that　women　are　systematically　degraded　by　receiving　the　trivial　attentions；　which　men　think　it　manly　to　pay　to　the　sex；　when；　in　fact；　they　are　insultingly　supporting　their　own　superiority。　　It　is　not　condescension　to　bow　to　an　inferior。　　So　ludicrous；　in　fact；　do　these　ceremonies　appear　to　me；　that　I　scarcely　am　able　to　govern　my　muscles；　when　I　see　a　man　start　with　eager；　and　serious　solicitude　to　lift　a　handkerchief；　or　shut　a　door；　when　the　LADY　could　have　done　it　herself；　had　she　only　moved　a　pace　or　two。　A　wild　wish　has　just　flown　from　my　heart　to　my　head；　and　I　will　not　stifle　it　though　it　may　excite　a　horse　laugh。　　I　do　earnestly　wish　to　see　the　distinction　of　sex　confounded　in　society；　unless　where　love　animates　the　behaviour。　　For　this　distinction　is；　I　am　firmly　persuaded；　the　foundation　of　the　weakness　of　character　ascribed　to　woman；　is　the　cause　why　the　understanding　is　neglected；　whilst　accomplishments　are　acquired　with　sedulous　care：　　and　the　same　cause　accounts　for　their　preferring　the　graceful　before　the　heroic　virtues。　Mankind；　including　every　description；　wish　to　be　loved　and　respected　for　SOMETHING；　and　the　common　herd　will　always　take　the　nearest　road　to　the　completion　of　their　wishes。　　The　respect　paid　to　wealth　and　beauty　is　the　most　certain　and　unequivocal；　and　of　course；　will　always　attract　the　vulgar　eye　of　common　minds。　Abilities　and　virtues　are　absolutely　necessary　to　raise　men　from　the　middle　rank　of　life　into　notice；　and　the　natural　consequence　is　notorious；　the　middle　rank　contains　most　virtue　and　abilities。　　Men　have　thus；　in　one　station；　at　least；　an　opportunity　of　exerting　themselves　with　dignity；　and　of　rising　by　the　exertions　which　really　improve　a　rational　creature；　but　the　whole　female　sex　are；　till　their　character　is　formed；　in　the　same　condition　as　the　rich：　for　they　are　born；　I　now　speak　of　a　state　of　civilization；　with　certain　sexual　privileges；　and　whilst　they　are　gratuitously　granted　them；　few　will　ever　think　of　works　of　supererogation；　to　obtain　the