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n should not in the full meaning of the relationship; be termed wives; or the very purpose of marriage would be subverted; and all those endearing charities that flow from personal fidelity; and give a sanctity to the tie; when neither love nor friendship unites the hearts; would melt into selfishness。  The woman who is faithful to the father of her children demands respect; and should not be treated like a prostitute; though I readily grant; that if it be necessary for a man and woman to live together in order to bring up their offspring; nature never intended that a man should have more than one wife。 Still; highly as I respect marriage; as the foundation of almost every social virtue; I cannot avoid feeling the most lively compassion for those unfortunate females who are broken off from society; and by one error torn from all those affections and relationships that improve the heart and mind。  It does not frequently even deserve the name of error; for many innocent girls become the dupes of a sincere affectionate heart; and still more are; as it may emphatically be termed; RUINED before they know the difference between virtue and vice:  and thus prepared by their education for infamy; they become infamous。  Asylums and Magdalens are not the proper remedies for these abuses。  It is justice; not charity; that is wanting in the world! A woman who has lost her honour; imagines that she cannot fall lower; and as for recovering her former station; it is impossible; no exertion can wash this stain away。  Losing thus every spur; and having no other means of support; prostitution becomes her only refuge; and the character is quickly depraved by circumstances over which the poor wretch has little power; unless she possesses an uncommon portion of sense and loftiness of spirit。  Necessity never makes prostitution the business of men's lives; though numberless are the women who are thus rendered systematically vicious。  This; however; arises; in a great degree; from the state of idleness in which women are educated; who are always taught to look up to man for a maintenance; and to consider their persons as the proper return for his exertions to support them。  Meretricious airs; and the whole science of wantonness; has then a more powerful stimulus than either appetite or vanity; and this remark gives force to the prevailing opinion; that with chastity all is lost that is respectable in woman。  Her character depends on the observance of one virtue; though the only passion fostered in her heartis love。 Nay the honour of a woman is not made even to depend on her will。 When Richardson makes Clarissa tell Lovelace that he had robbed her of her honour; he must have had strange notions of honour and virtue。  For; miserable beyond all names of misery is the condition of a being; who could be degraded without its own consent!  This excess of strictness I have heard vindicated as a salutary error。 I shall answer in the words of Leibnitz〃Errors are often useful; but it is commonly to remedy other errors。〃 Most of the evils of life arise from a desire of present enjoyment that outruns itself。  The obedience required of women in the marriage state; comes under this description; the mind; naturally weakened by depending on authority; never exerts its own powers; and the obedient wife is thus rendered a weak indolent mother。  Or; supposing that this is not always the consequence; a future state of existence is scarcely taken into the reckoning when only negative virtues are cultivated。  For in treating of morals; particularly when women are alluded to; writers have too often considered virtue in a very limited sense; and made the foundation of it SOLELY worldly utility; nay; a still more fragile base has been given to this stupendous fabric; and the wayward fluctuating feelings of men have been made the standard of virtue。  Yes; virtue as well as religion; has been subjected to the decisions of taste。 It would almost provoke a smile of contempt; if the vain absurdities of man did not strike us on all sides; to observe; how eager men are to degrade the sex from whom they pretend to receive the chief pleasure of life; and I have frequently; with full conviction; retorted Pope's sarcasm on them; or; to speak explicitly; it has appeared to me applicable to the whole human race。  A love of pleasure or sway seems to divide mankind; and the husband who lords it in his little harem; thinks only of his pleasure or his convenience。  To such lengths; indeed; does an intemperate love of pleasure carry some prudent men; or worn out libertines; who marry to have a safe companion; that they seduce their own wives。  Hymen banishes modesty; and chaste love takes its flight。 Love; considered as an animal appetite; cannot long feed on itself without expiring。  And this extinction; in its own flame; may be termed the violent death of love。  But the wife who has thus been rendered licentious; will probably endeavour to fill the void left by the loss of her husband's attentions; for she cannot contentedly become merely an upper servant after having been treated like a goddess。  She is still handsome; and; instead of transferring her fondness to her children; she only dreams of enjoying the sunshine of life。  Besides; there are many husbands so devoid of sense and parental affection; that during the first effervescence of voluptuous fondness; they refuse to let their wives suckle their children。  They are only to dress and live to please them:  and love; even innocent love; soon sinks into lasciviousness when the exercise of a duty is sacrificed to its indulgence。 Personal attachment is a very happy foundation for friendship; yet; when even two virtuous young people marry; it would; perhaps; be happy if some circumstance checked their passion; if the recollection of some prior attachment; or disappointed affection; made it on one side; at least; rather a match founded on esteem。 In that case they would look beyond the present moment; and try to render the whole of life respectable; by forming a plan to regulate a friendship which only death ought to dissolve。 Friendship is a serious affection; the most sublime of all affections; because it is founded on principle; and cemented by time。  The very reverse may be said of love。  In a great degree; love and friendship cannot subsist in the same bosom; even when inspired by different objects they weaken or destroy each other; and for the same object can only be felt in succession。  The vain fears and fond jealousies; the winds which fan the flame of love; when judiciously or artfully tempered; are both incompatible with the tender confidence and sincere respect of friendship。 Love; such as the glowing pen of genius has traced; exists not on earth; or only resides in those exalted; fervid imaginations that have sketched such dangerous pictures。  Dangerous; because they not only afford a plausible excuse to the voluptuary; who disguises sheer sensuality under a sentimental veil; but as they spread affectation; and take from the dignity of virtue。  Virtue; as the very word imports; should have an appearance of seriousness; if not austerity; and to endeavour to trick her out in the garb of pleasure; because the epithet has been used as another name for beauty; is to exalt her on a quicksand; a most insidious attempt to hasten her fall by apparent respect。  Virtue; and pleasure are not; in fact; so nearly allied in this life as some eloquent writers have laboured to prove。  Pleasure prepares the fading wreath; and mixes the intoxicating cup; but the fruit which virtue gives; is the recompence of toil:  and; gradually seen as it ripens; only affords calm satisfaction; nay; appearing to be the result of the natural tendency of things; it is scarcely observed。  Bread; the common food of life; seldom thought of as a blessing; supports the constitution; and preserves health; still feasts delight the heart of man; though disease and even death lurk in the cup or dainty that elevates the spirits or tickles the palate。  The lively heated imagination in the same style; draws the picture of love; as it draws every other picture; with those glowing colours; which the daring hand will steal from the rainbow that is directed by a mind; condemned; in a world like this; to prove its noble origin; by panting after unattainable perfection; ever pursuing what it acknowledges to be a fleeting dream。  An imagination of this vigorous cast can give existence to insubstantial forms; and stability to the shadowy reveries which the mind naturally falls into when realities are found vapid。  It can then depict love with celestial charms; and dote on the grand ideal object; it can imagine a degree of mutual affection that shall refine the soul; and not expire when it has served as a 〃scale to heavenly;〃 and; like devotion; make it absorb every meaner affection and desire。 In each other's arms; as in a temple; with its summit lost in the clouds; the world is to be shut out; and every thought and wish; that do not nurture pure affection and permanent virtue。  Permanent virtue! alas! Rousseau; respectable visionary! thy paradise would soon be violated by the entrance of some unexpected guest。  Like Milton's; it would only contain angels; or men sunk below the dignity of ratio

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