CHAP. IV.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF DEGRADATION TO WHICH WOMAN IS REDUCED BY VARIOUS CAUSES.

That woman is naturally weak, or degraded by a concurrence of circumstances, is, I think, clear. But this position I shall simply contrast with a conclusion, which I have frequently heard fall from sensible men in favour of an aristocracy: that the mass of mankind cannot be anything, or the obsequious slaves, who patiently allow themselves to be driven forward, would feel their own consequence, and spurn their chains. Men, they further observe, submit every where to oppreffion, when they have only to lift up their heads to throw off the yoke; yet, instead of asserting their birthright, they quietly lick the dust, and say, let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. Women, I argue from analogy, are degraded by the fame propensity to enjoy the present moment; and, at last, despise the

freedom

freedom which they have not sufficient virtue to struggle to attain. But I must be more explicit.

With respect to the culture of the heart, it is unanimously allowed that sex is out of the question; but the line of subordination in the mental powers is never to be passed over*. Only absolute in loveliness,' the portion of rationality granted to woman, is, indeed, very scanty; for, denying her genius and judgment, it is scarcely possible to divine what remains to characterize intellect.

The stamen of immortality, if I may be allowed the phrase, is the perfectibility of human reason; for, were man created perfect, or did a flood of knowledge break in upon

* Into what inconfiftencies do men fall when they argue without the compafs of principles. Women, weak women, are compared with angels; yet, a fuperiour order of beings fhould be fuppofed to poffefs more intellect than man; or, in what does their fuperiority confift? In the fame ftrain, to drop the fneer, they are allowed to poffefs more goodness of heart, piety, and benevolence.-I doubt the fact, though it be courteously brought forward, unless ignorance be allowed to be the mother of devotion; for I am firmly perfuaded that, on an average, the proportion between virtue and knowledge, is more upon a par than is commonly granted.

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him, when he arrived at maturity, that cluded error, I should doubt whether his existence would be continued after the diffolution of the body. But, in the present state of things, every difficulty in morals that escapes from human discussion, and equally baffles the investigation of profound thinking, and the lightning glance of genius, is an argument on which I build my belief of the immortality of the foul. Reason is, consequentially, the simple power of improvement; or, more properly speaking, of discerning truth. Every individual is in this respect a world in itself. More or less may be confpicuous in one being than another; but the nature of reason must be the same in all, if it be an emanation of divinity, the tie that connects the creature with the Creator; for, can that foul be stamped with the heavenly image, that is not perfected by the exercise of its own reason *? Yet outwardly ornamented with elaborate care, and so adorned to delight man, that with honour he may love,' the

*The brutes,' fays Lord Monboddo, remain in the ftate in which nature has placed them, except in fo far as their natural inftinct is improved by the culture we beftow upon them.'

+ Vide Milton.

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foul of woman is not allowed to have this distinction, and man, ever placed between her and reason, she is always represented as only created to fee through a gross medium* and to take things on trust. But dismissing these fanciful theories, and considering woman as a whole, let it be what it will, instead of a part of man, the inquiry is whether she have reason or not. If the have, which, for a moment, I will take for granted, she was not created merely to be the solace of man, and the sexual should not destroy the human character.

Into this error men have, probably, been led by viewing education in a false light; not considering it as the first step to form a being advancing gradually towards perfection*; but only as a preparation for life. On this senfual error, for I must call it so, has the false system of female manners been reared, which robs the whole sex of its dignity, and classes the brown and fair with the smiling flowers that only adorn the land. This has ever been the language of men, and the fear of

This word is not strictly just, but I cannot find a better.

departing

departing from a supposed sexual character, has made even women of superiour sense adopt the same sentiments *. Thus understanding, strictly speaking, has been denied to woman; and instincts sublimated into wit

Pleasure's the portion of th' inferior kind;

But glory, virtue, Heaven for man design'd.

After writing these lines, how could Mrs. Barbauld write the following ignoble comparison ?

To a Lady, with some painted flowers.'

Flowers to the fair: to you these flowers I bring,
And strive to greet you with an earlier spring.
'Flowers Sweet, and gay, and DELICATE LIKE YOU;
• Emblems of innocence, and beauty too.

• With flowers the Graces bind their yellow hair,
And flowery wreaths consenting lovers wear.
Flowers, the sole luxury which nature knew,
In Eden's pure and guiltless garden grew.
• To loftier forms are rougher tasks assign'd;
• The sheltering oak resists the stormy wind,
• The tougher yew repels invading foes,

And the tall pine for future navies grows ; • But this soft family, to cares unknown, Were born for pleasure and delight ALONE.

'Gay without toil, and lovely without art,

They spring to Cheer the sense, and Glad the heart.

Nor blush, my fair, to own you copy these;
Your Best, your Sweetest empire is to Please.'

So the men tell us; but virtue, says reason, must be acquired by rough toils, and useful struggles with worldly cares.