a vindication of the rights of woman-第34章

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dventurous　march　of　virtue　in　the　historic　page。　The　statesman；　it　is　true；　might　with　more　propriety　quit　the　Faro　Bank；　or　card…table；　to　guide　the　helm；　for　he　has　still　but　to　shuffle　and　trick。　　The　whole　system　of　British　politics；　if　system　it　may　courteously　be　called；　consisting　in　multiplying　dependents　and　contriving　taxes　which　grind　the　poor　to　pamper　the　rich；　thus　a　war；　or　any　wild　goose　chace　is；　as　the　vulgar　use　the　phrase；　a　lucky　turn…up　of　patronage　for　the　minister；　whose　chief　merit　is　the　art　of　keeping　himself　in　place。　It　is　not　necessary　then　that　he　should　have　bowels　for　the　poor；　so　he　can　secure　for　his　family　the　odd　trick。　　Or　should　some　show　of　respect；　for　what　is　termed　with　ignorant　ostentation　an　Englishman's　birth…right；　be　expedient　to　bubble　the　gruff　mastiff　that　he　has　to　lead　by　the　nose；　he　can　make　an　empty　show；　very　safely；　by　giving　his　single　voice；　and　suffering　his　light　squadron　to　file　off　to　the　other　side。　　And　when　a　question　of　humanity　is　agitated；　he　may　dip　a　sop　in　the　milk　of　human　kindness；　to　silence　Cerberus；　and　talk　of　the　interest　which　his　heart　takes　in　an　attempt　to　make　the　earth　no　longer　cry　for　vengeance　as　it　sucks　in　its　children's　blood；　though　his　cold　hand　may　at　the　very　moment　rivet　their　chains；　by　sanctioning　the　abominable　traffick。　　A　minister　is　no　longer　a　minister　than　while　he　can　carry　a　point；　which　he　is　determined　to　carry。　　Yet　it　is　not　necessary　that　a　minister　should　feel　like　a　man；　when　a　bold　push　might　shake　his　seat。　But；　to　have　done　with　these　episodical　observations；　let　me　return　to　the　more　specious　slavery　which　chains　the　very　soul　of　woman；　keeping　her　for　ever　under　the　bondage　of　ignorance。　The　preposterous　distinctions　of　rank；　which　render　civilization　a　curse；　by　dividing　the　world　between　voluptuous　tyrants；　and　cunning　envious　dependents；　corrupt；　almost　equally；　every　class　of　people；　because　respectability　is　not　attached　to　the　discharge　of　the　relative　duties　of　life；　but　to　the　station；　and　when　the　duties　are　not　fulfilled；　the　affections　cannot　gain　sufficient　strength　to　fortify　the　virtue　of　which　they　are　the　natural　reward。　　Still　there　are　some　loop…holes　out　of　which　a　man　may　creep；　and　dare　to　think　and　act　for　himself；　but　for　a　woman　it　is　an　herculean　task；　because　she　has　difficulties　peculiar　to　her　sex　to　overcome；　which　require　almost　super…human　powers。　A　truly　benevolent　legislator　always　endeavours　to　make　it　the　interest　of　each　individual　to　be　virtuous；　and　thus　private　virtue　becoming　the　cement　of　public　happiness；　an　orderly　whole　is　consolidated　by　the　tendency　of　all　the　parts　towards　a　common　centre。　　But；　the　private　or　public　virtue　of　women　is　very　problematical；　for　Rousseau；　and　a　numerous　list　of　male　writers；　insist　that　she　should　all　her　life；　be　subjected　to　a　severe　restraint；　that　of　propriety。　　Why　subject　her　to　proprietyblind　propriety；　if　she　be　capable　of　acting　from　a　nobler　spring；　if　she　be　an　heir　of　immortality？　　Is　sugar　always　to　be　produced　by　vital　blood？　　Is　one　half　of　the　human　species；　like　the　poor　African　slaves；　to　be　subject　to　prejudices　that　brutalize　them；　when　principles　would　be　a　surer　guard　only　to　sweeten　the　cup　of　man？　Is　not　this　indirectly　to　deny　women　reason？　for　a　gift　is　a　mockery；　if　it　be　unfit　for　use。　Women　are　in　common　with　men；　rendered　weak　and　luxurious　by　the　relaxing　pleasures　which　wealth　procures；　but　added　to　this；　they　are　made　slaves　to　their　persons；　and　must　render　them　alluring；　that　man　may　lend　them　his　reason　to　guide　their　tottering　steps　aright。　　Or　should　they　be　ambitious；　they　must　govern　their　tyrants　by　sinister　tricks；　for　without　rights　there　cannot　be　any　incumbent　duties。　　The　laws　respecting　woman；　which　I　mean　to　discuss　in　a　future　part；　make　an　absurd　unit　of　a　man　and　his　wife；　and　then；　by　the　easy　transition　of　only　considering　him　as　responsible；　she　is　reduced　to　a　mere　cypher。　The　being　who　discharges　the　duties　of　its　station；　is　independent；　and；　speaking　of　women　at　large；　their　first　duty　is　to　themselves　as　rational　creatures；　and　the　next；　in　point　of　importance；　as　citizens；　is　that；　which　includes　so　many；　of　a　mother。　　The　rank　in　life　which　dispenses　with　their　fulfilling　this　duty；　necessarily　degrades　them　by　making　them　mere　dolls。　　Or；　should　they　turn　to　something　more　important　than　merely　fitting　drapery　upon　a　smooth　block；　their　minds　are　only　occupied　by　some　soft　platonic　attachment；　or；　the　actual　management　of　an　intrigue　may　keep　their　thoughts　in　motion；　for　when　they　neglect　domestic　duties；　they　have　it　not　in　their　power　to　take　the　field　and　march　and　counter…march　like　soldiers；　or　wrangle　in　the　senate　to　keep　their　faculties　from　rusting。　I　know；　that　as　a　proof　of　the　inferiority　of　the　sex；　Rousseau　has　exultingly　exclaimed；　How　can　they　leave　the　nursery　for　the　camp！　And　the　camp　has　by　some　moralists　been　termed　the　school　of　the　most　heroic　virtues；　though；　I　think；　it　would　puzzle　a　keen　casuist　to　prove　the　reasonableness　of　the　greater　number　of　wars；　that　have　dubbed　heroes。　　I　do　not　mean　to　consider　this　question　critically；　because；　having　frequently　viewed　these　freaks　of　ambition　as　the　first　natural　mode　of　civilization；　when　the　ground　must　be　torn　up；　and　the　woods　cleared　by　fire　and　sword；　I　do　not　choose　to　call　them　pests；　but　surely　the　present　system　of　war；　has　little　connection　with　virtue　of　any　denomination；　being　rather　the　school　of　FINESSE　and　effeminacy；　than　of　fortitude。　Yet；　if　defensive　war；　the　only　justifiable　war；　in　the　present　advanced　state　of　society；　where　virtue　can　show　its　face　and　ripen　amidst　the　rigours　which　purify　the　air　on　the　mountain's　top；　were　alone　to　be　adopted　as　just　and　glorious；　the　true　heroism　of　antiquity　might　again　animate　female　bosoms。　　But　fair　and　softly；　gentle　reader；　male　or　female；　do　not　alarm　thyself；　for　though　I　have　contrasted　the　character　of　a　modern　soldier　with　that　of　a　civilized　woman；　I　am　not　going　to　advise　them　to　turn　their　distaff　into　a　musket；　though　I　sincerely　wish　to　see　the　bayonet　converted　into　a　pruning　hook。　　I　only　recreated　an　imagination；　fatigued　by　contemplating　the　vices　and　follies　which　all　proceed　from　a　feculent　stream　of　wealth　that　has　muddied　the　pure　rills　of　natural　affection；　by　supposing　that　society　will　some　time　or　other　be　so　constituted；　that　man　must　necessarily　fulfil　the　duties　of　a　citizen；　or　be　despised；　and　that　while　he　was　employed　in　any　of　the　departments　of　civil　life；　his　wife；　also　an　active　citizen；　should　be　equally　intent　to　manage　her　family；　educate　her　children；　and　assist　her　neighbours。　But；　to　render　her　really　virtuous　and　useful；　she　must　not；　if　she　discharge　her　civil　duties；　want；　individually；　the　protection　of　civil　laws；　she　must　not　be　dependent　on　her　husband's　bounty　for　her　subsistence　during　his　life；　or　support　after　his　deathfor　how　can　a　being　be　generous　who　has　nothing　of　its　own？　or；　virtuous；　who　is　not　free？　　The　wife；　in　the　present　state　of　things；　who　is　faithful　to　her　husband；　and　neither　suckles　nor　educates　her　children；　scarcely　deserves　the　name　of　a　wife；　and　has　no　right　to　that　of　a　citizen。　　But　take　away　natural　rights；　and　there　is　of　course　an　end　of　duties。　Women　thus　infallibly　become　only　the　wanton　solace　of　men；　when　they　are　so　weak　in　mind　and　body；　that　they　cannot　exert　themselves；　unless　to　pursue　some　frothy　pleasure；　or　to　invent　some　frivolous　fashion。　　What　can　be　a　more　melancholy　sight　to　a　thinking　mind；　than　to　look　into　the　numerous　carriages　that　drive　helter…skelter　about　this　metropolis　in　a　morning；　full　of　pale…faced　creatures　who　are　flying　from　themselves。　　I　have　often　wished；　with　Dr。　Johnson；　to　place　some　of　them　in　a　little　shop；　with　half　a　dozen　children　looking　up　to　their　languid　countenances　for　support。　　I　am　much　mistaken；　if　some　latent　vigour　would　not　soon　give　health　and　spirit　to　their　eyes；　and　some　lines　drawn　by　the　exercise　of　reason　on　the　blank　cheeks；　which　before　were　only　undulated　by　dimples；　might　restore　lost　dignity　to　the　character；　or　rather　enable　it　to　attain　the　true　dignity　of　its　nature。　Virtue　is　not　to　be　acquired　even　by　speculation；　much　less　by　the　negative　supineness　that　wealth　naturally　generates。　Besides；　when　poverty　is　more　disgraceful　than　even　vice；　is　not　morality　cut　to　the　quick？　　Still　to　avoid　misconstruction；　though　I　consider　that　women　in　the　common　walks　of　life　are　called　to　fulfil　the　duties　of　wives　and　mothers；　by　religion　and　reason；　I　cannot　help　lamenting　that　women　of　a　superiour　cast　have　not　a　road　open　by　which　they　can　pursue　more　extensive　plans　of　usefulness　and　independence。　　I　may　excite　laughter；　by　dropping　an　hint；　which　I　mean　to　pursue；　some　future　time；　for　I　really　think　that　women　ought　to　have　representatives；　instead　of　being　arbitrarily　governed　without　having　any　direct　share　allowed　them　in　the　deliberations　of　government。　But；　as　the　whole　system　of　representation　is　now；　in　this　country；　only　a　convenient　handle　for　despotism；　they　need　not　complain；　for　they　are　as　well　represented　as　a　numerous　class　of　hard　working　mechanics；　who　pay　for　the　support　of　royality　when　they　can　scarcely　stop　their　children's　mouths　with　bread。　　How　are　they　represented；　whose　very　sweat　supports　the　splendid　stud　of　an　heir　apparent；　or　varnishes　the　chariot　of　some　female　favourite　who　looks　down　on　shame？　　Taxes　on　the　very　necessaries　of　life；　enable　an　endless　tribe　of　idle　princes　and　princesses　to　pass　with　stupid　pomp　before　a　gaping　crowd；　who　almost　worship　the　very　parade　which　costs　them　so　dear。　　This　is　mere　gothic　grandeur；　something　like　the　barbarous；　useless　parade　of　having　sentinels　on　horseback　at　Whitehall；　which　I　could　never　view　without　a　mixture　of　contempt　and　indignation。　How　strangely　must　the　mind　be　sophisticated　when　this　sort　of　state　impresses　it！　　But　till　these　monuments　of　folly　are　levelled　by　virtue；　similar　follies　will　leaven　the　whole　mass。　　For　the　same　character；　in　some　degree；　will　prevail　in　the　aggregate　of　society：　　and　the　refinements　of　luxury；　or　the　vicious　repinings　of　envious　poverty；　will　equally　banish　virtue　from　society；　considered　as　the　characteristic　of　that　society；　or　only　allow　it　to　appear　as　one　of　the　stripes　of　the　harlequin　coat；　worn　by　the　civilized　man。　In　the　superiour　ranks　of　life；　every　duty　is　done　by　deputies；　as　if　duties　could　ever　be　waved；　and　the　vain　pleasures　which　consequent　idleness　forces　the　rich　to　pursue；　appear　so　enticing　to　the　next　rank；　that　the　numerous　scramblers　for　wealth　sacrifice　every　thing　to　tread　on　their　heels。　　The　most　sacred　trusts　are　then　considered　as　sinecures；　because　they　were　procured　by　interest；　and　only　sought　to　enable　a　man　to　keep　GOOD　COMPANY。　Women；　in　particular；　all　want　to　be　ladies。　　Which　is　simply　to　have　nothing　to　do；　but　listlessly　to　go　they　scarcely　care　where；　for　they　cannot　tell　what。　But　what　have　women　to　do　in　society？　　I　may　be　asked；　but　to　loiter　with　easy　grace；　surely　you　would　not　condemn　them　all　to　suckle　fools；　and　chronicle　small　beer！　　No。　　Women　might　certainly　study　the　art　of　healing；　and　be　physicians　as　well　as　nurses。　　And　midwifery；　de