a vindication of the rights of woman-第40章

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r　girls　rendered　weak　and　vain；　by　indolence　and　frivolous　pursuits。　　But；　I　presuppose；　that　such　a　degree　of　equality　should　be　established　between　the　sexes　as　would　shut　out　gallantry　and　coquetry；　yet　allow　friendship　and　love　to　temper　the　heart　for　the　discharge　of　higher　duties。　These　would　be　schools　of　moralityand　the　happiness　of　man；　allowed　to　flow　from　the　pure　springs　of　duty　and　affection；　what　advances　might　not　the　human　mind　make？　　Society　can　only　be　happy　and　free　in　proportion　as　it　is　virtuous；　but　the　present　distinctions；　established　in　society；　corrode　all　private；　and　blast　all　public　virtue。　I　have　already　inveighed　against　the　custom　of　confining　girls　to　their　needle；　and　shutting　them　out　from　all　political　and　civil　employments；　for　by　thus　narrowing　their　minds　they　are　rendered　unfit　to　fulfil　the　peculiar　duties　which　nature　has　assigned　them。　Only　employed　about　the　little　incidents　of　the　day；　they　necessarily　grow　up　cunning。　　My　very　soul　has　often　sickened　at　observing　the　sly　tricks　practised　by　women　to　gain　some　foolish　thing　on　which　their　silly　hearts　were　set。　　Not　allowed　to　dispose　of　money；　or　call　any　thing　their　own；　they　learn　to　turn　the　market　penny；　or；　should　a　husband　offend；　by　staying　from　home；　or　give　rise　to　some　emotions　of　jealousya　new　gown；　or　any　pretty　bauble；　smooths　Juno's　angry　brow。　But　these　LITTLENESSES　would　not　degrade　their　character；　if　women　were　led　to　respect　themselves；　if　political　and　moral　subjects　were　opened　to　them；　and　I　will　venture　to　affirm；　that　this　is　the　only　way　to　make　them　properly　attentive　to　their　domestic　duties。　An　active　mind　embraces　the　whole　circle　of　its　duties；　and　finds　time　enough　for　all。　　It　is　not；　I　assert；　a　bold　attempt　to　emulate　masculine　virtues；　it　is　not　the　enchantment　of　literary　pursuits；　or　the　steady　investigation　of　scientific　subjects；　that　lead　women　astray　from　duty。　　No；　it　is　indolence　and　vanity　the　love　of　pleasure　and　the　love　of　sway；　that　will　reign　paramount　in　an　empty　mind。　　I　say　empty；　emphatically；　because　the　education　which　women　now　receive　scarcely　deserves　the　name。　　For　the　little　knowledge　they　are　led　to　acquire　during　the　important　years　of　youth；　is　merely　relative　to　accomplishments；　and　accomplishments　without　a　bottom；　for　unless　the　understanding　be　cultivated；　superficial　and　monotonous　is　every　grace。　　Like　the　charms　of　a　made…up　face；　they　only　strike　the　senses　in　a　crowd；　but　at　home；　wanting　mind；　they　want　variety。　　The　consequence　is　obvious；　in　gay　scenes　of　dissipation　we　meet　the　artificial　mind　and　face；　for　those　who　fly　from　solitude　dread　next　to　solitude；　the　domestic　circle；　not　having　it　in　their　power　to　amuse　or　interest；　they　feel　their　own　insignificance；　or　find　nothing　to　amuse　or　interest　themselves。　Besides；　what　can　be　more　indelicate　than　a　girl's　coming　out　in　the　fashionable　world？　　Which；　in　other　words；　is　to　bring　to　market　a　marriageable　miss；　whose　person　is　taken　from　one　public　place　to　another；　richly　caparisoned。　　Yet；　mixing　in　the　giddy　circle　under　restraint；　these　butterflies　long　to　flutter　at　large；　for　the　first　affection　of　their　souls　is　their　own　persons；　to　which　their　attention　has　been　called　with　the　most　sedulous　care；　whilst　they　were　preparing　for　the　period　that　decides　their　fate　for　life。　　Instead　of　pursuing　this　idle　routine；　sighing　for　tasteless　show；　and　heartless　state；　with　what　dignity　would　the　youths　of　both　sexes　form　attachments　in　the　schools　that　I　have　cursorily　pointed　out；　in　which；　as　life　advanced；　dancing；　music；　and　drawing；　might　be　admitted　as　relaxations；　for　at　these　schools　young　people　of　fortune　ought　to　remain；　more　or　less；　till　they　were　of　age。　　Those；　who　were　designed　for　particular　professions；　might　attend；　three　or　four　mornings　in　the　week；　the　schools　appropriated　for　their　immediate　instruction。　I　only　drop　these　observations　at　present；　as　hints；　rather；　indeed　as　an　outline　of　the　plan　I　mean；　than　a　digested　one；　but　I　must　add；　that　I　highly　approve　of　one　regulation　mentioned　in　the　pamphlet　already　alluded　to　（The　Bishop　of　Autun）；　that　of　making　the　children　and　youths　independent　of　the　masters　respecting　punishments。　　They　should　be　tried　by　their　peers；　which　would　be　an　admirable　method　of　fixing　sound　principles　of　justice　in　the　mind；　and　might　have　the　happiest　effect　on　the　temper；　which　is　very　early　soured　or　irritated　by　tyranny；　till　it　becomes　peevishly　cunning；　or　ferociously　overbearing。　My　imagination　darts　forward　with　benevolent　fervour　to　greet　these　amiable　and　respectable　groups；　in　spite　of　the　sneering　of　cold　hearts；　who　are　at　liberty　to　utter；　with　frigid　self…importance；　the　damning　epithet　romantic；　the　force　of　which　I　shall　endeavour　to　blunt　by　repeating　the　words　of　an　eloquent　moralist。　〃I　know　not　whether　the　allusions　of　a　truly　humane　heart；　whose　zeal　renders　every　thing　easy；　is　not　preferable　to　that　rough　and　repulsing　reason；　which　always　finds　in　indifference　for　the　public　good；　the　first　obstacle　to　whatever　would　promote　it。〃　I　know　that　libertines　will　also　exclaim；　that　woman　would　be　unsexed　by　acquiring　strength　of　body　and　mind；　and　that　beauty；　soft　bewitching　beauty！　would　no　longer　adorn　the　daughters　of　men。　I　am　of　a　very　different　opinion；　for　I　think；　that；　on　the　contrary；　we　should　then　see　dignified　beauty；　and　true　grace；　to　produce　which；　many　powerful　physical　and　moral　causes　would　concur。　　Not　relaxed　beauty；　it　is　true；　nor　the　graces　of　helplessness；　but　such　as　appears　to　make　us　respect　the　human　body　as　a　majestic　pile；　fit　to　receive　a　noble　inhabitant；　in　the　relics　of　antiquity。　I　do　not　forget　the　popular　opinion；　that　the　Grecian　statues　were　not　modelled　after　nature。　　I　mean；　not　according　to　the　proportions　of　a　particular　man；　but　that　beautiful　limbs　and　features　were　selected　from　various　bodies　to　form　an　harmonious　whole。　　This　might；　in　some　degree；　be　true。　　The　fine　ideal　picture　of　an　exalted　imagination　might　be　superior　to　the　materials　which　the　painter　found　in　nature；　and　thus　it　might　with　propriety　be　termed　rather　the　model　of　mankind　than　of　a　man。　　It　was　not；　however；　the　mechanical　selection　of　limbs　and　features；　but　the　ebullition　of　an　heated　fancy　that　burst　forth；　and　the　fine　senses　and　enlarged　understanding　of　the　artist　selected　the　solid　matter；　which　he　drew　into　this　glowing　focus。　I　observed　that　it　was　not　mechanical；　because　a　whole　was　produceda　model　of　that　grand　simplicity；　of　those　concurring　energies；　which　arrest　our　attention　and　command　our　reverence。　For　only　insipid　lifeless　beauty　is　produced　by　a　servile　copy　of　even　beautiful　nature。　　Yet；　independent　of　these　observations；　I　believe；　that　the　human　form　must　have　been　far　more　beautiful　than　it　is　at　present；　because　extreme　indolence；　barbarous　ligatures；　and　many　causes；　which　forcibly　act　on　it；　in　our　luxurious　state　of　society；　did　not　retard　its　expansion；　or　render　it　deformed。　Exercise　and　cleanliness　appear　to　be　not　only　the　surest　means　of　preserving　health；　but　of　promoting　beauty；　the　physical　causes　only　considered；　yet；　this　is　not　sufficient；　moral　ones　must　concur；　or　beauty　will　be　merely　of　that　rustic　kind　which　blooms　on　the　innocent；　wholesome　countenances　of　some　country　people；　whose　minds　have　not　been　exercised。　　To　render　the　person　perfect；　physical　and　moral　beauty　ought　to　be　attained　at　the　same　time；　each　lending　and　receiving　force　by　the　combination。　　Judgment　must　reside　on　the　brow；　affection　and　fancy　beam　in　the　eye；　and　humanity　curve　the　cheek；　or　vain　is　the　sparkling　of　the　finest　eye　or　the　elegantly　turned　finish　of　the　fairest　features；　　whilst　in　every　motion　that　displays　the　active　limbs　and　well…knit　joints；　grace　and　modesty　should　appear。　　But　this　fair　assemblage　is　not　to　be　brought　together　by　chance；　it　is　the　reward　of　exertions　met　to　support　each　other；　for　judgment　can　only　be　acquired　by　reflection；　affection；　by　the　discharge　of　duties；　and　humanity　by　the　exercise　of　compassion　to　every　living　creature。　Humanity　to　animals　should　be　particularly　inculcated　as　a　part　of　national　education；　for　it　is　not　at　present　one　of　our　national　virtues。　　Tenderness　for　their　humble　dumb　domestics；　amongst　the　lower　class；　is　oftener　to　be　found　in　a　savage　than　a　civilized　state。　　For　civilization　prevents　that　intercourse　which　creates　affection　in　the　rude　hut；　or　mud　cabin；　and　leads　uncultivated　minds　who　are　only　depraved　by　the　refinements　which　prevail　in　the　society；　where　they　are　trodden　under　foot　by　the　rich；　to　domineer　over　them　to　revenge　the　insults　that　they　are　obliged　to　bear　from　their　superiours。　This　habitual　cruelty　is　first　caught　at　school；　where　it　is　one　of　the　rare　sports　of　the　boys　to　torment　the　miserable　brutes　that　fall　in　their　way。　　The　transition；　as　they　grow　up；　from　barbarity　to　brutes　to　domestic　tyranny　over　wives；　children；　and　servants；　is　very　easy。　　Justice；　or　even　benevolence；　will　not　be　a　powerful　spring　of　action；　unless　it　extend　to　the　whole　creation；　nay；　I　believe　that　it　may　be　delivered　as　an　axiom；　that　those　who　can　see　pain；　unmoved；　will　soon　learn　to　inflict　it。　The　vulgar　are　swayed　by　present　feelings；　and　the　habits　which　they　have　accidentally　acquired；　but　on　partial　feelings　much　dependence　cannot　be　placed；　though　they　be　just；　for；　when　they　are　not　invigorated　by　reflection；　custom　weakens　them；　till　they　are　scarcely　felt。　　The　sympathies　of　our　nature　are　strengthened　by　pondering　cogitations；　and　deadened　by　thoughtless　use。　Macbeth's　heart　smote　him　more　for　one　murder；　the　first；　than　for　a　hundred　subsequent　ones；　which　were　necessary　to　back　it。　　But；　when　I　used　the　epithet　vulgar；　I　did　not　mean　to　confine　my　remark　to　the　poor；　for　partial　humanity；　founded　on　present　sensations　or　whim；　is　quite　as　conspicuous；　if　not　more　so；　amongst　the　rich。　The　lady　who　sheds　tears　for　the　bird　starved　in　a　snare；　and　execrates　the　devils　in　the　shape　of　men；　who　goad　to　madness　the　poor　ox；　or　whip　the　patient　ass；　tottering　under　a　burden　above　its　strength；　will；　nevertheless；　keep　her　coachman　and　horses　whole　hours　waiting　for　her；　when　the　sharp　frost　bites；　or　the　rain　beats　against　the　well…closed　windows　which　do　not　admit　a　breath　of　air　to　tell　her　how　roughly　the　wind　blows　without。　　And　she　who　takes　her　dogs　to　bed；　and　nurses　them　with　a　parade　of　sensibility；　when　sick；　will　suffer　her　babes　to　grow　up　crooked　in　a　nursery。　　This　illustration　of　my　argument　is　drawn　from　a　matter　of　fact。　　The　woman　whom　I　allude　to　was　handsome；　reckoned　very　handsome；　by　those　who　do　not　miss　the　mind　when　the　face　is　plump　and　fair；　but　her　understanding　had　not　been　led　from　female　duties　by　literature；　nor　her　innocence　debauched　by　knowledge。　　No；　she　was　quite　feminine；　according　to　the　masculine　acceptation　of　the　word；　and；　so　far　from　loving　these　spoiled　brutes　that　filled　the　place　which　her　children　ought　to　have　occupied；　she　only　lisped　out　a　pretty　mixture　of　French　and　English　nonsense；　to　please　the　men　who　flocked　round　her。　　The　wife；　mother；　and　human　creature；　were　all　swallowed　up　by　the　factitious　character；　which　an　improper　education；　and　the　selfish　vanity　of　beauty；