a vindication of the rights of woman-第2章

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l　and　just　appreciation　of　character。　　Their　intimacy　increased　by　regular　and　almost　imperceptible　degrees。　　The　partiality　they　conceived　for　each　other　was；　according　to　her　biographer；　〃In　the　most　refined　style　of　love。　　It　grew　with　equal　advances　in　the　mind　of　each。　It　would　have　been　impossible　for　the　most　minute　observer　to　have　said　who　was　before；　or　who　after。　　One　sex　did　not　take　the　priority　which　long　established　custom　has　awarded　it；　nor　the　other　overstep　that　delicacy　which　is　so　severely　imposed。　　Neither　party　could　assume　to　have　been　the　agent　or　the　patient；　the　toil…spreader　or　the　prey　in　the　affair。　　When　in　the　course　of　things　the　disclosure　came；　there　was　nothing　in　a　manner　for　either　to　disclose　to　the　other。〃　Mary　lived　but　a　few　months　after　her　marriage；　and　died　in　child…bed；　having　given　birth　to　a　daughter　who　is　now　known　to　the　literary　world　as　Mrs。　Shelly；　the　widow　of　Percy　Bysche　Shelly。　We　can　scarcely　avoid　regret　that　one　of　such　splendid　talents；　and　high　toned　feelings；　should；　after　the　former　seemed　to　have　been　fully　developed；　and　the　latter　had　found　an　object　in　whom　they　might　repose；　after　their　eccentric　and　painful　efforts　to　find　a　resting　placethat　such　an　one　should　at　such　a　time；　be　cut　off　from　life　is　something　which　we　cannot　contemplate　without　feeling　regret；　we　can　scarcely　repress　the　murmur　that　she　had　not　been　removed　ere　clouds　darkened　her　horizon；　or　that　she　had　remained　to　witness　the　brightness　and　serenity　which　might　have　succeeded。　But　thus　it　is；　we　may　trace　the　cause　to　anti…social　arrangements；　it　is　not　individuals　but　society　which　must　change　it；　and　that　not　by　enactments；　but　by　a　change　in　public　opinion。　The　authoress　of　the　〃Rights　of　Woman；〃　was　born　April　1759；　died　September　1797。　That　there　may　be　no　doubt　regarding　the　facts　in　this　sketch；　they　are　taken　from　a　memoir　written　by　her　afflicted　husband。　　In　addition　to　many　kind　things　he　has　said　of　her；　（he　was　not　blinded　to　imperfections　in　her　character）　is；　that　she　was　〃Lovely　in　her　person；　and　in　the　best　and　most　engaging　sense　feminine　in　her　manners。〃

TO　M。　TALLEYRAND　PERIGORD；　LATE　BISHOP　OF　AUTUN。　Sir：　Having　read　with　great　pleasure　a　pamphlet；　which　you　have　lately　published；　on　National　Education；　I　dedicate　this　volume　to　you；　the　first　dedication　that　I　have　ever　written；　to　induce　you　to　read　it　with　attention；　and；　because　I　think　that　you　will　understand　me；　which　I　do　not　suppose　many　pert　witlings　will；　who　may　ridicule　the　arguments　they　are　unable　to　answer。　　But；　sir；　I　carry　my　respect　for　your　understanding　still　farther：　　so　far；　that　I　am　confident　you　will　not　throw　my　work　aside；　and　hastily　conclude　that　I　am　in　the　wrong　because　you　did　not　view　the　subject　in　the　same　light　yourself。　　And　pardon　my　frankness；　but　I　must　observe；　that　you　treated　it　in　too　cursory　a　manner；　contented　to　consider　it　as　it　had　been　considered　formerly；　when　the　rights　of　man；　not　to　advert　to　woman；　were　trampled　on　as　chimerical。　　I　call　upon　you；　therefore；　now　to　weigh　what　I　have　advanced　respecting　the　rights　of　woman；　and　national　education；　and　I　call　with　the　firm　tone　of　humanity。　　For　my　arguments；　sir；　are　dictated　by　a　disinterested　spirit：　　I　plead　for　my　sex；　not　for　myself。　　Independence　I　have　long　considered　as　the　grand　blessing　of　life；　the　basis　of　every　virtue；　and　independence　I　will　ever　secure　by　contracting　my　wants；　though　I　were　to　live　on　a　barren　heath。　It　is；　then；　an　affection　for　the　whole　human　race　that　makes　my　pen　dart　rapidly　along　to　support　what　I　believe　to　be　the　cause　of　virtue：　　and　the　same　motive　leads　me　earnestly　to　wish　to　see　woman　placed　in　a　station　in　which　she　would　advance；　instead　of　retarding；　the　progress　of　those　glorious　principles　that　give　a　substance　to　morality。　　My　opinion；　indeed；　respecting　the　rights　and　duties　of　woman；　seems　to　flow　so　naturally　from　these　simple　principles；　that　I　think　it　scarcely　possible；　but　that　some　of　the　enlarged　minds　who　formed　your　admirable　constitution；　will　coincide　with　me。　In　France；　there　is　undoubtedly　a　more　general　diffusion　of　knowledge　than　in　any　part　of　the　European　world；　and　I　attribute　it；　in　a　great　measure；　to　the　social　intercourse　which　has　long　subsisted　between　the　sexes。　　It　is　true；　I　utter　my　sentiments　with　freedom；　that　in　France　the　very　essence　of　sensuality　has　been　extracted　to　regale　the　voluptuary；　and　a　kind　of　sentimental　lust　has　prevailed；　which；　together　with　the　system　of　duplicity　that　the　whole　tenor　of　their　political　and　civil　government　taught；　have　given　a　sinister　sort　of　sagacity　to　the　French　character；　properly　termed　finesse；　and　a　polish　of　manners　that　injures　the　substance；　by　hunting　sincerity　out　of　society。　　And；　modesty；　the　fairest　garb　of　virtue　has　been　more　grossly　insulted　in　France　than　even　in　England；　till　their　women　have　treated　as　PRUDISH　that　attention　to　decency　which　brutes　instinctively　observe。　Manners　and　morals　are　so　nearly　allied；　that　they　have　often　been　confounded；　but；　though　the　former　should　only　be　the　natural　reflection　of　the　latter；　yet；　when　various　causes　have　produced　factitious　and　corrupt　manners；　which　are　very　early　caught；　morality　becomes　an　empty　name。　　The　personal　reserve；　and　sacred　respect　for　cleanliness　and　delicacy　in　domestic　life；　which　French　women　almost　despise；　are　the　graceful　pillars　of　modesty；　but；　far　from　despising　them；　if　the　pure　flame　of　patriotism　have　reached　their　bosoms；　they　should　labour　to　improve　the　morals　of　their　fellow…citizens；　by　teaching　men；　not　only　to　respect　modesty　in　women；　but　to　acquire　it　themselves；　as　the　only　way　to　merit　their　esteem。　Contending　for　the　rights　of　women；　my　main　argument　is　built　on　this　simple　principle；　that　if　she　be　not　prepared　by　education　to　become　the　companion　of　man；　she　will　stop　the　progress　of　knowledge；　for　truth　must　be　common　to　all；　or　it　will　be　inefficacious　with　respect　to　its　influence　on　general　practice。　And　how　can　woman　be　expected　to　co…operate；　unless　she　know　why　she　ought　to　be　virtuous？　　Unless　freedom　strengthen　her　reason　till　she　comprehend　her　duty；　and　see　in　what　manner　it　is　connected　with　her　real　good？　　If　children　are　to　be　educated　to　understand　the　true　principle　of　patriotism；　their　mother　must　be　a　patriot；　and　the　love　of　mankind；　from　which　an　orderly　train　of　virtues　spring；　can　only　be　produced　by　considering　the　moral　and　civil　interest　of　mankind；　but　the　education　and　situation　of　woman；　at　present；　shuts　her　out　from　such　investigations。　In　this　work　I　have　produced　many　arguments；　which　to　me　were　conclusive；　to　prove；　that　the　prevailing　notion　respecting　a　sexual　character　was　subversive　of　morality；　and　I　have　contended；　that　to　render　the　human　body　and　mind　more　perfect；　chastity　must　more　universally　prevail；　and　that　chastity　will　never　be　respected　in　the　male　world　till　the　person　of　a　woman　is　not；　as　it　were；　idolized　when　little　virtue　or　sense　embellish　it　with　the　grand　traces　of　mental　beauty；　or　the　interesting　simplicity　of　affection。　Consider；　Sir；　dispassionately；　these　observations；　for　a　glimpse　of　this　truth　seemed　to　open　before　you　when　you　observed；　〃that　to　see　one　half　of　the　human　race　excluded　by　the　other　from　all　participation　of　government；　was　a　political　phenomenon　that；　according　to　abstract　principles；　it　was　impossible　to　explain。〃　If　so；　on　what　does　your　constitution　rest？　　If　the　abstract　rights　of　man　will　bear　discussion　and　explanation；　those　of　woman；　by　a　parity　of　reasoning；　will　not　shrink　from　the　same　test：　though　a　different　opinion　prevails　in　this　country；　built　on　the　very　arguments　which　you　use　to　justify　the　oppression　of　woman；　prescription。　Consider；　I　address　you　as　a　legislator；　whether；　when　men　contend　for　their　freedom；　and　to　be　allowed　to　judge　for　themselves；　respecting　their　own　happiness；　it　be　not　inconsistent　and　unjust　to　subjugate　women；　even　though　you　firmly　believe　that　you　are　acting　in　the　manner　best　calculated　to　promote　their　happiness？　Who　made　man　the　exclusive　judge；　if　woman　partake　with　him　the　gift　of　reason？　In　this　style；　argue　tyrants　of　every　denomination　from　the　weak　king　to　the　weak　father　of　a　family；　they　are　all　eager　to　crush　reason；　yet　always　assert　that　they　usurp　its　throne　only　to　be　useful。　　Do　you　not　act　a　similar　part；　when　you　FORCE　all　women；　by　denying　them　civil　and　political　rights；　to　remain　immured　in　their　families　groping　in　the　dark？　For　surely；　sir；　you　will　not　assert；　that　a　duty　can　be　binding　which　is　not　founded　on　reason？　If；　indeed；　this　be　their　destination；　arguments　may　be　drawn　from　reason；　and　thus　augustly　supported；　the　more　understanding　women　acquire；　the　more　they　will　be　attached　to　their　duty；　comprehending　it；　for　unless　they　comprehend　it；　unless　their　morals　be　fixed　on　the　same　immutable　principles　as　those　of　man；　no　authority　can　make　them　discharge　it　in　a　virtuous　manner。　　They　may　be　convenient　slaves；　but　slavery　will　have　its　constant　effect；　degrading　the　master　and　the　abject　dependent。　But；　if　women　are　to　be　excluded；　without　having　a　voice；　from　a　participation　of　the　natural　rights　of　mankind；　prove　first；　to