a vindication of the rights of woman-第47章

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　The　memory　is　loaded　with　unintelligible　words；　to　make　a　show　of；　without　the　understanding's　acquiring　any　distinct　ideas：　but　only　that　education　deserves　emphatically　to　be　termed　cultivation　of　mind；　which　teaches　young　people　how　to　begin　to　think。　　The　imagination　should　not　be　allowed　to　debauch　the　understanding　before　it　gained　strength；　or　vanity　will　become　the　forerunner　of　vice：　　for　every　way　of　exhibiting　the　acquirements　of　a　child　is　injurious　to　its　moral　character。　How　much　time　is　lost　in　teaching　them　to　recite　what　they　do　not　understand！　whilst；　seated　on　benches；　all　in　their　best　array；　the　mammas　listen　with　astonishment　to　the　parrot…like　prattle；　uttered　in　solemn　cadences；　with　all　the　pomp　of　ignorance　and　folly。　　Such　exhibitions　only　serve　to　strike　the　spreading　fibres　of　vanity　through　the　whole　mind；　for　they　neither　teach　children　to　speak　fluently；　nor　behave　gracefully。　　So　far　from　it；　that　these　frivolous　pursuits　might　comprehensively　be　termed　the　study　of　affectation：　for　we　now　rarely　see　a　simple；　bashful　boy；　though　few　people　of　taste　were　ever　disgusted　by　that　awkward　sheepishness　so　natural　to　the　age；　which　schools　and　an　early　introduction　into　society；　have　changed　into　impudence　and　apish　grimace。　Yet；　how　can　these　things　be　remedied　whilst　schoolmasters　depend　entirely　on　parents　for　a　subsistence；　and　when　so　many　rival　schools　hang　out　their　lures　to　catch　the　attention　of　vain　fathers　and　mothers；　whose　parental　affection　only　leads　them　to　wish；　that　their　children　should　outshine　those　of　their　neighbours？　Without　great　good　luck；　a　sensible；　conscientious　man；　would　starve　before　he　could　raise　a　school；　if　he　disdained　to　bubble　weak　parents；　by　practising　the　secret　tricks　of　the　craft。　In　the　best　regulated　schools；　however；　where　swarms　are　not　crammed　together　many　bad　habits　must　be　acquired；　but；　at　common　schools；　the　body；　heart；　and　understanding；　are　equally　stunted；　for　parents　are　often　only　in　quest　of　the　cheapest　school；　and　the　master　could　not　live；　if　he　did　not　take　a　much　greater　number　than　he　could　manage　himself；　nor　will　the　scanty　pittance；　allowed　for　each　child；　permit　him　to　hire　ushers　sufficient　to　assist　in　the　discharge　of　the　mechanical　part　of　the　business。　　Besides；　whatever　appearance　the　house　and　garden　may　make；　the　children　do　not　enjoy　the　comforts　of　either；　for　they　are　continually　reminded；　by　irksome　restrictions；　that　they　are　not　at　home；　and　the　state…rooms；　garden；　etc。　must　be　kept　in　order　for　the　recreation　of　the　parents；　who；　of　a　Sunday；　visit　the　school；　and　are　impressed　by　the　very　parade　that　renders　the　situation　of　their　children　uncomfortable。　With　what　disgust　have　I　heard　sensible　women；　for　girls　are　more　restrained　and　cowed　than　boys；　speak　of　the　wearisome　confinement　which　they　endured　at　school。　　Not　allowed；　perhaps；　to　step　out　of　one　broad　walk　in　a　superb　garden；　and　obliged　to　pace　with　steady　deportment　stupidly　backwards　and　forwards；　holding　up　their　heads；　and　turning　out　their　toes；　with　shoulders　braced　back；　instead　of　bounding；　as　nature　directs　to　complete　her　own　design；　in　the　various　attitudes　so　conducive　to　health。　　The　pure　animal　spirits；　which　make　both　mind　and　body　shoot　out；　and　unfold　the　tender　blossoms　of　hope　are　turned　sour；　and　vented　in　vain　wishes；　or　pert　repinings；　that　contract　the　faculties　and　spoil　the　temper；　else　they　mount　to　the　brain　and　sharpening　the　understanding　before　it　gains　proportionable　strength；　produce　that　pitiful　cunning　which　disgracefully　characterizes　the　female　mindand　I　fear　will　ever　characterize　it　whilst　women　remain　the　slaves　of　power！　The　little　respect　which　the　male　world　pay　to　chastity　is；　I　am　persuaded；　the　grand　source　of　many　of　the　physical　and　moral　evils　that　torment　mankind；　as　well　as　of　the　vices　and　follies　that　degrade　and　destroy　women；　yet　at　school；　boys　infallibly　lose　that　decent　bashfulness；　which　might　have　ripened　into　modesty　at　home。　I　have　already　animadverted　on　the　bad　habits　which　females　acquire　when　they　are　shut　up　together；　and　I　think　that　the　observation　may　fairly　be　extended　to　the　other　sex；　till　the　natural　inference　is　drawn　which　I　have　had　in　view　throughoutthat　to　improve　both　sexes　they　ought；　not　only　in　private　families；　but　in　public　schools；　to　be　educated　together。　　If　marriage　be　the　cement　of　society；　mankind　should　all　be　educated　after　the　same　model；　or　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes　will　never　deserve　the　name　of　fellowship；　nor　will　women　ever　fulfil　the　peculiar　duties　of　their　sex；　till　they　become　enlightened　citizens；　till　they　become　free；　by　being　enabled　to　earn　their　own　subsistence；　independent　of　men；　in　the　same　manner；　I　mean；　to　prevent　misconstruction；　as　one　man　is　independent　of　another。　　Nay；　marriage　will　never　be　held　sacred　till　women　by　being　brought　up　with　men；　are　prepared　to　be　their　companions；　rather　than　their　mistresses；　for　the　mean　doublings　of　cunning　will　ever　render　them　contemptible；　whilst　oppression　renders　them　timid。　　So　convinced　am　I　of　this　truth；　that　I　will　venture　to　predict；　that　virtue　will　never　prevail　in　society　till　the　virtues　of　both　sexes　are　founded　on　reason；　and；　till　the　affection　common　to　both　are　allowed　to　gain　their　due　strength　by　the　discharge　of　mutual　duties。　Were　boys　and　girls　permitted　to　pursue　the　same　studies　together；　those　graceful　decencies　might　early　be　inculcated　which　produce　modesty；　without　those　sexual　distinctions　that　taint　the　mind。　Lessons　of　politeness；　and　that　formulary　of　decorum；　which　treads　on　the　heels　of　falsehood；　would　be　rendered　useless　by　habitual　propriety　of　behaviour。　　Not；　indeed　put　on　for　visiters　like　the　courtly　robe　of　politeness；　but　the　sober　effect　of　cleanliness　of　mind。　　Would　not　this　simple　elegance　of　sincerity　be　a　chaste　homage　paid　to　domestic　affections；　far　surpassing　the　meretricious　compliments　that　shine　with　false　lustre　in　the　heartless　intercourse　of　fashionable　life？　　But；　till　more　understanding　preponderate　in　society；　there　will　ever　be　a　want　of　heart　and　taste；　and　the　harlot's　rouge　will　supply　the　place　of　that　celestial　suffusion　which　only　virtuous　affections　can　give　to　the　face。　　Gallantry；　and　what　is　called　love；　may　subsist　without　simplicity　of　character；　but　the　main　pillars　of　friendship；　are　respect　and　confidenceesteem　is　never　founded　on　it　cannot　tell　what。　A　taste　for　the　fine　arts　requires　great　cultivation；　but　not　more　than　a　taste　for　the　virtuous　affections：　　and　both　suppose　that　enlargement　of　mind　which　opens　so　many　sources　of　mental　pleasure。　Why　do　people　hurry　to　noisy　scenes　and　crowded　circles？　　I　should　answer；　because　they　want　activity　of　mind；　because　they　have　not　cherished　the　virtues　of　the　heart。　　They　only；　therefore；　see　and　feel　in　the　gross；　and　continually　pine　after　variety；　finding　every　thing　that　is　simple；　insipid。　This　argument　may　be　carried　further　than　philosophers　are　aware　of；　for　if　nature　destined　woman；　in　particular；　for　the　discharge　of　domestic　duties；　she　made　her　susceptible　of　the　attached　affections　in　a　great　degree。　　Now　women　are　notoriously　fond　of　pleasure；　and　naturally　must　be　so；　according　to　my　definition；　because　they　cannot　enter　into　the　minutiae　of　domestic　taste；　lacking　judgment　the　foundation　of　all　taste。　　For　the　understanding；　in　spite　of　sensual　cavillers；　reserves　to　itself　the　privilege　of　conveying　pure　joy　to　the　heart。　With　what　a　languid　yawn　have　I　seen　an　admirable　poem　thrown　down；　that　a　man　of　true　taste　returns　to；　again　and　again　with　rapture；　and；　whilst　melody　has　almost　suspended　respiration；　a　lady　has　asked　me　where　I　bought　my　gown。　　I　have　seen　also　an　eye　glanced　coldly　over　a　most　exquisite　picture；　rest；　sparkling　with　pleasure；　on　a　caricature　rudely　sketched；　and　whilst　some　terrific　feature　in　nature　has　spread　a　sublime　stillness　through　my　soul；　I　have　been　desired　to　observe　the　pretty　tricks　of　a　lap…dog；　that　my　perverse　fate　forced　me　to　travel　with。　　Is　it　surprising；　that　such　a　tasteless　being　should　rather　caress　this　dog　than　her　children？　　Or；　that　she　should　prefer　the　rant　of　flattery　to　the　simple　accents　of　sincerity？　To　illustrate　this　remark　I　must　be　allowed　to　observe；　that　men　of　the　first　genius；　and　most　cultivated　minds；　have　appeared　to　have　the　highest　relish　for　the　simple　beauties　of　nature；　and　they　must　have　forcibly　felt；　what　they　have　so　well　described；　the　charm；　which　natural　affections；　and　unsophisticated　feelings　spread　round　the　human　character。　　It　is　this　power　of　looking　into　the　heart；　and　responsively　vibrating　with　each　emotion；　that　enables　the　poet　to　personify　each　passion；　and　the　painter　to　sketch　with　a　pencil　of　fire。　True　taste　is　ever　the　work　of　the　understanding　employed　in　observing　natural　effects；　and　till　women　have　more　understanding；　it　is　vain　to　expect　them　to　possess　domestic　taste。　　Their　lively　senses　will　ever　be　at　work　to　harden　their　hearts；　and　the　emotions　struck　out　of　them　will　continue　to　be　vivid　and　transitory；　unless　a　proper　education　stores　their　minds　with　knowledge。　It　is　the　want　of　domestic　taste；　and　not　the　acquirement　of　knowledge；　that　takes　women　out　of　t