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 frequenly heard fall from ſenſible men in favour of an ariſtocracy: that the maſs of mankind cannot be any thing, or the obſequious ſlaves, who patiently allow themſelves to be penned up, would feel their own conſequence, and ſpurn their chains. Men, they further obſerve, ſubmit every where to oppreſſion, 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 ſame propenſity to enjoy the preſent moment; and, at laſt, deſpiſe the 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[1]. Only 'ab-
- ↑ Into what inconſiſtencies do men fall when they argue without the compaſs of principles. Women, weak women, are compared with angels; yet, a ſuperiour order of beings ſhould be ſuppoſed to poſſeſs more intellect
