'The common attachment and regard of a mother, nay, mere habit, will make her beloved by her children, if ſhe does nothing to incur their hate. Even the conſtraint ſhe lays them under, if well directed, will increaſe their affection, inſtead of leſſening it; becauſe a ſtate of dependence being natural to the ſex, they perceive themſelves formed for obedience.'
This is begging the queſtion; for ſervitude not only debaſes the individual, but its effects ſeem to be tranſmitted to poſterity. Conſidering the length of time that women have been dependent, is it ſurpriſing that ſome of them hug their chains, and fawn like the ſpaniel? 'Theſe dogs,' obſerves a naturaliſt, 'at firſt kept their ears erect; but cuſtom has ſuperſeded nature, and a token of fear is become a beauty.'
'For the ſame reaſon,' adds Rouſſeau, 'women have, or ought to have, but little liberty; they are apt to indulge themſelves exceſſively in what is allowed them. Addicted in every thing to extremes, they are even more tranſported at their diverſions than boys.'
The anſwer to this is very ſimple. Slaves and mobs have always indulged themſelves in the ſame exceſſes, when once they broke looſe from authority.—The bent bow recoils with violence, when the hand is ſuddenly relaxed that forcibly held it; and ſenſibility, the play-thing of outward circumſtances, muſt be ſubjected to authority, or moderated by reaſon.
'There reſults,' he continues, 'from this habitual reſtraint a tractableneſs which the women have occaſion for during their whole lives, as
