had their wives had more ſenſe, or the graces which reſult from the exerciſe of the underſtanding and fancy, the legitimate parents of taſte. A woman of talents, if ſhe be not abſolutely ugly, will always obtain great power, raiſed by the weakneſs of her ſex; and in proportion as men acquire virtue and delicacy, by the exertion of reaſon, they will look for both in women, but they can only acquire them in the ſame way that men do.
In France or Italy, have the women confined themſelves to domeſtic life? though they have not hitherto had a political exiſtence, yet, have they not illicitly had great ſway? corrupting themſelves and the men with whoſe paſſions they played. In ſhort, in whatever light I view the ſubject, reaſon and experience convince me that the only method of leading women to fulfil their peculiar duties, is to free them from all reſtraint by allowing them to participate the inherent rights of mankind.
Make them free, and they will quickly become wiſe and virtuous, as men become more ſo; for the improvement muſt be mutual, or the injuſtice which one half of the human race are obliged to ſubmit to, retorting on their oppreſſors, the virtue of man will be worm-eaten by the inſect whom he keeps under his feet.
Let men take their choice, man and woman were made for each other, though not to become one being; and if they will not improve women, they will deprave them!
I ſpeak of the improvement and emancipation of the whole ſex, for I know that the behaviour
