Educated in [an] enervating
style . . . and not having a chance, from their subordinate state in society,
to recover their lost ground, is it surprising that women every where appear
a defect in nature? Is it surprising, when we consider what a determinate effect
an early association of ideas has on the character, that they neglect their
understandings, and turn all their attention to their persons?
The great advantages which
naturally result from storing the mind with knowledge, are obvious from the
following considerations. The association of our ideas is either habitual or
instantaneous; and latter mode seems rather to depend on the original temperature
of the mind than on the will. When the ideas, and matters of fact, are once
taken in, they lie by for use, till some fortuitous circumstance makes the information
dart into the mind with illustrative force, that has been received at very different
periods of our lives. Like the lightning's flash are many recollections; one
idea assimilating and explaining another, with astonishing rapidity. I do not
now allude to that quick perception of truth, which is so intuitive that it
baffles research, and makes us at a loss to determine whether it is reminiscence
or ratiocination, lost sight of in its celerity, that opens the dark cloud.
Over those instantaneous associations we have little power; for when the mind
is once enlarged by excursive flights, or profound reflection, the raw materials
will, in some degree, arrange themselves. The understanding, it is true, may
keep us from going out of drawing when we group our thoughts, or transcribe
from the imagination the warm sketches of fancy; but the animal spirits, the
individual character, give the colouring. Over this subtile electric fluid,(1)
how little power do we possess, and over it how little power can reason obtain!
These fine intractable spirits appear to be the essence of genius, and beaming
in its eagle eye, produce in the most eminent degree the happy energy of associating
thoughts that surprise, delight, and instruct. These are the glowing minds that
concentrate pictures for their fellow- creatures; forcing them to view with
interest the objects reflected from the impassioned imagination, which they
passed over in nature.
I must be allowed to explain
myself. The generality of people cannot see or feel poetically, they want fancy,
and therefore fly from solitude in search of sensible objects; but when an author
lends them his eyes they can see as he saw, and be amused by images they could
not select, though lying before them.
Education thus only supplies
the man of genius with knowledge to give variety and contrast to his associations;
but there is an habitual association of ideas, that grows "with our growth,"
which has a great effect on the moral character of mankind; and by which a turn
is given to the mind that commonly remains throughout life. So ductile is the
understanding, and yet so stubborn, that the associations which depend on adventitious
circumstances, during the period that the body takes to arrive at maturity,
can seldom be disentangled by reason. One idea calls up another, its old associate,
and memory, faithful to the first impressions, particularly when the intellectual
powers are not employed to cool our sensations, retraces them with mechanical
exactness.
This habitual slavery, to
first impressions, has a more baneful effect on the female than the male character,
because business and other dry employments of the understanding, tend to deaden
the feelings and break associations that do violence to reason. But females,
who are made women of when they are mere children, and brought back to childhood
when they ought to leave the gocart for ever, have not sufficient strength of
mind to efface the superinductions of art that have smothered nature.
Every thing that they see
or hear serves to fix impressions, call forth emotions, and associate ideas,
that give a sexual character to the mind. False notions of beauty and delicacy
stop the growth of their limbs and produce a sickly soreness, rather than delicacy
of organs; and thus weakened by being employed in unfolding instead of examining
the first associations, forced on them by every surrounding object, how can
they attain the vigour necessary to enable them to throw off their factitious
character?--where find strength to recur to reason and rise superiour to a system
of oppression, that blasts the fair promises of spring? This cruel association
of ideas, which every thing conspires to twist into all their habits of thinking,
or, to speak with more precision, of feeling, receives new force when they begin
to act a little for themselves; for they then perceive that it is only through
their address to excite emotions in men, that pleasure and power are to be obtained.
Besides, all the books professedly written for their instruction, which make
the first impression on their minds, all inculcate the same opinions. Educated
then in worse than Egyptian bondage, it is unreasonable, as well as cruel, to
upbraid them with faults that can scarcely be avoided, unless a degree of native
vigour be supposed, that falls to the lot of very few amongst mankind.
For instance, the severest
sarcasms have been levelled against the sex, and they have been ridiculed for
repeating "a set of phrases learnt by rote," when nothing could be more natural,
considering the education they receive, and that their "highest praise is to
obey, unargued"--the will of man. If they are not allowed to have reason sufficient
to govern their own conduct-- why, all they learn--must be learned by rote!
And when all their ingenuity is called forth to adjust their dress, "a passion
for a scarlet coat," is so natural, that it never surprised me; and, allowing
Pope's summary of their character to be just, "that every woman is at heart
a rake," why should they be bitterly censured for seeking a congenial mind,
and preferring a rake to a man of sense?
Rakes know how to work on
their sensibility, whilst the modest merit of reasonable men has, of course,
less effect on their feelings, and they cannot reach the heart by the way of
the understanding, because they have few sentiments in common.
It seems a little absurd
to expect women to be more reasonable than men in their likings, and
still to deny them the uncontrolled use of reason. When do men fall-in-love
with sense? When do they, with their superiour powers and advantages, turn from
the person to the mind? And how can they then expect women, who are only taught
to observe behaviour, and acquire manners rather than morals, to despise what
they have been all their lives labouring to attain? Where are they suddenly
to find judgment enough to weigh patiently the sense of an awkward virtuous
man, when his manners, of which they are made critical judges, are rebuffing,
and his conversation cold and dull, because it does not consist of pretty repartees,
or well turned compliments? In order to admire or esteem any thing for a continuance,
we must, at least, have our curiosity excited by knowing, in some degree, what
we admire; for we are unable to estimate the value of qualities and virtues
above our comprehension. Such a respect, when it is felt, may be very sublime;
and the confused consciousness of humility may render the dependent creature
an interesting object, in some points of view; but human love must have grosser
ingredients; and the person very naturally will come in for its share--and,
an ample share it mostly has!
Love is, in a great degree,
an arbitrary passion, and will reign, like some other stalking mischiefs, by
its own authority, without deigning to reason; and it may also be easily distinguished
from esteem, the foundation of friendship, because it is often excited by evanescent
beauties and graces, though to give an energy to the sentiment, something more
solid must deepen their impression and set the imagination to work, to make
the most fair--the first good.
Common passions are excited
by common qualities.--Men look for beauty and the simper of good-humoured docility:
women are captivated by easy manners; a gentleman-like man seldom fails to please
them, and their thirsty ears eagerly drink the insinuating nothings of politeness,
whilst they turn from the unintelligible sounds of the charmer--reason, charm
he never so wisely. With respect to superficial accomplishments, the rake certainly
has the advantage; and of these females can form an opinion, for it is their
own ground. Rendered gay and giddy by the whole tenor of their lives, the very
aspect of wisdom, or the severe graces of virtue, must have a lugubrious appearance
to them; and produce a kind of restraint from which they and love, sportive
child, naturally revolt. Without taste, excepting of the lighter kind, for taste
is the offspring of judgment, how can they discover that true beauty and grace
must arise from the play of the mind? and how can they be expected to relish
in a lover what they do not, or very imperfectly, possess themselves? The sympathy
that unites hearts, and invites to confidence, in them is so very faint, that
it cannot take fire, and thus mount to passion. No, I repeat it, the love cherished
by such minds, must have grosser fuel!
The inference is obvious;
till women are led to exercise their understandings, they should not be satirized
for their attachment to rakes; nor even for being rakes at heart, when it appears
to be the inevitable consequence of their education. They who live to please--must
find their happiness, in pleasure! It is a trite, yet true remark, that we never
do any thing well, unless we love it for its own sake.
Supposing, however, for a moment, that women were, in some future revolution of time, to become, what I sincerely wish them to be, even love would acquire more serious dignity, and be purified in its own fires; and virtue giving true delicacy to their affections, they would turn with disgust from a rake. Reasoning then, as well as feeling, the only province of woman, at present, they might easily guard against exteriour graces, and quickly learn to despise the sensibility that had been excited and hackneyed in the ways of women, whose trade was vice; and allurements, wanton airs. They would recollect that the flame, one must use appropriated expressions, which they wished to light up, had been exhausted by lust, and that the sated appetite losing all relish for pure and simple pleasures, could only be roused by licentious arts or variety. What satisfaction could a woman of delicacy promise herself in a union with such a man, when the very artlessness of her affection might appear insipid? Thus does Dryden describe the situation.
"Where love is duty, on the female side,
On theirs mere sensual gust, and sought with surly pride."
But one grand truth women
have yet to learn, though much it imports them to act accordingly. In the choice
of a husband, they should not be led astray by the qualities of a lover--for
a lover the husband, even supposing him to be wise and virtuous, cannot long
remain.
Were women more rationally
educated, could they take a more comprehensive view of things, they would be
contented to love but once in their lives; and after marriage calmly let passion
subside into friendship--into that tender intimacy, which is the best refuge
from care; yet is built on such pure, still affections, that idle jealousies
would not be allowed to disturb the discharge of the sober duties of life, nor
to engross the thoughts that ought to be otherwise employed. This is a state
in which many men live; but few, very few women. And the difference may easily
be accounted for, without recurring to a sexual character. Men, for whom we
are told women were made, have too much occupied the thoughts of women; and
this association has so entangled love with all their motives of action; and,
to harp a little on an old string, having been solely employed either to prepare
themselves to excite love, or actually putting their lessons in practice, they
cannot live without love. But, when a sense of duty, or fear of shame, obliges
them to restrain this pampered desire of pleasing beyond certain lengths, too
far for delicacy, it is true, though far from criminality, they obstinately
determine to love, I speak of the passion, their husbands to the end of the
chapter--and then acting the part which they foolishly exacted from their lovers,
they became abject wooers, and fond slaves.
Men of wit and fancy are
often rakes; and fancy is the food of love. Such men will inspire passion. Half
the sex, in its present infantile state, would pine for a Lovelace; a man so
witty, so graceful, and so valiant: and can they deserve blame for
acting according to principles so constantly inculcated? They want a lover,
and protector; and, behold him kneeling before them-- bravely prostrate to beauty!
The virtues of a husband are thus thrown by love into the back ground, and gay
hopes, or lively emotions, banish reflection till the day of reckoning comes;
and come it surely will, to turn the sprightly lover into a surly suspicious
tyrant, who contemptuously insults the very weakness he fostered. Or, supposing
the rake reformed, he cannot quickly get rid of old habits. When a man of abilities
is first carried away by his passions, it is necessary that sentiment and taste
varnish the enormities of vice, and give a zest to brutal indulgences; but when
the gloss of novelty is worn off, and pleasure palls upon the sense, lasciviousness
becomes barefaced, and enjoyment only the desperate effort of weakness flying
from reflection as from a legion of devils. Oh! virtue thou are not an empty
name! All that life can give--thou givest!
If much comfort cannot be
expected from the friendship of a reformed rake of superiour abilities, what
is the consequence when he lacks sense, as well as principles? Verily misery,
in its most hideous shape. When the habits of weak people are consolidated by
time, a reformation is barely possible; and actually makes the beings miserable
who have not sufficient mind to be amused by innocent pleasure; like the tradesman
who retires from the hurry of business, nature presents to them only a universal
blank; and the restless thoughts prey on the damped spirits.(2)
Their reformation, as well as his retirement, actually makes them wretched because
it deprives them of all employment, by quenching the hopes and fears that set
in motion their sluggish minds.
If such is the force of habit; if such is the bondage of folly, how carefully ought we to guard the mind from storing up vicious associations; and equally careful should we be to cultivate the understanding, to save the poor wight from the weak dependent state of even harmless ignorance. For it is the right use of reason alone which makes us independent of every thing-- excepting the unclouded Reason--"Whose service is perfect freedom."
1 I have sometimes, when inclined to laugh at materialists, asked whether, as the most powerful effects in nature are apparently produced by fluids, the magnetic, &c. the passions might not be fine volatile fluids that embraced humanity, keeping the more refractory elementary parts together--or whether they were simply a liquid fire that pervaded the more sluggish materials giving them life and heat?
2 I have frequently seen this exemplified in women, whose beauty could no longer be repaired. They have retired from the noisy scenes of dissipation; but, unless they become methodists, the solitude of the select society of their family connexions or acquaintances, has presented only a fearful void; consequently, nervous complaints and all the vapourish train of idleness, rendered them quite as useless, and far more unhappy, than when they joined the giddy throng.