rely entirely on his understanding; and the graceful ivy, clasping the
oak that supported it, would form a whole in which strength and beauty
would be equally conspicuous. But, alas! husbands, as well as their
helpmates, are often only overgrown children; nay, thanks to early
debauchery, scarcely men in their outward form and if the blind lead
the blind, one need not come from heaven to tell us the consequence.

  Many are the causes that, in the present corrupt state of society,
contribute to enslave women by cramping their understandings and
sharpening their senses. One, perhaps, that silently does more
mischief than all the rest, is their disregard of order.

  To do every thing in an orderly manner, is a most important precept,
which women, who, generally speaking, receive only a disorderly kind
of education, seldom attend to with that degree of exactness that men,
who from their infancy are broken into method, observe. This negligent
kind of guess-work, for what other epithet can be used to point out
the random exertions of a sort of instinctive common sense, never
brought to the test of reason? prevents their generalizing matters
of fact- so they do to-day, what they did yesterday, merely because
they did it yesterday.

  This contempt of the understanding in early life has more baneful
consequences than is commonly supposed; for the little knowledge which
women of strong minds attain, is, from various circumstances, of a
more desultory kind than the knowledge of men, and it is acquired more
by sheer observations on real life, than from comparing what has
been individually observed with the results of experience
generalized by speculation. Led by their dependent situation and
domestic employments more into society, what they learn is rather by
snatches; and as learning is with them, in general, only a secondary
thing, they do not pursue any one branch with that persevering
ardour necessary to give vigour to the faculties, and clearness to the
judgment. In the present state of society, a little learning is
required to support the character of a gentleman; and boys are obliged
to submit to a few years of discipline. But in the education of women,
the cultivation of the understanding is always subordinate to the
acquirement of some corporeal accomplishment; even while enervated
by confinement and false notions of modesty, the body is prevented
from attaining that grace and beauty which relaxed half-formed limbs
never exhibit. Besides, in youth their faculties are not brought
forward by emulation; and having no serious scientific study, if
they have natural sagacity it is turned too soon on life and
manners. They dwell on effects, and modifications, without tracing
them back to causes; and complicated rules to adjust behaviour are a
weak substitute for simple principles.

  As a proof that education gives this appearance of weakness to
females, we may instance the example of military men, who are, like
them, sent into the world before their minds have been stored with
knowledge or fortified by principles. The consequences are similar;
soldiers acquire a little superficial knowledge, snatched from the
muddy current of conversation, and, from continually mixing with
society, they gain, what is termed a knowledge of the world; and
this acquaintance with manners and customs has frequently been
confounded with a knowledge of the human heart. But can the crude
fruit of casual observation, never brought to the test of judgment,
formed by comparing speculation and experience, deserve such a
distinction? Soldiers, as well as women, practice the minor virtues
with punctilious politeness. Where is then the sexual difference, when
the education has been the same? All the difference that I can
discern, arises from the superior advantage of liberty, which
enables the former to see more of life.

  It is wandering from my present subject, perhaps, to make a
political remark; but, as it was produced naturally by the train of my
reflections, I shall not pass it silently over.

  Standing armies can never consist of resolute, robust men; they
may be well disciplined machines, but they will seldom contain men
under the influence of strong passions, or with very vigorous
faculties. And as for any depth of understanding, I will venture to
affirm, that it is as rarely to be found in the army as amongst women;
and the cause, I maintain, is the same. It may be further observed,
that officers are also particularly attentive to their persons, fond
of dancing, crowded rooms, adventures, and ridicule.* Like the fair
sex, the business of their lives is gallantry.- They were taught to
please, and they only live to please. Yet they do not lose their
rank in the distinction of sexes, for they are still reckoned superior
to women, though in what their superiority consists, beyond what I
have just mentioned, it is difficult to discover.

  * Why should women be censured with petulant acrimony, because
they seem to have a passion for a scarlet coat? Has not education
placed them more on a level with soldiers than any other class of men?

  The great misfortune is this, that they both acquire manners
before morals, and a knowledge of life before they have, from
reflection, any acquaintance with the grand ideal outline of human
nature. The consequence is natural; satisfied with common nature, they
become a prey to prejudices, and taking all their opinions on
credit, they blindly submit to authority. So that, if they have any
sense, it is a kind of instinctive glance, that catches proportions,
and decides with respect to manners; but fails when arguments are to
be pursued below the surface, or opinions analyzed.

  May not the same remark be applied to women? Nay, the argument may
be carried still further, for they are both thrown out of a useful
station by the unnatural distinctions established in civilized life.
Riches and hereditary honours have made cyphers of women to give