Thepoetthenshouldhavedroppedhissneerwhenhesays,\"Ifweakwomengoastray,Thestarsaremoreinfaultthanthey。\"
Forthattheyareboundbytheadamantinechainofdestinyismostcertain,ifitbeprovedthattheyarenevertoexercisetheirownreason,nevertobeindependent,nevertoriseaboveopinion,ortofeelthedignityofarationalwillthatonlybowstoGod,andoftenforgetsthattheuniversecontainsanybeingbutitself,andthemodelofperfectiontowhichitsardentgazeisturned,toadoreattributesthat,softenedintovirtues,maybeimitatedinkind,thoughthedegreeoverwhelmstheenrapturedmind。
If,Isay,forIwouldnotimpressbydeclamationwhenreasonoffershersoberlight,iftheyarereallycapableofactinglikerationalcreatures,letthemnotbetreatedlikeslaves;or,likethebruteswhoaredependentonthereasonofman,whentheyassociatewithhim;butcultivatetheirminds,givethemthesalutary,sublimecurbofprinciple,andletthemattainconsciousdignitybyfeelingthemselvesonlydependentonGod。Teachthem,incommonwithman,tosubmittonecessity,insteadofgiving,torenderthemmorepleasing,asextomorals。
Further,shouldexperienceprovethattheycannotattainthesamedegreeofstrengthofmind,perseveranceandfortitude,lettheirvirtuesbethesameinkind,thoughtheymayvainlystruggleforthesamedegree;andthesuperiorityofmanwillbeequallyclear,ifnotclearer;andtruth,asitisasimpleprinciple,whichadmitsofnomodification,wouldbecommontoboth。Nay,theorderofsociety,asitisatpresentregulated,wouldnotbeinverted,forwomanwouldthenonlyhavetherankthatreasonassignedher,andartscouldnotbepractisedtobringthebalanceeven,muchlesstoturnit。
ThesemaybetermedUtopiandreams。ThankstothatBeingwhoimpressedthemonmysoul,andgavemesufficientstrengthofmindtodaretoexertmyownreason,tillbecomingdependentonlyonhimforthesupportofmyvirtue,Iviewwithindignation,themistakennotionsthatenslavemysex。