AsIhavealwaysbeenfondoftracingtoitssourceinnatureanyprevailingcustom,Ihavefrequentlythoughtthatitwasasentimentofaffectionforwhateverhadtouchedthepersonofanabsentorlostfriend,whichgavebirthtothatrespectforrelics,somuchabusedbyselfishpriests。Devotion,orlove,maybeallowedtohallowthegarmentsaswellastheperson;forthelovermustwantfancy,whohasnotasortofsacredrespectforthegloveorslipperofhismistress。Hecouldnotconfoundthemwithvulgarthingsofthesamekind。
Thisfinesentiment,perhaps,wouldnotbeartobeanalyzedbytheexperimentalphilosopher——butofsuchstuffishumanrapturemadeup！——Ashadowyphantomglidesbeforeus,obscuringeveryotherobject;yetwhenthesoftcloudisgrasped,theformmeltsintocommonair,leavingasolitaryvoid,orsweetperfume,stolenfromtheviolet,thatmemorylongholdsdear。But,Ihavetrippedunawaresonfairyground,feelingthebalmygaleofspringstealingonme,thoughNovemberfrowns。
Asasex,womenaremorechastethanmen,andasmodestyistheeffectofchastity,theymaydeservetohavethisvirtueascribedtotheminratheranappropriatedsense;yet,Imustbeallowedtoaddanhesitatingif:——forIdoubt,whetherchastitywillproducemodesty,thoughitmayproprietyofconduct,whenitismerelyarespectfortheopinionoftheworld,andwhencoquetryandthelovelorntalesofnovelistsemploythethoughts。Nay,fromexperience,andreason,Ishouldbeleadtoexpecttomeetwithmoremodestyamongstmenthanwomen,simplybecausemenexercisetheirunderstandingsmorethanwomen。
But,withrespecttoproprietyofbehaviour,exceptingoneclassoffemales,womenhaveevidentlytheadvantage。Whatcanbemoredisgustingthanthatimpudentdrossofgallantry,thoughtsomanly,whichmakesmanymenstareinsultinglyateveryfemaletheymeet？
Isthisrespectforthesex？Thisloosebehaviourshowssuchhabitualdepravity,suchweaknessofmind,thatitisvaintoexpectmuchpublicorprivatevirtue,tillbothmenandwomengrowmoremodest——tillmen,curbingasensualfondnessforthesex,oranaffectationofmanlyassurance,moreproperlyspeaking,impudence,treateachotherwithrespect——unlessappetiteorpassiongivesthetone,peculiartoit,totheirbehaviour。Imeanevenpersonalrespect——themodestrespectofhumanity,andfellow—feeling;notthelibidinousmockeryofgallantry,northeinsolentcondescensionofprotectorship。