Thissympathyextendsstillfurther,tillamanwellpleasedobservesforceinargumentsthatdonotcarryconvictiontohisownbosom,andhegladlyplacesinthefairestlighttohimself,theshowsofreasonthathaveledothersastray,rejoicedtofindsomereasoninalltheerrorsofman;thoughbeforeconvincedthathewhorulesthedaymakeshissuntoshineonall。Yet,shakinghandsthus,asitwere,withcorruption,onefootonearth,theotherwithboldstridesmountstoheaven,andclaimskindredwithsuperiournatures。Virtues,unobservedbymen,droptheirbalmyfragranceatthiscoolhour,andthethirstyland,refreshedbythepurestreamsofcomfortthatsuddenlygushout,iscrownedwithsmilingverdure;thisisthelivinggreenonwhichthateyemaylookwithcomplacencythatistoopuretobeholdiniquity！Butmyspiritsflag;andImustsilentlyindulgethereveriethesereflectionsleadto,unabletodescribethesentimentsthathavecalmedmysoul,whenwatchingtherisingsun,asoftshowerdrizzlingthroughtheleavesofneighbouringtrees,seemedtofallonmylanguid,yettranquilspirits,tocooltheheartthathadbeenheatedbythepassionswhichreasonlabouredtotame。
Theleadingprincipleswhichrunthroughallmydisquisitions,wouldrenderitunnecessarytoenlargeonthissubject,ifaconstantattentiontokeepthevarnishofthecharacterfresh,andingoodcondition,werenotofteninculcatedasthesumtotaloffemaleduty;ifrulestoregulatethebehaviour,andtopreservethereputation,didnottoofrequentlysupersedemoralobligations。
But,withrespecttoreputation,theattentionisconfinedtoasinglevirtue——chastity。Ifthehonourofawoman,asitisabsurdlycalled,issafe,shemayneglecteverysocialduty;nay,ruinherfamilybygamingandextravagance;yetstillpresentashamelessfront——fortrulysheisanhonourablewoman！
Mrs。Macaulayhasjustlyobserved,that\"thereisbutonefaultwhichawomanofhonourmaynotcommitwithimpunity。\"Shethenjustlyandhumanelyadds——Thishasgivenrisetothetriteandfoolishobservation,thatthefirstfaultagainstchastityinwomanhasaradicalpowertodepravethecharacter。Butnosuchfrailbeingscomeoutofthehandsofnature。Thehumanmindisbuiltofnoblermaterialsthantobesoeasilycorrupted;andwithalltheirdisadvantagesofsituationandeducation,womenseldombecomeentirelyabandonedtilltheyarethrownintoastateofdesperation,bythevenomousrancouroftheirownsex。\"
But,inproportionasthisregardforthereputationofchastityisprizedbywomen,itisdespisedbymen:andthetwoextremesareequallydestructivetomorality。