Itisamelancholytruth;yetsuchistheblessedeffectsofcivilization！themostrespectablewomenarethemostoppressed;
and,unlesstheyhaveunderstandingsfarsuperiourtothecommonrunofunderstandings,takinginbothsexes,theymust,frombeingtreatedlikecontemptiblebeings,becomecontemptible。Howmanywomenthuswastelifeaway,thepreyofdiscontent,whomighthavepractisedasphysicians,regulatedafarm,managedashop,andstooderect,supportedbytheirownindustry,insteadofhangingtheirheadssurchargedwiththedewofsensibility,thatconsumesthebeautytowhichitatfirstgavelustre;nay,Idoubtwhetherpityandlovearesoneara—kinaspoetsfeign,forIhaveseldomseenmuchcompassionexcitedbythehelplessnessoffemales,unlesstheywerefair;then,perhaps,pitywasthesofthandmaidoflove,ortheharbingeroflust。
Howmuchmorerespectableisthewomanwhoearnsherownbreadbyfulfillinganyduty,thanthemostaccomplishedbeauty！beautydidIsay？sosensibleamIofthebeautyofmoralloveliness,ortheharmoniousproprietythatattunesthepassionsofawell—regulatedmind,thatIblushatmakingthecomparison;yetIsightothinkhowfewwomenaimatattainingthisrespectability,bywithdrawingfromthegiddywhirlofpleasure,ortheindolentcalmthatstupifiesthegoodsortofwomenitsucksin。
Proudoftheirweakness,however,theymustalwaysbeprotected,guardedfromcare,andalltheroughtoilsthatdignifythemind。
Ifthisbethefiatoffate,iftheywillmakethemselvesinsignificantandcontemptible,sweetlytowaste\"lifeaway,\"letthemnotexpecttobevaluedwhentheirbeautyfades,foritisthefateofthefairestflowerstobeadmiredandpulledtopiecesbythecarelesshandthatpluckedthem。InhowmanywaysdoIwish,fromthepurestbenevolence,toimpressthistruthonmysex;yetI