SITUATION OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY; IH 



have they not evinced in important intrigues, and even in negocia- 

 tions ? How many treaties and unhoped for alliances have they 

 conducted, of which the men received the honour, hut the merit of 

 which belonged to the women ! How many great actions and great 

 resolutions have been suggested and accomplished by them ! What 

 admirable enthusiasm have they not been able to excite to lead on 

 heroes to the brilliant exploits whtch tlley themselves were incapable 

 of executing, anTt^^hfer^ they could 'only ccfhsold themselves for 

 standing idle spectators by the flattering right of binding the laurels 

 on the temples of the brave ! 



I f the men can boast of more prudence, the women have less 

 egotism ; and so entirely do ihey devote themselves to others, that 

 they have at length given reason to believe that nature ordained the 

 sacrifice ; and hence all oiur laws oppress them, and of them are all 

 privation* required. Among no people, even the most savage,' hftve 

 we seen the men obliged to offer themselves up as sacrifices on the 

 tombs of their wive^, as the women have been on the funeral piles of 

 their husbands. A<id the history of men affords us no instance of an 

 illustrious and voluntary victim of love, such as Dido, and many 

 others that might be mentioned. 



Ever disposed to commiserate our distresses, to participate in our 

 joys, and to offer every addition to our happiness, evincing only the 

 fear of poverty in the means of assisting us ; and if slighted or neg- 

 lected in our prosperity, how readily they return to our call if fresh 

 misfortunes oppress us. Such are the generality of women. 



In this view, how can we help but love them ? in other respects, 

 how can we cease to pity them ? Withheld from the pursuit of any 

 occupation — scarcely allowed to regulate the concerns of their own 

 family — bringing us wealth which they never command — and pre- 

 senting us with children who are seldom committed to their power ; 

 such is their condition. Yet it cannot be denied, that if the one 

 seems to be endowed with peculiar qualities, the other possesses 

 advantages equally valuable ; that where corporeal strength is wanted, 

 they possess qualities to make up the deficiency ; that in moments 

 of transient equality, they have evinced ability equal to ours ; and 

 that, with the exception of inventive genius, their intellectual facul- 

 ^i'^'5 arc not inferior to our own. 



