MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 
‘tures, ‘let ‘them not be treated like 
slaves, or like the ‘brutes, who are 
wependant on the reason of man 
owhen they associate with him; but 
eeultivate their minds, give them the 
salutary, sublime curb of principle, 
and let them attain conscious dig- 
nity by feeling themselves only de- 
pendent on God. Teach them, in 
xommon with man, to submit to ne- 
eessity, instead of giving, to render 
them more pleasing, a sex to morals. 
‘Further, should-experience prove 
‘that they cannot attain the same 
degree of strength of mind, perse- 
werance, and fortitude, let their vir- 
‘tues be the same in kind, though 
‘they may vainly struggle for the 
ame degree; and the superiority 
of man will be equally clear, if not 
eclearer; and the truth, as it is a sim- 
ple ‘principle, which admits of no 
«modification, would be common to 
both. Nay, the order of society as 
it is at present regulated, would 
not be inverted: for woman would 
then only have the rank that reason 
assigned her, and arts could not be 
_practised to bring the balance even, 
much Jess to turn it. Z 
/ These may be termed Utopian 
dréams.—Thanks to that Being who 
impressed them on my soul, and 
gave me sufficient strength of mind 
‘to dare to exert my own reason, till, 
becoming dependent only on him for 
the support of my virtue, I view, 
with indignation, the mistaken no- 
‘tions that enslave my sex. 
I'love mao as my fellow; but 
his sceptre, real or usurped, ex- 
tends not to me, unless the reason 
of an individual demands my ho- 
mage; and even then the submis- 
sion is to reason, and not to man. 
In'fact, the conduct of an account- 
able being must be regulated by the 
operations of its own reason ; or on 
Vor. XXXIV. 
what foundation rests the throne 
of Goda st’ + ae 
It appears to ‘me necescary ‘to 
dwell on these obvious truths, be- 
‘cause females ‘have been ‘insulted, 
as it were; and, ‘while they have 
‘been stripped of the virtues that 
should clothe humanity, they have 
been decked with artificial graces 
that enabled them to exercise a 
short-lived tyranny. ‘Love, in their 
bosoms, taking place of every 
nobler passion, their sole ambition 
is to be fair, ‘to raise emotion In- 
stead of inspiring respect: and this 
iguoble desire, like the servili 
in absolute ‘monarchies, d-stroys all 
strength of character. Liberty is 
the mother of virtue ; and if wo- 
men are, by their very constitaiion, 
slaves, and not allowed to breathe ~ 
the sharp invigorating air of free- 
dom, they mast ever languish like 
exotics, and be reckoned beautiful 
flaws in nature. Tet it also-be re- 
membered, ‘that they are the only 
flaw. 
As to the argument respecting 
the sdbjection in which the ae 
ever been held, it retorts on mam. 
The many have always been en- 
thralled by the few; and monsters, 
who scarcely have shewn any dis- 
cernment of human excellence, 
have tyrannized over thousands of 
their fellow creatures. Why have 
men of superior endowments sub- 
mitted to such degradation? For, 
is it not universally acknowledged 
that kings, viewed collectively, have 
ever been inferior, in abiliues and 
virtue, to the same number of men 
taken from the common mass of 
mankind? yet, have they not, and 
are they not still treated with a 
degree of reverence that is ao in- 
sult toreason? China is not the 
only country where a living mano 
5 has 
