OF NATURAL HISTORY. 237 



are entitled to claim, and, by their amiable weaknefles, they aftually 

 receive our protedion. Men are endowed with majefty of figure 

 and force of mind ; but beauty, and the graces, are the proper cha- 

 rafleriftics of women. The laxity and foftnefs of their texture may, 

 in fome meafure, account for the timidity and liftleffnefs of their 

 difpofition ; for, when the bodies of men are relaxed by heat, or by 

 any other caufe, their minds become not only timid, but weak, un- 

 determined, and inadtive. 



The focial intercourfe of women foftens the difpofitions, and 

 foothes the cares and labours of the men. Their little female hu- 

 mours, caprices, and follies, give rife to many exertions of virtue. 

 They excite in us compaflion, humanity, and tendernefs of afiedion. 

 The delicacy of their bodies, and the weaknefs of their minds, re- 

 quire our fupport and protedlion. In return, the gentle and infi- 

 nuating manners of the women have a direfl: tendency to foften 

 and fmooth the natural roughnefs of men. In mod governments, 

 women have the entire management and training of children, till 

 their charaders and difpofitions are almoft fixed for life. This 

 is an important office ; and would require more education and 

 fenfe than they commonly receive either from nature or art. But 

 their perfevering and unremitting attention to their charge, efpecial- 

 ly when children are fick or weakly, is fo truly aftonilhing, that no 

 man could have patience to perform the laborious and painful tafk. 

 Women are likewife faid to fuffer bodily pain with more refolution 

 than men. Women reafon rapidly; but their reafoning, though 

 often acute, is feldom folid. 



Modefty is one of the moft diflinguilhing and attraftive charac- 

 teriftics of the female fex. This is- the great defence with which 

 Nature has armed them againft the artifices and deceit of the males. 

 Modefty has a double efFed : It both attrafts and repels. It heigh- 

 tens 



