Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have
proceeded from the unmarried or childless men.' I say the same of
women. But, the welfare of society is not built on extraordinary
exertions; and were it more reasonably organized, there would be still
less need of great abilities, or heroic virtues.
In the regulation of a family, in the education of children,
understanding, in an unsophisticated sense, is particularly
required: strength both of body and mind; yet the men who, by their
writings, have most earnestly laboured to domesticate women, have
endeavoured, by arguments dictated by a gross appetite, which
satiety had rendered fastidious, to weaken their bodies and cramp
their minds. But, if even by these sinister methods they really
persuaded women, by working on their feelings, to stay at home, and
fulfil the duties of a mother and mistress of a family, I should
cautiously oppose opinions that led women to right conduct, by
prevailing on them to make the discharge of such important duties
the main business of life, though reason were insulted. Yet, and I
appeal to experience, if by neglecting the understanding they be as
much, nay, more detached from these domestic employments, than they
could be by the most serious intellectual pursuit, though it may be
observed, that the mass of mankind will never vigorously pursue an
intellectual object,* I may be allowed to infer that reason is
absolutely necessary to enable a woman to perform any duty properly,
and I must again repeat, that sensibility is not reason.
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