第 24 节
作者:
打死也不说 更新:2021-02-20 14:21 字数:9322
he same reason;〃 adds Rousseau; 〃women have or ought to have; but little liberty; they are apt to indulge themselves excessively in what is allowed them。 Addicted in every thing to extremes; they are even more transported at their diversions than boys。〃 The answer to this is very simple。 Slaves and mobs have always indulged themselves in the same excesses; when once they broke loose from authority。 The bent bow recoils with violence; when the hand is suddenly relaxed that forcibly held it: and sensibility; the plaything of outward circumstances; must be subjected to authority; or moderated by reason。 〃There results;〃 he continues; 〃from this habitual restraint; a tractableness which the women have occasion for during their whole lives; as they constantly remain either under subjection to the men; or to the opinions of mankind; and are never permitted to set themselves above those opinions。 The first and most important qualification in a woman is good…nature or sweetness of temper; formed to obey a being so imperfect as man; often full of vices; and always full of faults; she ought to learn betimes even to suffer injustice; and to bear the insults of a husband without complaint; it is not for his sake; but her own; that she should be of a mild disposition。 The perverseness and ill…nature of the women only serve to aggravate their own misfortunes; and the misconduct of their husbands; they might plainly perceive that such are not the arms by which they gain the superiority。〃 Formed to live with such an imperfect being as man; they ought to learn from the exercise of their faculties the necessity of forbearance; but all the sacred rights of humanity are violated by insisting on blind obedience; or; the most sacred rights belong ONLY to man。 The being who patiently endures injustice; and silently bears insults; will soon become unjust; or unable to discern right from wrong。 Besides; I deny the fact; this is not the true way to form or meliorate the temper; for; as a sex; men have better tempers than women; because they are occupied by pursuits that interest the head as well as the heart; and the steadiness of the head gives a healthy temperature to the heart。 People of sensibility have seldom good tempers。 The formation of the temper is the cool work of reason; when; as life advances; she mixes with happy art; jarring elements。 I never knew a weak or ignorant person who had a good temper; though that constitutional good humour; and that docility; which fear stamps on the behaviour; often obtains the name。 I say behaviour; for genuine meekness never reached the heart or mind; unless as the effect of reflection; and; that simple restraint produces a number of peccant humours in domestic life; many sensible men will allow; who find some of these gentle irritable creatures; very troublesome companions。 〃Each sex;〃 he further argues; 〃should preserve its peculiar tone and manner: a meek husband may make a wife impertinent; but mildness of disposition on the woman's side will always bring a man back to reason; at least if he be not absolutely a brute; and will sooner or later triumph over him。〃 True; the mildness of reason; but abject fear always inspires contempt; and tears are only eloquent when they flow down fair cheeks。 Of what materials can that heart be composed; which can melt when insulted; and instead of revolting at injustice; kiss the rod? Is it unfair to infer; that her virtue is built on narrow views and selfishness; who can caress a man; with true feminine softness; the very moment when he treats her tyrannically? Nature never dictated such insincerity; and though prudence of this sort be termed a virtue; morality becomes vague when any part is supposed to rest on falsehood。 These are mere expedients; and expedients are only useful for the moment。 Let the husband beware of trusting too implicitly to this servile obedience; for if his wife can with winning sweetness caress him when angry; and when she ought to be angry; unless contempt had stifled a natural effervescence; she may do the same after parting with a lover。 These are all preparations for adultery; or; should the fear of the world; or of hell; restrain her desire of pleasing other men; when she can no longer please her husband; what substitute can be found by a being who was only formed by nature and art to please man? what can make her amends for this privation; or where is she to seek for a fresh employment? where find sufficient strength of mind to determine to begin the search; when her habits are fixed; and vanity has long ruled her chaotic mind? But this partial moralist recommends cunning systematically and plausibly。 〃Daughters should be always submissive; their mothers; however; should not be inexorable。 To make a young person tractable; she ought not to be made unhappy; to make her modest she ought not to be rendered stupid。 On the contrary; I should not be displeased at her being permitted to use some art; not to elude punishment in case of disobedience; but to exempt herself from the necessity of obeying。 It is not necessary to make her dependence burdensome; but only to let her feel it。 Subtilty is a talent natural to the sex; and as I am persuaded; all our natural inclinations are right and good in themselves; I am of opinion this should be cultivated as well as the others: it is requisite for us only to prevent its abuse。〃 〃Whatever is; is right;〃 he then proceeds triumphantly to infer。 Granted; yet; perhaps; no aphorism ever contained a more paradoxical assertion。 It is a solemn truth with respect to God。 He; reverentially I speak; sees the whole at once; and saw its just proportions in the womb of time; but man; who can only inspect disjointed parts; finds many things wrong; and it is a part of the system; and therefore right; that he should endeavour to alter what appears to him to be so; even while he bows to the wisdom of his Creator; and respects the darkness he labours to disperse。 The inference that follows is just; supposing the principle to be sound: 〃The superiority of address; peculiar to the female sex; is a very equitable indemnification for their inferiority in point of strength: without this; woman would not be the companion of man; but his slave: it is by her superiour art and ingenuity that she preserves her equality; and governs him while she affects to obey。 Woman has every thing against her; as well our faults as her own timidity and weakness: she has nothing in her favour; but her subtilty and her beauty。 Is it not very reasonable; therefore; she should cultivate both?〃 Greatness of mind can never dwell with cunning or address; for I shall not boggle about words; when their direct signification is insincerity and falsehood; but content myself with observing; that if any class of mankind be so created that it must necessarily be educated by rules; not strictly deducible from truth; virtue is an affair of convention。 How could Rousseau dare to assert; after giving this advice; that in the grand end of existence; the object of both sexes should be the same; when he well knew; that the mind formed by its pursuits; is expanded by great views swallowing up little ones; or that it becomes itself little? Men have superiour strength of body; but were it not for mistaken notions of beauty; women would acquire sufficient to enable them to earn their own subsistence; the true definition of independence; and to bear those bodily inconveniences and exertions that are requisite to strengthen the mind。 Let us then; by being allowed to take the same exercise as boys; not only during infancy; but youth; arrive at perfection of body; that we may know how far the natural superiority of man extends。 For what reason or virtue can be expected from a creature when the seed…time of life is neglected? Nonedid not the winds of heaven casually scatter many useful seeds in the fallow ground。 〃Beauty cannot be acquired by dress; and coquetry is an art not so early and speedily attained。 While girls are yet young; however; they are in a capacity to study agreeable gesture; a pleasing modulation of voice; an easy carriage and behaviour; as well as to take the advantage of gracefully adapting their looks and attitudes to time; place; and occasion。 Their application; therefore; should not be solely confined to the arts of industry and the needle; when they come to display other talents; whose utility is already apparent。〃 〃For my part I would have a young Englishwoman cultivate her agreeable talents; in order to please her future husband; with as much care and assiduity as a young Circassian cultivates her's; to fit her for the Haram of an Eastern bashaw。〃 To render women completely insignificant; he adds;〃The tongues of women are very voluble; they speak earlier; more readily; and more agreeably than the men; they are accused also of speaking much more: but so it ought to be; and I should be very ready to convert this reproach into a compliment; their lips and eyes have the same activity; and for the same reason。 A man speaks of what he knows; a woman of what pleases her; the one requires knowledge; the other taste; the principal object of a man's discourse should be what is useful; that of a woman's what is agreeable。 There ought to be