y　women；　who　are　drawn　from　their　duty　by　the　admiration　of　men；　and　the　ignorance　of　others；　render　the　infancy　of　man　a　much　more　perilous　state　than　that　of　brutes；　yet　men　are　unwilling　to　place　women　in　situations　proper　to　enable　them　to　acquire　sufficient　understanding　to　know　how　even　to　nurse　their　babes。　So　forcibly　does　this　truth　strike　me；　that　I　would　rest　the　whole　tendency　of　my　reasoning　upon　it；　for　whatever　tends　to　incapacitate　the　maternal　character；　takes　woman　out　of　her　sphere。　But　it　is　vain　to　expect　the　present　race　of　weak　mothers　either　to　take　that　reasonable　care　of　a　child's　body；　which　is　necessary　to　lay　the　foundation　of　a　good　constitution；　supposing　that　it　do　not　suffer　for　the　sins　of　its　fathers；　or　to　manage　its　temper　so　judiciously　that　the　child　will　not　have；　as　it　grows　up；　to　throw　off　all　that　its　mother；　its　first　instructor；　directly　or　indirectly　taught；　and　unless　the　mind　have　uncommon　vigour；　womanish　follies　will　stick　to　the　character　throughout　life。　　The　weakness　of　the　mother　will　be　visited　on　the　children！　　And　whilst　women　are　educated　to　rely　on　their　husbands　for　judgment；　this　must　ever　be　the　consequence；　for　there　is　no　improving　an　understanding　by　halves；　nor　can　any　being　act　wisely　from　imitation；　because　in　every　circumstance　of　life　there　is　a　kind　of　individuality；　which　requires　an　exertion　of　judgment　to　modify　general　rules。　　The　being　who　can　think　justly　in　one　track；　will　soon　extend　its　intellectual　empire；　and　she　who　has　sufficient　judgment　to　manage　her　children；　will　not　submit　right　or　wrong；　to　her　husband；　or　patiently　to　the　social　laws　which　makes　a　nonentity　of　a　wife。　In　public　schools　women；　to　guard　against　the　errors　of　ignorance；　should　be　taught　the　elements　of　anatomy　and　medicine；　not　only　to　enable　them　to　take　proper　care　of　their　own　health；　but　to　make　them　rational　nurses　of　their　infants；　parents；　and　husbands；　for　the　bills　of　mortality　are　swelled　by　the　blunders　of　self…willed　old　women；　who　give　nostrums　of　their　own；　without　knowing　any　thing　of　the　human　frame。　　It　is　likewise　proper；　only　in　a　domestic　view；　to　make　women；　acquainted　with　the　anatomy　of　the　mind；　by　allowing　the　sexes　to　associate　together　in　every　pursuit；　and　by　leading　them　to　observe　the　progress　of　the　human　understanding　in　the　improvement　of　the　sciences　and　arts；　never　forgetting　the　science　of　morality；　nor　the　study　of　the　political　history　of　mankind。　A　man　has　been　termed　a　microcosm；　and　every　family　might　also　be　called　a　state。　　States；　it　is　true；　have　mostly　been　governed　by　arts　that　disgrace　the　character　of　man；　and　the　want　of　a　just　constitution；　and　equal　laws；　have　so　perplexed　the　notions　of　the　worldly　wise；　that　they　more　than　question　the　reasonableness　of　contending　for　the　rights　of　humanity。　　Thus　morality；　polluted　in　the　national　reservoir；　sends　off　streams　of　vice　to　corrupt　the　constituent　parts　of　the　body　politic；　but　should　more　noble；　or　rather　more　just　principles　regulate　the　laws；　which　ought　to　be　the　government　of　society；　and　not　those　who　execute　them；　duty　might　become　the　rule　of　private　conduct。　Besides；　by　the　exercise　of　their　bodies　and　minds；　women　would　acquire　that　mental　activity　so　necessary　in　the　maternal　character；　united　with　the　fortitude　that　distinguishes　steadiness　of　conduct　from　the　obstinate　perverseness　of　weakness。　　For　it　is　dangerous　to　advise　the　indolent　to　be　steady；　because　they　instantly　become　rigorous；　and　to　save　themselves　trouble；　punish　with　severity　faults　that　the　patient　fortitude　of　reason　might　have　prevented。　But　fortitude　presupposes　strength　of　mind；　and　is　strength　of　mind　to　be　acquired　by　indolent　acquiescence？　　By　asking　advice　instead　of　exerting　the　judgment？　　By　obeying　through　fear；　instead　of　practising　the　forbearance；　which　we　all　stand　in　need　of　ourselves？　　The　conclusion　which　I　wish　to　draw　is　obvious；　make　women　rational　creatures　and　free　citizens；　and　they　will　quickly　become　good　wives；　and　mothers；　that　isif　men　do　not　neglect　the　duties　of　husbands　and　fathers。　Discussing　the　advantages　which　a　public　and　private　education　combined；　as　I　have　sketched；　might　rationally　be　expected　to　produce；　I　have　dwelt　most　on　such　as　are　particularly　relative　to　the　female　world；　because　I　think　the　female　world　oppressed；　yet　the　gangrene　which　the　vices；　engendered　by　oppression　have　produced；　is　not　confined　to　the　morbid　part；　but　pervades　society　at　large；　　so　that　when　I　wish　to　see　my　sex　become　more　like　moral　agents；　my　heart　bounds　with　the　anticipation　of　the　general　diffusion　of　that　sublime　contentment　which　only　morality　can　diffuse。
  CHAPTER　13。　SOME　INSTANCES　OF　THE　FOLLY　WHICH　THE　IGNORANCE　OF　WOMEN　GENERATES；　WITH　CONCLUDING　REFLECTIONS　ON　THE　MORAL　IMPROVEMENT　THAT　A　REVOLUTION　IN　FEMALE　MANNERS　MIGHT　NATURALLY　BE　EXPECTED　TO　PRODUCE。　There　are　many　follies；　in　some　degree；　peculiar　to　women：　　sins　against　reason；　of　commission；　as　well　as　of　omission；　but　all　flowing　from　ignorance　or　prejudice；　I　shall　only　point　out　such　as　appear　to　be　injurious　to　their　moral　character。　　And　in　animadverting　on　them；　I　wish　especially　to　prove；　that　the　weakness　of　mind　and　body；　which　men　have　endeavoured　by　various　motives　to　perpetuate；　prevents　their　discharging　the　peculiar　duty　of　their　sex：　　for　when　weakness　of　body　will　not　permit　them　to　suckle　their　children；　and　weakness　of　mind　makes　them　spoil　their　tempersis　woman　in　a　natural　state？　SECTION　13。1。　One　glaring　instance　of　the　weakness　which　proceeds　from　ignorance；　first　claims　attention；　and　calls　for　severe　reproof。　In　this　metropolis　a　number　of　lurking　leeches　infamously　gain　a　subsistence　by　practising　on　the　credulity　of　women；　pretending　to　cast　nativities；　to　use　the　technical　phrase；　and　many　females　who；　proud　of　their　rank　and　fortune；　look　down　on　the　vulgar　with　sovereign　contempt；　show　by　this　credulity；　that　the　distinction　is　arbitrary；　and　that　they　have　not　sufficiently　cultivated　their　minds　to　rise　above　vulgar　prejudices。　　Women；　because　they　have　not　been　led　to　consider　the　knowledge　of　their　duty　as　the　one　thing　necessary　to　know；　or；　to　live　in　the　present　moment　by　the　discharge　of　it；　are　very　anxious　to　peep　into　futurity；　to　learn　what　they　have　to　expect　to　render　life　interesting；　and　to　break　the　vacuum　of　ignorance。　　I　must　be　allowed　to　expostulate　seriously　with　the　ladies；　who　follow　these　idle　inventions；　for　ladies；　mistresses　of　families；　are　not　ashamed　to　drive　in　their　own　carriages　to　the　door　of　the　cunning　man。　　And　if　any　of　them　should　peruse　this　work；　I　entreat　them　to　answer　to　their　own　hearts　the　following　questions；　not　forgetting　that　they　are　in　the　presence　of　God。　Do　you　believe　that　there　is　but　one　God；　and　that　he　is　powerful；　wise；　and　good？　Do　you　believe　that　all　things　were　created　by　him；　and　that　all　beings　are　dependent　on　him？　Do　you　rely　on　his　wisdom；　so　conspicuous　in　his　works；　and　in　your　own　frame；　and　are　you　convinced；　that　he　has　ordered　all　things　which　do　not　come　under　the　cognizance　of　your　senses；　in　the　same　perfect　harmony；　to　fulfil　his　designs？　Do　you　acknowledge　that　the　power　of　looking　into　futurity　and　seeing　things　that　are　not；　as　if　they　were；　is　an　attribute　of　the　Creator？　　And　should　he；　by　an　impression　on　the　minds　of　his　creatures；　think　fit　to　impart　to　them　some　event　hid　in　the　shades　of　time；　yet　unborn；　to　whom　would　the　secret　be　revealed　by　immediate　inspiration？　　The　opinion　of　ages　will　answer　this　questionto　reverend　old　men；　to　people　distinguished　for　eminent　piety。　The　oracles　of　old　were　thus　delivered　by　priests　dedicated　to　the　service　of　the　God；　who　was　supposed　to　inspire　them。　　The　glare　of　worldly　pomp　which　surrounded　these　impostors；　and　the　respect　paid　to　them　by　artful　politicians；　who　knew　how　to　avail　themselves　of　this　useful　engine　to　bend　the　necks　of　the　strong　under　the　dominion　of　the　cunning；　spread　a　sacred　mysterious　veil　of　sanctity　over　their　lies　and　abominations。　　Impressed　by　such　solemn　devotional　parade；　a　Greek　or　Roman　lady　might　be　excused；　if　she　inquired　of　the　oracle；　when　she　was　anxious　to　pry　into　futurity；　or　inquire　about　some　dubious　event：　　and　her　inquiries；　however　contrary　to　reason；　could　not　be　reckoned　impious。　　But；　can　the　professors　of　Christianity　ward　off　that　imputation？　　Can　a　Christian　suppose；　that　the　favourites　of　the　most　High；　the　highly　favoured　would　be　obliged　to　lurk　in　disguise；　and　practise　the　most　dishonest　tricks　to　cheat　silly　women　out　of　the　money；　which　the　poor　cry　for　in　vain？　Say　not　that　such　questions　are　an　insult　to　common　sense　for　it　is　your　own　conduct；　O　ye　foolish　women！　which　throws　an　odium　on　your　sex！　　And　these　reflections　should　make　you　shudder　at　your　thoughtlessness；　and　irrational　devotion；　for　I　do　not　suppose　that　all　of　you　laid　aside　your　religion；　such　as　it　is；　when　you　entered　those　mysterious　dwellings。　　Yet；　as　I　have　throughout　supposed　myself　talking　to　ignorant　women；　for　ignorant　ye　are　in　the　most　emphatical　sense　of　the　word；　it　would　be　absurd　to　reason　with　you　on　the　egregious　folly　of　desiring　to　know　what　the　Supreme　Wisdom　has　concealed。　Probably　you　would　not　und