SECTION III.

GROUNDS ON WHICH THE AUTHORITY OF MEN HAS BEEN

RESTED

Justice applied to the rights of women.

Where rights

cannot be rendered definite, clear principles are the
more necessary. Grounds on which the authority of
men has been rested.-First, that man is the superior
being. Second, that women are too weak to resent
wrongs. Third, that it is a law of nature. The first
between man and man would be disclaimed. Denied
that the principle of justice can be different towards
women. Validity of the second examined. A moral
paradox should be always suspected. The proposition
is contrary to the idea of justice. The end and object
of justice. The capacity thereof springs from natural
sympathy with others. Every creature has an equal
right to what nature bestowed on it. In human
beings, natural rights are subject to the control of
reason. If natural strength sanction violence, natural
cunning must sanction fraud. But reason displaces
force and fraud, for justice and truth. Therefore the
weak have the same right to justice as the strong, and
therefore women as men. The same principle limits
the rights of both,-the greater good of all. Inequality
of condition a law of nature. Justice does not over-
rule it, but preserves to each their natural rights.
The pre-eminence of the male sex is essential to
society, but is justifiable no farther than as it is useful.
Submission to wrong not always a duty or a virtue.
Nature compensates the inequalities it creates. Arbi-
trary privations should be also compensated where
possible. Subordination deducible from the argu-
ment. Social institutions, framed without regard to
natural differences, would not be the best. The
weaker benefit most by the perfection of society.
But weakness ought not to be increased artificially.

Page

196

SECTION IV.

NATURAL SUBORDINATION OF WOMEN

Page

. 206

Third ground, true as regards the subordination, false as
regards the depression of women. Degradation of
women classed with other vices of violence. Natural
sphere of woman. Equality between the sexes how
far fanciful. Corruptions occasioned by the inequality
between the sexes. Evils avoided, and benefits that
result from it. Chief government of society belongs
by right to men. Social power of women must be
grounded on their moral purity. Fatal effects to
women of competition with the other sex. Business
of life would be worse done. Sole control in public
life entails the chief control in private life. Principles
of distribution in the social rights of the two sexes.
Men's power is more corrupting by being indefinite,
than by being great. Wholesome jealousy of power
between men. In the case of women, prejudice favours

men.

Men not sufficiently instructed that justice is

due to women. Opinion is the chief regulator of un-
defined rights. Defective state of opinion. Instances.
Just rights conceded to women, would increase do-
mestic happiness. An arbitrary temper in a high
moral character. Effects of constant interference.

Advantages possessed by men, how counterbalanced. Do-

mestic interests mutual, but most important to women.

Her privations unjust. Effects of indefinite restraint.

Effects of definite restraint. Application of this argu-

ment to authority of every kind. How modified in

domestic authority. Character of women corrupted by

restraint. Uses of control in youth. Abuses of control.

Consequences. Romantic expectations. Extravagant

notions of authority lead to pertinacity about trifles.

And to deceptive conduct and false expectation. Loss

of self-respect, its effects. Condition of unmarried

women. JACKSON'S Letters. Cause of women served

by clear views of justice. Concluding observations.

226

CHAPTER IV.

PRESENT CONDITION AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN,

CONSIDERED WITH REGARD TO THEIR

FURTHER IMPROVEMENT, AND ITS

EFFECTS ON SOCIETY.

They possess wealth.

Exposed to domestic

Control of women over society.

Why they are still depressed.

oppression. Improved education a remedy. Hard

opinions of worldly men. Female influence not gene-

rally unfavourable to the characters of men. But that

of men injurious to women. Reaction on the charac-

ters of men.

SECTION III.

ON SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC IMPROVEMENT

That social improvement is inseparable from domestic.

Women urged to disregard the prejudices against

their acquiring solid knowledge. Advantages of those

who do so. Why women of superior minds have

little influence in the great world. The prejudice

overrated, and often directed only against false pre-

tensions. Real instruction. No happiness with a

trifler. True happiness. Equality of understanding

not requisite to happiness. Difference of ability be-

tween the sexes leads to a division of duties. Fanciful

opinions of female capacity. True view.

2

. 274

SECTION IV.

Page

ON THE DIFFERENCE OF CHARACTER BETWEEN THE SEXES;

AND THE DUTIES THAT RESULT FROM IT TO WOMEN. 283

The division of duties confirms the moral differences of
character in the two sexes. Knowledge is not uni-
formly productive of virtue, though connected with it.
Superiority of our moral over our intellectual nature.
Moral nature of the sexes equal. Fine moral nature
of woman wasted, if left behind her age in instruction.
Why women cannot follow professions. Thereby
they have leisure applicable to social and self-improve-
ment. Duty of consulting the welfare of society.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE DEFECTIVE CONDITIONS OF SOCIETY

WHICH ARE PECULIARLY SUBJECT

TO MORAL INFLUENCES.

Moral influence is never hopeless. Why patriotism de-
creases. Regard to the interests of society is a duty.
The legislature will have the character of the people.
Party spirit injurious to moral feeling. Slight extent
of civilization. Of giving laws, without education to
correspond. Partial receding in morals notwith-
standing the progress of knowledge. What know-
ledge is useful.

298

SECTION II.

DISPROPORTION BETWEEN THE HAPPINESS OF SOCIETY AND

. 305

ITS MEANS

Wealth and indigence. Profusion of manufactures and
destitute conditions. Abridgment of labour and over-
work. Alternations of labour and rest converted to
suffering and vice. Condition of manufacturers. No

remedy effectual and permanent, without improved
knowledge and moral principle. Profusion and variety
not made available. Great charity and little benefit.
Great capital and industry, yet want of employment.
Abundance of good books, and the people too ignorant
to understand them. Religious instructors numerous
and zealous, but the connexion between religion and
moral conduct slight. That the people cannot educate
themselves. Uses of a class exempt from the necessity
of labour. Utility of spreading knowledge.

SECTION III.

ADVANTAGES POSSESSED BY THE HIGHER ORDERS

Page

. 319

Disproportion between the means possessed by the higher
orders and the use they make of them. Resources of
the fine arts, science, and literature. Prevalence of
frivolity and insipidity. Unsocial pride. Bad conse-
quences thereof. Prevalence of error and ignorance.
Better education required for women. Influence of
our pleasures on our character.

Effects of ignorance on practical benevolence. Inefficiency
of ignorant charity. Excellent effects of knowledge.
Efforts of women in the cause of education, why some-
times productive of little effect. Influence of women.

330