Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/140

134 hould a more laudable ambition ever gain ground they may be brought nearer to nature and reaon; and become more virtuous and ueful as they grow more repectable.

But, I will venture to aert that their reaon will never acquire ufficient trength to enable it to regulate their conduct, whilt the making an appearance in the world is the firt wih of the majority of mankind. To this weak wih the natural affections, and the mot ueful virtues are acrificed. Girls marry merely to better themelves, to borrow a ignificant vulgar phrae, and have uch perfect power over their hearts as not to permit themelves to fall in love till a man with a uperiour fortune offers. On this ubject I mean to enlarge in a future chapter; it is only neceary to drop a hint at preent, becaue women are o often degraded by uffering the elfih prudence of age to chill the ardour of youth.

From the ame ource flows an opinion that young girls ought to dedicate great part of their time to needle-work; yet, this employment contracts their faculties more than any other that could have been choen for them, by confining their thoughts to their perons. Men order their clothes to be made, and have done with the ubject; women make their own clothes, neceary or ornamental, and are continually talking about them; and their thoughts follow their hands. It is not indeed the making of necearies that weakens the mind; but the frippery of dres. For when a woman in the lower rank of life makes her huband's and children's clothes, he does her duty, this is a part of her buines; but&ensp;