Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/218

212 as from a legion of devils. Oh! virtue thou art not an empty name! All that life can give—thou givet!

If much comfort cannot be expected from the friendhip of a reformed rake of uperiour abilities, what is the conequence when he lacketh ene, as well as principles? Verily miery, in its mot hideous hape. When the habits of weak people are conolidated by time, a reformation is barely poible; and actually makes the beings mierable who have not ufficient mind to be amued by innocent pleaure; like the trademan who retires from the hurry of buines, nature preents to them only a univeral blank; and the retles thoughts prey on the damped pirits. Their reformation, as well as his retirement, actually makes them wretched becaue it deprives them of all employment, by quenching the hopes and fears that et in motion their luggih minds.

If uch is the force of habit; if uch is the bondage of folly, how carefully ought we to guard the mind from toring up vicious aociations; and equally careful hould we be to cultivate the undertanding, to ave the poor wight from the weak dependent tate of even harmles ignorance. For it is the right ue of reaon alone which makes us independent of every thing—excepting the unclouded Reaon—'whoe ervice is perfect freedom.'