Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/225

Rh repect for the opinion of the world, and when coquetry and the lovelorn tales of novelits employ the thoughts. Nay, from experience, and reaon, I hould be led to expect to meet with more modety amongt men than women, imply becaue men exercie their undertandings more than women.

But, with repect to propriety of behaviour, excepting one clas of females, women have evidently the advantage. What can be more diguting than that impudent dros of gallantry, thought o manly, which makes many men tare inultingly at every female they meet? Is this repect for the ex? This looe behaviour hews uch habitual depravity, uch weaknes of mind, that it is vain to expect much public or private virtue, till both men and women grow more modet—till men, curbing a enual fondnes for the ex, or an affectation of manly aurance, more properly peaking, impudence, treat each other with repect—unles appetite or paion gives the tone, peculiar to it, to their behaviour. I mean even peronal repect—the modet repect of humanity, and fellow-feeling—not the the libidinous mockery of gallantry, nor the inolent condecenion of protectorhip.

To carry the obervation till further, modety mut heartily diclaim, and refue to dwell with that debauchery of mind, which leads a man coolly to bring forward, without a bluh, indecent alluions, or obcene witticims, in the preence of a fellow creature; women are now out of&ensp;