Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/318

312, and to ave themelves trouble, punih with everity faults that the patient fortitude of reaon might have prevented.

But fortitude preuppoes trength of mind; and is trength of mind to be acquired by indolent acquiecence? by aking advice intead of exerting the judgment? by obeying through fear, intead of practiing the forbearance, which we all tand in need of ourelves?—The concluion which I wih to draw, is obvious; make women rational creatures, and free citizens, and they will quickly become good wives, and mothers; that is—if men do not neglect the duties of hubands and fathers.

Dicuing the advantages which a public and private education combined, as I have ketched, might rationally be expected to produce, I have dwelt mot on uch as are particularly relative to the female world, becaue I think the female world oppreed; yet the gangrene, which the vices engendered by oppreion have produced, is not confined to the morbid part, but pervades ociety at large: o that when I wih to ee my ex become more like moral agents, my heart bounds with the anticipation of the general diffuion of that ublime contentment which only morality can diffue. &ensp;