Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/335

Rh to concatenate that abtract train of thought which produces principles. And that women from their education and the preent tate of civilized life, are in the ame condition, cannot, I think, be controverted. To laugh at them then, or atirize the follies of a being who is never to be allowed to act freely from the light of her own reaon, is as aburd as cruel; for, that they who are taught blindly to obey authority, will endeavour cunningly to elude it, is mot natural and certain.

Yet let it be proved that they ought to obey man implicitly, and I hall immediately agree that it is woman's duty to cultivate a fondnes for dres, and in order to pleae, and a propenity to cunning for her own preervation.

The virtues, however, which are upported by ignorance, mut ever be wavering—the houe built on and could not endure a torm. It is almot unneceary to draw the inference.—If women are to be made virtuous by authority, which is a contradiction in terms, let them be immured in eraglios and watched with a jealous eye.—Fear not that the iron will enter into their ouls—for the ouls that can bear uch treatment are made of yielding materials, jut animated enough to give life to the body.

The mot cruel wounds will of coure oon heal, and they may till people the world, and dres to pleae man—all the purpoes which certain celebrated writers have allowed that they were created to fulfil. &ensp;