Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/62

56 it is not very difficult to fulfil with crupulous exactnes when vice reigns in the heart.

Women ought to endeavour to purify their heart; but can they do o when their uncultivated undertandings make them entirely dependent on their enes for employment and amuement, when no noble puruit ets them above the little vanities of the day, or enables them to curb the wild emotions that agitate a reed over which every paing breeze has power? To gain the affections of a virtuous man is affectation neceary? Nature has given woman a weaker frame than man; but, to enure her huband's affections, mut a wife, who by the exercie of her mind and body whilt he was dicharging the duties of a daughter, wife, and mother, has allowed her contitution to retain its natural trength, and her nerves a healthy tone, is he, I ay, to condecend to ue art and feign a ickly delicacy in order to ecure her huband's affection? Weaknes may excite tendernes, and gratify the arrogant pride of man; but the lordly carees of a protector will not gratify a noble mind that pants for, and deerves to be repected. Fondnes is a poor ubtitute for friendhip!

In a eraglio, I grant, that all thee arts are neceary; the epicure mut have his palate tickled, or he will ink into apathy; but have women o little ambition as to be atisfied with uch a condition? Can they upinely dream life away in the lap of pleaure, or the languor of wearines, rather than aert their claim to purue reaonable pleaures and render themelves conpicuous by practiing the virtues which dignify mankind? Surely he&ensp;