Page:Vindication Women's Rights (Wollstonecraft).djvu/82

76 But hould it be proved that woman is naturally weaker than man, from whence does it follow that it is natural for her to labour to become till weaker than nature intended her to be? Arguments of this cat are an inult to common ene, and avour paion. The divine right of hubands, like the divine right of kings, may, it is to be hoped, in this enlightened age, be conteted without danger, and, though conviction may not ilence many boiterous diputants, yet when any prevailing prejudice is attacked, the wie will conider, and leave the narrow-minded to rail with thoughtles vehemence at innovation.

The mother, who wihes to give true dignity of character to her daughter, mut, regardles of the neers of ignorance, proceed on a plan diametrically oppoite to that which Roueau has recommended with all the deluding charms of eloquence and philoophical ophitry: for his eloquence renders aburdities plauible, and his dogmatic concluions puzzle, without convincing, thoe who have not ability to refute them.

Throughout the whole animal kingdom every young creature requires almot continual exercie, and the infancy of children, conformable to this intimation, hould be paed in harmles gambols, that exercie the feet and hands, without requiring very minute direction from the head, or the contant attention of a nure. In fact, the care neceary for elf-preervation is the firt natural exercie of the undertanding, as little inventions to amue the preent moment unfold the imagination. But thee wie deigns of nature are counteracted by mitaken fondnes or blind&ensp;