SKETCHES

OF THE

HISTORY OF MAN.

BOOK I.

Progrefs of MEN INDEPENDENT OF SOCIETY.

T

SKET CH VI.

Progrefs of the Female Sex.

HE progrefs of the female fex, a capital branch of the history of man, comprehends great va

riety of matter, curious and interesting. But fketches are my province, not complete hiftories; and I propofe in the present sketch to trace the gradual progrefs of women, from their low state VOL. II. A

in

in favage tribes, to their elevated state in civilized nations.

With regard to the outlines, whether of internal difpofition or of external figure, men and women are the fame. Nature, however, intending them for mates, has given them difpofitions different but concordant, fo as to produce together delicious harmony. The man, more robust, is fitted for fevere labour and for field-exercifes: the woman, more delicate, is fitted for fedentary occupations; and particularly for nurfing children. That difference is remarkable in the mind, no less than in the body. A boy is always running about; delights in a top or a ball, and rides upon a ftick as a horse. girl has lefs inclination to move: her first amusement is a baby; which she delights to drefs and undrefs. I have seen oftener than once a female child under fix getting an infant in its arms, careffing it, finging, and walking about ftaggering under the weight. A boy never thinks of fuch a paftime. The man, bold and vigorous, is qualified for being a protector: the woman, delicate and timid, requires protection.

A

tection *. The man, as a protector, is directed by nature to govern: the woman, confcious of inferiority, is difposed to obey. Their intellectual powers correspond to the deftination of nature: men have penetration and folid judgement to fit them for governing women have fufficient understanding to make a decent figure under good government; a greater proportion would excite dangerous rivalfhip. Women have more imagination and more fenfibility than men ; and yet none of them have made an eminent figure in any of the fine arts. We hear of no fculptor nor ftatuary among them; and none of them have rifen above a mediocrity in poetry or painting. Nature has avoided rivalship between the fexes, by giving them different talents. Add another capital difference of difpofition: the gentle and infinuating manners of the female sex, tend to foften the roughness of the other fex; and where-ever women are in

* From which it appears to proceed, that women naturally are more careful of their reputation than men, and more hurt by obloquy.

dulged with any freedom, they polish fooner than men *.

These are not the only particulars that diftinguish the fexes. With refpect to matrimony, it is the privilege of the male, as fuperior and protector, to make a choice: the female preferred has no privilege but barely to confent or to refufe. Nature fits them for these different parts: the male is bold, the female bafhful. Hence among all nations it is the practice for men to court, and for women to be courted: which holds alfo among many other animals, probably among all that pair.

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Another diftinction is equally visible: The master of a family is immediately connected with his country: his wife, his

体

*The chief quality of women, fays Rouffeau, is fweetness of temper. Made by nature for fubmiffion in the married ftate, they ought to learn to fuffer wrong, even without complaining. Sournefs and ftubbornness ferve but to increase the husband's unkindness and their own diftreffes. It was not to indulge bad humour, that Heaven beftow'd on them manners infinuating and perfuafive: they were not made weak in order to be imperious: a fweet voice fuits ill with fcolding; delicate features ought not to be disfigured with paffion. They frequently may have reafon for complaints; but never, to utter them publicly.

children,

children, his fervants, are immediately connected with him, and with their country through him only. Women accordingly have less patriotism than men ; less bitterness against the enemies of their country.

and

The peculiar modesty of the female sex, is also a distinguishing circumftance. Nature hath provided them with it as a defence against the artful folicitations of the other fex before marriage, and also as a fupport of conjugal fidelity.

A fundamental article in the present fketch is matrimony; and it has been much controverted, whether it be an appointment of nature, or only of municipal law. Many writers have exercised their talents in that controverfy, but without giving fatisfaction to a judicious enquirer. If I mistake not, it may be determined upon folid principles; and as it is of importance in the history of man, the reader, I am hopeful, will not be difgufted at the length of the argument.

Many writers hold that women were originally common; that animal love was gratified as among horfes and horned cattle; and that matrimony was not

known,