The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-08

that tire fdrer lex rs incapaolc OF equal improve
ment when e.joyiug rmilar advantages. Hf-
tory has afforded uS iome indaaces Of females
who have filled with fplendd talents the
moa exalted Rations, and whole mental
exertions have rlen with the eXigency
Of the location of feminine weakness to n;,lcu-
line nrength and vigour. 1t HIS indeed been
the fayourite theory of fore philosophers that
| the human mind may &c compared in It's infan-
cy 10 fleet OF blank paper, capable OF receiv-
ing every impreiion and though it may be
| doubted whether the iIhnite varieties OF human
nature, have originated in education alone, yet
| cannot but believe its influence more ovcrru-
ling and e,iteniive than is generally imagined.
Among us the di'tsencci in tie understandings
of the icXes IS ileiy not greater thar in the de-
licacy ottheir foraas. In iayLse rations howe
yer, where the moij aborOus dutc5 are impo-
fed upon the female, they are oOitrved TO be
more roonit, more hardy and moYs capable of
enduring labour than tte men.
! kxercic IS coa,eiitdiy itarcgiy lcis beneficial
to the mind than 10 the body; and :h- Game
means which are found to give vigour IL the
one, might inccefSfuy be applied to remedy
ing the weaknoiS OF the other.
Seldom indeed have the excellsnciys OF both
feXeS been concen- tered i'll the faine Individual {:
and If, on thC one hand, we admire the u.atcn-
/ line understanding. and compreheniiye abilities
| of an Elizabeth OF Catherine, we cannot on
the other, bGt ,tgarl them as tscivc proofs
Of the melancholy truth, that the feelings OF the
heart IRE often iuperceded as the v:gour cf he
/ mind is crealcd.-BCt fortunately the happi-
neiS OF msnkrj does uot require, nor does the
nature OF focety permit thar the rays cf.ceacc
thou.d be every where equally Diluted. Some
arc defined to proittt-othors 10 execute
Some are confined 10 toe labours of the clofat,
10 others are lthened the tolls of the field and
while fome form tbs bead Of the FOCAL fvRem,
others 'nuh DC content ID with the irore humble
duties oftEe limbs. Hence it is uuncceiiary
that females l.ucii DC initiated into all the in
trica-t puyfui,s Of philosophers ard flatefnen.
To man ii is given - wicli the fceptre OF pow
er while N dometic fcenes of happiness f,;r
woman binds - the icyds OF the creati0n,'' IN
tbs iilken fstiers u love. IAs one is deniD-l
to dlink deeply OF the fia>ran fpring, but for
tie Other it is iuficient TO have taGed its trani-
lucent waters. The duties OF man are labour
and application. 10 woman belong the fond
iohcitudcs of mother, and the eudearmg ten
dtrnetS OF wiic. The one may tread the great
theatre or Ills to the Other, it's Eve, tomOvs sin
the narrower !cenes of fHeet domeRic comfort"
TO charm away the cares which aiIail us ionthc
the foul into peace, and to Gull " the f,ireit
blooms Of iuhunary blfs." Dear bought in
deed are the requirements purchafed at the ex
pence OF thoie amiable graces, that fcdu6tiny
characterize woman. Learning is pnly to BIZ
valued by her, 10 far as it fets CT licr native
charm, and gives pCli.h 20 the mind which
VIII turviVe the precarous beauties OF the per-
tcn.
Nothing indeed car be more dif.ueng than
Pedantry in female. Il is 70 inconiGent with
that retiring modefy whichform sthe crcatclt or
nament of the fair, that are lcarcely lefs flock
ed at meeting with it in a female than if we
fhculd Zee lovely girl deformcd by an enor-
NOUS beard. Pedantry as is the offspring of
vanity Is always dtiguRing but in woman it is
intoe.abe. The fame delicacy which dictates
TO retire from the gaze of admiration, mutt
torold diipIay of the brilliancy of her talents,
or the extent Of her learning. she withdravs
from that general obiervation which feminine
ioitneis can never io:lct, and only to the per-
teYcrlng eye which follows her into retirement,
and woos her confidence, difcovers hyperion
and enlightened understanding; an underitand-
ing which contains within tiff a never failing
fource OF amu!ement and delight, though far
removed from thoic gay fcenes where folly and
ditiipaton eternal!y Pre'ide.
Emulation giows not in the female bofom
with an ardour inferior to the unextinguiihable
fame that fires the foul of man. Fearful lelt
mankind thCuld fail to difcover our merits, we
all ieize with ar!f!ity every opportunity of diff
playing them. Hence the folder recouEts his
battles and his fears, the wit is talk alive the
philosopher launches out on the ocean of fci-
cree, aad even the co%comb, by nature almoit
ihared out OF excellence. with diignltng fJr-
warineiS exhibits every trivial accomplishment
that MT thinks may Ple.f,. Hence too the IA
ihionabIe lady, whoie bofom dilplavs morethan
wonted Ioyeineis, traniccnds even thofe bounds
that the polite world have already too much ex-
tended, aud unveils the charms which til later
days were left TO imagiuation's power to pour
tray.
But however difgufing pedantry may he,
there ISL imagine, lefs danger offalling ntothat
error that Of adhering to the carelels iytcm of
education 10 common among us.
The charge of peda1try is not always iuf
We 10 ieldom meet with women to whole etlu-
cation proper attention has been paid that
remark not the mott common catches our atten-
ton and as it is not always the difpoftion of
mankind TO align an amiable motive for the
conduit Of Others, afeniible woman is too apt
to be conhdered as pedintc, and to be regard
cd with averiion. For my own part, as have
never been able to difcover in what manner the
feelings OF the heart can be injured by Iiberali-
ziug the mind, or how female is rendered in
capable Of her dOmefic duties by becoming an
engaging companion TO n man Of understandings
10 neither can fee any reafon why thofe sc-
quirements ihould degrade the lady into pc
dant, which eleyate5 the man TO the cbaraG er of
gentleman. ~.
's'a,