The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-08
For the iRdinhoiu,
ON THE FEMALE SEX.

Vet DC eHtennVe, nnce II commences with the
earlief childhood, natures with our youth, an,,
ceafes not to rule even in old age Yet we of
ten fee that amiable clafS of focistv, permitted
10 waite the bloom of youth in all the trivial a.
indictments of the polite world, while neither
care nor pains are beftowed on the cultivation OF
a brilliant understanding, or in fitting them for
the important duty ofinitilling the frit princi-
Pies OF virtue and knowledge into the minds of
their children. Aud though the preccpts of
morality, and the beauties of literature, acquire
ateduetve grace when Rowing from the lips of
mother, which can never fail TO allure the
young and tender mind, to love Offence and
an ardent purluit oftrue glory yetwe ltidoln fee
that attention paid to the education Of females
which is neceiiary to fit them for the in;truGtion
or thoie whom fortane may define to fill the
mott important ttations, 4" TO command the ap-
plauie OF hitening tenates, and Gcatter plenty o.
yer iiniling land.''
Wnencc this culpablc inattentoa has pro-
ceeded, 1t would perhaps he difficult TO deter
mlne. were we to iearch only for reafons which
would jutlify it. Man in his boafcd wiitlom, is
not content with vainiy iuppu!ing Grsngth and
energy of understanding his peculiar attribute,
and with proudly affirming the iole manage
Inent of every important concern.
Women, in his opinion are not only exclud
ed from an equal participation i'll thcit ineiiima-
Die gifts ot nature, but believed TO be fitted
Only orthe arrangements of iomefic ECONOMY
and the Inferior concerns OF life. And the az
Togant lords Of the creation viewing the fairsr
lex as contributed foley for their convenience,
permit the lovely flower to bluih unieen, and
waite ITS iweetnefs in the dtE,rt air."
Indeed the extreme i'll nature which men
tometimes diiPlay, when one OF the other Tex
prelrnes to burit the n2rrCV confines 10 WHICH
the minds ofwonen are generally circunicrib-
cd, would ainof juftify belief, chat they are
aefuated by other motives; and that q ipi.it us
rivalry, ateer or competition, and an appre-
hentoD Of being defeated, after all their Vaunt-
ines, by thoie they affect to hold in contempt,
can alone actu1te them, when with the nlaevO-
ience Of dulinC+, or the keennefs of wit, they
pour ont thclr bitter tarcans againitthe acquire
mems o! the ladies. This propeniity have
ooieryed to be amoft univerial from the phi
ioiophcr who dtcovers that female writings are
tuperhcia', 10 the Insignificant Coxcomb, who,
tranger to the beauties of literature, or the
fches OF icience, yet envylng the accom- piinied
woman her br1liancy, her Wit and her Informal
ton, in the true 'tyle of fopPih cloquence car
le' the PedaUtry whic'lhe might arrive - vain 10
initiate.
For my own part have ever been averfe to
Believing that nature had withheld from the
iareis OF her works, that intellectual excellence
which The has beltowed on man with 60 bench
cent hand, or that ihe had even been niggard-
iy to woman of thol= gifts which fine laviihes on
men.
ltmay not De imponibIe indeed that there is /
difference between the minds OF the ftxes, cor
respondent with the different degrees of decacy
In their conformation. To man NAV be given
hrength and energy of understanding a capa-
city tor iaborouS refearch, and power of en-
oracing more eSteniive range OF fcsnce; while :
on woman IS iavihed gaiety, iprightlinefs of fan
cy < amInd adaptedto the more engaging purflits
oil eegantliterature. To the one it maybe allow ,
ed tn climb the fteep aicent which leads to the !
temple Of iciencc, but It's the peculiar attribute
OF the other to ftraI' in the enchanting walks of
imagination, aud TO Gull the varied beauties
which bloom around. To man, it may belong
TO gaze with curious eye at diitant worlds, 10
unravei the mazes of philoiophy, TO develops
the nature of the human mind, to inveftiSatc
the great principles of morality, and to form the
code which fhall bind vice in an indiFoluble
chain; and hold forth 10 virtue its reward: bat
VINO more iwectly can touch the delicate chords
OF ienfbliity, who more lkillfuiiy can awaken G.
very finer feeling of the foul, or, inipred by the
muie, can irike with fuch magic power the
Tyres trembling ftr'ngs, as charming woman.
Nor does tcience " frown on her BIRTH" For
her the ample pages Of hitory are unfolded, and
to her eye Philolophy difdains not to unvci! her
myiterIes; while every work where tatle and
fancy lend their inipiratou to the writer, blooms
under her platte hand with ten fold beauty.
a female epiitolary correfpondence will al
ways give rifi. 70 thefe reflections on the re-
&pe3tive talents Of men and women. 1t is the
province of letter writing 70 join variety with
safe, to breathe tenderness withost forrnality,
and to convey sentiment without tifFnefs and
Pedantry. Few poGeiIed of thefe fu-
perlof excellencics. Theirnews becomes ltale
IN the recital, their joke is never divcfted of their
GRAVITY, their lympathy is unieelng, their friend
flip in an afeGted warmth of exprcfIion appears
additionally cold, and their letters degenerate
into the folcmnity Of an eliay. The female wri- |
ter, on the contrary, gives charm to every thing
ihe touches; her fprightiineiS fvell9 trihes into
Importance; her gaiety lends finie even TO
gy'vityitfef. She catches thofe minute circum
itances which would efcape a eis delicate OBJ
ieryer; ihe places them in the NOT advantage
Gus light, and dhpofes them with fuch taite
and judgement that they reject briliancy on
each other In her descriptions fhe is never te
dlous, for Jingle ftroke delineates the Object
But if her pen paints to the eye, her lang ..age
reaches the very heart. Her ridicule and Wit
convulie rs with laughter; her tenderness and
affection iteal from us the tear of fenhbility-
The female writes without art, for to it's pre-
cepts The is a Granger: but nature is her milf
treis, and there's delicacy and cafe In the eau-
hons Of her pen which the mott Rndied per
tormances can but feeby initiate. As the rules
tor the epic art were not formed by the com
go Al