Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1807-12-28
Communication.
FOR THE GAZETTE.


~ ~
sometimes thought the possibility Of afford
ing them serious instruction was utterly pre-
Guided. But observing the superior Pene-
tratlon OF certain female characters, and am
mated by that mixture Of pity and contempt
with which they look down upon the prevail
ing foibles Of their own sex, have deter
mined to submit few remarks, 10 the con-
slderaGon Of your fair readers, through the
medium ofyour Gazette
am not going to inveigh against the fash
ions Of the times all these should be I'M
der the direction of wisdom, mcdesty and
discretion; but they are SUBJECTS Of second
airy Importance. ny observations shall be
directed TO . single point. The Fatte,m9 at
fen'ion, which men of the most abandoned
characters frequently eceivc from tho fc-
male sex, has long excited the attentive
surprise Of the rejecting members Of com
munltv. Females who are ,ea.ly vlrtuOus,
o. VINO maintain only the 5eni5 laAcc Of virtue
will probably discard the imputaGJn as OPP
probious and disgraceful but let standing
facts, and living evidence attest its ruth -
| would by no means insinuate taat al te-
males Judge the charac. els of men by an
erroneous standard that the attachments
and anupathies Of all are moulded BY the
unsteady and erring hand Of fancy, caprice
, or fashion with many, real merit il the
measure ct esteem LuL it is al indubitaDle
truth, that men Of the U.st brgffGate l'oes
are welcomed with friendship and cOrdl9hty
into the politest circles The solid treas
urCs Of the mind q tie graceful Z ornsmen-
tai qualities OF the heart too rarely enter into
the females idea Di cXcellcnCy. The FGR-
dy blunluge of the obsequious top, the grace
flu bow Of the sClf-importaut coXcOm0, or
q score If fiattering compliments even from
the Sis Uaducer Of female worth, arc IN too
r4ny deemed ample substitutes for wisdom,
virtue, morality and religion. Should any
feel disposed 70 deny TIC general principle
on which ny remarks are founded, II would
not be difficult task flr every accurate and
iudiciou5 observer, % cite a multiplicity Of
Instances in which The real lIsplzer Of ic-
male virtue, and td cducor VI female I'LL
nocence are treated vIth marks Of studied
attention, and Lonorcd with tokens Of real
esteem even TN those whose whole sex las
been injured and trAdrccd
u is not Unfrequent for men Of profcate
morals to cast general imEutatons on the
female character, and declare tAat MI their
pretended virtue SPRING. from 10 higher
source than pride. vanity and selt-aDplause.
The reason ig Obvious They have been
most familiar wa those wrctchcd QUITO asts
OF the sex whose sentiments and feelings
arc most con2e4i1I, and whose conduct is
most -oiqci .c7t with their cWI; ann rruha-
Div no small share Of HeHlse.ges enters into
thci~ combicx Iuea Of the female character.
Or according To the proverbs, "thcv nudge
others y, thcrISel1e-' These things be-
ing promised, it is not difficult to deter
ming why some Sgott4iess men think "cyery
woman AZ at heart rake" Put why tt-
males who have tie least sense ui proprictt
and wish to regulate thcir conduct by i,
should treat such with SD much respect as
hey do, is q qucr, Of more difficult solution
II Jwcyer repugnant to every sentiment Of
.emde delicac5. however destructive to Cv-
Isl principle Of virtue, and sub1ereive Of All
moral distinctions, yet the fact exists and
tae .rqu.,itjve mni viii discover if possible
t... and fr e inc Consequences OF such
| co r5c Of conduct. From tie kind and
t.hjV- cat winch are frequently bu-
>.pwad upon G q Ckneycd debauchee, the
.r1hsiicra'c nd malicious have concluded
| .kn suc! character is most ConCenial To
! the feelings Of the female heart But how
ever strongly reprobate the conduct, | am
not disposed to view il in 80 odious a light
Tue most favourable and lenient construc-
| ton which can be put upon it is that it arts
cs from a criminal inattention to the subject
! ! INK YOU, NY fair reader, who now honor
| my remarks by Your pcrusal, whether YOU
! can give strong testimony in favour of viz
! tue, when YOU treat men with the same to-
F, kens of respect, and admit them to the same
, familiarity and friendship, without regard
| to their moral character What do we
think Of the person who declaims with
7ca,Uth against the crime of murder, and
| vet embraces TIC murderer as friend Is
| there not a strange disc0rdance between his
! words and actions } The case is opposite.
You may be eloquent in virtues cause, but
while YOU SoOthe, caress, and hattcr the We
! II Sc2W5es Of virtue, your reputation stands
| upon a precariOus foundation the very
Glance Of scrutiny is sufficient TO lay it all in
! runs Think not that what | write is die
| ta'cd BY splenetic or malicious feelings, or
| that I state things which have no existence
| bu. ~ my own imagination. The good and
| vIrtuOus Of nv sex entertain the same views
| which ! express, and arc frequently held III
/ a kind Of mute establishment at your con
duct You may enquire how YOU shall treat
those suspected characters to which have
alluded answer, shun them as the des-
| tro!ers OF your reputation, as the enemies
Of your sex Avoid them as YOU would he
! pesUterous blasts Of Nubia which soil and
poison as they touch. l would not lnculcae
the low and hcathenIsh principle % revenge,
but You ought TO manifest noble lid5u
ION against their conduct. Snow dec y
SION OF character which NClil demonstrate
that you are real friends Of virtue. IL,