The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-22

UNUSED anu distributed through tue SCciety.
The acknowledged corruption OF courts is
no. at all in conflict with my position. Cour
tiers are not generally, the most en.ighten-
ed men OF their nation. But If they were no
rejecting man would ascribe their vices to
their knowledge. 1t is the restless, ambitious
contest for political! power which is the fruit
fulmatrix ofvice incourts; & which has pro-
duced those vices rs redundanty in the dark
as in the enlightened ages. Wherever it
seems to be otherwise, the appearance re-
| suits from this; that the enlightened ag
produces more writers, more telltaies, than
the dark one and thus succeeds best in hs,d-
Ing up the torch to its own shame.
For surely no man. who can think and feel,
VIII say that there is any thing in science and
literature, which is, at all. calculated to de-.
moralize the heart. Compare, f instance,
the girl whose education has been conducted
on the Squaretoes plan /; who looks upon the
objects OF nature around her with cold in
difference who sees nothing; in any one of
them but itself, and regards each AS uncon-
nected with any other: compare such girl
as this, with one who has been taught by the
plous, the noble and phiiosophc genius OF
b. Pierre to groupc. to compare and combine
those objects, and thus to observe and feel
the beautiful harmonies which every where
prevail throughout nature. To the first the
world is little better than an embarrassing
TIC OOJCClS, Hb'lCn size sees every
day OF her life, are not only not pleasing but
irksomc they not only generate no feeling ia
vorabie to piety or virtue, but they view
ed with WEAKNESS and fatigue which is too
apt to look for relief IN dissipation and folly,
7 it not in vice. While to the fair disciple Of
st. Pierre, the volume of nature is banquet
which Can never cioy In the countless COM
6inations of forms and colours and motions
which are every day meeting her view she
the hand ofI ;cJn ,,J
nihecnce she looks on without safety
she feels--she adores. gain--What ill ct
feet can flow from girls seeing vlee en-
paled and virtue crowned on the splendid
and immortal page of history Or let me
ask, Will 1T Contract or degrade her mind,
will 1t chill OF impoverish her heart, to be
introduced to the sublime discoveries of as
trcnomy-those discoveries so sublime, so
full OF pious convic ion and rapturous exulta-
ton, that Young while he gazed could not
forbear exclaiming.
An undevout astronomer is mad !"
| Why should our women be debarred from
this celestial feast of the mind Those who
debap them from it, act not like Christians
but like Turks for it is said to be a part of
the Mussulman's creed that the women OF
this world are not to 60 to Heaven Maho.
met is said TO have taught that they will be
permitted to advance to the palings of para
disc and witness, through them, the Joys
OF the blessed, without being suffered 10 bear
any part in them. And thus Obadiah
Squaretoes and the other Heather philoso
pliers of the present day are for treating on T
women IN relation to that intellectual para
disc which they suffer them to behold with
out sharing.
| We are told that the Almighty does no.
thing without design. He does not. indeed,
force us to accept the graces and blessings
which he constantly ex.ends to US; for it IS
the freedom of the will that makes the me-
rit of virtue and the guilt Of vice.
Why then are those minds of heavenly
mould SO often bestowed on women! Is not
/ tins itself indicative of the divine purpose in
relation to them I? And are we acting a
christian part, when by the wretched system
! OF education which we have adopted for
them, we cover the rising glory of female ge-
MUS with acloud and hide its splendor from
the world forever. Isnot this to thwart inn
stead OF promoting the purpose of Heaven,
ana lmplonsly so exiinsuish light which
! his breath has kindled Is it not TO de-
fraud him of that exalted alteration which
those can best pay, who best know the won-
derful proof of his power exhibited in the
creation!
Is not our conduct towards this sex, ill-ad-
yIsed and foolish in relation to our own ham
| piness is it not to reject a boon which Pro-
'iuenCe Kindly offers to us, and which, were
! we to embrace and cultivate it with skill
would refine and enlarge the sources of ou,,
own enjoyment. and purify. raise and enno-
Die our own characters beyond tine power of
! human calculation +! AS the companion of
man of sense and virtue, as an instrument
and partner of his earthly happiness, what IS
the most beautiful woman in the world
withouta mind; without cultivated mind
capable of an animated correspondence
with his own and of reciprocating all his
houghts and feelings?
Is not our conduct on this head ungener, us
and ignoble to the other sex? DO we not de-
Prlve them of he brightest and most angelic
port on OF their character; degrade them
tron the rank of intelligence which they are
formed to hold, and instead of making them
the partners ofour souls attempt to debase
them into mere objects of sense?
Is not our conduct mean and dastardly -
Does 1T not-look as if we were afraid that
with equal opportunities, they would rival
us III intellect, and examine and refute our
pretended superiority Are we not PLAYING
OIL upon them the policy of the Roman
Church; and practically confessine that it
is only while we can keep them in ignorance.
mat we can expect Them to acknowledge
our boosted supremacy
There is another point Of view in which
this subject cannot be too often held mn to
us : 1t appeals, too. to that very passion for
the pre- eminent dignity of the males ON
which the fafhere ff rho r,racor. A