State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-08-02
FEMALE EDUCATION.

There does not appear any reason why
the education OF women should differ, in
its essentials, from that of men. The edu-
cation which is good for human nature is
good for them. They are part--and they
ought to be in much greater degree thar
they are, a part of the effective contributors
to the welfare and intelligence of the hui
man family. In intellectual as well as in
other affairs, they ought to be fit helps to
man. The preposterous absurdities OF
chivalrous times still exert wretched in
fluence over the character and the allotment
of women. Men are not polite but gallant
they do not act towards women as to he
ings of kindred habits and character, as to
beings who, like the other portion of man.
kind, reason and reflect and Judge, but as
to beings who please, and whom men are
bound to please. Essentially there is nc
kindness, no politeness in this; but selfish
ness and insolence. He is the man of po-
likeness who evinces his respect for the
female mind. lie is the man of insolence
who tacitly says, when he enters into the
society of women, that he needs not to
bring his intellect with him. do moi
mean to affirm that these persons intend
insolence, or are conscious always of the
real character of their habits: they think
they are attentive and polite; and habit has
become so inveterate, that they really are
not pleased if a woman, by the vigor of her
conversation interrupts the pleasant trifing
TO which they are accustomed. Unhappily,
a great number of women themselves prefer
this vanished and gilded contemptto solid
respect. They would rather think them
selves fascinating than respectable. They
will not see, and very often they do not see,
the practical insolence with which they are
treated: yet what insolence is so great as
that of halfa dozen men who, having been
engaged in an intelligent conversation, sud-
denly exchange it for frivolty if ladies' en-
ter?
For this unhappy state of intellectual IN
tercourse, female education is in too great a
less to think than to shine. If they glitter,
it matters little whether it be the glitter of
gliding or of gold. To be accomplished is
of greater interest than to he sensible. 1t
is of more consequence to this class to
light and invigorate by intellectual CONVEX
sation. The effect is reciprocaly bad. An
absurd education disqualifies them for in
tellectual exerton, and that very disqualifi-
cation perpetuates the degradation. say
the degradation, for the word is descriptive
of the fact A captive is not the less truly
bound because his chains are made of silver
and studded with rubies.
If we were wise enough TO regard wo-
men, and if women were wise enough to
regard themselves, with that real practical
respect to which they are entitled, and if
the education they received was such as
that respect would dictate, we might here
after have occasion to say, not as it is now
said, that sin England women are queens, "
but something higher and greater; we
might say that in every thing, social, intel
lectual and religions, they were fit to CO.
operate with man, and to cheer and assis,
him in his endcavors to promote his own
happiness and the happiness OF his family,
his country and the world.--Dymond's Es-
sans.