liarity expressly condemned in Scripture - 5 Armor- EMPIRE OF FASHION. § 1.- Faston, a creature belonging more particulary to Women. Its m.schievous agency over that sex :-cm- tagious in its nature, it affects other than the privezet. classes. —(2) Boundless influence of fashion in this country. - (3) Uulty of fashion?—(4) Contempt of morality among person of this class-(5) Fashion, ridiculous as well as vicious.- (6) Its tastelessness and inelegance.— (7) Fashionable assemblies:-misery which characterizes those frequenting them.- (~) Such an influence especially § 1.— Works of fiction, mainly for the use of Women. Vast increase of novel-writers and novel-readers. — (2) The novels of our day commonly wanting in every species of merit: absurdity in style; mischievous and false in sentiment.-(3) The age of fiction-writing (in the per- class of reading.--(5) Tendency of works of fiction to an- § 1. The dance, a custom somewhat irrational, and un-English.—(2) Manifest absurdity which attaches to this exercise.―(3) The inelegance of present modes of dancing. -(4) Indelicacy connected with the dance.-(5) This exercise altogether frivolous and unworthy the age. § 1. The inclination for outward ornament natural in FEMALE ESTIMATE OF MEN. § 1. Lamentable want of female discrimination in an estimate of the opposite sex.—(2) A description of 'women's men.'-(3) Men of real merit described.—(4) Comparison between the two classes of men, in the way of parallel.—(5) General effeminacy springing from female prejudice on this head.--(6) True sexual characteristics.―(7) High im- 51.-Gallantry, as observed towards the sex, false in itself and degrading to its object.-(2) Causes of this spurious gallantry. Beauty, the loadstone with many; to others, the wealth and worldly influence of the sex are powerful attractions. (3) The principle of gallantry un- known to the ancients: its folly and falsehood exposed.- (4) The poets, in writing of Women, have confessedly idealized. Hurtful tendency of such effusions.--(5) Se- $ 1.-Worldliness of the present age in the affair of Marriage. (2) The misery entailed on persons united in WOMAN: AS SHE IS, AND AS SHE SHOULD BE. CHAPTER I. FEMALE POWER, INFLUENCE, AND PRIVILEGES. O ye men; it is not the great king, nor the multitude of men, neither is it wine that excelleth: who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? Are they not women? By this also ye must know that women have dominion over you. Do ye not labour, and toil, and give, and bring all to the woman? Yea! many there be that have run out of their wits for women, and become servants for their sakes. Many also have perished, and erred, and sinned, for women. ESDRAS. § 1.—The supremacy of the weak over the strong is a very remarkable phenomenon, and VOL. I. B it is as mischievous as it is remarkable. What ever nature or law may have denied women, art and secret sway give them all: they are influential to a degree perfectly unguessed, and men are possessed by, not possessors of them. "Woman was made of the man, and for the man:" this is the language of Scripture. Yet, though "expressly given to man for a comforter, for a companion,-not for a counsellor," Woman has managed to overstep her sphere—she has usurped the dominion of the head, when she should have aimed but at the subjection of the heart; and the hand which ought to be held out to man, only to sustain and cheer him on his journey, now checks his steps, and points out the way he is to go! From moment to moment his purposes are thwarted and broken in upon by a capricious influence, which he scarcely dares to question, yet makes it his pride to indulge. Of this mighty evil it is that we are desirous to give a plain and unbiassed view. There is, perhaps, no country on earth where women enjoy such, and so great privileges, as in our own. The phenomenon has never passed * Sr Walter Raleigh. |