CONTENTS.

CHAPTER 1.

FEMALE POWER, INFLUENCE, AND PRIVILEGES.

$ 1.-Boundless influence of Women,-more especially

of Englishwomen.—(2) Man encourages or suffers it:-

such a phenomenon, how to be accounted for.–(3) Modes

of influence :--female agency regarded under a social

point of view.-(4) Power and usurpation in the state of

marriage.-(5) Political influence, direct or indirect.-

(6) Social systems, and domestic customs, in other coun-

tries. -- Feeling,' not always a proof of right.-(7) Ele-

vation of Women, Luxury, and general Effeminacy, are no

true standard of real Civilization.-(8) Mischievous effects

of female influence upon life ;-proofs drawn from the

page of history.-(9) The social system of the present

dlay, as hurtful to Woman, as it is injurious to Man.---

(10) Continued blindness and prejudice on this subject:

better prospects.-(11) Treatment of the sex in a wiser
spirit : needful restrictions.-(12) Women appealed to.

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CHAPTER II.

INTELLECT IN WOMAN.

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$ 1.- Intellectual power in Woman, of a distinct class.--

(2) Indecision, a character of the female mind.—(3) This

sex not distinguished by outward signs of mental vigour.-

(1) Conversational powers of women ;-how far an evi-

dence of mind: extreme garrulity of the sex. This pecu-

class of reading.-(5) Tendency of works of fiction to an-
nihilate vigour in the mind.-(6) Novels are, under
certain aspects, to be dreaded as a crusade against morals.

CHAPTER V.

DANCING.

$ 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.

-(+) Indelicacy connected with the dance.—(5) This

exercise altogether frivolous and unworthy the age.

CHAPTER VI.

DRESS.

$ 1.-The inclination for outward ornament natural in

the fair sex? Unworthy mimicry of the French in dress.-

(2) Real effect and influence of ornament: how far beauty

is its debtor?—(3) Indelicacy of present modes in female
dress.-(4) Absurdity and tastelessness of the age, in this
respect, equally on a par.-(5) History, on the subject of
Dress : remarks of distinguished writers.—(6) Fashionable
dressing, considered in its effect on health.—(7) A word
as to the pecuniary extravagance.-8) Love of dress, as
to its effect upon the mind.

CHAPTER VII.

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.-46) True sexual characteristics.-(7) High im-

portance of a proper discrimination with regard to men on

the part of women.

CHAPTER VIII.

GALLANTRY. $ 1.-Gallantry, as observed towards the sex, false in itself and degrailing to its ohject.—(2) (auses of this spuriocs gallantry. Beauty, the loadstone with many; to others, the wealth and worldly influence of the sex are powerful attractions. – 43) The principle of gallantry unknown to the ancients: its folly and falsehood exposed.(1) The poets, in writing of Women, have confesseilly idealized. Hurtful tendency of such effusions.- (5) Severer, if not always truer, estimate of the sex, in graver and higher walks of literature.

(HAPTER IX. ABUSE OF THE MARRIED STATE. $ 1.-Worldliness of the present age in the affair of Marriage. (2) The misery entailed on persons united in such manner. - (3) Women, seldom more amiable for the endowments of' fortune. –(4) Matrimony, by no means in itself procluctive of human misery. 3) The married shoull Hield to each other : this duty of conciliation especially incumbent on the wife.- (6) Vast importance of deliberation in entering on this state of life.