Chapter Five of
A Vindication of the Rights of Women continued. (due to its length it had to be divided into two nodes or part would have been cut off.)
I must illustrate my assertion by a few examples. Mrs. Piozzi, who often
repeated by rote, what she did not understand, comes forward with
Johnsonian periods.
I will venture a paradox, and deliver my opinion without reserve; if men
were only born to form a circle of life and death, it would be wise to
take every step that foresight could suggest to render life happy.
Moderation in every pursuit would then be supreme wisdom; and the
prudent voluptuary might enjoy a degree of content, though he neither
cultivated his understanding nor kept his heart pure. Prudence,
supposing we were mortal, would be true wisdom, or, to be more explicit,
would procure the greatest portion of happiness, considering the whole
of life, but knowledge beyond the conveniences of life would be a curse.
Why should we injure our health by close study? The exalted pleasure
which intellectual pursuits afford would scarcely be equivalent to the
hours of languor that follow; especially, if it be necessary to take
into the reckoning the doubts and disappointments that cloud our
researches. Vanity and vexation close every inquiry: for the cause which
we particularly wished to discover flies like the horizon before us as
we advance. The ignorant, on the contrary, resemble children, and
suppose, that if they could walk straight forward they should at last
arrive where the earth and clouds meet. Yet, disappointed as we are in
our researches, the mind gains strength by the exercise, sufficient,
perhaps, to comprehend the answers which, in another step of existence,
it may receive to the anxious questions it asked, when the understanding
with feeble wing was fluttering round the visible effects to dive into
the hidden cause.
The passions also, the winds of life, would be useless, if not
injurious, did the substance which composes our thinking being, after we
have thought in vain, only become the support of vegetable life, and
invigorate a cabbage, or blush in a rose. The appetites would answer
every earthly purpose, and produce more moderate and permanent
happiness. But the powers of the soul that are of little use here, and,
probably, disturb our animal enjoyments, even while conscious dignity
makes us glory in possessing them, prove that life is merely an
education, a state of infancy, to which the only hopes worth cherishing
should not be sacrificed. I mean, therefore, to infer, that we ought to
have a precise idea of what we wish to attain by education, for the
immortality of the soul is contradicted by the actions of many people
who firmly profess the belief.
If you mean to secure ease and prosperity on earth as the first
consideration, and leave futurity to provide for itself; you act
prudently in giving your child an early insight into the weaknesses of
his nature. You may not, it is true, make an Inkle of him; but do not
imagine that he will stick to more than the letter of the law, who has
very early imbibed a mean opinion of human nature; nor will he think it
necessary to rise much above the common standard. He may avoid gross
vices, because honesty is the best policy; but he will never aim at
attaining great virtues. The example of writers and artists will
illustrate this remark.
I must therefore venture to doubt whether what has been thought an axiom
in morals may not have been a dogmatical assertion made by men who
have coolly seen mankind through the medium of books, and say, in direct
contradiction to them, that the regulation of the passions is not,
always, wisdom.- On the contrary, it should seem, that one reason why
men have superiour judgment, and more fortitude than women, is
undoubtedly this, that they give a freer scope to the grand passions,
and by more frequently going astray enlarge their minds. If then by the
exercise of their own* reason they fix on some stable principle, they
have probably to thank the force of their passions, nourished by false
views of life, and permitted to overleap the boundary that secures
content. But if, in the dawn of life, we could soberly survey the scenes
before as in perspective, and see every thing in its true colours, how
could the passions gain sufficient strength to unfold the faculties?
* 'I find that all is but lip-wisdom which wants experience,' says
Sidney.
Let me now as from an eminence survey the world stripped of all its
false delusive charms. The clear atmosphere enables me to see each
object in its true point of view, while my heart is still. I am calm as
the prospect in a morning when the mists, slowly dispersing, silently
unveil the beauties of nature, refreshed by rest.
In what light will the world now appear?- I rub my eyes and think,
perchance, that I am just awaking from a lively dream.
I see the sons and daughters of men pursuing shadows, and anxiously
wasting their powers to feed passions which have no adequate object- if
the very excess of these blind impulses, pampered by that lying, yet
constantly trusted guide, the imagination, did not, by preparing them
for some other state, render short-sighted mortals wiser without their
own concurrence; or, what comes to the same thing, when they were
pursuing some imaginary present good.
After viewing objects in this light, it would not be very fanciful to
imagine that this world was a stage on which a pantomime is daily
performed for the amusement of superiour beings. How would they be
diverted to see the ambitious man consuming himself by running after a
phantom, and, 'pursuing the bubble fame in the cannon's mouth' that
was to blow him to nothing: for when consciousness is lost, it matters
not whether we mount in a whirlwind or descend in rain. And should
they compassionately invigorate his sight and shew him the thorny path
which led to eminence, that like a quicksand sinks as he ascends,
disappointing his hopes when almost within his grasp, would he not leave
to others the honour of amusing them, and labour to secure the present
moment, though from the constitution of his nature he would not find it
very easy to catch the flying stream? Such slaves are we to hope and
fear!
But, vain as the ambitious man's pursuits would be, he is often striving
for something more substantial than fame- that indeed would be the
veriest meteor, the wildest fire that could lure a man to ruin.- What!
renounce the most trifling gratification to be applauded when he should
be no more! Wherefore this struggle, whether man be mortal or immortal,
if that noble passion did not really raise the being above his fellows?-
And love! What diverting scenes would it produce- Pantaloon's tricks
must yield to more egregious folly. To see a mortal adorn an object with
imaginary charms, and then fall down and worship the idol which he had
himself set up- how ridiculous! But what serious consequences ensue to
rob man of that portion of happiness, which the Deity by calling him
into existence has (or, on what can his attributes rest?) indubitably
promised: would not all the purposes of life have been much better
fulfilled if he had only felt what had been termed physical love? And,
would not the sight of the object, not seen through the medium of the
imagination, soon reduce the passion to an appetite, if reflection, the
noble distinction of man, did not give it force, and make it an
instrument to raise him above this earthy dross, by teaching him to love
the centre of all perfection; whose wisdom appears clearer and clearer
in the works of nature, in proportion as reason is illuminated and
exalted by contemplation, and by acquiring that love of order which the
struggles of passion produce?
The habit of reflection, and the knowledge attained by fostering any
passion, might be shewn to be equally useful, though the object be
proved equally fallacious; for they would all appear in the same light,
if they were not magnified by the governing passion implanted in us by
the Author of all good, to call forth and strengthen the faculties of
each individual, and enable it to attain all the experience that an
infant can obtain, who does certain things, it cannot tell why.
I descend from my height, and mixing with my fellow-creatures, feel
myself hurried along the common stream; ambition, love, hope, and fear,
exert their wonted power, though we be convinced by reason that their
present and most attractive promises are only lying dreams; but had the
cold hand of circumspection damped each generous feeling before it had
left any permanent character, or fixed some habit, what could be
expected, but selfish prudence and reason just rising above instinct?
Who that has read Dean Swift's disgusting description of the Yahoos,
and insipid one of Houyhnhnm with a philosophical eye, can avoid
seeing the futility of degrading the passions, or making man rest in
contentment?
The youth should act; for had he the experience of a grey head he would
be fitter for death than life, though his virtues, rather residing in
his head than his heart, could produce nothing great, and his
understanding, prepared for this world, would not, by its noble flights,
prove that it had a title to a better.
Besides, it is not possible to give a young person a just view of life;
he must have struggled with his own passions before he can estimate the
force of the temptation which betrayed his brother into vice. Those who
are entering life, and those who are departing, see the world from such
very different points of view, that they can seldom think alike, unless
the unfledged reason of the former never attempted a solitary flight.
When we hear of some daring crime- it comes full on us in the deepest
shade of turpitude, and raises indignation; but the eye that gradually
saw the darkness thicken, must observe it with more compassionate
forbearance. The world cannot be seen by an unmoved spectator, we must
mix in the throng, and feel as men feel before we can judge of their
feelings. If we mean, in short, to live in the world to grow wiser and
better, and not merely to enjoy the good things of life, we must attain
a knowledge of others at the same time that we become acquainted with
ourselves- knowledge acquired any other way only hardens the heart and
perplexes the understanding.
I may be told, that the knowledge thus acquired, is sometimes purchased
at too dear a rate. I can only answer that I very much doubt whether any
knowledge can be attained without labour and sorrow; and those who wish
to spare their children both, should not complain, if they are neither
wise nor virtuous. They only aimed at making them prudent; and prudence,
early in life, is but the cautious craft of ignorant self-love.
I have observed that young people, to whose education particular
attention has been paid, have, in general, been very superficial and
conceited, and far from pleasing in any respect, because they had
neither the unsuspecting warmth of youth, nor the cool depth of age. I
cannot help imputing this unnatural appearance principally to that hasty
premature instruction, which leads them presumptuously to repeat all the
crude notions they have taken upon trust, so that the careful education
which they received, makes them all their lives the slaves of
prejudices.
Mental as well as bodily exertion is, at first, irksome; so much so,
that the many would fain let others both work and think for them. An
observation which I have often made will illustrate my meaning. When in
a circle of strangers, or acquaintances, a person of moderate abilities
asserts an opinion with heat, I will venture to affirm, for I have
traced this fact home, very often, that it is a prejudice. These echoes
have a high respect for the understanding of some relation or friend,
and without fully comprehending the opinions, which they are so eager to
retail, they maintain them with a degree of obstinacy, that would
surprise even the person who concocted them.
I know that a kind of fashion now prevails of respecting prejudices; and
when any one dares to face them, though actuated by humanity and armed
by reason, be is superciliously asked whether his ancestors were fools.
No, I should reply; opinions, at first, of every description, were all,
probably, considered, and therefore were founded on some reason; yet not
unfrequently, of course, it was rather a local expedient than a
fundamental principle, that would be reasonable at all times. But,
moss-covered opinions assume the disproportioned form of prejudices,
when they are indolently adopted only because age has given them a
venerable aspect, though the reason on which they were built ceases to
be a reason, or cannot be traced. Why are we to love prejudices, merely
because they are prejudices?* A prejudice is a fond obstinate persuasion
for which we can give no reason; for the moment a reason can be given
for an opinion, it ceases to be a prejudice, though it may be an error
in judgment: and are we then advised to cherish opinions only to set
reason at defiance? This mode of arguing, if arguing it may be called,
reminds me of what is vulgarly termed a woman's reason. For women
sometimes declare that they love, or believe, certain things, because
they love, or believe them.
* Vide Mr. Burke.
It is impossible to converse with people to any purpose, who only use
affirmatives and negatives. Before you can bring them to a point, to
start fairly from, you must go back to the simple principles that were
antecedent to the prejudices broached by power; and it is ten to one but
you are stopped by the philosophical assertion, that certain principles
are as practically false as they are abstractly true.* Nay, it may be
inferred, that reason has whispered some doubts, for it generally
happens that people assert their opinions with the greatest heat when
they begin to waver; striving to drive out their own doubts by
convincing their opponent, they grow angry when those gnawing doubts are
thrown back to prey on themselves.
* 'Convince a man against his will,
He's of the same opinion still.'
The fact is, that men expect from education, what education cannot give.
A sagacious parent or tutor may strengthen the body and sharpen the
instruments by which the child is to gather knowledge; but the honey
must be the reward of the individual's own industry. It is almost as
absurd to attempt to make a youth wise by the experience of another, as
to expect the body to grow strong by the exercise which is only talked
of, or seen.* Many of those children whose conduct has been most
narrowly watched, become the weakest men, because their instructors only
instill certain notions into their minds, that have no other foundation
than their authority; and if they be loved or respected, the mind is
cramped in its exertions and wavering in its advances. The business of
education in this case, is only to conduct the shooting tendrils to a
proper pole; yet after laying precept upon precept, without allowing a
child to acquire judgment itself, parents expect them to act in the same
manner by this borrowed fallacious light, as if they had illuminated it
themselves; and be, when they enter life, what their parents are at the
close. They do not consider that the tree, and even the human body, does
not strengthen its fibres till it has reached its full growth.
* 'One sees nothing when one is content to contemplate only; it is
necessary to act oneself to be able to see how others act.'- Rousseau.
There appears to be something analogous in the mind. The senses and
the imagination give a form to the character, during childhood and
youth; and the understanding, as life advances, gives firmness to the
first fair purposes of sensibility- till virtue, arising rather from the
clear conviction of reason than the impulse of the heart, morality is
made to rest on a rock against which the storms of passion vainly beat.
I hope I shall not be misunderstood when I say, that religion will not
have this condensing energy, unless it be founded on reason. If it be
merely the refuge of weakness or wild fanaticism, and not a governing
principle of conduct, drawn from self-knowledge, and a rational opinion
respecting the attributes of God, what can it be expected to produce?
The religion which consists in warming the affections, and exalting the
imagination, is only the poetical part, and may afford the individual
pleasure without rendering it a more moral being. It may be a substitute
for worldly pursuits; yet narrow, instead of enlarging the heart: but
virtue must be loved as in itself sublime and excellent, and not for the
advantages it procures or the evils it averts, if any great degree of
excellence be expected. Men will not become moral when they only build
airy castles in a future world to compensate for the disappointments
which they meet with in this; if they turn their thoughts from relative
duties to religious reveries.
Most prospects in life are marred by the shuffling worldly wisdom of
men, who, forgetting that they cannot serve God and mammon,
endeavour to blend contradictory things.- If you wish to make your son
rich, pursue one course- if you are only anxious to make him virtuous,
you must take another; but do not imagine that you can bound from one
road to the other without losing your way.*
* See an excellent essay on this subject by Mrs. Barbauld, in
Miscellaneous Pieces in Prose.
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