But when was it known that female goodness or knowledge was able
to attract that officiousness, or inspire that ardor, which beauty
produces wherever it appears? And with what hope can we endeavor to
persuade the ladies that
THE TIME SPENT AT THE TOILET
is lost in vanity, when they have every moment some new conviction that
their interest is more effectually promoted by a ribbon well disposed
than by the brightest act of heroic virtue?" Listen to the praise of
practical John Ledyard, whose word has the solid ring of fact about it:
"I have observed among all nations [that he had seen, the statement not
being applicable to a majority of the savages] that the women ornament
themselves more than the men; that,
WHEREVER FOUND, THEY ARE THE MOST CIVIL,
kind, obliging, humane, tender beings; that they are ever inclined to be
gay and cheerful, timorous and modest. They do not hesitate, like man,
to perform a hospitable or generous action; not haughty, nor arrogant,
nor supercilious, but full of courtesy and fond of society;
industrious, economical, ingenuous; more liable, in general, to err than
man; but, in general, also more virtuous, and performing more good
actions than he.
Pages:
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184