LXXXIV. Neither in the difference of temperament, can be founded the
imagined inferiority of feminine understanding; but I don’t deny, that
the temperament has much influence, and conduces greatly to the just or
disorderly exercise of the faculties of the soul; so far from it, I am
rather persuaded, that a distinct temperature, occasions more variety
in the operations of those faculties, than a different organization:
for there is no man, who must not have experienced in himself, that,
according as his mind is variously disposed, or he is in good or bad
spirits, without finding the least bodily alteration, he is more or
less fit for all sorts of operations; with all this, there is scarce an
intemperance that offends the body, which does not at the same time,
more or less disturb the functions of the soul; but what species of
temperament or disposition, conduces most to understanding or reasoning
well, it is not easy to ascertain.
LXXXV. If this point is to be settled by the doctrine of Aristotle,
we might conclude, the feminine temperament is best adapted for the
purpose. This philosopher, who subjects all the effects which appear
in the extensive field of Nature, to the dominion of his four first
qualities, says, in the 24th Sect. of his Problems, quæst. 15, that
men of a cold temperament have better intellects, and reason better,
than men of a hot temperament; notwithstanding which, he enters upon
the same question, with supposing, that in hot climates the men are
more ingenious than in cold ones, which I can hardly believe, because
it would follow from thence, that the Africans are more ingenious than
the English or the Dutch: but pursuing the thread of his discourse,
and explaining the efficacy of the qualities by the power of the
antiperastis, he affirms, that in the coldest countries the men
are most ardent, and in the hot ones most cold. _Etenim, qui sedes
frigidas habent, frigore loci obsistente, longe calidiores, quam sua
sint natura, redduntur._ He thinks people of warm constitutions, so
much inferior to those of cool ones with respect to their reasoning
powers, that he makes no scruple to declare, the last compared to the
first, are like men whose heads are turned by drinking too much wine.
He proceeds immediately after the words before-cited, thus: _Itaque
vinolentis admodum similes esse videntur, nec ingenio valent quo
prospiciant, rerumque rationes inquirant._ This philosopher, when he
classed the hot and stupid together, had quite forgot his disciple
Alexander, though he not only forgot, but bore him in mind at the same
time: for it is very certain, that he wrote the greatest part of his
works, after Alexander, on account of the doubts he entertained of his
fidelity, had discarded him; and after he had retired to Athens, where
he experienced a fresh disgust, to wit, being witness to Alexander’s
sending without taking the least notice of him, thirty talents of gold
to his school-fellow Xenocrates as a gratuity; but it is doubtful,
whether his resentment carried him so far, as to conspire with
Antipater against Alexander’s life, and to consult with him about the
best method of carrying their purpose into execution by poison. But let
us return to our subject.
LXXXVI. The same Aristotle teaches, and in this, all the naturalists
and medical people agree with him, that the dissimilarity of
temperament in the two sexes, consists, in the men being hot and
dry, and in the women being cold and moist: _Est autem vir calidus,
& siccus, mulier frigida, humidaque._ Sect. 5. Quest. 26. The cold
temperament, in the opinion of Aristotle, being then the best adapted
for reasoning, and the hot the opposite, the women being cold, and the
men hot, it follows, that the feminine temperament is better suited to
comprehend and reason well, than the masculine.
LXXXVII. This proof is conclusive, to those who believe every thing
Aristotle has said; but I protest for myself, that it has not the least
weight with me; for I neither believe that the geniuses are better in
hot countries than in cold ones, nor that men of cold temperaments are
more ingenious than those of hot ones; and much less do I believe, that
those of fiery dispositions are in a manner insensible; and as to the
pretended power of the antiperastis, let it for the present remain in
the state of doubt, which is annexed to, and inseparable from it.
LXXXVIII. Moisture and dryness, are the other two distinct qualities
of the two compositions or temperaments; and by attending to them, it
may also be inferred from the doctrine of Aristotle, that the women are
more perspicuous than the men. Those who maintain, that the larger the
quantity of the brain, the better the faculty of the understanding,
found their opinion, upon having been taught, that a man has a larger
brain in proportion than any other animal: and they argue thus,
Aristotle says, that man is of a more humid temperament than any other
animal. _Homo omnium animantium maxime humidus natura est._ Sect.
5, Quæst. 7. From hence, if it may be inferred, that from a man’s
having a larger brain than brutes, is to be imputed his having more
understanding; in the same manner it may be inferred, from his being
more moist than them, as humidity is productive of knowledge, that he
knows more. A woman then is of a more humid composition than a man, and
consequently must be more intelligent than him.
LXXXIX. Although this argument proves nothing, and ought only to be
used by way of retortion on those who maintain opposite opinions;
for the principles on which such conclusions are founded, to speak
liberally, are uncertain and doubtful. Who told Pliny, that the brain
of a man was larger than that of any other animal? Has any one, think
you, undertaken the prolix labour of breaking the skulls of the whole
sensitive species, in order afterwards to weigh their brains? Or who
told Aristotle, that man is more humid than any of the brute creation?
Can it be supposed, that this philosopher had squeezed them all in a
press, in order to ascertain the quantity of moisture contained in
each? There seems more probability in supposing, that certain domestic
brutes, the greatest part of insects, and almost every species of fish,
are more humid than men. Nor even admitting it to be true, that the
human brain is larger in proportion than that of any other animal,
could it be inferred from thence, that a great share of understanding
in the human species is the effect of a larger portion of brain. A man
in many other parts of the body, differs greatly in the proportion of
his make from brutes, but an excess of those parts in some individuals,
does not argue a greater degree of excellence. It would be necessary,
in order to make this inference, to have observed, that, among the
brutes themselves, those which had the largest brains, had the
strongest or best instinct; but I believe this is not the case, for if
it was, a total want of perception would be the consequence of a total
lack of brain, which is not so; for, according to Pliny, there are many
sensitive beings, without blood and without brains, notwithstanding
which, they preserve their instinct.