CXXXVII. That the relation should not appear tedious, we have omitted
many modern learned women in this catalogue, and have designedly
forbore to mention the antient ones, as an account of them, may be
found in an infinite number of books; but we have said enough to
evince, what seems of most importance in this argument, which is, that
almost all the women, who have dedicated themselves to study, have
become eminent, and made considerable figures in the literary world;
whereas, there are scarce three in a hundred, among the men devoted to
literature, who have been remarkable for their advances in the science,
or who could truly and properly, be stiled people of learning and
ability.
CXXXVIII. But because this reflection may occasion the women to fancy
themselves persons of much superior capacity to the men, it is but just
and necessary, by way of checking such presumption, to observe, that
this inequality of improvement by study, proceeds, from none of their
sex being devoted to it, except those, in whom the people who have had
the care of their education have remarked peculiar talents for such
pursuits, or those, who have found in themselves a great propensity for
literature, and a particular disposition for attaining a knowledge of
the sciences; on the other hand, the men are not left to their choice
in these matters; the parents, with a view of advancing their fortune,
without attending to their capacities, or considering whether they are
dull boys, or lads of genius, destine them to the career of letters;
and the bulk of mankind being people of scanty abilities, it must
unavoidably follow, that a few only can make a figure in the learned
world.
CXXXIX. My opinion of the matter however is, that there is no
inequality, in the capacities of the one and the other sex. But if
the women, to repress the vain contemners of their aptitude for the
arts and sciences, should be disposed to pass from the defensive to
the offensive, and by way of playing at disputation, to contend for a
superiority over the men, they may make use of the arguments I have
mentioned above, by which, from the same physical maxims, wherewith the
men pretend to bear down, and depreciate the capacities of the women,
we have shewn, that it may with more probability be inferred, the
talents and aptitude of the tender sex, excel those of the robust.
CXL. To this, we shall add the authority of Aristotle, who in various
places teaches, that in all the animal species, expressly including the
human, the females are more penetrating and ingenious than the males;
particularly in his ninth book, _de Histor. Animal. cap. 1_, where he
expresses himself in these words: _In omnibus verò, quorum procreatio
est, fæminam, & marem simili ferè modo Natura distinxit moribus, quibus
mas differt à fœmina: quod præcipuè tum in homine, tum etiam in iis,
quæ magnitudine præstent, & quadrupedes viviparæ sint, percipitur: sunt
enim fœminæ moribus mollioribus, mitescunt celerius, & malum facilius
patiuntur; discunt etiam, imitanturque ingeniosius._
CXLI. This authority of Aristotle, which gives the advantage to the
women, not only in docility, and softness of disposition, but allows
also, that they exceed the men in ingenuity; ought to have great
weight with those, who are such admirers of Aristotle, as to call
him the penetrating genius of Nature, and the sum and perfection of
human intelligence. But I must caution the women, not to put too much
confidence in Aristotle: because, although in the place we have just
cited, he ennobles them with a superiority in point of perspicuity;
a little lower down, he is very liberal in his abuse of them, and
says, they are greatly addicted to mischief: _Verum malitiosiores,
astutiores, insidiores fœminæ sunt_; and although just afterwards, he
concedes them the preference to the men, in the noble attribute of
tenderness or compassion, he instantly stigmatizes and marks them,
with the blemishes of envy, evil-speaking, inveteracy, and other such
bad qualities: _Ita quod mulier, misericors magis, & ad lacrymas
propensior, quam vir est: invida item magis, & querela & maledicentior,
& mordacior._ Upon the whole, I am not clear, whether the ladies will
accept the advantage of ingenuity which this philosopher has thought
fit to confer on them, loaded with the charges he has been pleased to
annex to it; we may however conclude from the premises, that when such
a man, who was so ill disposed towards them, admits as a fundamental,
that they are more ingenious than men, the evidence of their abilities
does not rest on slight ground.