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I know not if our Scottish ladies derive any thing of this humour from their Scythian ancestors; but I must confefs, that I have often been surprised to fee a woman very well pleafed to take a fool for her mate, that she might govern with the lefs controul; and could not but think her fentiments, in this respect, still more barbarous than those of the Scythian women above mentioned; as much as the of the understanding are more valuable than thofe of the body.

eyes

But to be just, and to lay the blame more equally, I am afraid it is the fault of our fex, if the women be fo fond of rule; and that if we did not abuse our authority, they would never think it worth while to difpute it. Tyrants, we know, produce rebels; and all history informs us, that rebels, when they prevail, are apt to become tyrants in their turn. For this reafon I could wish there were no pretenfions to authority on either fide, but that every thing was carried on with perfect equality, as between two equal members of the fame body. And to induce both parties to embrace those amicable fentiments, I fhall deliver to them Plato's account of the origin of Love and Marriage.

Mankind, according to that fanciful philofopher, were not, in their origin, divided into male and female, as at prefent; but each individual perfon was a compound of both fexes, and was in himself both husband and wife, melted down into one living

creature.

creature. This union, no doubt, was very intire, and the parts very well adjusted together, since there refulted a perfect harmony betwixt the male and female, although they were obliged to be infeparable companions. And fo great were the harmony and happiness flowing from it, that the Androgynes (for fo Plato calls them) or men-women, became infolent upon their profperity, and rebelled against the Gods. To punish them for this temerity, Jupiter could contrive no better expedient than to divorce the male part from the female, and make two imperfect beings of the compound, which was before fo perfect. Hence the origin of men and women, as distinct creatures. But notwithstanding this divifion, fo lively is our remembrance of the happiness which we enjoyed in our primeval ftate, that we are never at rest in this fituation; but each of these halves is continually fearching through the whole fpecies to find the other half, which was broken from it; and when they meet, they join again with the greatest fondness and fympathy. But it often happens, that they are mistaken in this particular; that they take for their half what no way correfponds to them; and that the parts do not meet nor join in with each other, as is usual in fractures. In this cafe the union is foon diffolved, and each part is fet loofe again to hunt for its loft half, joining itself to every one whom it meets, by way of trial, and enjoying no reft till its perfect fympathy with its partner fhews, that it has at last been fuccefsful in its endeavours.

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Were I difpofed to carry on this fiction of Plato, which accounts for the mutual love betwixt the fexes in fo agreeable a manner, I would do it by the following allegory.

When Jupiter had feparated the male from the female, and had quelled their pride and ambition by fo fevere an operation, he could not but repent him of the cruelty of his vengeance, and take compaffion on poor mortals, who were now become incapable of any repofe or tranquillity. Such crav ings, fuch anxieties, fuch neceffities arofe, as made them curfe their creation, and think exiftence itfelf a punishment. In vain had they recourfe to every other occupation and amusement. In vain did they feck after every pleasure of fenfe, and every refinement of reafon. Nothing could fill that void which they felt in their hearts, or fupply the lofs of their partner who was fo fatally separated from them. To remedy this diforder, and to bestow fome comfort, at least, on the human race in their forlorn fituation, Jupiter fent down Love and Hymen, to collect the broken halves of human kind, and piece them together in the best manner poffible. These two deities found fuch a prompt difpofition in mankind to unite again in their primeval state, that they proceeded on their work with wonderful fuccefs for fome time, till, at laft, from many unlucky accidents, diffention arofe betwixt them. The chief counfellor and favourite of Hymen was Care, who was continually filling his patron's head with profpects of futurity, a fettlement, family,

children,

children, fervants; fo that little elfe was regarded in all the matches they made. On the other hand, Love had chofen Pleasure for his favourite, who was as pernicious a counfellor as the other, and would never allow Love to look beyond the present momentary gratification, or the fatisfying of the prevailing inclination. These two favourites became, in a little time, irreconcileable enemies, and made it their chief bufinefs to undermine each other in all their undertakings. No fooner had Love fixed upon two halves, which he was cementing together, and forming to a clofe union, but Care infinuates himself, and bringing Hymen along with him, diffolves the union produced by Love, and joins each half to fome other half, which he had provided for it. To be revenged of this, Pleasure creeps in upon a pair already joined by Hymen; and calling Love to his affiftance, they underhand contrive to join each half, by fecret links, to halves which Hymen was wholly unacquainted with. It was not long before this quarrel was felt in its pernicious confe quences; and fuch complaints arofe before the throne of Jupiter, that he was obliged to fummon the offending parties to appear before him, in order to give an account of their proceedings. After hearing the pleadings on both fides, he ordered an immediate reconcilement betwixt Love and Hymen, as the only expedient for giving happiness to mankind and that he might be fure this reconcilement should be durable, he laid his ftrict injunctions on them never to join any halves without confulting their favourites Care and Pleafure, and obtaining

13

the

the confent of both to the conjunction. Where this order is ftrictly obferved, the Androgyne is perfectly restored, and the human race enjoy the fame happiness as in their primeval state. The feam is scarce perceived that joins the two beings: but both of them combine to form one perfect and happy creature.

No. I.

ESSAY III.

OF THE STUDY OF HISTORY.

THERE is nothing which I would recommend more earnestly to my female readers than the ftudy of history, as an occupation, of all others, the best fuited both to their fex and education, much more inftructive than their ordinary books of amufement, and more entertaining than thofe ferious compofi tions, which are ufually to be found in their closets. Among other important truths, which they may learn from history, they may be informed of two particulars, the knowledge of which may contribute very much to their quiet and repofe. That our fex, as well as their's, are far from being fuch perfect creatures as they are apt to imagine, and that Love is not the only paffion which governs the male world, but is often overcome by avarice, am

bition,

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