Invention, improv’d by our Society.
Hence it is that they employ all their Art, Wit, and Invention to say and do things, that may appear to us, surprizing and agreable either for their Novelty or Contrivance. The very End and Nature of Conversation among us retrench aboundance of those things, which make the greatest part of Men’s discourse, and they find themselves oblig’d to strain their Inventions to fetch from other Springs, Streams proper to entertain us with. This puts ’em upon beating and ranging ore the Fields of Fancy to find something new, something pretty to offer to us, and by this means refines at the same time their Wit, and enlarges, and extends their Invention; For by forcing ’em out of the common Road, they are necessitated to invent new Arguments, and seek new ways to divert and please us, and by restraining the large Liberty they take one with another, they are compell’d to polish their Wit, and File off the Roughness of it. To this they owe, the Neatness of Raillery, to which abundance of Gentlemen are now arriv’d; For Contrariety, of Opinions, being that which gives Life, and Spirit to Conversation, as well Women as Men do frequently hold Arguments contrary to their real Opinions, only to heigthen the Diversion, and improve the pleasure of Society. In these the utmost Care is taken to avoid all things that may sound harsh, offensive, or indecent, their Wit is employ’d only to raise mirth, and promote good Humour, Conditions that can’t well be observ’d, when Men contend for Realities, |Fools no fit Companions for Women.| and dispute for the Reputation of their Wit or Judgment, and the truth of their Opinions. ’Tis true these Improvements are to be made only by Men, that have by Nature an improvable Stock of Wit and good Sense; For those that have it not, being unable to distinguish what is proper for their Imitation, are apt to Ape us in those Things which are the peculiar Graces and Ornaments of our Sex, and which are the immediate Objects of Sight, and need no further Reflection, or thinking. This Affectation is notorious in our Modern Beau’s, who observing the Care taken by some of our Sex in the setting of their Persons, without penetrating any farther into the Reasons Women have for it, or considering, that what became them, might be ridiculous in themselves, fall to licking, sprucing, and dressing their Campaign Faces, and ill contriv’d Bodies, that now, like all Foolish Imitatours, they out do the Originals, and out-powder, out-patch, and out-paint the Vainest and most extravagant of our Sex at those Follies, and are perpetually Cocking, Brustling, Twiring, and making Grimaces, as if they expected we shou’d make Addresses to ’em in a short Time. Yet ought not this to discourage any Ingenious Person, or bring any Scandal upon our Conversation, any more than Travelling ought to be brought into Disrepute, because it is observ’d, that those, who go abroad Fools, return Fops. It is not in our power to alter Nature, but to polish it, and if an Ass has learnt all his Paces, ’tis as much as the thing is capable of, ’twere absurd to expect he shou’d chop Logick. This is so far from being an Objection against us, that it is an Argument, that none but Ingenious Men are duely qualified to converse with us; Who by our Means have not only been fitted, and finish’d for great things, but have actually aspir’d to ’em. For ’tis my Opinion, that we owe the Neat, Gentile Raillery in Sir George Etheredge, and Sir Charles Sedley’s Plays, and the Gallant Verses of Mr. Waller to their Conversing much with Ladies. And I remember an Opinion of a very Ingenious Person, who ascribes the Ruine of the Spanish Grandeur in great measure, to the ridiculing in the Person of Don Quixot, the Gallantry of that Nation toward their Ladies. This Opinion however Ingenious carries me beyond the Scope and design of the present Argument, and therefore I shall leave all further Consideration of it to those that are more at leisure, and less weary than I am at present.
There remain yet some things to be spoken to, but I must confess to you, Madam, that I am already very much tired, and I have reason to fear that you are more. When you enjoyn’d me this Task, I believe, you did not expect, I am sure, I did not intend so long a Letter. I know I have written too much, yet I leave you to judge, whether it be enough. One Experience I have gain’d by this Essay, that I find, when our Hands are in, ’tis as hard to stop ’em, as our Tongues, and as difficult not to write, as not to talk too much. I have done wondring at those Men, that can write huge Volumes upon slender Subjects, and shall hereafter admire their Judgment only, who can confine their Imaginations, and curb their wandring Fancies. I pretend no Obligation upon our Sex for this Attempt in their Defence; because it was undertaken at your Command, and for your Diversion only, which if I have in any measure satisfied, I have my Ambition, and shall beg nothing farther, than that my ready Obedience may excuse the mean Performance of
Madam,
Your real Friend, and
Most humble Servant.
THE
CONTENTS.
- A
- Argument from Providence, p. [9].
- —— from the different Make, and Temper of Body in the two Sexes, p. [18].
- Amazons, why they banisht Men, p. [24].
- Advantages of Womens Company, p. [135].
- B
- Bodies Organiz’d alike, p. [12].
- Brutes of both Sexes of equal sense, p. [13].
- Bully’s Character, p. [62].
- Beau’s Character, p. [68].
- Boasters of Intrigues base Fellows, p. [115].
- C
- Conversation, its End, p. [7].
- —— its requisite Conditions, p. [9].
- Country Squire’s Character, p. [20].
- Coffee-house Politician’s Character, p. [87].
- City Militia, p. [92].
- City Critick’s Character, p. [119].
- Complacence how acquir’d, p. [136].
- D
- Diffidence of themselves a great discouragement to Women, p. [55].
- Dissimulation necessary, p. [110].
- —— why most us’d by Men, p. [112].
- —— when Criminal, p. [113].
- —— How differing from deceit, p. [114].
- E
- Education Mens greatest advantage, p. [6].
- —— Of the Female Sex not so deficient as commonly suppos’d, p. [36].
- English Books very improving, p. [41].
- —— best helps to Conversation, p. [47].
- Envy most injurious to Virtue, p. [116].
- F
- Friendship, its requisite Conditions, p. [9].
- Failings falsly charg’d on Women, p. [60].
- Fools no fit Companions for Women, p. [145].
- G
- Gentlemen, best Writers of Morality, Humanity, &c. p. [52].
- Gallantry, how acquir’d, p. [140].
- —— How distinguisht from Complacence, p. [142].
- I
- Invention improvable by the Society of Women, p. [143].
- Ignorance of Latin no disadvantage, p. [57].
- Imitation ridiculous, p. [66].
- Impertinence, what, p. [84].
- —— commonly mistaken, p. [85].
- —— Epidemical, p. [89].
- —— Officious, p. [94].
- —— To be measur’d by its Artifice, p. [109].
- L
- Learning unjustly restrain’d to Latin and Greek only, p. [45].
- Love frequently false, p. [115].
- Levity, what, p. [124].
- —— Less among Women than Men, p. [125].
- Love, why so soon cold, p. [128].
- P
- Pedant’s Character, p. [27].
- Points of deep Learning and Politicks, improper for mixt Conversation, p. [40].
- Poetaster’s Character, p. [79].
- Q
- The Question stated, p. [6].
- R
- Religion, &c. no proper subjects for mixt Conversation, p. [38].
- S
- Sexes not distinguish’d in Souls, p. [11].
- Salique Law, its Original, p. [22].
- Scowrer’s Character, p, 64.
- U
- Vulgar of both Sexes of equal Capacity, p. [15].
- Vanity the Vice of Men, p. [60].
- —— Fools Blessing, p. [76].
- —— Universal, p. [82].
- Vertuoso’s Character, p. [96].
- W
- Women, bred to too much Ignorance of Business, p. [16].
- —— Industriously kept in ignorance, p. [20].
- —— Why constanter Lovers than Men, p. [129].
- —— Truer Friends than Men; and why, p. [132].
- —— Not generally so vicious as Men, p. [134].
FINIS: