Observations on the Real Rights of Women and Other Writings

Observations on the Real Rights of Women, with Their Appropriate Duties, Agreeable to Scripture, Reason and Common Sense

71 Observations on the Real Rights of Women, with Their Appropriate Duties, Agreeable to Scripture, Reason and Common Sense By H. Mather Crocker And God saw it was not good for man to be alone; and he made him an help meet for him.—and Adam said she is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, therefore she shall be called woman. boston: printed for the author 1818 72 DEDICATION. ———— TO MISS H. MORE.1 Madam, Your writings on moral and religious subjects are held in the highest estimation by one, who thinks your Comparative View of the Sexes2 is indeed worthy of yourself. To your patronage allow me to devote the following pages. Your approbation of the sentiments will be the most distinguished palm the author wishes to obtain. Though personally unknown, permit me to subscribe myself, with sentiments of the highest esteem and respect, Yours, H. M. Crocker. observations on the real rights of women 73 AUTHOR’S PREFACE. ———— Proposals for printing the following pages were issued more than a year since. The author, having been afflicted with sickness, has unavoidably been unable to collect subscriptions till the present time. The publishing has therefore been suspended. To those who first subscribed let me say, I hope when they receive the work, they will have reason to say, patient waiters are no losers ; and she sincerely wishes those who peruse the work may find reason to say, the author has not spent her strength for nought, neither have they spent their time in vain, who have read the work. With this wish the work is now devoted to the public notice ; with a hope, that the work will receive the candour and patronage of a free, enlightened, independent, federal nation. CONTENTS. ———— page Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 CHAP. I. Of the creation and fall of our first parents. . . . . . . . . . . . 77 CHAP. II. Woman is restored to her original rights of equality under the Christian dispensation . . . . . . . . . . . 81 observations on the real rights of women 74 CHAP. III. Of the strength of mind, and writings of many illustrious females, both in sacred and profane history. . . . . . . . . . .94 CHAP. IV. The female character and writings are equal in the present day to any former period; and some miscellaneous sentiments respecting the sex. . . . . . . . . 107 CHAP. V. From observation on characters, sacred and profane, may be drawn a theory or plan of rights and duties agreeable to scripture, reason, and common sense. .114 CHAP. VI. Reason dictates that a regular Christian course of life will have a tendency to promote future happiness, and is but a reasonable service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 CHAP. VII. Treats of the beauty and good order that they accrue to society , by the united fidelity of the sexes in performing their appropriate duties.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 CHAP. VIII. Let the mantle of charity make allowance for and shield every human imperfection.. . . . . . . . . . . 129 Appendix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 observations on the real rights of women 75 INTRODUCTION. ———— THIS little work is not written with a design of promoting any altercation or dispute respecting superiority or inferiority, of the sexes; but the aim will be to prove, in a pleasant manner, and, we hope, to even demonstration, that though there are appropriate duties peculiar to each sex, yet the wise Author of nature has endowed the female mind with equal powers and faculties, and given them the same right of judging and acting for themselves, as he gave to the male sex; although it is plain, from scripture account, that the woman was the first in the transgression, she justly forfeited her original right of equality for a certain space of time, and a heavy and humiliating sentence was passed upon her, that her sorrow should be multiplied, and that under the Jewish dispensation, the man should rule over her; and she was under the yoke of bondage, till the birth of our blessed Saviour, which, according to the promise given, was the seed of the woman, that should bruise the serpent’s head. We shall consider woman restored to her original right and dignity at the commencement of the Christian dispensation, although there must be allowed some moral and physical distinction of the sexes agreeably to the order of nature, and the organization of the human frame, still the sentiment must predominate, that the powers of mind are equal in the sexes. We shall produce examples, both from sacred and profane history , of the great abilities and exertion of...