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The Birtwhistles of Craven and Galloway |
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Appendix 1 POEMS AND TRANSLATIONS 1809 The Rights of Women p75-87 Vindication of the Rights to Woman Most histories by men were
wrote, And therefore my be partial
thought, As said the lion when he
view’d, A picture of himself
subdued, “Had this been drawn by us,
good sir, The lion had been
conqueror;” So women would have equal
glory, Had they recorded ancient
story. But let it then remain, Our right and dignity are
plain; Woman was taken from man’s
side, To be his equal and his
bride. While he was made of common
earth, She from his rib deriv’d
her birth; (Tho’ some affect from
thence to trace Our sex a crooked, stubborn
race) From ancient evidence Yet if we argue from the
part, She should be nearest to his heart. Their dignity and int’rest
one, Not slave-like to be trod upon; Satan, the origin of ill, Says He first assail’d our
mother Eve, Knowing could he that fort
achieve. Adam would follow without
strife, As being govern’d by his
wife; Thus older than the rights
of kings, Men follow’d women’s
leading-strings. And thus we have
prescription full, To found our early right to
rule; Nor let yon bearded Rabbi
tell us, Heav’n of is character was
jealous, And sent down luckless
woman later, Lest man should tax it with
ill-nature;* (*See the Talmund) From ancient history Did not the Jew, whose
prowess damps one, The strongest man- I mean
brave Sampson, Tho’ unsubdued by gold or
arms, Yield to Dalilah’s wit and
charms; David a chosen monarch
deem’d, By Heav’n itself the most
esteem’d, From your to age desceetly
shew’d, He thought our sex the
choicest good; And Solomon, his son, we
find, Pronounc’d the wisest of
mankind, Rejected fame as worthless
stuff, Thought he had never wives
enough; Till growing gouty, cross
and old, He sought for bliss in
courts and gold. The gravely told us with a
sigh, That all was grief and
vanity! I could count over, if you
please, sirs, Your Alexanders, Pompeys,
Caesars, Who with submission most
discreet, Laid their proud laurels at
our feet; Opinion of ancient Philosophers And |
He valued empires less than
love. Tho’ Homer in a mood
uncivil, Pronouc’d our sex “the
greatest evil,” Some reason for his spleen
we find… The bard was old, and poor,
and blind. Euripides desired to know What business we had here
below? Nay swore… and some have
thought him right, That gods created us thro’
spite: But both Europides and
Homer, Recanted humbly the
misnomer; And own’d, in many and oft-
told story, That “virtuous wives are
crowns of glory! What says the fam’d
Milesian sage *? “Let women rule the middle age;” Because experience tells us
plain, The middle age is wisdom’s
reign. Great Solon publish’d this
decree… “Let lords and ladies equal
be;” (*Thales of From Ancient Philosophers Bias, the wisest of the
sev’n, Thought women smooth’d the
way to heav’n; And Zeno kindly deign’d to
prove, ‘A wise man’s duty is to
love.’ Our foes pretend the bean-
despiser,* Than all philosophers was
wiser, Because he bids us on a foe A wife, the surest scourge,
bestow: By which is certain proof
is carried, That grave Pythagoras was
married. The oracle of A wife the best of virtues
taught; For patience, as he often
found, Is balsam to the deepest
wound. Pert Plato, tho’ he bless’d
his fate, He was not born to share
our state; Forsook philosophy’s dry
mazes, To buy a smile from
Agathais. (*Pythagoras) (+ Socrates) Ancient Philosophers Diogenes, whose surly
highness Took lodgings in an empty
wine press, Once from a neighbour’s
fig-tree pendent, Spied Eve’s unfortunate
descent: And wish’ his cynic taste
to suit, All fig-trees bore such
comely fruit; By which ‘tis plainly
understood, He thought the fruit was
wond’rous good. But if our comment is not
right, This doctor had a doubtful
sight; For honest men he miss’d
his way to, Without a lanthorn’s aid by
day too. Then he… the Stagyrite
sublime, Who fixed the bounds of
space and time, Cynics! your satires to
retort all, Wish’d that his wife might
be immortal; But not because, as you had
hinted, Nor place nor time her
prattle stinted.* (*Aristotle idolized his
learned wife Aspasia) Ancient Opinion Cato, the all dismaying
censor, To chide a wife would never
venture; And many a striking proof
could bring, “That woman is a sacred
thing;” And deem’d a quiet spouse
as great As any minister of state.* |
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