Among these I read
with refreshment a little one called "The Whole Duty of Woman,"
"indited by a noble lady at the request of a noble lord," and which
has this much of nobleness, that the view it takes is a religious one.
It aims to fit Woman for heaven; the main bent of most of the others
is to fit her to please, or, at least, not to disturb, a husband.
Among these I select, as a favorable specimen, the book I have already
quoted, "The Study [Footnote: This title seems to be incorrectly
translated from the French. I have not seen the original] of the Life
of Woman, by Madame Necker de Saussure, of Geneva, translated from the
French." This book was published at Philadelphia, and has been read
with much favor here. Madame Necker is the cousin of Madame de Stael,
and has taken from her works the motto prefixed to this.
"Cette vie n'a quelque prix que si elle sert a' l'education morale do
notre coeur."
Mde. Necker is, by nature, capable of entire consistency in the
application of this motto, and, therefore, the qualifications she
makes, in the instructions given to her own sex, show forcibly the
weight which still paralyzes and distorts the energies of that sex.
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