-
Articles/Ads
Article REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. ← Page 2 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of New Publications.
practicability of the proposed change , and the utility , if practicable , the reader may , from the following sketch , be able to form an idea . The obieCt is to shew , that all the misfortunes and wickedness ( to speak in the _ old style ) of women arise from the inferior situation which they hold in society . | In writing , ' says the author , ' I have rather endeavoured to pourtray passions than manners . ' In many instances I could have made the incidents more dramatic , would
I have sacrificed my main objeit , the desire of exhibiting misery and oppression , peculiar to women , that arise out of the partial laws and customs of society . * Maria had been captivated with the figure and manners of George Venables , a young merchant , ancl had married him : he dissipates all of her fortune that was not settled on herself exclusively , and when he cannot prevail On her to part with that remainderfinds means to have her kidnappedand
, , sent to a private mad-house . This misfortune she charges to the unequal state of men and women in society . Her attendant , Jemima , had been a prostitute and a thief , but in these occupations had greatly improved the vigour and acutfiiiess of an understanding naturally good . Maria , gains the affeCtions and confidence of Jemima ; they agree in concluding that their own distresses in particular , and therefore of women in general , arose from the arbitrary
usurpations of men . The pleasure of political discussion is not the only advantage Maria derives through Jemima . There happened to be confined , though in his full senses , in the same house , a very handsome man , Mr . Darnford , whom , on seeing from her window , Maria recognizes for a very great favourite . A principle often inculcated by the author , both in Maria ' s character and her own , is , that . there can exist no duty unless prompted by feeling ; that , therefore , if a
nooman feels herself disinclined to her husband , that constitutes a dissolution ofe--very obligation to fidelity ; and also that when she feels herself inclined towards another man , she has a natural right to follow that inclination : that the prohibition , in the present state of society , to the unrestrained compliance with the dictates of the passions constitutes one of the greatest WRONGS op WOMEN . Jemima , attentive to her sex ' s rihtaffords Maria an opportunity of
reg , ducing her theories to praftice . Darnford spends his evenings in her apartment . _ Maria , by no means of the same opinion with Square the philosopher , that things are fitting to be done that are not fitting to be boasted of , openl y and boldly manifests her conduct . The husband prosecutes Mr . Darnford for crim . con . The lad y appears in court herself , and pleads her feelings ,, not as her apology , but her justification . The Tudce ( "England beintr the
scene ) retains so much of the old system of morals , that he does not admit this plea , however defensible by the new philosophy . The legal restrictions ¦ upon adultery constitute , in Maria ' s opinion , a MOST FLAGRANT WRONG TO WOMEN . So much for the moral tendency of the work . It must , however , be allowed , that the author displays here , as in her former productions , great vigour of imagination and considerable acuteness of understanding ; but her characters are the creatures of her own fancy and
abstractions , much more than exhibitions of real life . Her reasoning is income p lete : she does not make out her case . Although Jemima might have been a sufferer by debauchery and felony , these sufferings arise from her own individual situation and conduct , and not from her inferiority as a woman . Maria ' s misfortunes were owing to her own want of judgment in chusing a worthless individual for her husband , —a case belonging to herself , not common to her \ vithall women . The distresses may be the wrongs offemima and Maria .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of New Publications.
practicability of the proposed change , and the utility , if practicable , the reader may , from the following sketch , be able to form an idea . The obieCt is to shew , that all the misfortunes and wickedness ( to speak in the _ old style ) of women arise from the inferior situation which they hold in society . | In writing , ' says the author , ' I have rather endeavoured to pourtray passions than manners . ' In many instances I could have made the incidents more dramatic , would
I have sacrificed my main objeit , the desire of exhibiting misery and oppression , peculiar to women , that arise out of the partial laws and customs of society . * Maria had been captivated with the figure and manners of George Venables , a young merchant , ancl had married him : he dissipates all of her fortune that was not settled on herself exclusively , and when he cannot prevail On her to part with that remainderfinds means to have her kidnappedand
, , sent to a private mad-house . This misfortune she charges to the unequal state of men and women in society . Her attendant , Jemima , had been a prostitute and a thief , but in these occupations had greatly improved the vigour and acutfiiiess of an understanding naturally good . Maria , gains the affeCtions and confidence of Jemima ; they agree in concluding that their own distresses in particular , and therefore of women in general , arose from the arbitrary
usurpations of men . The pleasure of political discussion is not the only advantage Maria derives through Jemima . There happened to be confined , though in his full senses , in the same house , a very handsome man , Mr . Darnford , whom , on seeing from her window , Maria recognizes for a very great favourite . A principle often inculcated by the author , both in Maria ' s character and her own , is , that . there can exist no duty unless prompted by feeling ; that , therefore , if a
nooman feels herself disinclined to her husband , that constitutes a dissolution ofe--very obligation to fidelity ; and also that when she feels herself inclined towards another man , she has a natural right to follow that inclination : that the prohibition , in the present state of society , to the unrestrained compliance with the dictates of the passions constitutes one of the greatest WRONGS op WOMEN . Jemima , attentive to her sex ' s rihtaffords Maria an opportunity of
reg , ducing her theories to praftice . Darnford spends his evenings in her apartment . _ Maria , by no means of the same opinion with Square the philosopher , that things are fitting to be done that are not fitting to be boasted of , openl y and boldly manifests her conduct . The husband prosecutes Mr . Darnford for crim . con . The lad y appears in court herself , and pleads her feelings ,, not as her apology , but her justification . The Tudce ( "England beintr the
scene ) retains so much of the old system of morals , that he does not admit this plea , however defensible by the new philosophy . The legal restrictions ¦ upon adultery constitute , in Maria ' s opinion , a MOST FLAGRANT WRONG TO WOMEN . So much for the moral tendency of the work . It must , however , be allowed , that the author displays here , as in her former productions , great vigour of imagination and considerable acuteness of understanding ; but her characters are the creatures of her own fancy and
abstractions , much more than exhibitions of real life . Her reasoning is income p lete : she does not make out her case . Although Jemima might have been a sufferer by debauchery and felony , these sufferings arise from her own individual situation and conduct , and not from her inferiority as a woman . Maria ' s misfortunes were owing to her own want of judgment in chusing a worthless individual for her husband , —a case belonging to herself , not common to her \ vithall women . The distresses may be the wrongs offemima and Maria .