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Of The Influence Of The Female Character On The Manners Of Men.
Here we see one advantage resulting from the influence of the far sex on our manners . But I may be permitted a few further observations . ¦ Our ingenuity or invention is exercised , of course improved , by our intercourse with the ladies , for we are naturally induced to employ the most pleasing and various talents of art or wit that we may
possess to conciliate the favour or secui-e the friendship of the sex . The indispensable rules of ceremony to be observed in our converse with women , forbids many of those subjects either of folly or immorality which it is notorious many men are prone , ( how much to be regretted that they are allowed . ' ) to introduce in meetings of men . A desire to make ourselves agreeable to the fairsets the imagination
, ( or genius , call it which you will ) at work to find new and pleasing subjects of conversation , and these must be virtuous ; hence , while the wit is refined , the morals are ( at least for the time ) amended . Of Swift it is said , that he always wished to have ladies in company , because it preserved the delicacy of conversation .
In the calculation of the influence of the fair-sex over men , it were improper to omit the instances which the days of chivalry furnish : when love and gallantry , both exclusive marks of devotion to the ladies , made heroes and defenders of the Christian faith . Noil ' s it necessary that I should contend against a host of opponents who would tell me , that the blood that was shed in those wars disgraced humanityas they were but founded on different modes of faith
, without the possibility of its being proved which was the right ; it is sufficient to consider that the hopes of reward from the approbation , perhaps the , inestimable possession ,, of their several mistresses , inspired them with courage to defend that relig ion which they had been instructed to believe was the only true one .
To conclude , I cannot believe that any one of my male readers or hearers will venture to declare that he has hot felt , does not still occasionally feel , the grateful sensations of female influence upon his conduct ; if that influence be distant or indirect , it may be less powerful , but if present and immediate , what man can say that in the company of a virtuous woman he is not studiously correct in his mannersand that his mind is not free from those unworthy thoughts
, which at other times will occasionally intrude themselves upon him : ihe manners are meliorated by the force of habit from respect to our company , and we confess , while we feel , the benign influence of the Female Character on the Morals of Men .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Of The Influence Of The Female Character On The Manners Of Men.
Here we see one advantage resulting from the influence of the far sex on our manners . But I may be permitted a few further observations . ¦ Our ingenuity or invention is exercised , of course improved , by our intercourse with the ladies , for we are naturally induced to employ the most pleasing and various talents of art or wit that we may
possess to conciliate the favour or secui-e the friendship of the sex . The indispensable rules of ceremony to be observed in our converse with women , forbids many of those subjects either of folly or immorality which it is notorious many men are prone , ( how much to be regretted that they are allowed . ' ) to introduce in meetings of men . A desire to make ourselves agreeable to the fairsets the imagination
, ( or genius , call it which you will ) at work to find new and pleasing subjects of conversation , and these must be virtuous ; hence , while the wit is refined , the morals are ( at least for the time ) amended . Of Swift it is said , that he always wished to have ladies in company , because it preserved the delicacy of conversation .
In the calculation of the influence of the fair-sex over men , it were improper to omit the instances which the days of chivalry furnish : when love and gallantry , both exclusive marks of devotion to the ladies , made heroes and defenders of the Christian faith . Noil ' s it necessary that I should contend against a host of opponents who would tell me , that the blood that was shed in those wars disgraced humanityas they were but founded on different modes of faith
, without the possibility of its being proved which was the right ; it is sufficient to consider that the hopes of reward from the approbation , perhaps the , inestimable possession ,, of their several mistresses , inspired them with courage to defend that relig ion which they had been instructed to believe was the only true one .
To conclude , I cannot believe that any one of my male readers or hearers will venture to declare that he has hot felt , does not still occasionally feel , the grateful sensations of female influence upon his conduct ; if that influence be distant or indirect , it may be less powerful , but if present and immediate , what man can say that in the company of a virtuous woman he is not studiously correct in his mannersand that his mind is not free from those unworthy thoughts
, which at other times will occasionally intrude themselves upon him : ihe manners are meliorated by the force of habit from respect to our company , and we confess , while we feel , the benign influence of the Female Character on the Morals of Men .