Selections from The Female Spectator

The Following excerpt provides an excerpt from Eliza Haywood's exciting periodical for women, The Female Spectator. This passage demonstrates not only her talent as an author, but some of her didactic essays which promotes equality between the sexes and the need for women like us to become educated.

"It has been ever agreed, by Men or the best Understanding, that the farther they go in the wonderful Researches of Nature, the more abash'd and humble they are: -- They see the Unfathomable Depth before them, and with it the Insufficiency of human Penetration: -- The little they are able to discover convinces them that there are Things still out of their reach, and even beyond their Comprehension; and while it raises their Ideas of the Almighty Wisdom, puts an entire Check to all vain Imaginations of their own.

O but, say they, Learning puts the Sexes too much on an Equality, it would destroy the implicit obedience which it is necessary Women should pay to out Commands.: -- If once they have the Capacity of arguing with us, where would be our authority!

Now will I appeal to any impartial Reader, even among the Men, if this very Reason for keeping us in Subjection does not betray an Arrogance and Pride in themselves, yet less excusable than that which they seem so fearful of our assuming." [14]

 

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