KNOWLEDGE of mind an essential preliminary.-Nature of
mind. The brain, its organ, not a material condition merely.—
Size of the brain in woman less than in man.-This for the first
time proved by examining twins at an early period, and by the
development of the brain differing with difference of sex.-Caution
in such examinations.-The organs of sense and observing facul
ties larger in woman.-Her sensibility excessive.-Her reasoning
faculties small.-Instinct her compensation for this.-First species
of instinct.-Its first variety; the infant's sucking explained.—
Its second variety; the duckling and Galen's kid explained.→
Mr. Mayo's mistakes as to instinct.-Second species of instinct.—
Many conscious and voluntary actions even of man become in-
stinctive.-Third species of instinct; acquired and communicated
to progeny.-Instinctive faculties increase with the organs of sense
and the vital system. These faculties therefore predominate in
woman.-All her other faculties either created or modified by
these, and therefore receiving its essential character. They ac.
cordingly can never rise above this instinctive influence.-All
her actions more or less instinctive.-Hence her rapid tact, de-
cision, &c.-Error of Mrs. Wolstonecraft as to reason in wo-
man.-Absurd conclusions of mankind, from this predominance
of instinct imperfectly observed.-Relative value of instinct and
reason.-Intellectual faculties of woman.-Her ideas, emotions
and passions. Her imagination.-Superstition.-Her volition.→→→
Power of attention.-Muscular power. Her reasoning.-Inca.
Woman's sense of what is fitting. Her politeness.-Her
vanity.-Madame de Stael's opinion on this subject.-The affec.
tions of woman.-Her sentiments.—Mrs. Macauley's abuse of
Lord Bacon, &c.-The friendship of woman.-Madame de Stael's
account of it.-The philanthrophy, patriotism and politics of
woman.-Woman, a legislator.-Character of Queen Elizabeth.
-Woman's dependence on and knowledge of man. Her love.—
Her artifice. Her coquetry.-Her caprice. Her excellence in
all the instinctive faculties; her deficiency in the reasoning ones.
PART III.-MARRIAGE, p. 102.
Marriage among the inferior animals.-Hume's doctrine as to
marriage. The errors it involves.-Monogamy shown to be a
natural law, essential to domestic peace and social happiness.→
This confirmed by the near equality of the sexes.—
s.-By the effects
of monogamy on the moral, civil and political state of society.-
Its consequent encouragement by states.-Interference of the
priesthood with marriage.-Duration of marriage.-Opinions of
Shelley and Madame de Stael.-Opinion of Hume.-The cir.
cumstance of progeny neglected by both parties.-Shelley's view
of indissoluble marriage. Dissolution of the marriage tie among
the Greeks and Romans.-Power of the archon at Athens.-
Pericles and his wife.—Cato and Martia.-Corruptions of the em-
pire.-Error of Dionysius Halycarnassæus.-Dissolution of mar-
riage in Switzerland.—In republican France.-Consequences of
its abrogation as stated by d'Herbouville and Bulwer.-Effects of
a liberal system in some of the South Sea Islands.-Practice of
the North American savages.-What the physical foundations of
indissolubility in marriage ?—Reply.—Advantages of experience.
-The strongest argument for duration.-Montesquieu's opinion.
-Hume's opinion.-Madame de Stael's lamentation.-Motive of
the canon and English law.-Equivocal and vague arguments.—
The subject not analytically examined.-The consideration of
children applicable only where children exist.-Subject first to
be discussed without reference to children.-Divorce divided into
that properly so called and repudiation.-Divorce, the affair only
of two independent beings.—Repudiation requiring at most fair
defence and attainment of justice.-But Milton referred to.-Both
divorce and repudiation require temporary separation of parties.-
Children enhance the difficulty of divorce and repudiation.-They
demand the interference of a fourth party in society.-Divorce
and repudiation not to be permitted until children shall not suffer
by separation or desertion of parents.-The age to be attained by
them a subject of due consideration.-Motive it should afford to
parents. Objection to this as an infliction on parents.-This, the
consequence of their own act; and its good effects.-Infidelity as
facilitating divorce.-Divorce only for adultery on the part of the
wife, in the notion that she alone can vitiate offspring.—The
offence, however, equal on both sides.-If a wife deceive her own
husband, he deceives the husband of another.-When neither
another family nor society considered, but solely the relations of
husband and wife, the offence of the latter is only to the former,
while that of the former is to another husband.—Where no off
spring, no enhancement of offence, which is equal on both sides.
-No difficulty as to parentage of children.—He whom a child
docs not resemble, not its father.-Punishment for such aggra-
vation unjust until its commission proved.-Absurdity of legal
offence making divorce easy. The consequence of this, en-
couragement of such offence.—Such, the whole of the just and
natural impediments to divorce.-Relation of husband and wife.
-Man governing, woman obeying.-Qualities fitting woman for
this.-Error of Education unfitting her.-Woman stoops to con.
quer.-Beauty wedded to art.-Rousseau's observations.-Fe-
minine mind in men, and masculine in women.-Mrs. Wolstone-
craft's notion of conspiracy to enslave women.-Reply.-Writers
demanding for woman what nature denies, mind having power-
fully marked sexual character.-Madame Roland on rights of
woman.-Relation of women to children.-In the case of girls.
-In young women.-Feebleness of woman necessary in relation
to children.-Observations of Cabanis.-Absurd complaint of
Mrs. Wolstonecraft.-Occupations of women.-Domestic and se-
dentary occupations.-The making of clothes.-Rousseau's ob-
servations.-Personal neatness.-Mrs. Wolstonecraft's remarks.
-Preparing of food.-Its origin.-Consequences of neglecting
these duties.-Consequences of performing them.-Anecdote by
Captain Franklin.-Cause of woman's easily excelling in these
duties.—Homer's opinion on the subject.
PART IV.-MATRIMONIAL SLAVERY, p. 145.
Women every where slaves.-The women of savage nations.—
Of half-civilized nations.-Women in despotic countries.-In
England. In republics.-England not perhaps affording fair
specimen of European treatment of women.-English women
slaves as to fortune, person and children.-Heiresses may be
bought.-Women cannot impose as to fortune.-Men may.—
Paraphernalia, the husband's property.-Wife cannot prevent
husband wasting personal estate. Has little power over real
estate.-Kissed or kicked out of previous settlement.-Jointure
not always retained.—Can ill dispose of property by will.-Case.
-No amends afforded by exemption from imprisonment.—Re-
lative treatment of husband and wife under offence.-Wife by
adultery forfeits right to maintenance and dower.-Infamous
proposal by a lawyer.-Wife punished in lieu of adulterous hus-
band. Her treatment if she divorce him.-Horrible case of
Tomlinson v. Tomlinson.-Scheme of robbing wives; and reply
to the lawyer's proposal.-Wife has no property in mental ability,
or personal industry.-Case.-Wife has no property in person,
and may be made prisoner for life.-Case.-Cruelty may be
added to imprisonment.-Case.-That cruelty may be worse than
death.-Case.-Consequences of swearing a breach of the peace.
-Wife has no property in children.-Husband may exclude her
from access to them.-Case.-May make this the means of ex-
tortion.-Case.-Mother of illegitimate children has entire con
trol.-Remedy for this.-Power of husband after death to injure
wife in relation to children.-Remedies necessary.-Husband's
reward for tyranny, in dissimulation, deceit and ridicule.-In
extensive infidelity.-Natural laws affording relief to the wife-
She triumphs in the contest between brute force and intelligence.
-Ludicrous position of husbands.
PART V.-INFIDELITY, p. 165.
Borrowing of wives in Greece.-Opinions of Lycurgus.-
Effect of his ordinances on the conduct of women.-Observation of
Montesquieu.—The stoics and Lycurgus.—Motives of the latter;
and children in Sparta.-Liberty allowed to married women of
Athens.-Its effects.-Socrates and Xantippe.-Even these au-
thorities no excuse for the errors here involved.-Borrowing of
wives in Rome.-Cato and Martia.-Error of Montesquieu.-
Tertullian and St. Austin on this subject.-Reflection of a modern
writer.-Extent of infidelity in our times; and its foundation in
nature.-Mind of women in that respect, and remarks of
Montaigne and Pope.-Facts as to conjugal fidelity.—Sexual
pretended morals.-Madame de Stael's reflections on that subject.
-Lord Byron's.-Baseness of these morals.—Man punished by
ridicule. Conduct of the higher classes in France, England, &c.,
as to infidelity; and circumstances which lead to this.-Laws of
society, in some slight collision with those of nature.-Novelty
essential to high sensual enjoyment.—As expressed in old anec-
dote, &c.-As proved philosophically.-Relation of this law of
variety to circumstances and dispositions of the sexes.-As
natural to woman as to man.-Chief difference among nations as
to the indulgences of love.-Forms of women which betray this.
-Conduct of the English in this respect.-Difference between the
young and the more experienced woman.-Relative evils herewith
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