FEMALE AFFECTION.
BY
BASIL MONTAGU.
LONDON:
J. BOHN, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
MDCCCXLV.
LONDON:
WILLIAM STEVENS, PRINTER, BELL YARD,
TEMPLE BAR.
TO HIS DEAR EDITH, FROM HER
AFFECTIONATE GRANDFATHER.—B. M.
PREFACE.
There are certain properties of the femalemind upon which doubt has existed, and may,possibly, long exist.
1. Women are said to be fond of ornament—anevil against which they were thus warned bySt. Paul—“I will that women adorn themselvesin modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety,not with embroidered hair, or gold, orpearls, or costly array, but which becomethwomen professing godliness, with good works.”
2. Women are said to be fond of gaiety:
“Some men to business, some to pleasure take,”—
but the ruling passion of woman is not the loveof business.
[vi]3. It is said that women act more from impulsethan from foresight:
“Men have many faults, women have only two,—”
of which the want of foresight is one.
4. Women, it is said, are variable:
——“Varium et mutabile semper
Fœmina.”
Women are fond of intellect, of courage, ofvirtue; and are capable of the most heroic acts.
Such are properties of the female mind, uponwhich doubt may be entertained; but there isone property upon which doubt cannot exist—itis the nature of woman to be affectionate.
B. M.
FEMALE AFFECTION.
THE PLEASURES OF AFFECTION.
The pleasures of the affections are Love,Friendship, Gratitude, and general Benevolence.
“For the pleasures of the affections,” saysLord Bacon, “we must resort to the poets, forthere affection is on her throne, there we mayfind her painted forth to the life.”
Instead of referring us to the poets, he might,according to his own admonitions, have referredus to the certain mode of discovering truth, byobserving facts around us, and particularly byobserving the nature sought, where it is mostconspicuous.
In searching, for any nature, observe it, hesays, where it is most conspicuous; as, in inquiringinto the nature of flame, observe thesudden ignition and expansion of gas—these arewhat he calls “glaring instances.”
The glaring instance of affection is FemaleAffection; there indeed she is on her throne,the