But what
had poor humanity done to them? Why misunderstand it and seek for the
cause of its weakness in the Heavens? Let us remain on earth, we shall
find it there, and it is its proper home.
In truth, I have never in my letters openly declaimed against love; I
have never advised you not to take the blame of it. I was too well
persuaded of the uselessness of such advice; but I told you what love
is, and I therefore diminished the illusion it would not have failed
to create in your mind; I weakened its power over you and experience
will justify me.
I am perfectly well aware that a very different use is made of it in
the education of females. And what sort of profit is there in the
methods employed? The very first step is to deceive them. Their
teachers strive to inspire them with as much fear of love as of evil
spirits. Men are depicted as monsters of infidelity and perfidy. Now
suppose a gentleman appears who expresses delicate sentiments, whose
bearing is modest and respectful? The young woman with whom he
converses will believe she has been imposed upon; and as soon as she
discovers how much exaggeration there has been, her advisers will lose
all credit so far as she is concerned.
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