Who ever drew a more exalted female character than Rousseau? though in the lump he
constantly endeavoured to degrade the sex. And why was he thus
anxious? Truly to justify to himself the affection which weakness
and virtue had made him cherish for that fool Theresa. He could
not raise her to the common level of her sex; and therefore he
laboured to bring woman down to her's. He found her a convenient
humble companion, and pride made him determine to find some
superiour virtues in the being whom he chose to live with; but
did not her conduct during his life, and after his death, clearly
shew how grossly he was mistaken who called her a celestial
innocent. Nay, in the bitterness of his heart, he himself
laments, that when his bodily
infirmities made him no longer treat her like a woman, she
ceased to have an affection for him. And it was very natural that
she should, for having so few sentiments in common, when the
sexual tie was broken, what was to hold her? To hold her
affection whose sensibility was confined to one sex, nay, to one
man, it requires sense to turn sensibility into the broad channel
of humanity; many women have not mind enough to have an affection
for a woman, or a friendship for a man. But the sexual weakness
that makes woman depend on man for a subsistence, produces a kind
of cattish affection which leads a wife to purr about her husband
as she would about any man who fed and caressed her.
