166 ON NOVEL OPINIONS born to share with men the duties of private life, has as clearly demonstrated, that they were not born to divide with them in its public administration. If, then, they were not intended to com- mand armies in war, nor to direct cabi- nets in peace, to legislate in the senate, nor to debate at the bar, - doubtless they were not intended to be public teachers of religion, to be makers of canons for a new church, nor to invent dogmas to controvert an old one ; nor to be professors of proselytism, nor wrangling polemics, nor conductors of controversy, nor settlers of disputes - disputes which will continue to be agi- tated as long as men have hot heads and proud hearts; as long as they pos- sess vanity or curiosity, impatience of restraint, or a love of opposition ; a weariness of sober truths, and a thirst after the fame to be acquired by their subversion. Why will women of sense, then, de- feat their providential destination ? why
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