1818 Jan 3

Not Paul

III. Doctrine

Ch. Asceticism

§. 2. Females slighted

Upon a closer inspection it will be seen that from the eccentric propensity the

influence of the female sex has more to gain than to lose.

Rival compared with rival much more formidable to the wedded female is a person of

her own sex than any person of the opposite sex can ever be. The space in the field

of life to which the eccentric propensity commonly applies itself is extremely

limited /narrow/. In the days of imperial Rome, when all matters of this sort were

settled by established custom, and where a seraglio /harem/ of the male sex formed an

ordinary part of the establishment of a man of rank and opulence, no sooner had a

member of such a fraternity /an establishment/ passed his twentieth year that he

passed into a particular class distinguished by a special appellative exoletus superannuated he was put upon the superannuated list.

Thus ephemeral were the attractions of the male in the eyes of the male: whereas in

these same eyes the duration of those of the female has as every one knows no bounds.

It is in the place of the venal female only and not in the place of her of whose

charms possession is not to be obtained on any other terms than those of a union made

permanent by law that those of the male venal or not venal were ever seen to

occupy.