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in favour of women ; it is only asked tliat the present bounties and protective duties in favour of men should be recalled. If women have a greater natural inclination for some things than for others, there is no need of laws or social inculcation to make the majority of them do the former in preference to the latter. Whatever women’s services are most wanted for, the free play of competition will hold out the strongest inducements to them to undertake. And, as the words imply, they are most Avanted for the things for Avhich they are most fit; by the apportionment of Avhicli to them, the collective faculties of the two sexes can be applied on the Avhole Avith the greatest sum of valuable result.
The general opinion of men is supposed to be, that the natural vocation of a woman is that of a Avife and mother. I say, is supposed to be, because, judging from acts—from the Avhole of the present constitution of society—one might infer that their opinion was the direct contrary. They might be supposed to think that the alleged natural vocation of Avomen Avas of all things the most repugnant to their nature; insomuch that if they are free to do anything else—if any other means of living, or occupation of their time and faculties, is open, Avhich has any chance of appearing desirable to them—there
E