Modern literature: a novel, Volume 3 (of 3)Bisset, Robert
General
Modern literature: a novel, Volume 3 (of 3)
Bisset, Robert
England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction
These, in a few words, were _to act in every case according to their
own pleasure_; and to share in all the prerogatives of men. They were
to be soldiers, sailors, senators, politicians, scholars, philosophers,
and rakes; they were also to be coachmen, postillions, blacksmiths,
carpenters, coal-heavers, &c. She addressed herself to the love of
glory, by which so many of the fair are eminently distinguished, to
incite them to rivalry. She trusted the time would soon arrive, when
the sex would acquire high renown in boxing matches, sword and pistol;
and when nails, the weapons at present employed in deciding their
contests, should be no longer in occupation. Not only the instruments
of war, but the military tactics should be changed; the hair, caps,
and cloaths, were to be no longer the points of attack; women were
to use knock-me-down blows, tierce and cart, point give point, St.
George’s guard. If a lady at a rout, for instance, happened to quarrel
about an odd trick, instead of tearing her own fan, let her challenge
her antagonist, “Damn your eyes, I will darken your day-lights; let
us strip to our dickies this instant, as the fashion goes, the way
is not far: the Countess of Coniac shall be bottle-holder; it is an
office she likes.” By Jemima’s orders they might use dexterity, as well
as prowess, and sometimes fall without a blow. At wrestling let them
bar tripping, unless the antagonist be a man, for then it is fair. To
illustrate, by example, the characters which she wished to form, as
the Squaws and Otaheites were at too great a distance, she mentioned
the ladies that attended the fruit-markets at Covent-Garden, and the
fish-markets at Billingsgate. These, however, were far surpassed by
their sisters in France, the _dames du Halles_, and the _poissardes_.
The English fair above-mentioned, only unsex themselves as far as
feminine softness extends; but the French fair laid aside all feminine
tenderness, and being as ferocious as the most savage soldier of Attila
or Kouli Khan, were much more complete models of the hardened state
which Jemima proposed women to attain. To divest English women entirely
of delicacy and tenderness, sanguine as the projectress was, she feared
would be impracticable; but still she trusted she might have partial
and considerable success.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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