Triumphs of female wit, in some pindarick odes, or, The emulation together with an answer to an objector against female ingenuity, and capacity of learning : also, a preface to the masculine sex / by a young lady.

TRIUMPHS OF FEMALE WIT , In Some Pindarick Odes . OR , THE EMULATION . TOGETHER With an Answer to an OBJECTOR against Female Ingenuity , and Capacity of Learning . ALSO , A Preface to the Masculine Sex , by a Young Lady .

LONDON , Printed for T. Malthus at the Sun in the Poultry , and J. Waltho , at the Black Lyon in Chancery-Lane , against Lincolns-Inn . MDCLXXXIII .

THE PREFACE TO THE Masculine Sex .

WEll Gentlemen , your Censures I know are ready , and you as willing to bestow 'em too on a Young Lady , when ill Nature ( as you call it ) hinders her Compliance with the foppish Importunities of your Desires , or grows cross-grain'd , and w'ont submit to the usual Slavery of her Sex . Indeed I expect to find my Appearance in the behalf of injur'd Females , condemned not only as immodest and unfashionable , but as unnatural and unreasonable also ; it being the common experienc'd Policy of Usurpers in Wit or Government , to overthrow the Justness of a Claimer's Title with Aspersions of Incapacity or Weakness . But as for our Fate , so far as it can be influenced either by your Brains or Tongues , I think we need not much value it , be the Severity thereof never so great or so keenly urg'd : for , Ingenuity of Revenge , and the witty Management of a Passion , was always look'd on as a Talent peculiar to our Sex alone ; a Female-Province , in which we were ever allow'd to be absolute . And I am of Opinion , that there are very few of you Sparks , who have been so happy as to be ingaged in innocent Intrigues with us Ladies , but must confess that we have briskness of Parts sufficient to baffle the ablest of you ; nay , and to your own Sorrow too , many times have experimented the Acuteness of our Senses in resenting , and our Wit and Resolution in revenging Injuries . I fancy , had Mother Eve but foreseen this unjust Oppression of her Daughters , she would scarce have been so prodigal of the Happiness and Ease of her Sex , or so free in Complaisance to her Husband , to engage in so mean and difficult a Duty ; but would rather have condemned him to the Drudgeries of Life , whilst her easie Task should be the delightful Study of Natural Curiosity ; with its Variety of Productions , to make Remarks on the Labour of toiling Men , and to be Judge of their Performances . Thus far did Womans Complaisancy become her Crime and her Disadvantage ; who instead of an easie pleasurable Life , is now confined to labour all the Day in the Kitchin Mines of a Family , and at Night to the ungratifying Divertisement of an unperforming Husband . Well , after all , I see if ever we hope to have these Grievances redress'd , we must e'en appeal to Dame Nature , to know what she at first design'd us for , and whether the Excellency of a Female Soul could possibly be raised no higher than the management of a Needle or the ingenuity of a Pudding . Why we should not be thought capable of all the Endowments of humane Nature , I cannot apprehend : I am sure we seem fram'd with as much skill and exactness , with the same Materials too both of Body and Mind as the best composed of you all ; with this only difference , That the yielding Female Lump was with more ease wrought into Perfection , and the curious Line of natural Beauty and Ingenuity ; when Man's more rugged knotty Matter could not be carv'd into Excellency without Flaws and Imperfections : And do not your Addresses and Amours daily confess us to be the chiefest Instruments of conveying your Blessings ; Nature having made us the Stewards of all those Delights and Pleasures which Men enjoy or wish for , and intrusted our Discretion with their Disposal . Why then should not Ladies set up for Wits , in whom it is so natural to please ; for Wit is nothing else but an agreeable Relish of an Object on the Apprehension : besides , the Faculties of our Souls are always brisk and sprightful , our Senses quick and intelligent ; and then for the Organs of our Senses , the Instruments of Action , they are always in tune , ever ready for Exercise and Engagement . Nay , so far are we from the unpardonable Crime of Dulness , ( a Vertue proper only to you Men ) that at pleasure we ( when the occasion proves inviting ) can raise our obliged Senses into the pleasing Extravagancy of Rapture or diverting Wit or Passion : and then again , with as much facility and ease , can command them back unto the sober Rules of solid Wisdom . We scorn to flag , like you Sparks , in the midst of an half enjoy'd pleasure , for want of Life to relish , and Vigour to finish the innocent Enjoyment . Thus far Nature furnishes us with Ability . And were but the Liberty of an Artificial Improvement , and the great Advantages of a suitable Education added to the Strength of our Parts and our natural Capacity , on my Conscience we should out-do you in the trade of Ingenuity , and soon get a stock of acquired Excellency wherewith to set up for accomplish'd Professors of Arts and Sciences : and I dare say that there are none of all you Sparks but would be glad to be dealing with us for Wit and Pleasure . Don't you see , whenever Generosity and Bravery of Mind ( disdaining to be fetter'd to the mean Employments of her Sex ) drives the noble Females Soul from the slavery of an entailed Ignorance unto the freedom and more agreeable pursuit of Learning and Wisdom , how soon and with what ease she becomes the deserved envy of Mankind , the Emulation of the Ingenious , and the Glory of her Sex for a rare Ingenuity . And let me tell you , Gentlemen , since we are thus happily become acquainted with our Strength , we shall often make bold to let our Wit sally out upon You the Enemies of our growing Reputation , and the unjust Invaders of our native Rights ; not doubting but to return with the grateful Spoils of a just Applause , and to signalize the prevailing power of our Charms in the Triumphs of our Wit as well as Beauty : the last of which was ever allow'd to be irresistable , and by the first you shall see that our methods of conquering are not always the same , but that we can captivate defenceless Men which way we please .

THE EMULATION . A Pindarick Ode . I. AH ! tell me why , deluded Sex , thus we Into the secret Beauty must not prye Of our great Athenian Deity . Why do we Minerva's Blessings slight , And all her tuneful gifts despise ; Shall none but the insulting Sex be wise ? Shall they be blest with intellectual Light , Whilst we drudge on in Ignorances Night ? We 've Souls as noble , and as fine a Clay , And Parts as well compos'd to please as they . Men think perhaps we best obey , And best their servile Business do , When nothing else we know But what concerns a Kitch in or a Field , With all the meaner things they yield . As if a rational unbounded Mind Were only for the sordid'st task of Life design'd . II . They let us learn to work , to dance , or sing , Or any such like trivial thing , Which to their profit may Increase or Pleasure bring . But they refuse to let us know What sacred Sciences doth impart Or the mysteriousness of Art. In Learning's pleasing Paths deny'd to go , From Knowledge banish'd , and their Schools ; We seem design'd alone for useful Fools , And foils for their ill shapen sense , condemn'd to prise And think 'em truly wise , Being not allow'd their Follies to despise . Thus we from Ignorance to Wonder run . ( For Admiration ceases when the Secret's known ) Seem witty only in their praise And kind congratulating Lays . Thus to the Repute of Sense they rise , And thus through the applauder's Ignorance are wise . For should we understand as much as they , They fear their Empire might decay . For they know Women heretofore Gain'd Victories , and envied Lawrels wore : And now they fear we 'll once again Ambitious be to reign And to invade the Dominions of the Brain . And as we did in those renowned days Rob them of Lawrels , so we now will take their Bayes . III . But we are peaceful and will not repine , They still may keep their Bays as well as Wine . We 've now no Amazonian Hearts , They need not therefore guard their Magazine of Arts. We will not on their treasure seise , A part of it sufficiently will please : We 'll only so much Knowledge have As may assist us to enslave Those Passions which we find Too potent for the Mind . 't is o're them only we desire to reign , And we no nobler , braver , Conquest wish to gain . IV . We only so much will desire As may instruct us how to live above Those childish things which most admire , And may instruct us what is fit to love . We covet Learning for this only end , That we our time may to the best advantage spend : Supposing 't is below us to converse Always about our Business or our Dress ; As if to serve our Senses were our Happiness . We 'll read the Stories of the ancient Times , To see , and then with horror hate their Crimes . But all their Vertues with delight we 'll view , Admir'd by Us , and imitated too . But for rewarding Sciences and Arts , And all the curious Products which arise From the contrivance of the Wise , We 'll tune and cultivate our fruitful Hearts , And should Man's Envy still declare , Our Business only to be fair ; Without their leave we will be wise , And Beauty , which they value , we 'll despise . Our Minds , and not our Faces , we 'll adorn , For that 's the Employ to which we are born . The Muses gladly will their aid bestow , And to their Sex their charming Secrets show . Whilst Man's brisk Notions owe their rise To an inspiring Bottle , Wench , or Vice , Must be debauch'd and damn'd to get The Reputation of a Wit . To Nature only , and our softer Muses , we Will owe our Charms of Wit , of Parts , and Poetry . Written by a Young Lady .

THE ANSWER TO THE EMULATION . A Pindarick Ode . I. WHat daring Female is 't who thus complains , In Masculine Pindarick Strains , Of great Apollo's Salique Law ; Both breaks it , and pretends that she Pleads only for her Native Liberty . Whilst in a rapid over-flowing tide Of Wit and Fancy , which no Banks are able to abide , She strikes the Guards of Helicon With a surprizing awe , And Amazonian-like , compels 'em to withdraw . II . Stand valiant she , a Parley I desire ; Whence had you this Poetick Fire ? I fear , Prometheus-like , y 'have stole A Spark design'd to form a manly Soul . Forbear , bold Nymph , thus to aspire , You needs must know , ingenious Dame , 't was from Jove's Brain alone Minerva came . Nature indeed hath made your Sex of use Unknowing Infants to produce . But sure she ne're designed it To make your Brains prolifick , or your Wit . III . Which of the Arts , Except that one of captivating Hearts , Doth the World owe to Woman kind ? And 't is not to monopolise The Law allows it to the wise , That he who proves so happy as to find Some undiscovered useful Skill Should use it at his will . And the sole profit be to him confin'd . At least until Some tolerable gains Have recompenc'd his cost and pains . But when , alas ! will Arts repay The time , health , cost , and pains upon them thrown away ? IV . 't is not that Men infult or would enslave Your Sex , that they engross Apollo's mines ; Methinks you should more pity have For those whom you have rob'd of all their Store , Than thus to envy them their toil and pains , To gain some part of what they had before . No , let 'em digg and delve , what need you care , 't is too hard labour for the fair . And when the dross is purg'd and gone , 't is not for our selves alone That we such tedious labour take , Next to our selves , 't is for your sake . To your fair Sex we willingly commit Our Golden Wisdom and our Silver Wit . V. Nature hath made your Sex with curious Art , Your Souls too are ingenious and bright , Both full of Beauty as the Sons of light . And Woman is the Rib that lies most near the Heart . Therefore I must advise the witty She Not to indulge this longing still , Lest you miscarry when you see Your power not equal to your will . Alas ! forbidden Fruit you know Did on the Tree of Knowledge grow , And when hardy thick scull'd Man Spends and cracks his studious Brain , And instead of gaining more Loses what he had before ; So those whom Emulation sets at strife To gain the Tree of Knowledge often lose the Tree of Life . VI . That muddy Stream of Time . In which your Sex , that prison of your Souls , Your rational unbounded Mind controuls , Swiftly into the eternal Ocean rouls : And then You 'll find no cause to envy Men . It will not be who studied most , N'one his Attainments then shall boast . 't is not a studious Life that brings The necessary Knowledge of revealed things . And all will then receive , Not as they knew , but as they did believe . Then trouble not your Quiet so , Hard and unnecessary things to know : Knowledge divine you may attain Without the labour of the Brain . Histories and moral Precepts too Are not deny'd to you ; But for the Learning of the Schools , That can't make Women wise , that makes Men Fools . Philosophy's uncertain Light Is but a wild Fire in the Night : And all the rest we Wisdom call , Is either little so , or not at all . Each Limb of Learning hath the Gout Of an incurable and painful Doubt . And by the acute Disease The richest Men are always least at ease . VII . But you have Passions to subdue ; More you would know , because you more would do ; You 're sensible of Ignorances Night , And fain would glut your Sight With a full view of intellectual Light . And may your Wish successful prove , For Ladies should enjoy whate're they love . May you walk safe in Learnings milky way , Know all that Men and Angels say , Expand your Souls to Truth as wide as day . But when you 're grown wise as well as fair , Then , Lady , have a care . Ambitious thoughts will rise , And you will know that you are wise . A Woman Fair , Wise , Learn'd , and Humble too , Will be a Species alone , A Phaenix true , Talk'd of by all but seen by none . Written by Mr. H.

A REPLY TO THE ANSWERER OF THE EMULATION . A Pindarick Ode . I. FRom whence , Usurping Man , thy boasted Claim , To all the Riches of the Brain ? Did good Apollo e're deny Charms to Orinda's Poetry ? How then infring'd are sacred Laws of Wit , Whilst our tuneful Passions move In measures pre-ordain'd by Jove ! And justly , only unambitious , we Assert our Native Liberty . With modest Bravery maintain our Female right To that divine inspiring Spring Which envious Man encloseth in ; Lest Draughts permitted to each Wishing she Should turn to pleasing well digested Extasie . II . Mistrustful Man , thus nobly I comply , To prove our native Ingenuity : No wonder you thus Sense defend , With watchful Cares on it attend : Since all the Graces of the manly Soul Were basely by Prometheus stole . Whilst from willing Jove's indulgent Brain The graceful uncompell'd Minerva came . Yet generous we do not refuse The ungrateful Sex still to produce . Our Pain and Labour gives you Life , and hence Your dull and phlegmy Heads are fram'd for Sense . III . The most unboasted of our Arts Is to triumph o're defenceless Hearts . At Pleasure we enslave and kill , For such mean Trophies of our Skill Do never fail the motions of our Will . For nobler Actions we design To conquer Men in things sublime : Each unintreaguing She hath Wit to rule , And make the most exalted Man of Sense a Fool . What outward Ornaments you get Are still the Products of our Wit . Not as unfit , in Prudence we forsake The toilsome Guidance of the State , To load our Slaves with that uneasie Fate . Our choice Endowments kindly we employ , More to teach Men Wisdom than enjoy . And as for things you idlely cast away , As you deserve so wisely we repay . IV . And should Men all Apollo's treasure get , 't will ne're prevail to conquer us : The least Degree of Female Wit Defends us from that hated Curse . Indeed we pity much your toil , That Weeds should still o'respread your Soil . But Labour well doth manly Souls befit , For their tough Notions must be thrash'd for Wit ; For us whilst Nature doth devise Less painful methods to be wise : But after all your Cost and Pain , So worthless is what e're you gain ; That it 's beneath our Love and Care Too mean Concernment for the fair . V. Kind Nature's Bounty , Sir , confess , Our Wit than Beauty more express . Whatever Graces in us shine Derive their lustre from the Mind . That little All that needy Man could spare To make up Woman most compleat and fair , Was but a Rib , that crooked too , Which Nature , forc'd , was to undoe , To make it strait , and able to receive That tuneful high-born Soul she gave . How then can we unjustly aim At things beyond our native Claim : Or how to high aspire Such sacred bright celestial Fire ? These lawful Longings we will ne're suppress , Or fear Miscarriage till we make 'em less : Whilst rash ungovern'd Men their Bliss destroy , Not knowing how to wish or to enjoy . We 'll so direct , with prudent Care , our Flight , T' enjoy at once the Tree of Knowledge and of Life . VI . Down the muddy Stream of Time ( In which we all so fast decline ) Vice hurries Man with a reboubled Pace , And taints his Soul with Dullness or Disgrace . Whilst Temperance supplies what time decays , And Virtue crowns us with the Bays . No dull or phleg my Humours e're controul The Native Briskness of the Soul , Still active we through subtle Nature drive , And gather Sweets to deck our lasting Hive . But when Unresisting Mortals come To pay the improvement of their Beings down ; There 'll be no cause to envy Men : For then their Pride and vain Conceit Of Parts and Learning must abate : That Wit and Wisdom which they boast , As not substantial , must be lost . 't is Female Souls shall then appear The most unsullied , bright , and clear ; Adorn'd with all their stock of Virtue gather'd here . By these safe methods 't is we move From Glories here to greater ones above . To the search of Knowledge all are bound , For Truth 't is fits us to be crown'd . But when rash Man let s fly His ill fletc'd thoughts at swifter mystery ; No wonder if he find At length his Reason lost or blind ; For fatal Disappointment always springs From the needless search of unrevealed things : We only let our Reason go At things convenient fit to know : We act just as the Gods enjoyn , And on permitted Objects fix our aim : Whilst bold ungovern'd Men do doubly err , Both in the Object , and the way they steer . Such the Learning of the Schools , Error gilt and dress'd by Rules , Contriv'd to gloss and set off Fools . Such cheating Knowledge we despise , Had rather still be ignorantly wise . True Wisdom and Philosophy Mount our Souls on high , And never lead our steady thoughts awry : For solid Reason still unerring goes Thro' Nature's mighty heap of Causes , shows How this from that , and whence they all arose . We go by no uncertain Light , Our Reason keeps us always right . Those Doubtings which we find Oppress the motions of the manly Mind , From Inadvertency arise , Or want of Parts and Power to be wise . VII . Our Senses ne're unruly grow , We only act what Reason prompts us to ; And we that Knowledge only choose . Whose free permitted Use Adds new Perfection to the mind , Which us to Virtue and our Maker closely bind . No meaner Objects keep A just Proportion with our well-set appetite . All that 's just , that 's great , or good , By Women's rightly understood . To trim our Souls we this employ , And them to brighter Glories thus convey . With such becoming modesty we rise To all the Graces of the wise . No Pride our Wisdom e're shall spoil , Or fond Conceit our Wit defile . Know Sir , that Women , witty , wise , and fair , Than worthy Men more plenty are : For we not only Men excell In choicer Gifts , but Wit to use 'em well . Written by Mr. F. FINIS .