hoolmaster, the
only man she fears, and the only one, as we have said, who, in the
present state of our manners, can threaten a woman.

"What an advantage has he in being able to take her quite young, in
the convent where they have placed her, to be the first to take in
hand her young soul, and to be the first to exercise upon her the
earliest severity, and also the earliest indulgence which is so
akin to affectionate tenderness, to be the father and friend of a
child taken so soon from her mother's arms. The confidant of her
first thoughts will long be associated with her private reveries.
He has had an especial and singular privilege which the husband may
envy: what--why, the virginity of the soul, and the first-fruits of
the will.

"This is the man of whom, young bachelors, you must ask the girl in
marriage, before you speak to her parents."

The subject is resumed in his preface to the third edition.

"It had been generally believed that two persons were sufficient
for matrimony: but this is all altered; and we have the new system,
as set forth by themselves, composed of three elements: 1st, _man_,
the strong, the violent; 2dly, _woman_, a being naturally weak;
3dly, _the priest_, born a man, and strong, but who is kind enough
to become weak, and resemble woman; and who, participating thus in
both natures, may interpose between them.

"Interpose! interfere between two persons who were to be henceforth
but one! This changes wonderfully the idea which, from the
beginning of the world, has been entertained of marriage.

"But this is not all; they avow that they do not pretend to make an
impartial interference that might favour each of the parties,
according to reason. No, they address themselves exclusively to the
wife: she it is whom they undertake to protect against her natural
protector. They offer to league with her in order to transform the
husband. If it was once firmly established that marriage, instead
of being unity in two persons, is a league of one of them with a
stranger, it would become exceedingly scarce."

It would be unjust to assume that a book written under the influence of
strong feelings contains an impartial account of actual facts; but even
the rage with which it has been received by the party attacked, is a
proof that it is true to most damaging extent. That its p