that； not contented with having deprived their children； during their own
long lives； of the share they naturally ought to have had in their
fortunes； they afterwards leave to their wives the same authority over
their estates； and liberty to dispose of them according to their own
fancy。 And I have known a certain lord； one of the principal officers of
the crown； who； having in reversion above fifty thousand crowns yearly
revenue； died necessitous and overwhelmed with debt at above fifty years
of age； his mother in her extremest decrepitude being yet in possession
of all his property by the will of his father； who had； for his part；
lived till near fourscore years old。 This appears to me by no means
reasonable。 And therefore I think it of very little advantage to a man；
whose affairs are well enough； to seek a wife who encumbers his estate
with a very great fortune； there is no sort of foreign debt that brings
more ruin to families than this： my predecessors have ever been aware of
that danger and provided against it； and so have I。 But those who
dissuade us from rich wives； for fear they should be less tractable and
kind； are out in their advice to make a man lose a real commodity for so
frivolous a conjecture。 It costs an unreasonable woman no more to pass
over one reason than another； they cherish themselves most where they are
most wrong。 Injustice allures them； as the honour of their virtuous
actions does the good； and the more riches they bring with them； they are
so much the more good…natured； as women； who are handsome； are all the
more inclined and proud to be chaste。
'Tis reasonable to leave the administration of affairs to the mothers；
till the children are old enough； according to law； to manage them； but
the father has brought them； up very ill； if he cannot hope that； when
they come to maturity； they will have more wisdom and ability in the
management of affairs than his wife； considering the ordinary weakness of
the sex。 It were； notwithstanding； to say the truth； more against nature
to make the mothers depend upon the discretion of their children； they
ought to be plentifully provided for； to maintain themselves according to
their quality and age； by reason that necessity and indigence are much
more unbecoming and insupportable to them than to men； the son should
rather be cut short than the mother。
In general； the most judicious distribution of our goods； when we come to
die； is； in my opinion； to let them be distributed according to the
custom of the country； the laws have considered the matter better than we
know how to do； and 'tis wiser to let them fail in their appointment；
than rashly to run the hazard of miscarrying in ours。 Nor are the goods
properly ours； since； by civil prescription and without us； they are all
destined to certain successors。 And although we have some liberty beyond
that； yet I think we ought not； without great and manifest cause； to take
away that from one which his fortune has allotted him； and to which the
public equity gives him title； and that it is against reason ； to abuse
this liberty； in making it serve our own frivolous and private fancies。
My destiny has been kind to me in not presenting me with occasions to
tempt me and divert my affection from the common and legitimate
institution。 I see many with whom 'tis time lost to employ a long
exercise of good offices： a word ill taken obliterates ten years' merit；
he is happy who is in a position to oil their goodwill at this last
passage。 The last action carries it； not the best and most frequent
offices； but the most recent and present do the work。 These are people
that play with their wills as with apples or rods； to gratify or chastise
every action of those who pretend to an interest in their care。 'Tis a
thing of too great weight and consequence to be so tumbled and tossed and
altered every moment； and wherein the wise determine once for all； having
above all things regard to reason and the public observance。 We lay
these masculine substitutions too much to heart； proposing a ridiculous
eternity to our names。 We are； moreover； too superstitious in vain
conjectures as to the future； that we derive from the words and actions
of children。 Peradventure they might have done me an injustice； in
dispossessing me of my right； for having been the most dull and heavy；
the most slow and unwilling at my book； not of all my brothers only； but
of all the boys in the whole province： whether about learning my lesson；
or about any bodily exercise。 'Tis a folly to make an election out of
the ordinary course upon the credit of these divinations wherein we are
so often deceived。 If the ordinary rule of descent were to be violated；
and the destinies corrected in the choice they have made of our heirs；
one might more plausibly do it upon the account of some remarkable and
enormous personal deformity； a permanent and incorrigible defect； and in
the opinion of us French； who are great admirers of beauty； an important
prejudice。
The pleasant dialogue betwixt Plato's legislator and his citizens will be
an ornament to this place； 〃What；〃 said they； feeling themselves about to
die； 〃may we not dispose of our own to whom we please？ God！ what
cruelty that it shall not be lawful for us； according as we have been
served and attended in our sickness； in our old age； in our affairs； to
give more or less to those whom we have found most diligent about us； at
our own fancy and discretion！〃 To which the legislator answers thus：
〃My friends； who are now； without question； very soon to die； it is hard
for you in the condition you are； either to know yourselves； or what is
yours； according to the delphic inscription。 I； who make the laws； am of
opinion； that you neither are yourselves your own； nor is that yours of
which you are possessed。 Both your goods and you belong to your
families； as well those past as those to come； but； further； both your
family and goods much more appertain to the public。 Wherefore； lest any
flatterer in your old age or in your sickness； or any passion of your
own； should unseasonably prevail with you to make an unjust will； I shall
take care to prevent that inconvenience； but； having respect both to the
universal interests of the city and that of your particular family； I
shall establish laws； and make it by good reasons appear； that private
convenience ought to give place to the common benefit。 Go then
cheerfully where human necessity calls you。 It is for me； who regard no
more the one thing than the other； and who； as much as in me lies； am
provident of the public interest； to have a care as to what you leave
behind you。〃
To return to my subject： it appears to me that women are very rarely
born； to whom the prerogative over men； the maternal and natural
excepted； is in any sort due； unless it be for the punishment of such；
as in some amorous fever have voluntarily submitted themselves to them：
but that in no way concerns the old ones； of whom we are now speaking。
This consideration it is which has made us so willingly to enact and give
force to that law； which was never yet seen by any one； by which women
are excluded the succession to our crown： and there is hardly a
government in the world where it is not pleaded； as it is here； by the
probability of reason that authorises it； though fortune has given it
more credit in some places than in others。 'Tis dangerous to leave the
disposal of our succession to their judgment； according to the choice
they shall make of children； which is often fantastic and unjust； for the
irregular appetites and depraved tastes they have during the time of
their being with child； they have at all other times in the mind。 We
commonly see them fond of the most weak； ricketty； and deformed children；
or of those； if they have such； as are still hanging at the breast。 For；
not having sufficient force of reason to choose and embrace that which is
most worthy； they the more willingly suffer themselves to be carried
away； where the impressions of nature are most alone； like animals that
know their young no longer than they give them suck。 As to the rest； it
is easy by experience to be discerned that this natural affection to
which we give so great authority has but very weak roots。 For a very
little profit； we every day tear their own children out of the mothers'
arms； and make them take ours in their room： we make them abandon their
own to some pitiful nurse； to whom we disdain to commit ours； or to some
she…goat； forbidding them； not only to give them suck； what danger soever
they run thereby； but； moreover； to take any manner of care of them； that
they may wholly be occupied with the care of and attendance upon ours；
and we see in most of them an adulterate affection； more vehement than
the natural； begotten by custom toward the foster children； and a greater
solicitude for the preservation of those they have taken charge of； than
of their own。 And that which I was saying of goats was upon this
account； that it is ordinary all about where I live； to see the
countrywomen； when they want milk of their own for their children； to
call goats to their assistance； and I have at this hour two men…servants
that never sucked women's milk more than eight days after they were born。
These goats are immediately taught to come to suckle the little children；
know their voices when they cry； and come running to them。 If any other
than this foster…child be presented to them； they refuse to let it suck；
and the child in like manner will refuse to suck another goat。 I saw one
the other day from whom they had taken away the goat that used to nourish
it； by reason the father had only borrowed it of a neighbour； the child
would not touch any other they could bring； and died； doubtless of
hunger。 Beasts as easily alter and corrupt their natural affection as
we： I believe that in what Herodotus relates of a certain district of
Lybia； there are many mistakes； he says that the women are there in
common； but that the child； so soon as it can go； finds him out in the
crowd for his father； to whom he is first led by his natural inclination。
Now； to consider this simple