Polwhele, Richard. The Unsexed Females
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THE UNSEX'D FEMALES.
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1: THOU, who with all the poet's genuine rage,
2: Thy "fine eye rolling" o'er "this aweful age,"
3: Where polish'd life unfolds its various views,
4: Hast mark'd the magic influence of the muse;
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5: Sever'd, with nice precision, from her beam
6: Of genial power, her false and feeble gleam;
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7: Expos'd the Sciolist's vain-glorious claim,
8: And boldly thwarted Innovation's aim,
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9: Where witlings wildly think, or madly dare,
10: With Honor, Virtue, Truth, announcing war;
11: Survey with me, what ne'er our fathers saw, `
12: A female band despising NATURE's law,
13: As "proud defiance" flashes from their arms,
14: And vengeance smothers all their softer charms.
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15: I shudder at the new unpictur'd scene,
16: Where unsex'd woman vaunts the imperious mien;
17: Where girls, affecting to dismiss the heart,
18: Invoke the Proteus of petrific art;
19: With equal ease, in body or in mind,
20: To Gallic freaks or Gallic faith resign'd,
21: The crane-like neck, as Fashion bids, lay bare,
22: Or frizzle, bold in front, their borrow'd hair;
23: Scarce by a gossamery film carest,
24: Sport, in full view, the meretricious breast;
25: Loose the chaste cincture, where the graces shone,
26: And languish'd all the Loves, the ambrosial zone;
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27: As lordly domes inspire dramatic rage,
28: Court prurient Fancy to the private stage;
29: With bliss botanic as their bosoms heave,
30: Still pluck forbidden fruit, with mother Eve,
31: For puberty in signing florets pant,
32: Or point the prostitution of a plant;
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33: Dissect its organ of unhallow'd lust,
34: And fondly gaze the titillating dust;
35: With liberty's sublimer views expand,
36: And o'er the wreck of kingdoms sternly stand;
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37: And, frantic, midst the democratic storm,
38: Pursue, Philosophy! thy phantom-form.
39: Far other is the female shape and mind,
40: By modest luxury heighten'd and refin'd;
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41: Those limbs, that figure, tho' by Fashion grac'd,
42: By Beauty polish'd, and adorn'd by Taste;
43: That soul, whose harmony perennial flows,
44: In Music trembles, and in Color glows;
45: Which bids sweet Poesy reclaim the praise
46: With faery light to gild fastidious days,
47: From sullen clouds relieve domestic care,
48: And melt in smiles the withering frown of war.
49: Ah! once the female Muse, to NATURE true,
50: The unvalued store from FANCY, FEELING drew;
51: Won, from the grasp of woe, the roseate hours,
52: Cheer'd life's dim vale, and strew'd the grave with flowers.
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53: But lo! where, pale amidst the wild, she draws
54: Each precept cold from sceptic Reason's vase;
55: Pours with rash arm the turbid stream along,
56: And in the foaming torrent whelms the throng.
57: Alas! her pride sophistic flings a gloom,
58: To chase, sweet Innocence! thy vernal bloom,
59: Of each light joy to damp the genial glow,
60: And with new terrors clothe the groupe of woe,
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61: Quench the pure daystar in oblivion deep,
62: And, Death! restore thy "long, unbroken sleep."
63: See Wollstonecraft, whom no decorum checks,
64: Arise, the intrepid champion of her sex;
65: O'er humbled man assert the sovereign claim,
66: And slight the timid blush of virgin fame.
67: "Go, go (she cries) ye tribes of melting maids,
68: "Go, screen your softness in sequester'd shades;
69: "With plaintive whispers woo the unconscious grove,
70: "And feebly perish, as depis'd ye love.
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71: "What tho' the fine Romances of Rousseau
72: "Bid the flame flutter, and the bosom glow;
73: "Tho' the rapt Bard, your empire fond to own,
74: "Fall prostrate and adore your living throne,
75: "The living throne his hands presum'd to rear,
76: "Its seat a simper, and its base a tear;
77: "Soon shall the sex disdain the illusive sway,
78: "And wield the sceptre in yon blaze of day;
79: "Ere long, each little artifice discard,
80: "No more by weakness winning fond regard;
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81: "Nor eyes, that sparkle from their blushes, roll,
82: "Nor catch the languors of the sick'ning soul,
83: "Nor the quick flutter, nor the coy reserve,
84: "But nobly boast the firm gymnastic nerve;
85: "Nor more affect with Delicacy's fan
86: "To hide the emotion from congenial man;
87: "To the bold heights where glory beams, aspire,
88: "Blend mental energy with Passion's fire,
89: "Surpass their rivals in the powers of mind
90: "And vindicate the Rights of womankind."
91: She spoke: and veteran BARBAULD caught the strain,
92: And deem'd her songs of Love, her Lyrics vain;
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93: And ROBINSON to Gaul her Fancy gave,
94: And trac'd the picture of a Deist's grave!
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95: And charming SMITH resign'd her power to please,
96: Poetic feeling and poetic ease;
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97: And HELEN, fir'd by Freedom, bade adieu
98: To all the broken visions of Peru;
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99: And YEARSELEY, who had warbled, Nature's child,
100: Midst twilight dews, her minstrel ditties wild,
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101: (Tho' soon a wanderer from her meads and milk,
102: She long'd to rustle, like her sex, in silk)
103: Now stole the modish grin, the sapient sneer,`
104: And flippant HAYS assum'd a cynic leer;
105: While classic KAUFFMAN her Priapus drew,
106: And linger'd a sweet blush with EMMA CREWE.
107: Yet say, ye Fair, with man's tyrannic host,
108: Say, where the battles ye so proudly boast,
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109: While, urg'd to triumph by the Spartan fife,
110: Corporeal struggles mix'd with mental strife?
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111: Where, the plum'd chieftain of your chosen train,
112: To fabricate your laws, and fix your reign?
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113: Say, hath her eye its lightnings flash'd to scath
114: The bloom young Pleasure sheds on Glory's path;
115: Her ear, indignant as she march'd along,
116: Scorn'd every charm of soft lascivious song?
117: Say, hath she view'd, if pass'd the mourner by,
118: The drooping form, nor heav'd one female sigh;
119: Arm'd with proud intellect, at fortune laugh'd,
120: Mock'd the vain threat, and brav'd the envenom'd shaft?
121: Say, hath your chief the ideal depths explor'd,
122: Amid the flaming tracts of spirit soar'd,
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123: And from base earth, by Reason's vigor borne,
124: Hail'd the fair beams of Mind's expanding morn?
125: Alas! in every aspiration bold,
126: I saw the creature of a mortal mould:
127: Yes! not untrembling (tho' I half ador'd
128: A mind by Genius fraught, by Science stor'd)
129: I saw the Heroine mount the dazzling dome
130: Where Shakspeare's spirit kindled, to illume
131: His favourite FUSELI, and with magic might
132: To earthly sense unlock'd a world of light!
133: Full soon, amid the high pictorial blaze,
134: I saw a Sibyl-transport in her gaze:
135: To the great Artist, from his wondrous Art,
136: I saw transferr'd the whole enraptur'd Heart;
137: Till, mingling soul with soul, in airy trance,
138: Enlighten'd and inspir'd at every glance,
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139: And from the dross of appetite refin'd,
140: And, grasping at angelic food, all mind,
141: Down from the empyreal heights she sunk, betray'd
142: To poor Philosophy -- a love-sick maid!
143: -- But hark! lascivious murmurs melt around;
144: And pleasure trembles in each dying sound.
145: A myrtle bower, in fairest bloom array'd,
146: To laughing Venus streams the silver shade:
147: Thrill'd with fine ardors Collinsonias glow,
148: And, bending, breathe their loose desires below.
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149: Each gentle air a swelling anther heaves,
150: Wafts its full sweets, and shivers thro' the leaves.
151: Bath'd in new bliss, the Fair-one greets the bower,
152: And ravishes a flame from every flower;
153: Low at her feet inhales the master's sighs,
154: And darts voluptuous from her eyes.
155: Yet, while each heart-pulse, in the Paphian grove,
156: Beats quick to IMLAY and licentious love,
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157: A sudden gloom the gathering tempest spreads;
158: The floral arch-work withers o'er their heads;
159: Whirlwinds the paramours asunder tear;
160: And wisdom falls, the victim of despair.
161: And dost thou rove, with no internal light,
162: Poor maniac! thro' the stormy waste of night?
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163: Hast thou no sense of guilt to be forgiv'n,
164: No comforter on earth, no hope in Heaven?
165: Stay, stay -- thine impious arrogance restrain --
166: What tho' the flood may quench thy burning brain,
167: Rash woman! can its whelming wave bestow
168: Oblivion, to blot out eternal woe?
169: "O come (a voice seraphic seems to say)
170: "Fly that pale form -- come sisters! come away.
171: "Come, from those livid limbs withdraw your gaze,
172: "Those limbs which Virtue views in mute amaze;
173: "Nor deem, that Genius lends a veil, to hide
174: "The dire apostate, the fell suicide. --
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175: "Come, join, with wonted smiles, a kindred train,
176: "Who court, like you, the Muse; nor court in vain.
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177: "Mark, where the sex have oft, in ancient days,
178: "To modest Virtue, claim'd a nation's praise;
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179: "Chas'd from the public scene the fiend of strife,
180: "And shed a radiance o'er luxurious life;
181: "In silken fetters bound the obedient throng,
182: "And soften'd despots by the power of song.
183: "Yet woman owns a more extensive sway
184: "Where Heaven's own graces pour the living ray:
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185: "And vast its influence o'er the social ties,
186: "By Heaven inform'd, if female genius rise
187: "Its power how vast, in critic wisdom sage,
188: "If MONTAGUE refine a letter'd age;
189: "And CARTER, with a milder air, diffuse
190: "The moral precepts of the Grecian Muse;
191: "And listening girls perceive a charm unknown
192: "In grave advice, as utter'd by CHAPONE;
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193: "If SEWARD sting with rapture every vein,
194: "Or gay PIOZZI sport in lighter strain;
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195: "If BURNEY mix with sparkling humour chaste
196: "Delicious feelings and the purest taste,
197: "Or RADCLIFFE wrap in necromantic gloom
198: "The impervious forest and the mystic dome;
199: "If BEAUCLERK paint Lenora's spectre-horse,
200: "The uplifted lance of death, the grisly corse;
201: "And e'en a Princess lend poetic grace
202: "The pencil's charm, and breathe in every trace.
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203: She ceas'd and round their MORE the sisters sigh'd!
204: Soft on each tongue repentant murmurs died;
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205: And sweetly scatter'd (as they glanc'd away)
206: Their conscious "blushes spoke a brighter day."