the rights of woman

an occasional address.

spoken by miss fontenelle on her benefit night, november 26, 1792.

while europe's eye is fix'd on mighty things,

the fate of empires and the fall of kings;

while quacks of state must each produce his plan,

and even children lisp the rights of man;

amid this mighty fuss just let me mention,

the rights of woman merit some attention.

first, in the sexes' intermix'd connection,

one sacred right of woman is, protection.—

the tender flower that lifts its head, elate,

helpless, must fall before the blasts of fate,

sunk on the earth, defac'd its lovely form,

unless your shelter ward th' impending storm.

our second right—but needless here is caution,

to keep that right inviolate's the fashion;

each man of sense has it so full before him,

he'd die before he'd wrong it—'tis decorum.—

there was, indeed, in far less polish'd days,

a time, when rough rude man had naughty ways,