ABSTRACT
David Hume 141 all obliged in a few years, as their youth and beauty decayed, to imitate the example of their sisters; which it was no difficult m atter to do in a state where the female sex had once got the superiority.I know not if our Scottish ladies derive anything of this hum our from their Scythian ancestors; but I must confess that I have often been surprised to see a woman very well pleased to take a fool for her mate, that she might govern with the less control; and could not but think her sentiments, in this respect, still more barbarous than those of the Scythian women above mentioned, as much, as the eyes of the understanding are more valuable than those of the body.But to be just, and to lay the blame more equally, I am afraid it is the fault of our sex if the women be so fond of rule, and that if we did not abuse our authority, they would never think it worth while to dispute it. Tyrants, we know, produce rebels, and all history informs us that rebels, when they prevail, are apt to become tyrants in their turn. For this reason, I could wish there were no pretensions to authority on either side; but that everything was carried on with perfect equality as betwixt two equal members of the same body. And to induce both parties to embrace those amicable sentiments, I shall deliver to them Plato’s account of the origin of love and marriage.3Mankind, according to that fanciful philosopher, were not, in their original, divided into male and female, as at present; but each individual was a compound of both sexes, and was in himself both husband and wife, melted down into one living creature. This union, no doubt, was very entire and the parts very well adjusted together, since there resulted a perfect harmony betwixt the male and female, although they were obliged to be inseparable companions. And so great were the harmony and happiness flowing from it, that the Androgynes,4 (for so Plato calls them) or men-women, became insolent upon their prosperity, and rebelled against the gods. To punish them for this tem erity, Jup iter3 could contrive no better expedient than to divorce the male-part from the female, and make two imperfect beings of the compound which was before so perfect. Hence the origin of men and women as distinct creatures. But notwithstanding this division, so lively is our remembrance of the happiness we enjoyed in our primaeval state, that we are never at rest in this situation; but each of these halves is continually searching through the whole species to find the other half which was broken from it; and when they meet, they join again with the
greatest fondness and sympathy. But it often happens that they are mistaken in this particular that they take for their half what no way corresponds to them, and that the parts do not meet nor join in with each other as is usual in fractures. In this case the union is soon dissolved and each part is set loose again to hunt for its lost half, joining itself to every one it meets, by way of trial, and enjoying no rest till its perfect sympathy with its partner shows that it has at last been successful in its endeavours.Were I disposed to carry on this fiction of Plato, which accounts for the mutual love betwixt the sexes in so agreeable a manner, I would do it by the following allegory:When Jupiter had separated the male from the female, and had quelled their pride and ambition by so severe an operation, he could not but repent him of the cruelty of his vengeance and take compassion on poor mortals, who were now become incapable of any repose or tranquillity. Such cravings, such anxieties, such necessities arose, as made them curse their creation and think existence itself a punishment. In vain had they recourse to every other occupation and amusement. In vain did they seek after every pleasure of sense, and every refinement of reason. Nothing could fill that void which they felt in their hearts, or supply the loss of their partner who was so fatally separated from them. To remedy this disorder and to bestow some comfort, at least, on the hum an race in their forlorn situation, Jupiter sent down Love and Hymen,6 to collect the broken halves of hum an kind, and piece them together in the best m anner possible. These two deities found such a prom pt disposition in mankind to unite again in their primitive state, that they proceeded on their work with wonderful success for some time, till, at last, from many unlucky accidents, dissension arose betwixt them. The chief counsellor and favourite of Hymen was Care, who was continually filling his patron’s head with prospects of futurity; a settlement, family, children, servants; so that little else was regarded in all the matches they made. On the other hand, Love had chosen Pleasure for his favourite, who was as pernicious a counsellor as the other, and would never allow Love to look beyond the present momentary gratification, or the satisfying of the prevailing inclination. These two favourites became, in a little time, irreconcilable enemies, and made it their chief business to undermine each other in all their undertakings. No sooner had Love fixed upon two halves, which he was cementing together, and forming to a close union, but Care insinuates himself, and bringing Hymen along with him, dissolves the union produced by
Love, and joins each half to some other half which he had provided for it. To be revenged of this, Pleasure creeps in upon a pair already joined by Hymen, and calling Love to his assistance, they under-hand contrive to join each half by secret links to halves which Hymen was wholly unacquainted with. It was not long before this quarrel was felt in its pernicious consequences; and such complaints arose before the throne of Jupiter, that he was obliged to summon the offending parties to appear before him, in order to give an account of their proceedings. After hearing the pleadings on both sides, he ordered an immediate reconcilement betwixt Love and Hymen, as the only expedient for giving happiness to mankind: And that he might be sure this reconcilement should be durable, he laid his strict injunctions on them never to join any halves without consulting their favourites Care and Pleasure, and obtaining the consent of both to the conjunction. Where this order is strictly observed, the Androgyne is perfectly restored and the hum an race enjoy the same happiness as in their primaeval state. The seam is scarce perceived that joins the two beings together; but both of them combine to form one perfect and happy creature.
