Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	line_n	page_n	read_v	2,028	5	9.7800	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55529	The woman as good as the man, or, The equallity of both sexes written originally in French and translated into English by A.L.; De l'égalité des deux sexes. English. 1677	Poulain de La Barre, François, 1647-1723.; A. L.	1677 (1677)	Wing P3038; ESTC R35373	70,496	218

And as there are none but unreasonable men who abuse the advantages that custome hath given them to the prejudice of Women neither can there be likewise any but indiscreet Women that should make use of this peece to make them rise against men who would treat them as their companions and equals In fine if any one be Choaked with this discourse for what reason soever it be let him quarrel with Truth and not the Author and to free himself from peevishness let him say to himself that it is but an Essay of wit it is certain that this jurk of imagination or a like hindering truth from gaining upon us renders it much less uneasie to those who have pain to suffer it THE TRANSLATOR TO THE Unprejudiced Reader I Well fore-see that my pains in making this ingenious French Author speak English will according to the bias of prejudiced and interested humours undergoe various Censures a great many men especially those who defie the French with their Shop-tooles will be at it Tooth and Nail and cry out that so many out-landish Trinckioms having already crept into use amongst the Women he that would endeavour to introduce more is no friend to the liberty of the Subject But such men do but hunt their own shadow my intent by this Translation being quite contrary When I Considered that of all Nations The English did most candidly assert and sutably entertain the worth of the lovely Sex and by civility and good nature as well as prudence and justice freely grant an equality to Women in all things wherein established and unalterable customes might not be violated which strangers even the French themselves the great complimenters of that Sex do by the force of Philosophy and with reasons which wrestle against prejudices but at most discourse of I thought I could not do less for the Satisfaction of such English Men who do not understand my Author in his own Language than to make him intelligible and so give them opportunity to infer from his opinions that what in this matter the Virtuosi and enquirers of that Nation Squeeze from subtile Speculation and Logick is no more than what every English Man Practiseth by common sense and Natural inclination And herein I hope not at all to have offended that Sex I think I have no great reason to apprehend ill will from the Vertuous Women for my endeavours of letting them hear strangers speak in their favours since they may Lawfully conclude from thence that if they enjoy more than their Neighbours of what is their acknowledged due it must be their peculiar advantages beyond others that makes them more considerable in the eyes of their Iudges there being no Countrey which produceth Women who ought more Iustly to boast of the favours and endowments of nature in respect of body and mind than this or who more fully enjoy or modestly use the priviledges which upon that account are reasonably allowed them This I conceive may be sufficient to warrant my undertakeing especially seeing so candid a peece of Philosophy may in a great measure vindicate the honour of the Nation which much grieves to be imposed upon by the modes and punctilio's of the French so much in fashion by letting the world see that the English Nobly complying with that Iustice which is therein so strongly pleaded for do in matters of importance give an Example so truly Imitable that the more ingenious must impute it to Salick Lawes long Custome masculine and harsh constitutions that they are not Vniversally proposed as patterns It is not my province to attempt the answering of objections which may be made against this kind of Doctrine both since my Author whose task it was hath fully done it and that there is no great danger of inconveniencies here to publish that which is already believed and put in practice And therefore if any corrupt minded sales-man who may pretend to know Women better than either the Author or my self because he hath seen more in their Bodices shall unlace and let flie a dotument and tell me that in this medling generation I have been a little too pragmatical to follow the steps of a stranger and tread upon snailes when they show their hornes I am so innocent as not to reply but leave him in his chafe to be convinced by reason and a good wife and speak a word to the impartial reader by way of advertisement concerning the Treatise The Author himself gives his Reason why he hath handled this Subject in so serious a manner and in so short and Doctrinal a stile So that I need say no more but as a faithfull Translator I have stuck to his words and sense I resolved indeed to have accommodated this Treatise as much as possibly I could to the manners and present customes of this nation but finding therein somethings whereon the Author does insist as material to the establishing of his opinion which are not well known in this Kingdome there being no order of People nor publick houses here which in every thing runs Parallel with NVNS ABBESSE and MONS ASTERIES but especially with those whom he mentions I thought it convenient to translaete his words Literally and for the understanding of one passage which may seem difficult advertise the Reader that there is an order of Nuns at Paris who because they make it their business to relieve and supply prisoners and other indigent persons have the name of Charity and that in the great Hospital the L'Hostel dieu there which is indeed a great Theatre of Humane infirmities all the sick are attended by Religious Women If the Reader be herewith satisfied I have my designe and if not I shall not I hope lose the name of a friend which is A. L. ERRATA PAge 43 line 20 read on Aspects for or Aspects p. 121 l. 1. r. Offices f. Officers THE WOMAN as Good as the MAN OR THE Equality of the two Sexes The First Part. Wherein is shewn That the Vulgar Opinion is Prejudicated and that comparing impartiality that which may be remarked in the Conduct of Men and Women we are obliged to acknowledge an intire Equality between both Sexes MEN perswade themselves of very many things for which they can give no Reason because their Assurance is founded onely upon slight Appearances by which they suffer themselves to be hurried and would have as strongly believed the contrary if the Impressions of Sense or Custom had thereto determined them after the same manner Setting aside a small number of Learned all the world hold as a thing unquestionable That the Sun moves about the Earth Though that which appears in the Revolution of Dayes and Years equally inclineth those who attentively consider to think That it is the Earth that takes its course round the Sun Men Imagine that in Beasts there is a certain Knowledge that guides them by the same reason that wild Savages fancy some little Spirits to be within Clocks and other Engines which are