man species has any true rights, or all have the same; and he or
she who votes against the rights of another, whatever may be his or
her religion, colour, or sex, has by that fact abjured his own.

It would be difficult to prove that women are incapable of exercising
the rights of citizenship. Although liable to become mothers of
families, and exposed to other passing indispositions, why may they
not exercise rights of which it has never been proposed to deprive
those persons who periodically suffer from gout, bronchitis, etc.?
Admitting for the moment that there exists in men a superiority of
mind, which is not the necessary result of a difference of education
(which is by no means proved, but which should be, to permit of women
being deprived of a natural right without injustice), this inferiority
can only consist in two points. It is said that no woman has made any
important discovery in science, or has given any proofs of the
possession of genius in arts, literature, etc.; but, on the other
hand, it is not pretended that the rights of citizenship should be
accorded only to men of genius. It is added that no woman has the same
extent of knowledge, the same power of reasoning, as certain men; but
what results from that? Only this, that with the exception of a
limited number of exceptionally enlightened men, equality is absolute
between women and the remainder of the men; that this small class
apart, inferiority and superiority are equally divided between the two
sexes. But since it would be completely absurd to restrict to this
superior class the rights of citizenship and the power of being
entrusted with public functions, why should women be excluded any more
than those men who are inferior to a great number of women? Lastly,
shall it be said that there exists in the minds and hearts of women
certain qualities which ought to exclude them from the enjoyment of
their natural rights? Let us interrogate the facts. Elizabeth of
England, Maria Theresa, the two Catherines of Russia--have they not
shown that neither in courage nor in strength of mind are women
wanting?

Elizabeth possessed all the failings of women. Did these failings work
more harm during her reign than resulted from the failings of men
during the reign of her father, Henry VIII., or her successor, James
I.? Have the lovers of certain empresses exercised a more dangerous
influence than the mistresses of Louis XIV., of Louis XV., or even of
Henry IV.?

W