BOOK III PART II
SECTIONXII. OFCHASTITY ANDMODESTY
If any difficulty attend this system concern-
ing the laws of nature and nations, it will be
with regard to the universal approbation or
blame, which follows their observance or trans-
gression, and which some may not think suffi-
ciently explained from the general interests of
society. To remove, as far as possible, all scru-
ples of this kind, I shall here consider another
set of duties, viz, the modesty and chastity
which belong to the fair sex: And I doubt not
but these virtues will be found to be still more
conspicuous instances of the operation of those
principles, which I have insisted on.
There are some philosophers, who attack
the female virtues with great vehemence, and
fancy they have gone very far in detecting pop-
ular errors, when they can show, that there is