Memory Murray Summary

Memory, Murray explains, is something that men and women have in common, since “a loquacious old woman is as frequently met with, as a communicative old man; their subjects are alike drawn from the fund of other times” (Selected 5). Again, Murray using a rhetorical question to argue for women’s means to reason, writing “Are we deficient in reason? We can only reason from what we know, and if an opportunity of acquiring knowledge hath been denied us, the inferiority of our sex cannot fairly be deduced from thence” (Selected 5). Similarly, to reason, Murray traces judgement back to “the difference of education, and continued advantages” (Selected 5). She uses the comparison between a two-year-old boy and girl. Murray makes her case that by nature the minds of women and men are equal, and it is essentially nurture that grants men their superior judgement. She writes “can it be said that the judgement of a male of two years old, is more sage than that of a female’s of the same age” To which she answers “I
She asks “Will it be urged that those acquirements would supersede our domestick duties” or that “domestick employments are sufficient” enough for women (Selected 7)? To this Murray states that “every requisite in female economy is easily attained; and…once attained, they require no further mental attention” (Selected 7). Adding that women, who are just as equal a “candidate for immortality… should at present be so degraded, as to be allowed no other ideas, than those” (Selected 7) of the simple household. Murray acknowledges the domestic sphere as female, however, she hopes to extend it by using higher education. Murray believes that women are more than capable of handling both their daily chores as well as have time for education, which would allow for a conversation that is “more refined and rational” (Selected 7) and possibly further employment if need