... that they are reliant upon their hearts rather than their heads, is a theme that dominates the prescriptive writings of the era. Women are seen as having an innate affinity with God that makes religion a necessity, 'religion is far more necessary to you than self-sufficient men,' writes a mid-nineteenth century minister to his female parishioners, 'in you it would be not only criminal, but impolitic to neglect it.'3 The Bible was used to support such a philosophy, in which women are represented as having 'a natural and simple piety, the unquestioning obedient religion of a docile child.'4 Women are presented not only as being less intelligent than men but also as almost devoid of sexuality. O.S. Fowler, who described himself as a 'Practical Phrenologist', highlighted the difference between men and women, the latter being 'more virtuous and less passionate.'5 For women, the sexual act is seen only as a ...

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