What do you believe the impact of commerce on human conduct means? How does Richard Steele portray this in his Spectator? What exactly are the transactions of love and power in a men's perspective versus a women's perspective?
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It seems that the Spectator is suggesting that women care more for their own than men do. Women are "more sensibly touched with those general aspirations which are cast upon their sex, than men are" (2479). Because women have this more compassionate sense about them, they make sure to use their positions of power for the good of humanity, where as men are more concerned with the betterment of commerce. For example, when the man is in the native woman's domain, he accepts her gifts she is bestowing upon him and graciously accepts and desires her presence. He notes that Yarico is probably a "person of distinction" because of the way she dresses and the gifts she brings him. So we see this woman that has at least a certain degree of power, displaying passion and compassion for this man. However, as soon as Inkle is back in his domain, the thought of commerce and time lost = money lost are on the forefront of his mind. So while we see that he is not opposed to having an intimate and personal relationship with a woman, he is more willing to sacrifice such things if it means he will earn more money.
Perhaps the Spectator is saying that for women love and power can be at work at the same time, but from a man's perspective, the two are mutually exclusive.
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