that the very worst of them would traverse the town for the purpose of stabbing defenceless women-or, if fuch a man could be found, what amazing difcernment muft he be poffeffed of, to know a beautiful woman in the dark, and to know at the fame time that he is virtuous. A woman's being in the dark is as little in proof of her beauty, as her being in the streets alone after dufk is in favour of her virtue, though, by the bye, I do not say it is a prof to the contrary.-Your courageous dames go to and fro at all hours and there is lady W. whofe wit, vanity, and folly you have fo often heard of he carries piftols fince the report of the Monster, yet from what I have told you above, I do not think he is in danger from his attacks. Such my dear is the affair of the Monster which you faid you wifhed to know fomething of -There is now reafon to think it will foon "be as a 'rale that is told," and be laid on the fhelf, like an old play, to be revived by our children and grand-children. My brother, who came to town laft week, is now at my elbow, and has read my letter. He fays in his hafty way it is all nonfenfe,”-not my letter-but the affair of the Monster and bids me fead his refpccis to you and yours.-in my next I fhall leave thofe ideal beings called Monsters, and hope to be able to fend you fomething more pleafing, more probable, and more accountable. [ cannot, however, fend you any thing more true, than that I am your fincere friend HENRIETTA. faid Mrs. Bowen, " for if she cannot Louifa, whofe heart was full of compaffion and kindness, when the followed Maria into her chamber, flrove to confole her for the treatment fhe had met with; but Maria made her only an ill-natured reply, defiring her to let her alone, as the wanted to go to fleep, though nothing could be more distant from the truth, as the fcarce clofed eyes, while Louifa refted calm and undifturbed, and waked refrethed and chearful, while her fifter peevishly fretted through the day, contradicting and oppofing every creature who fpoke to her. She was, indeed, fo very ill-behaved, that Mrs. Bwen could not help once more wifling her to follow the example of her fifter, to which the harply answered, "that were fe treated as well as Louisa, she should behave as well, but that there was always fuch a preference given to her, that there was no encouragement for her to take any pains to please." "Only try," faid Mrs. Bowen ; "I will venture any thing upon your fuccefs." In a few days after Mrs. Bowen made a party to carry her daughters to Ranelaugh, as he thought it neceffary that young people in genteel life fhould be introduced to all the places of public diverfion, frequented by people in a fuitable ftyle of living, that they might be made acquainted with the manners of the polite world, and that the HE is to be pitied for her un- might from her own and their ob The CONTRAST. (Continued from p. 259. "happy was The Contraft. was proper to be avoided in public, and what to be purfued. At the fame time he warned them again! the frequently being feen there, as it might poffibly induce people to fpeak lightly on their conduct in general, and the too frivolous manner of spending their time. The party Mrs. Bowen went with were old acquaintances, but they joined fome young gay men of fashion, who took a great deal of notice of the mifs Bowens. One of them faid, loud enough to be heard by them both, that Louifa might have been tolerable once, but that the was totally fpoilt by the horrible fmall-pox, and not fit to be feen. Poor Louifa, hurt by fo cruel an obfervation by no means a true one-blushed like crimfon, pulled her bonnet as much over her face as fhe could, and ftrove alfo to hide it, by turning it away from the company, merely because she would not difguft any bady. Maria, on the other hand, delighted at her being fo diftinguished, drew up her head with a fmile of confcious triumph, and failed round the circls with fuch an air of fancied importance, from her fifter's being the object of diflike, though the fame young fellow, after having taken her off, faid, aloud to his companion, what a little huffy is that? She is fo very full of conceit that the hardly knows how to walk; fhe would be well enough if he knew what to do with herfelt." When they came home, Mrs. Bowen took occafion from what had been faid, to read a new lecture to Maria upon her behaviour, who Was fo angry at the remarks which had been made upon her, that the quarrelled with her fifter for endeavouring to comfort, by telling her that what fuch a thoughtlets young man faid was not worth her not ce. "I fuppofe you think fo," faid Maria, or you would not be fo easy VOL. XXI, 305 after having been told how frightful' you are." "Hold, Maria," faid Mrs. Bowen, "nobody could fay your fifter was frightful; if they faid he was hurt by the fmallpox, they certainly meant that fhe had been pretty before. Befides, her face, being changed by illness was no reflection on her, her manners are still amiable, nay, the takes great pains to render them more fo, on purpose to make amends for any perfonal deficiencies." Louifa thanked her mother for the confideration fhe fhowed her, but at the fame time defired fhe might have a large bonnet to fhade her from obfervation. "There is occafion for it, my dear," replied her mother," the diforder has not left any thing difgufting about you; your hearing that you are not fo pretty as you might have been had you not had it to fuch a degree, cannot do you any harm, it will rather be of fervice, as it may keep down afpiring thoughts, preferve you from pride and levity, and make you more attentive to please, by the charms arifing from an amiable difpofition, and engaging manners, which are not only more attractive, but more durable than the most beautiful fet of features, and the most brilliant complexion." Louifa, charmed with the turn her mother had given to that which had produced fo much difquietude in her mind, kiffed her hand with the most lively fenfations of gratitude, telling her that the fhould be always happy in wearing what he thought proper for her. Maria fueered at her eafines, and faid it was a fine thing to be fatisfied with one's felf. "She is not fatisfied merely with herself," faid Mrs. Bowen, but the is fatisfied with the difpenfations of Providence, knowing that every thing is for the beft, and that were fhe to murmur and complain, the wife. (To be continued.) might expect to be punished for want | hope he would continue her matera of gratitude, in return for the bl. ff nal admonitions after he became kis ings the enjoys. If you exp & to have any ing agreable to your own mind in this world, Maria, you will meet with perpet al disappointments. Perfect happine fs was never defigned for us in this state of proE.roa. When we enjoy many comforts, it is our duty to be contented; it would, indeed, be criminal to complain." Maria made no reply, but fhe, at the fame time, made no endeavour to mend her temper, while Louifa became every day more and more ftudious to pleafe; yet as thofe who faw them only at a vifit, or in public, could not know half the charms of tha amiable giri's difpofition, and as Moria had a showy perfon, which improved as he rofe into a woman, a young man of family and fortune, feeing her at a card-party, became in love with her outward appear. ance, heard, upon enquiry, fo excellent a character of her family, and, indeed, fo good a one of herfelt, as thofe whom he asked were nt intimate enough to be acquainted with her foibles, that he waited on Mrs Bowen, made her a frank difcofure of his fortune, and requefied her.permiffion to make his addreffes to miis Maria. Mrs. Bowen, pleaf d with fo good an pportunity to provide for her dughter, replied, that he was not much more than fixteen, but that if he had no objection to her age, the hoped he would be as domeftic as the ought to be, having herself taken a great deal of pains to inform her, and to prevent her failing too much into the difpofition of the prefent times.” Mr. Marlow-for that was the gentleman's name-told her that her own exemplary character, and propriety of manners, were iufficient to recommend her daughter, and that if he should be fo happy as to gia the charming Maris, he would THE MATRON. By Mrs. GREY. NUMBER CCXIV. T will be not a little difficult to IT point out a path for my correlpondent D. P. to pursue with regard to the care of five children, the eldest of whom is much too young, and will be fo, for four or five years at least, to be left to her own management, in the abfence of her father ; fixteen being the age when the advice and protection of a mother is parti cularly neceflary. Were the young lady fent to a boarding school, it would not anfwer her father's purpofe, as fhe could not, prudently, be left there after the age of fourteen at fartheft. A governefs, if a proper one could be immediately met with, must remain feveral years in the family, till the eldest daughter is not only old enough to be trufted, but experienced enough to fuper intend the coaduct of her younger fifters. Such a perfon may be found, but not eafily, as it is to be fuppofed that Mr. P. would be diftreffed at having always with him at meals,, &c. a perfon" who might not be an agreeable companion for him; and were he to meet with one who was fo, her pleafing him too well might be attended with very improper con fequences. I know at this time a family, in which the eldest daughter is about fixteen, who has taken upon herfelf the management of her father's family, and who, with the allifiance of her two fters next her in age, infructs the two youngest in reading, needle-work, French, &c. acquitting herself with a pro priety The Matron. priety which makes the beft of father's happy in his domeftic fituarion, doing herself at the fame time the highest honour. But I am 307 older than himself, who immedi ately took the fame care of his fon and daughter as if they had been her own, (pretty well knowing that fhe fhould have no other) and educated and treated them with an attention and tenderness which will render them bicffings to their father, while it fecures their affection to herfelf; an affection as fincere as if fhe was their own parent. Something must be given up in fuch cafes as thele, and if Mr. P. can be content bringing any brothers and fifters to the young ones he has already, and who is of a good difpofition, and not too fine a lady to infpect the conduct of his daughters, I fhould think that the most eligible mode of proceeding; and though it may be difficult, to find fuch a mother-inlaw, there are, certainly, well educated women, who from having but fmall fortunes may not have been chofen by men of refpectability, and who may be fufficiently fond of children to pay a proper attention to them when trufled entirely to their management, and by fo doing anfwer the defired purpofe. On the other hand, if Mr. P. will have youth and fortune, either the one or the other, he will, I am afraid, find himfelf not a little ein barraffed with his new connection, as fuch a connection, in his lituation, may be attended with the most undefirable confequences. afraid there are not many young ladies either capable or willing to undertake fo important a charge. Befides Mr. P's eldest child is much too young to be left to herself. A wife, therefore, appears to be moft eligible; however, if he wishes to have a mother to his daughters, he ought not to choose a lady who is young enough to bring an addition toed with a wife who is paft the age of his family, as an addition to it might not only create numberlefs jealoufits and uneafineffes, but take off her attention from the children of another mother, and transfer it to her own. He fhould alfo be very careful in fcrutinizing into the character of her whom he places over his girls, as they may be almoft in as much danger with a woman who has not a good temper, who is not of a patient difpofition, and who is not properly qualified to improve them by her inftructions, as if they were left to the care of common fervants. Women of fortune will feldom condefcend to take the trouble of fuch a young family upon themfelves, a young family not her own; moft women, indeed, in this age of drefs and diffipation, fcarcely pay fufficient attention to thofe to whofe existence they have contributed, but leave them to the care of people who are unfit, either to teach them, or to govern them in a becoming manser. Besides, as we The writer of the following letter may imagine my correfpondent is fent it rather too late to receive any not very far advanced in years, he benefit from an answer this featon; may chofe a lady fomewhat younger but though there are many people than himself, and in that cafe can- almoft in fimilar circumflances, the not but expect an increase of family, object of their purfuits may be few men, I believe, having the differious; I fhall, therefore, give it cretion of a friend of mine, poffeft as I received it, not doubting, but of a good fortune, who, being left that many people may be found who with two very young children, in ought as little to think of going to the prime of life, with a provifion Sadler's Wells, the Circus, and made for them by their mother's Alley's, as they did to the Abbey. relations, chofe a lady feveral years Rr2 To the MATRON, Madam, I Am a plain man, in a line of business which, though it brings me in a fufficiency to provide for my family, will not allow much to fpare; nor do I think, indeed, that people who deal in all the finaller neceffaries of life, retailing them out to their customers (many of whom are much lower than themselves) ought to fet themfelves upon a footing with those who are called our betters, though not any otherwife fo than by being in a genteeler way of trade, or in having more money to throw away upon diverfions than we have. Yet fuch is the force of example, that my two girls, and their brother, who being older, and confequently ought to be wifer, took it into their heads to go to the Abbey, and not on the morning of the rehearsal, but on the day when the king, the queen, and all the great people went; who, I fuppofe, paid no no more than my children, a guinca a piece. I reafoned and remon ftrated with them a great deal about the impropriety, as well as the extravagance of fuch a proceeding, but to no purpofe, though I drove it off to the very last day of performance, and then my girls were fulky and out of humour that they would not ferve their customers with a little fo.p or fand, unless I would give them tickets; as to my lon, he fwore he would take it out of the till if I refufed him any longer. I cannot fay that I objected fo much to the balf guinea job, though I thought it quite needles, but they would not be content without they faw the whole; and to be made fit to appear in fuch company, you know madam, they were to be dreft with a ftill farther addition of expenee. I talked to my wife, who is a good fort of a woman upon the whole, though ignorant, but they had fo far got her over to their fides, that the perfuaded me to indulge them this once, (indeed, I believe, the did it for a quiet life)" for who knows," faid he, "but Bet and Poll may get husbands; you know they are reckoned pretty girls, my dear, in our fhop, and when they come to te fine like other folks, perhaps fome gentleman may take a fancy to them." I could not help fimiling at the poor woman's folly, though at the fame time I commend ed her for calling the children by their christian names, though had they heard her, I believe they would not have forgiven her in a hurry, as they always call one another Eliza, and Maria. However, I at lalt agreed to let them go, but I took a great deal of pains to keep my fon at home, telling him tha: though his fifter's might make tolerable ladics, he could never look like a gentleman. He turned from me with the utmost contempt, and to fhow me I was mistaken, ftripped off a thewy border from one of his fitters petticoats, and induce her to few it on his mullin cimity waiftcoat, he then led out fourteen fhillings on a pair of white filk lockings, put new ribbands into his pumps, and had his hair drett in the very newest, fashion. They had their ordinary jackets, with only very broad ftriped fathes, which coft much more than I could afford. In fhort, though my wife faid they made pretty figures, I was fo vexed at my money being spent in this ridiculous manner, that I could not help quarrelling with them, while their brother was gone for a coach, for my fine ladies could not walk from our fhop to the church without either hats or bonnets; I, therefore, upbraided them with their extravagance, but they filenced me at once, by telling me that I could afford it better than many people, and they very well knew more than one who was actually kept upon charity, and had not enough to buy bread to est, and 1 |