able manner, against female delicacy and innocence. In the former, that delicacy and that innocence are expofed under the greatest disadvantages to the fudden influence of highly fascinating allurements. It may be hoped however, that, coming to the encounter as yet little impaired, they may have fome chance of efcaping without fevere injury. At any rate, be this chance ever so small, it is greater than the probability, that when affailed from their earliest dawn, by flow poifon inceffantly adminiftered, they should ultimately furvive.

To accuftom the mind by degrees to the trials which it must learn to withstand, yet to fhelter it from infidious temptations, while it is unable to difcern and to fhun the fnare, is the first rule which wisdom fuggests with regard to all trials and temptations whatever. To this rule too much attention cannot be paid in the mode of introducing a young woman into the common habits of focial intercourfe. Let her

not

cording to the answers which they receive concerning the number of fervants kept in the house, the magnificence of their liveries, the number of courfes habitually ferved up

at table, the number of routs given at the town refidence in winter, the extent of the gardens and of the park at the family manfion in the country, the intercourse maintained with nobility and people of fashion, and the connection subsisting with the fordid occupations and degrading profits of trade. When daughters are educated at home, the fame paffions reveal themselves; but being encountered by the fuperior attention which may there be paid to a girl's difpofitions, and wanting the encouragement which they would have derived in the school from example and from the exercife afforded to them by a continual fupply of fresh materials to work upon, they are more eafily fubdued. Both in public and in private education let them meet with that vigilant and determined oppofition, without which

they

with proportionate duties and temptations; that to poffefs it implies no merit, to be without it, no unworthiness; and that the only important diftinctions are thofe which involve excellence of character and forebode permanent effects, the diftinctions of vice and virtue.

Among children affembled in large bodies at feminaries of education, many are found who regulate their deportment to their fchool-fellows, partly according to the degrees of wealth, but efpecially of gentility, which they conceive to belong to their refpective families. When the parent or relation of any of the scholars drives up to the door, they crowd into the windows with other emotions befides that of fimple curiofity; and, as the equipage is more or lefs fhewy than that in which their own friends are wont to make their appearance, envy or exult. They pry, by ingenious interrogatories, into the internal proceedings of each other's home; and triumph or repine according

G4

the former feems not only to remove obftacles to the operations of the latter, but even to communicate to its powers an acceffion of ftrength. Wholefome food, early hours, pure air, and bodily exercife, are inftruments not of health only, but of knowledge. Of these four indifpenfable requifites in every place and mode of education, the two first are seldom overlooked; in schools the two which remain frequently do not awaken the folicitude which they deserve.

I's

pure air to be found in the heated atmofphere of low and crowded rooms? Is it exercife to pace once in a day in proceffion down a street or round a fquare; or in regular arrangement to follow a teacher along the middle walk of a garden, forbidden to deviate to the right hand or to the left? Pale cheeks, a languid afpect, and a feeble frame, anfwer the queftion; and prognofticate the long train of nervous maladies which lie in wait for future years. It is not neceffary that girls fhould contend in the hardy amusements which befit the youth of the other

fex. But if you wish that they should poffefs, when women, a healthful conftitution, steady spirits, and a strong and alert mind; let active exercife in the open air be one of their daily recreations, one of their daily duties (x).

(z) For the purpose of encouraging a propenfity to falubrious exercife in the open air, it seems defirable that girls fhould be allowed, when educated at home, and if poffible, when placed in schools, to poffefs little gardens of their own, and to amuse themselves in them with the lighter offices of cultivation. The healthinefs of the employment would amply compenfate for a few dagged frocks and dirtied gloves. Befides, an early relifh for domeftic amusements lays the foundation of a domeftic character. The remembrance of delights experienced in childhood difpofes the mind in riper years to pursuits akin to those, from which the recollected pleasures were derived.