1811.

SIR,

Who can come in and say that I mean her, When such a one as she, such is her neighbour. SHAKES.

As I find you have done me the honour of giving my last letter a place in your paper, I am encouraged once imore to address myself to you; partly to evince my sense of this attention, and partly to relieve my mind, which is really overburdened, with the variety of new and often painful impressions, it has been every day receiving from this busy idle scene; from seeing parents, as an excellent modern author has said," in a combination against the health and morals of their children." In the conclusion of my last, I told you, that my friend appeared gloomy at breakfast on the morning after the ball. I thought this very ungracious, it surprised me, as I had considered Myrtle a very benevolent and sociable man. I could not help comparing his manner with my own to my little ones at home, the morning after any extraordinary amusement, when the shy remark, the kind enquiry, and the pointless jest awakened in the happy groupe, the transient blush, the grateful smile, or the anxious explanation; but here all was gloominess and reserve. What can be the meaning, thought I, of this evident want of harmony betwixt parent and children, when both are so good? I had again recourse to my friend Rebecca to explain this mystery.

Alas! said she, I lament that my dear brother and his children have not the domestic enjoyment which the virtues

No. 34.

and affections of their hearts entitle. them to; but the truth is, they are in a state of perpetual warfare; his mind. has to maintain a constant struggle between the indulgences which parental affection would allow, and the restraints which his better judgment dictates.. In. the evening when he lays aside the cares of business and comes into the drawing. room, expecting "fireside joys," and family intercourse, his disappointment is evident in the chagrin which his. countenance expresses; when he finds his beloved children, either preparing. to go out to a party, or to receive one at home; for even Fanny, who is not. yet fourteen, has her perpetual round. of engagements. He attempts to stem. this current of premature dissipation, but it is a feeble attempt; the wisdom of the monitor continually yields to the tenderness of the father, and I perceive with deep regret that their mutual hap-. piness is impaired; and what have they got in exchange; a gaudy phantom, an unreal bliss, which leaves languor and disappointment behind. The amusements are in themselves innocent, the error is in their frequency, which also destroys the great charm of novelty, that constitutes the delight of all enjoyments which do not owe their origin. to the practice of piety and virtue, the intercourse of friendship or the endearments of affection. This charm belongs to the amusements of those, who like your children live in comparative retirement. The most simple treat is to them a festival; it is like a sunny day in early spring, calling forth the opening buds and shedding its enlivening influ

ence on all the works of nature. "But my dear friend," said I, "why do not you interfere? surely your admonitions would not be ineffectual." "I have been here," replied she, with a sigh, "but a short time;" it is my wish first to conciliate the affections of my nieces; for I am enough acquainted with human nature to know that no useful influence can be attained but through the medium of the heart, and we must use both admonition and reproof with caution, according as we advance to this point, lest by imprudent rashness we lose the ground we have gained."

We were here interrupted by the father and daughters. I began to make enquiry about my old acquaintances, some of whom were still alive, and many had paid the debt of nature. I had seen at the ball the grand-children of several whom I left in the bloom of life. I was particularly anxious about a little favourite who held out a fair promise when she was only ten years old. She was the daughter of a much esteemed friend of mine, long since dead and had been early married to Mr. Darnley a man of great respectability. I had heard much of her high acquirements and active benevolence, and begged Miss M. would introduce me to her. O! she is a literary lady, a complete blue stocking," cried Miss Sophia, we are all afraid of her; even the men are quite jealous of her metaphysical skill and political knowledge." "That shall not frighten me," replied I, "I am not afraid either of knowledge or understanding; they are generally accompanied with simplicity and politeness. The manner which appals me is the insolence of pride arising from lately acquired wealth, or the frivolous affectation of fashion, and the incomprehensible gabble, alluding to parties and people, that I am entirely unacquainted with. Yet I know not why I should be appalled, as I neither admire the one

'

nor esteem the other, unless they strike me with sublimity from the obscurity in which, to me at least, they seem involved. It is in these conversations that a stranger feels at a loss. In the infinite variety of literary subjects, every well educated person ought to be able to converse; they can either communicate or receive information. They can open the recesses of memory, and pour forth their own latent stores, thereby inviting their associates to display theirs. It has been said by a wise and great man, that conversing with an intelligent friend, increases our knowledge, both by the information we receive, and by impressing on our own minds more deeply that which we communicate.' To talk of men being jealous of a woman's literature, is, my dear young lady, absurd. A man must be stupid indeed, considering the advantages of his education, who is not much better informed, than the most enlightened woman." "The advantages men might have from their education, you mean," interrupted Mr. Myrtle, "for as to what they really have, that is another question, but while our youth walk about the streets all the morning and are in a public place to which follows a public party at a private house every evening, they must have some supernatural power of multiplying time. before they can find an hour for study. No, no, the classics and the sciences must be left to the poor and the industrious that have no other mean of climbing the steep of fame or reaching the goal of ambition. Men of fashion and fortune have more important matters to attend to." "Genius," said Miss Mirtle, " is confined to no class of society, but she will withdraw her celestial light from that mind which sinks into indolence or prefers a false glare. To keep her lamp burning requires the constant supplies of study and application, but come, Sir, we shall set out, and you

ed to her graciously, and said to me in a whisper," that is one of my friend's pensioners." Mrs. D. joined us immediately on our entering the drawing-room, and I was much struck with the beauty of her countenance; but it was not her pure complexion and regularity of feature that charmed me most, it was the intelligence which beamed in her dark grey eye, and the traces of benevolence that I marked in her endearing sinile. It was a smile which expressed inward peace, that said, at this moment I have soothed the widowed mourner, and relieved the orphan's wants. The room was plainly furnished, with few ornaments, but every thing had an air of simplicity and neatness that bespoke case and comfort. Her two daughters were seated working at a small table, on which lay a volume of Johnson's Lives of the Poets. She received me with an easy and endearing cordiality. as the friend of her departed parents, and listened with apparent, but pensive delight, to the anecdotes of past times and of those that were no more, which f indulged myself in recording. The conversation naturally turned from the past to the present; but the remarks of these ladies were not those of a severe censor, but of a candid and judicious observer, interested in the fate and anxious for the well being of the human race. I could not help expressing my astonishment and regret at the flippancy of manners and waste of time, I observed in the young people I had seen. "It is indeed," said Mrs. Darnly

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deplorable, and so much does it prevail, that it is extremely difficult to escape the contagion." The young ladies during this conversation had remained. busily engaged at work, but without speaking a word, except in answer to

leave with a promise to repeat it, and to fetch my little novice with me.

I was scarce out of the house when I broke out into the highest elogium on Mrs. D. I spoke to a partial listener; all my ravings met with a response from the kind and generous heart of Miss Myrtle, in which was no envious pangto check the impulse of admiration. "Mrs. D." said she, " is indeed as near perfection as human nature is capable of. An understanding, the most elevated, she has enriched by extensive information, to which is added the polish of a fine taste, and the graces of a versatile and lively imagination; rendering her conversation animating as well as instructive; the severity of her judgment being tempered by thesprightliness of her sallies and the palliatives of her benevolence. Nature has bestowed on her a heart of the most sympathetic kindness and the keenest sensibility, yet entirely free of that nervous impatience and irritable delicacy which often accompany that character. This must be ascribed to the self command arising from correct principles, which she has acquired in early youth, and from a habit of reflecting on the consequences of every impatient word on the peace and comfort of those connected with her. This rare union of vivacity, feeling, and placidity, gives a delightful variety to her conversation, which sometimes rises even to eloquence. In the charms of manner she is indeed unrivalled, and how perfect is its effect when you consider that this graceful ornament covers an enlightened mind, and a sincere heart glowing with love to her fellow creatures and piety to her God."

We now went to visit a person of a very opposite description, Mrs. Lawson,

exactly what you mean by clever, bnt I should expect from an enlightened understanding the highest degree of sweetness. In proportion to the cultivation and refinement of the mind, the temper is softened and regulated, and the manner must participate of the gentleness produced by such a union. The diamond becomes smoother by polish, as well as more bright. It appears to me unjust, because a woman is remarkable for one excellence, that other qualities which she possesses should be entirely thrown into the shade. "Well but you must own," said Eliza, "tho' you are such an advocate for literary ladies, that they neglect their domestic concerns, and while they spend hours in reading essays on the improvement of time, and the education of youth, they leave their children to run about idle, or listen to the instructive and refined conversation of the nursery-maids." To assist me in repelling this accusation I applied to Rebecca. "You are sad girls," said she, with a conciliating smile, but you have given an unfortunate example in support of your opinion, for in Mrs. Darnley's family there is the most perfect order and regularity. Her daughters, you know, are extremely accomplished, yet I am not sure that they possess superlative genius, but their application has been unceasing. In companionable powers they excel all the young people I have ever known. Their knowledge is so veiled with genuine delicacy and retiring diffidence, that it never obtrudes itself; but if the veil is withdrawn by kindness and attention; grateful for notice, and willing to communicate, they display a variety and extent of information that at their early age is no less wonderful than engaging.

"I never spent a happier month than at Elmwood last summer. I was astonished at the leisure Mrs. D. seemed at all times to enjoy when I knew that so much business was going on.

She was

ever ready to walk, to converse, to attend Mr. Darnly when he wished to consult her about any of his improvements, for this happy man appreciates the treasure he possesses, and never does any thing of importance without her concurrence. One secret cause of this agreeable leisure I discovered to be her rising early in the morning, and arranging all her domestic concerns before the family were assembled. Thus order and neatness shone all around us without our perceiving its source." "Yes," replied Sophia," she is very robust and can make any exertion." "You do not mean to make her an Amazon?" cried her father, "no, no, she is a woman of great delicacy of constitution, but she has not injured it by reversing the or der of nature, turning. night into day, lying a-bed all the morning, and exposing herself to the cold air at night as your favourite Mrs. Lawson does." "O Sir, do not censure her, she is a sweet creature." "Her sweetness is like Cape wine," replied he," it alloys after the first glass, and neither invigorates nor enlivens." "How did you like her, Sir, turning to me?" "Her manners are certainly inoffensive," said I, "but that is the highest praise I can give her, and I own I was mortified to find a woman so engrossed with a novel, and wasting her precious hours in so unprofitable a study, not that I condemn novels entirely, the works of Miss Burney are an intellectual treat, and give such a description of genuine feeling, such a fine delineation of character, and so just a picture of life, as might rouse the torpid mind and soften the austerity, even of an old fellow like me; and we have some more modern productions of very high merit indeed. No my good young ladies, it is not novels such as these that I condemn. I have known enlightened men of advanced age in the hours of languor and retirement, find amusement from these effusions of sentiment and imagination, but I am afraid Mrs.