,,letters                       ,,on    
,,the              ,,improvement ,,of   
,,the ,,mind4                           
,,addressed ,,to ,a ,,lady4             
,,by ,,mrs4 ,,chapone4                  
,,with              ,,the ,,life ,,of   
,,the ,,author4         99       99     
99       99       99       ,i consider  
an human ,soul1 without ,education1 like
 marble in      the ,quarry1 which shows
 none of its inherent ,beauties till    
the ,skill of the ,polisher fetches out 
the colours1 makes the      surface     
shine1 and discovers every ornamental   
,cloud1 ,spot1      and ,vein1 that runs
 through the ,body of it4 ,education1   
after      the same manner1 when it     
works upon a noble ,mind1 draws out     
to view every latent ,virtue and        
,perfection1 which1 without      such   
,helps1 are never able to make their    
,appearance4                            
,,addison4         99       99       99 
99       99                    ,a ,new  
,edition4                               

,,london3       ,printed by ,weed and   
,rider1 ,little ,britain1       ,,for   
,,scatcherd ,,and ,,letterman1          
,,ave-,,maria ,,lane2 ,,longman1        
,,hurst1      ,,rees1 ,,orme1 ,,and     
,,brown2 ,,cadell ,,and ,,davies2 ,f4   
,c4 ,,and ,j4      ,,rivington2         
,,sherwood1 ,,neely1 ,,and ,,jones2 ,g4 
,,and ,w4 ,b4      ,,whittaker2         
,,baldwin1 ,,cradock1 ,,and ,,joy2 ,j4  
,,mawman2 ,j4 ,,harris      ,,and       
,,sons2 ,,harvey ,,and ,,darton2 ,,and  
,c4 ,,taylor4                           
#ahbj4                                  
,,contents4       ,letter               
,page            ,,dedication           
v            ,life of ,hester ,chapone  
vii         ,i4 ,on the first           
,principles of ,religion        #a      
,,ii4 ,on the ,study of the ,holy       
,scriptures       #ae       ,,iii4 ,the 
same ,subject continued                 
#cd        ,,iv4 ,on the ,regulation of 
the ,heart             and ,affections  
#ea         ,v4 ,the same ,subject      

continued                #ff            
,,vi4 ,on the ,government of the ,temper
           #ih       ,,vii4 ,on ,economy
                               #aba     
,,viii4 ,on ,politeness and             
,accomplishments        #adc            
,,ix4 ,on ,geography and ,chronology    
#agj         ,x4 ,on the ,manner and    
,course of reading             ,history 
#ahf            ,conclusion             
#bji     ,,to  ,,mrs4 ,,montagu4        
,,madam1  ,i ,,believe you are persuaded
 that ,i never entertained a thought of 
appearing in public1 when the desire of 
being useful to one dear child1 in whom 
,i take the tenderest interest1 induced 
me to write the following               
,letters3--perhaps it was the partiality
 of friendship1 which so far biassed    
your judgment as to make you think them 
capable of being more extensively       
useful1 and warmly to recommend the     
publication of them4 ,though this       
partiality could alone prevent your     
judgment from being considered as       

decisive in favour of the work1 it is   
more flattering to the writer than any  
literary fame2 if1 however1 you will    
allow me to add1 that some strokes of   
your elegant pen have corrected these   
,letters1 ,i may hope1 they will be     
received with an attention1 which will  
insure a candid judgment from the       
reader1 and perhaps will enable them to 
make some useful impressions on those1  
to whom they are now particularly       
offered4  ,they only1 who know how your 
hours are employed1 and of what         
important value they are to the good and
 happiness of individuals1 as well as to
 the delight and improvement of the     
public1 can justly estimate my          
obligation to you for the time and      
consideration you have bestowed on this 
little work4 ,as you have drawn it      
forth1 ,i may claim a sort of right to  
the ornament and protection of your     
name1 and to the privilege of publicly  
professing myself1 with the highest     
esteem1      ,,madam1      ,your much   

obliged friend1       and most obedient 
humble servant1              ,,hester   
,,chapone4               ,,life         
,,of     ,,hester ,,chapone4   ,among   
the illustrious women whose literary    
productions adorned and improved the age
 in which they appeared1 and are likely 
to be transmitted with reputation to    
posterity1 ,mrs4 ,chapone is entitled to
 distinguished consideration4 ,however1 
incited by the persuasions and          
encouraged by the applauses of          
,richardson1 she had many prejudices to 
encounter1 many impediments to overcome4
 ,female writers1 always severely       
scrutinized1 and often condemned1 had   
not then obtained the estimation they   
have since commanded4         99        
99       99       99       99  ,hester  
,mulso1 better known as ,chapone1 was   
the daughter of ,thomas ,mulso1 ,esq4 of
 ,twywell1 in ,northamptonshire2 who1 in
 the year #agai1 married the posthumous 
daughter of ,colonel ,thomas1 of the    
,guards4 ,she lived long enough to see  

the last props of an ancient and        
towering family fall to the dust4  ,of  
the immediate connections of ,mr4       
,mulso1 his elder sister1 ,anne1 was    
married to the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,donne1       
formerly ,prebendary of ,canterbury2 and
 the younger1 ,susanna1 to the brother  
of his own wife1 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,john   
,thomas1 who was preceptor to his       
,majesty ,king ,george ,,iii41 and who  
successively held the bishoprics of     
,peterborough1 ,salisbury1 and          
,winchester4 ,mr4 ,mulso had himself    
several children2 but of these only five
 lived to grow up1 and even of the five1
 ,charles1 his third son1 who was an    
officer in the navy1 died1 in the       
,mediterranean1 at the age of           
twenty-one4  ,thomas1 the eldest of ,mr4
 ,mulso's sons1 was bred to the law2    
and1 for some years1 he went the ,oxford
 circuit4 ,he declined legal practice on
 coming to the possession of his        
paternal inheritance2 but was afterwards
 made ,registrar of ,peterborough1 and a

 ,commissioner of ,bankrupts4 ,he       
published1 in #agfh1 ',calistus1 or the 
,man of ,fashion2' and ',sophronius1 or 
the ,country ,gentleman4' ,thomas was   
the elect brother of ,mrs4 ,chapone4 ,he
 died early in ,february1 #agii2 and1 as
 his death was not thought near1 she    
lost1 in him1 the tie that bound her to 
life4  ,john1 the second of ,mr4        
,mulso's sons1 became ,prebendary of the
 cathedrals of ,winchester and          
,salisbury1 and held two valuable       
benefices in ,hampshire4 ,it was at the 
houses of this brother that ,mrs4       
,chapone spent much of her time2 and to 
one of his children1 her beloved niece1 
the world owes her best work4 ,he died  
at the prebendal residence at           
,winchester1 in #agia1 having survived  
his wife one year4  ,edward1 the        
youngest son1 was in the ,excise        
,office4 ,he was skilled in music1 and  
for many years ,president of the        
,anacreonic ,society4 ,of this brother1 
the life of her youth1 ,mrs4 ,chapone   

was also fond2 and1 as his death was    
sudden and quick1 his loss seriously    
affected her4 ,he died during the ,april
 of #aghb4  ,hester ,mulso1 the main    
subject of this sketch1 was born on the 
#bgth of ,october1 #agbg2 and was the   
only daughter whom her father had the   
pleasure of seeing arrive to mature     
years4 ,how soon ,miss ,mulso accustomed
 herself to investigate what she read1  
and how well1 may be inferred from a    
passage in her published                
',miscellanies2' where1 she says1 that  
when fifteen years old1 being charmed   
with many of the doctrines of the       
mystics1 she then began to canvass them 
deeply2 and that1 as reason grew1 she   
was able to detect and to reject the    
fanciful theology with which they were  
fraught4 ,even at nine years of age she 
was an author4 ,accustomed to read the  
old romance1 which suited her then      
childish taste1 she wrote ',the ,loves  
of ,amorat and ,melissa1' which1 however
 defective1 gave promise of the genius  

that distinguished her maturer          
compositions4 ,her mind could not1      
however1 long dwell on such works4 ',i  
make no scruple1' declares ,miss ,mulso1
 writing to ,miss ,carter1 from         
,peterborough1 ,july1 #agej1 'to call   
romances the worst of all the species of
 writing3 unnatural representations of  
the passions1 false sentiments1 false   
precepts1 false wit1 false honour1 and  
false modesty1 with a strange heap of   
improbable unnatural incidents1 mixed up
 with true history1 and fastened upon   
some of the great names of antiquity1   
make up the composition of a romance--at
 least of such as ,i have read1 which   
have been mostly ,french ones4 ,then the
 prolixity and poverty of the style is  
unsupportable4 ,i have 7and yet ,i am   
still alive7 drudged through ,le ,grand 
,cyrus in twelve large volumes1         
,cleopatra in eight or ten1 ,polexander1
 ,ibrahim1 ,clelie1 and some others1    
whose names1 as well as all the rest of 
them1 ,i have forgotten2 but this was in

 the days when ,i did not choose my own 
books1 for there was no part of my life 
in which ,i loved romances4' ,this      
censure of romances1 ancient or modern1 
is not more severe than it is just4     
,with scarcely an exception1 the        
business of romances is to make good    
bad1 and bad good2 to misplace and      
misstate events1 falsify characters1 and
 mislead readers4 ,they are full of     
grave lies1 well told1 to an ill end4   
,these are the ,will o' ,wisps of the   
mind4  ,something of importance is      
stated1 where ,miss ,mulso says1 that   
she read romances1 volume upon volume1  
in the days when she did not choose her 
own books2 and when1 therefore1 she     
could not avoid this infantile course of
 reading4 ,she was not then permitted to
 go in her own way4 ,superadded to the  
disadvantages then attending female     
education1 she struggled under domestic 
discouragements4 ,maternal vanity set   
itself against her advances in          
literature2 and it was not till the     

death of her mother took place1 that    
,miss ,mulso1 liberated from all        
impediments1 felt herself free to pursue
 the cultivation of her own             
understanding4 ',i believe1' she writes1
 referring to her new situation1 early  
in #agej1 'there are few people who are 
better pleased and contented with their 
lot than ,i2 for ,i am qualified to feel
 my present happiness2 by having early  
experienced very different sensations4' 
,here then is one marked era in the life
 of ,miss ,mulso4 ,being now mistress of
 herself1 as to the disposal of her     
time1 she rapidly compassed the circle  
of intellectual improvement4            
,notwithstanding that she was           
self-instructed1 she soon became        
mistress of the ,french and ,italian    
languages1 and made some proficiency    
even in the ,latin4 ,attached thus to   
literature1 she was also careful to     
select her acquaintance from among      
persons who were likely to improve her  
own taste4 ,it was in this way that she 

cultivated an intimacy with the         
celebrated ,richardson2 and that1 in    
#agej1 when she was twenty-three years  
of age1 she ventured to controvert his  
opinions on ',filial ,obedience4'#a     
,richardson delighted to stimulate      
female talents to honourable and        
persevering exertions4 ,perhaps his     
partiality for epistolary intercourse1  
in which he successively engaged his    
fair friends1 eventually decided ,mrs4  
,chapone as to the mode of communicating
 her instructions to a beloved niece4   
,about this time1 #agdi to #ageb1 she   
wrote some poems4 ,her ',ode to ,peace1'
 and that to ,miss ,carter1 prefixed to 
,epictetus1 were the first fruits of her
 muse4 ,her verse comes up to what she  
thought of verse1 and this seems as much
 as can with truth be said of it4 ',as  
fond as ,i am of the works of fancy1'   
says she1 'of the bold imagery of a     
,shakspeare1 or a ,milton1 and the      
delicate landscapes of ,thomson1 ,i     
receive much greater and more solid     

pleasure from their poetry1 as it is the
 dress and ornament of wisdom and       
morality1 than all the flowers of fancy1
 and the charms of harmonious numbers1  
can give      ',when gay description    
holds the place of sense4'  ,pursuing   
the satisfactions of literature1 ,miss  
,mulso now produced the ',story of      
,fidelia4' ,although this tale was      
written for the ',adventurer1' she is   
represented as hesitating to give it to 
the world2 and as publishing it only in 
compliance with the wishes of           
friendship4 ,little is to be said in    
praise of this story4 ,designed1 as it  
was1 to expose the miseries of          
freethinking in women1 its reasoning    
tends rather to stagger the unlettered  
moralist than to confute intellectual   
scepticism4 ,it is affected as to its   
style1 and problematical as to its end4 
,while ,miss ,mulso was hesitating as to
 what should be ,fidelia's fate1 'to    
print or not to print1' ,miss ,carter1  
to whom she was now known1 decided her  

for the press4 ,miss ,mulso idolized    
,miss ,carter4 ,astonished at her       
acquirements1 humbled by her talents1   
she approaches to her as to one of      
superior existence#b4 ,miss ,carter     
accepts the homage of ,miss ,mulso2 and 
seems1 throughout her deportment1 to    
view it as due to herself4 ,such friends
 as they were1 for their friendship was 
not mutual in kind1 so they lasted for  
more than fifty years4 ,letters were the
 chief cement of their long friendship4 
,nearly at the same time that ,miss     
,mulso commenced acquaintance with ,miss
 ,carter1 it was her lot to meet with   
,mr4 ,chapone1 to whom she was at last  
married4 ,this gentleman1 who was       
practising the law1 was introduced to   
,richardson's friends1 at ,north-,end1  
near ,hammersmith1 and fully admitted   
among them in the year #agej4 ',most    
heartily do ,i thank good ,mrs4 ,dewes1'
 writes ,richardson1 ,august #bj1 #agej1
 'for her recommendation of ,mr4        
,chapone to my acquaintance and         

friendship4 ,i am greatly taken with    
him4 ,a sensible1 and ingenious1 a      
modest young gentleman4' ,miss ,mulso's 
friends own1 that1 from 'their first    
introduction1 she entertained a         
distinguished esteem for ,mr4 ,chapone4 
,it was1 with her1 love at first sight2 
but1 according to her relations1 as     
their intimacy improved1 and her        
attachment became rooted1 she had the   
gratification to perceive that it was   
mutual4' ,she was certainly in love4    
',your opinion of the lordly sex1' she  
says1 writing to ,miss ,carter1 in      
#aged1 ',i know is not a very high one1 
but yet ,i will one day or other make   
you confess that a man may be capable of
 all the delicacy1 purity1 and          
tenderness1 which distinguish our sex1  
joined with all the best qualities that 
dignify his own4' ,whatever were her    
father's original objections to her     
marriage1 these were for some time found
 to be insuperable2 for1 having been    
made acquainted with her passion1 he1   

instead of immediately countenancing her
 wishes1 made her promise that she would
 not contract any matrimonial engagement
 without his previous permission4       
,prudence forbad him to approve1 we are 
told1 what kindness would not suffer him
 to prohibit4  ,visiting the coterie of 
,richardson1 during the summer of #agec1
 ,miss ,mulso was gratified by an       
interview with ,dr4 ,johnson1 with whom 
she before had no personal acquaintance4
 ,her whole account of this interview   
may be fitly told here4 ',mr4 ,johnson' 
7,miss ,mulso is writing to ,miss       
,carter7 'was very communicative and    
entertaining1 and did me the honour to  
address most of his discourse to me4 ,i 
had the assurance to dispute with him on
 the subject of human malignity#c2 and  
wondered to hear a man1 who by his      
actions shows so much benevolence1      
maintain that the human heart is        
naturally malevolent1 and that all the  
benevolence we see1 in the few who are  
good1 is acquired by reason and         

religion4 ,you may believe ,i entirely  
disagreed with him1 being1 as you know1 
fully persuaded that benevolence1 or the
 love of our fellow-creatures1 is as    
much a part of our nature as self-love2 
and that it cannot be suppressed1 or    
extinguished1 without great violence    
from the force of other passions4 ,i    
told him ,i suspected him of these bad  
notions from some of his ,ramblers1 and 
had accused him to you2 but that you    
persuaded me ,i had mistaken his sense4 
,to which he answered1 that if he had   
betrayed such sentiments in his         
,ramblers1 it was not with design2 for  
that he believed the doctrine of human  
malevolence1 though a true one1 is not  
an useful one1 and ought not to be      
published to the world4 ,is there any   
truth1' subjoins ,miss ,mulso1 'that    
would not be useful1 or that should not 
be known8'  ,the misfortune is1 that1 on
 such topics as this1 which must        
implicate the character of man1         
generally as well as personally1 each   

one writes as each sees things1 and not 
as things might or ought to be seen4    
,establishing our individual experience 
as the criterion of universal opinion1  
we are too apt to speak of the world as 
we find it2 and to conclude1 that what  
happens to us must of necessity happen  
to others1 and that uniformity of       
experience will terminate in similarity 
of decision4 ,perhaps truth is still    
clear of extremes4 ,man is not so bad as
 some state him to be2 nor is man so    
good as some think him to be4  ,miss    
,mulso is now to be known as ,mrs4      
,chapone4 ,perceiving that her          
inclination to matrimony was decisive1  
,mr4 ,mulso1 though he still objected to
 the match1 consented to such           
arrangements1 towards the close of      
#agfj1 as to admit of the union1 in one 
day1 of his eldest son1 ,thomas1 with   
,miss ,prescott1 and of his only        
daughter1 ,hester1 with ,mr4 ,chapone4  
,living with her father1 who was        
indulgently attached to her1 ,miss      

,mulso had previously been permitted to 
enjoy1 fairly and fully1 the society of 
,mr4 ,chapone4#d  ',give me your        
congratulations1' writes the now ,mrs4  
,chapone1 to ,miss ,carter1 from town1  
,december the #ith1 #agfj1 'my dear     
friend2 but1 as much for my brother and 
friend 7,mr4 ,thomas ,mulso and ,miss   
,prescott7 as for myself2 for1 in truth1
 ,i could not have enjoyed my own       
happiness in an union with the man of my
 choice1 had ,i been forced to leave    
them in the same uncomfortable state of 
tedious and almost hopeless expectation 
in which they have suffered so long4 ,i 
shall rejoice to hear that you are      
coming to town1 and shall hope for many 
a comfortable tete-a-tete with you in my
 lodgings in ,carey ,street2 for there  
,i must reside till ,mr4 ,chapone can   
get a house that suits him1 which is no 
easy matter1 as he is so confined in    
point of situation1' c4 c4 ,pleasing as 
might be the prospect of her marriage   
pleasures1 it will soon be seen that1 as

 ,mrs4 ,barbauld wrote1 'her married    
life was short1 and1' short as it was1  
'not very happy6'  ,scarcely is ,mrs4   
,chapone first settled1 when she seems  
to complain of being in lodgings2 and1  
when her husband has taken a house1     
still she regrets living in ,arundel    
,street1 as this is 'very wide from     
,clarges ,street1 where' she supposes   
that her friend ,miss ,carter's         
'residence is fixed4' ,even now1        
dissatisfied with 'a life of hurry and  
engagement1' she puts 'the drudgery of  
answering all the congratulatory        
letters1' heaped on them as newly       
married1 'upon ,mr4 ,chapone2 who1 poor 
man1' says his wife1 'was forced to     
humour me a little at first4' ,here is  
not the worst4 ',i have more hours to   
myself1' she adds1 'than ,i wish for2   
for business usually allows me very     
little of my husband's company1 except  
at meals4' ,instead of 'many a          
comfortable tete-a-tete with' ,miss     
,carter1 whom she assures of her 'most  

perfect dissent' from the maxim of      
,johnson's school1 'that a married woman
 can have no friendship but with her    
husband1' ,chapone himself1 pleased with
 ,miss ,carter's old friendship1 is     
represented as wondering why she never  
visits his wife4 ',surely1 my dear1' he 
would say to her1 'if ,miss ,carter     
loved you1 she would sometimes have     
spent a day with you2 and then ,i should
 have known her better4 ,if ever she    
loved you1 ,i fancy she left it off on  
your being married4' ,mrs4 ,chapone's   
letters may explain the absence of ,miss
 ,carter4 ,what friend would be in haste
 to run to her1 who tells that she      
'lived in dirt1' and in 'puddling       
lodgings2' and who adds1 'at last1' that
 she reckons herself to be but          
'tolerably settled8'  ,lengthened       
courtships too seldom conclude with     
happy marriages4 ,six years of the lives
 of one pair1 #aged to #agfj1 was by far
 too long to make love4 ,our choice may 
prove to be our lot1 just when our lot  

is no more our choice4  ,miss ,mulso was
 also more than old enough for ,mrs4    
,chapone4 ,when women are of            
disputatious dispositions#e1 fixed in   
their notions1 and do not like learned  
husbands#f1 because they may hope to    
rule simple ones1 they should marry     
before the age of thirty-three4         
,poverty is inimical to felicity2 but   
marriage penury1 worst of woes1 is      
inevitably calamitous4 ,pecuniary       
difficulties long protracted the union  
of ,miss ,mulso with ,mr4 ,chapone1 who 
at last died in embarrassing            
circumstances4 ,much may be borne2 but  
to court long1 wait for wealth1 wed     
late1 and fare ill1 seem more than the  
griefs to which flesh is heir4  ,in her 
advice to a beloved niece1 and in the   
letter to a new-married lady1 there are 
passages perhaps referable to the fate  
of ,mrs4 ,chapone4 ',young women1' she  
observes1 'know so little of the world1 
especially of the other sex1 and such   
pains are usually taken to deceive them1

 that they are every way unqualified to 
choose for themselves1 c4 ,many a       
heart-ache shall ,i feel for you1 my    
sweet girl1 if ,i live a few years      
longer#g6' ,equally impressive is her   
delineation of matrimonial bickerings4  
',whatever may be said of the quarrels  
of lovers1 7believe me67 those of       
married people have always dreadful     
consequences1 especially if they are not
 very short and very slight4 ,if they   
are suffered to produce bitter or       
contemptuous expressions1 or betray     
habitual dislike in one party of any    
thing in the person or mind of the      
other1 such wounds can scarcely ever be 
thoroughly healed3 and though regard to 
principle and character lays the married
 couple under a necessity to make up the
 breach as well as they can1 yet is     
their affiance in each other's affection
 so rudely shaken in such conflicts1    
that it can hardly ever be perfectly    
fixed again4 ,the painful recollection  
of what is passed1 will often intrude   

upon the tenderest hours2 and every     
trifle will awaken and renew it4 ,you   
must1 even now1 7it is to a lady newly  
married that ,mrs4 ,c4 is addressing    
herself7 be particularly on your guard  
against this source of misery4'  ,within
 the short space of ten months after    
marriage1 ,mr4 ,chapone1 whose health   
could not have been good1 was seized by 
a fever1 which1 in about a week1        
terminated his mortal career4 ,though   
his illness was short1 and thought fatal
 at first1 ,mrs4 ,chapone was not with  
him for five days before his death1 'as 
her presence was judged to be very      
hurtful to him6' ,she then heard of his 
death 'with her accustomed meekness2'   
and1 continues ,miss ,burrows1 writing  
to ,miss ,carter1 ,september the #bb;d1 
#agfa1 'you would hardly believe me were
 ,i to describe to you her calmness and 
composure1' c41 or1 'half the noble     
things she says and does1' c4 ',she     
suffered herself1' again writes ,miss   
,burrows1 ,october #e1 #agfa1 'to be the

 most consoled1 by the kindness of her  
friends1 ,i ever saw any body in her    
situation4' ,mrs4 ,chapone was yet for  
some time ill1 on the death of ,mr4     
,chapone2 and she found some other      
difficulties#h against which to bear up4
 ,circumstances shortly after induced   
her to retire into lodgings upon a small
 but decent income1 where1 cultivating  
her connections1 she contrived to       
preserve her independence and           
respectability4 ,her small property was 
soon augmented by the death of her      
father1 who did not survive her husband 
quite two years4  ,mrs4 ,chapone now    
spent much of her time with friends4    
,dr4 ,john ,thomas1 her maternal uncle1 
being then ,bishop of ,winchester1 she  
was always welcome either at ,farnham   
,castle1 or at ,winchester ,house4 ,of  
her various letters from ,farnham       
,castle1 the following one1 relating to 
royalty1 is sufficiently interesting to 
find its place here4 ,it must be        
remembered1 that the ,bishop had been   

preceptor to our late and venerable     
,king4--',mr4 ,buller went to ,windsor  
on ,saturday1' writes ,mrs4 ,chapone to 
,mr4 ,burrows1 ,august #bj1 #aggh1 'saw 
the ,king1 who enquired much about the  
,bishop2 and hearing that he would be   
eighty-two next ,monday1 ,then1 said he1
 ,i will go and wish him joy4 ,and ,i1  
said the ,queen1 will go too4 ,mr4 ,b4  
then dropped a hint of the additional   
pleasure it would give the ,bishop if he
 could see the ,princes4 ,that1 said the
 ,king1 requires contrivance2 but1 if ,i
 can manage it1 we will all go4' 444    
,monday morning1 a little after eleven  
o'clock1 'came the ,king and ,queen in  
their phaeton1 three coaches and six1   
and one coach and four1 with a large    
retinue of servants4 ,they were all     
conducted into the great drawing-room1  
by ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,buller1 where1 after 
paying their compliments to the ,bishop 
and ,mrs4 ,thomas1 those of the first   
column remained there to breakfast2     
those of the second column left the     

room1 and were led by ,mrs4 ,t4 to the  
dressing-room1 where ,mrs4 ,t4 and ,i   
were1 and where ,i made tea for them4   
,after our breakfast was over1 as well  
as that of the upper house1 the royal   
guests#i came to visit me in the        
dressing-room4 ,the ,king sent the      
,princes in to pay their compliments to 
,mrs4 ,chapone3 himself1 he said1 was an
 old acquaintance4 ,whilst the ,princes 
were speaking to me1 ,mr4 ,arnold1      
sub-preceptor1 said1 ,these gentlemen   
are well acquainted with a certain      
,ode#aj prefixed to ,mrs4 ,carter's     
,epictetus1 if you know any thing of it4
 ,afterwards the ,king came and spoke to
 us2 and the ,queen led the ,princess   
,royal to me1 saying1 ,this is a young  
lady1 who1 ,i hope1 has profited much by
 your instructions#aa4 ,she has read    
them more than once1 and will read them 
oftener2 and the ,princess assented to  
the praise which followed1 with a very  
modest air4 ,she has a sweet            
countenance1 and simple unaffected      

manners4 ,i was pleased with all the    
,princes1 but particularly with ,prince 
,william1 who is little of his age1 but 
so sensible and engaging1 that he won   
the ,bishop's heart2 to whom he         
particularly attached himself1 and would
 stay with him while all the rest ran   
about the house4 ,his conversation was  
surprisingly manly and clever for his   
age3 yet with the young ,bullers he was 
quite the boy2 and said to ,john        
,buller1 by way of encouraging him to   
talk1 ,come1 we are both boys1 you know4
 ,all of them showed affectionate       
respect to the ,bishop2 the ,prince of  
,wales pressed his hand so hard that he 
hurt it4 ,mrs4 ,b----'s two girls were  
here1 and the eldest son1 and great     
notice was taken of them all4 ,the      
youngest girl1 a comical natural little 
creature between eight and nine1 says   
she thinks it hard that ,princes may not
 marry whom they please2 and seems not  
without hopes1 that1 if it were not for 
this restriction1 the ,prince of ,wales 

might prove a lover of hers4'  ,dr4     
,thomas1 to whom these royal honours    
were thus paid1 died in ,may #agha1 at  
the age of eighty-six years4  ,several  
months of the year #agff were passed by 
,mrs4 ,chapone at the parsonage of her  
second brother1 ,john1 at ,thornhill1   
near ,wakefield1 in ,yorkshire4 ,it was 
then she conceived that partiality for  
her niece1 his eldest daughter1 to which
 society is indebted for her ',letters  
on the ,improvement of the ,mind4'      
,having become acquainted with ,mrs4    
,montagu some time in #agfb1 she about  
eight years after joined her in her tour
 into ,scotland2 a tour from which she  
derived both information and amusement1 
and which her pen has described with    
fidelity and interest4 ',i am grown as  
bold as a lion with ,mrs4 ,montagu1'    
asserts ,mrs4 ,chapone1 two years before
 their tour1 to ,mrs4 ,carter1 'and fly 
in her face whenever ,i have a mind3 in 
short1 ,i enjoy her society with the    
most perfect gout2 and find my love for 

her takes off my fear and awe1 though my
 respect for her character continually  
increases4' ,mrs4 ,montagu's great      
friendship was found eminently conducive
 to the welfare of ,mrs4 ,chapone4 ,it  
added to her sources of intellectual    
gratification1 extended the old circle  
of her acquaintance1 and emboldened and 
encouraged her to submit her writings to
 the world4  ,we are now to consider    
,mrs4 ,chapone's literary performances2 
which1 following the order of           
publication1 consist of    ,letters on  
the ,improvement of the ,mind2 #aggc4   
,miscellanies1 in ,prose and ,verse2    
#agge4    ,posthumous ,works2 two       
volumes1 #ahjd4  ,these latter volumes  
contain ,mrs4 ,chapone's ,correspondence
 with ,mr4 ,richardson1 on ,filial      
,obedience2 a ,matrimonial ,creed1 sent 
by her to him2 ,letters to her friends2 
some ,fugitive ,poetry2 and ',an        
,account of her ,life and ,character1   
drawn up by her own ,family4'           
,dismissing the consideration of its    

partiality1 this account1 justly so     
called1 has no claim to the character of
 biography4  ,her ',letters on the      
,improvement of the ,mind' owed much of 
their early success to the talents and  
kindness of ,mrs4 ,montagu4 ',the       
bookseller1' writes their ,author1 ,july
 the #bjth1 #aggc1 'is preparing the    
second edition with all haste1 the whole
 of the first being gone out of his     
hands2 which1 considering that he       
printed off fifteen hundred at first1 is
 an extraordinary quick sale4 ,i        
attribute this success principally to   
,mrs4 ,montagu's name1 and patronage1'  
c4 ,more of this is told in the         
,dedication of the work to her4 ',i     
believe you 7,mrs4 ,montagu7 are        
persuaded that ,i 7,mrs4 ,chapone7 never
 entertained a thought of appearing in  
public1 when the desire of being useful 
to one dear child1 in whom ,i take the  
tenderest interest#ab1 induced me to    
write the following letters3 perhaps it 
was the partiality of friendship which  

so far biassed your judgment as to make 
you think them capable of being more    
extensively useful1 and warmly to       
recommend the publication of them4 ,if1'
 proceeds the author1 'you will allow me
 to add that some strokes of your       
elegant pen have corrected these        
,letters1 ,i may hope they will be      
received with an attention which will   
insure a candid judgment from the       
reader2 and1 perhaps1 will enable them  
to make some useful impressions on those
 to whom they are now particularly      
offered4'  ,notwithstanding their       
intrinsic excellence1 various           
circumstances co-operated to give to her
 ,letters immediate popularity4 ,besides
 the beginning preference for books on  
education1 epistolary composition1 the  
style of her work1 was then in very     
general estimation4 ,it was the style to
 which the volumes of ,richardson1 the  
correspondence of ,pope1 the letters of 
,chesterfield and of ,orrery1 had       
familiarized the public mind4 ,nor could

 expectation have been indifferent to   
any production from the pen of one who  
was the friendly pupil of ,samuel       
,richardson2 in favour of whom the      
discerning part of readers were already 
prepossessed1 by the commendation he had
 bestowed on her talents1 and the       
assiduity with which he had cultivated  
her correspondence4 ,what might not be  
hoped from a lady1 who1 when not much   
above twenty years of age1 was          
considered qualified to controvert with 
him the subject of paternal authority   
and filial obedience8 ,but1 if          
admiration had been excited1 it was only
 in order to be gratified4 ,mrs4        
,chapone did not disappoint the         
expectations entertained concerning     
,miss ,mulso4  ,it is the imperishable  
honour of ,mrs4 ,chapone1 that the      
foundation of her temple of education is
 on the rock1 and not in the sands2 that
 the superstructure is therefore not    
only beautiful1 but lasting4 ,on the    
being of a ,god1 she fixes the tottering

 hopes of mere mortality3 and by his    
,revealed ,will would direct its steps1 
to certainty1 happiness1 and glory4 ,nor
 has she been unsuccessful in displaying
 the benevolent attributes of ,deity1   
and in exciting the gratitude of the    
heart towards him4 ,without impeaching  
his justice1 she has exalted his mercy2 
without diminishing the awe1 she has    
increased the fervency of pious         
adoration2 without depreciating prayer1 
she has insisted on a spirit of         
thanksgiving4 ,devotion1 in her view1   
becomes attractive as well as important4
 ,we love1 while we obey2 while we      
tremble1 we rejoice4 ,resting the       
ground-work of all morality on religion1
 assent is insisted upon prior to       
investigation2 not that the latter is   
excluded4 ,since1 however1 we are       
compelled to act before we become       
qualified to think1 it is of the utmost 
importance that some standard be        
established in the mind1 for the        
regulation of the conduct4 ,religion    

supplies this deficiency4 ,its penalties
 and rewards are offered1 at a time when
 we are principally governed by our     
hopes or fears2 and are1 indeed1        
incapable of being acted upon by        
abstracted considerations of right and  
wrong4  ,of the early historical parts  
of the ,old ,testament1 ,mrs4 ,chapone  
speaks with the commendation they will  
always obtain from discriminating minds4
 ,nothing in profane history is equal to
 their beautiful simplicity1 their      
affecting minuteness4 ,they are not     
sufficiently studied4  ,on the scope of 
the ,gospel1 as delivered in the ,new   
,testament1 it is justly affirmed--',the
 whole tenor of the ,gospel is to offer 
us every help1 direction1 and motive1   
that can enable us to attain that degree
 of perfection1 on which depends our    
eternal good4' ,exception must          
nevertheless be taken to a few epithets1
 by which she endeavours to picture a   
future state of blessedness2 as1 'the   
richest imagination can paint3' for1    

what imagination shall paint that which 
'it hath not entered into the heart of  
man to conceive8'  ,letters the ,fourth 
and ,fifth1 ,on the ,regulation of the  
,heart and ,affections1 display         
considerable knowledge of human nature1 
exhibit high reasoning powers on the    
part of the writer1 and are fraught with
 excellent moral distinctions4 ,the     
fifth1 however1 owing to the subjects it
 embraces1 is particularly valuable to  
the sex to whom it is addressed4 ,this  
encomium will apply to her sentiments   
,on ,household ,economy1 and ,on        
,deportment towards ,servants4 ,the     
course of ,studies and ,accomplishments 
recommended by her1 perhaps1 still      
includes all that is essential4         
,unornamental1 but not ungraceful1 ,mrs4
 ,chapone's style1 though plain1 is     
deserving of commendation4 ,if there be 
one main fault in it1 one reigning vice1
 it is that it abounds with parentheses1
 which tend to obscure it4  ,the success
 of her ,letters is stated by herself to

 have been the source of much good to   
her3 she who1 only ten years before1    
declared that 'this world had nothing   
for her but a few friends1' who owns    
that 'a certain weariness of life1 and a
 sense of insignificance and            
insipidity1' did then 'deject' her1 now 
feels that the success of her writings  
appeased 'that uneasy sense of          
helplessness and insignificancy which   
often depressed and afflicted her4' ,her
 work gave her some tie to the world4   
,her intellectual existence1 her new    
life1 succeeded to her sympathetic      
state4  ,of her next work1 the          
',miscellanies1' not much need be said4 
,unqualified in her admiration of the   
author's abilities1 ,mrs4 ,barbauld     
seems to labour to explain the          
unpopularity of this publication4 ,the  
toil was not worth the pains4 ,excepting
 the ,letter to a ,new-married ,lady1   
and ,three ,essays1 the contents of this
 volume did not authorize the           
distinction to which friendship         

conceived it to be entitled4  ,her long 
epistolary controversy with ,richardson1
 respecting ',filial ,obedience'        
generally1 evidences great superiority  
of thought4 ,it extends to three        
letters2 of which the first is dated    
,october #ab1 and the second ,november  
#aj1 #agej2 and the third1 which is her 
last1 bears date the #c;d of ,january1  
#agej-ea4 ,perhaps ,miss ,carter was not
 far from the fact1 when1 as now appears
 from one of ,mrs4 ,chapone's ,letters  
to her1 she called this controversy 'an 
unmerciful prolixity upon a plain simple
 subject4' ,still it is1 in such hands1 
of much worth4 ,differing from          
,richardson in some essential           
particulars1 ,mrs4 ,chapone1 young as   
she then was1 magnanimously promulgated1
 and resolutely defended1 her own       
sentiments4 ,authority seems to have    
been here considered by ,richardson as  
synonymous with what most men think     
tyranny4 ,parents were to be despots1   
and children to live as their           

bond-slaves4 ,obligation is reciprocal4 
,subjection necessarily supposes        
protection2 and paternal authority has  
the best claim to filial obedience1     
where benevolence endears dependance1   
and where conduct demands respect4      
,goldsmith told no more than truth1     
when1 as his ,essays will show1 he      
declared that there were parents who got
 children for the gratification of      
tyrannising over them4  ,mrs4 ,chapone  
had the gift of letter-writing4 ,when   
she writes to her few friends1 it is    
with ease1 with sense1 and with life4   
,she does not then write for the press4 
,she read much1 thought more1 and wrote 
as she thought4 ,many of her judgments1 
both of men and books1 deserve to be    
weighed4  ,the last years of life1 it is
 painful to add1 were not her best      
years4 ,surviving those by whom life was
 to her rendered estimable1 unshaken as 
was her religion1 her mind1 it is       
acknowledged by friends1 yielded to its 
afflictions2 'her memory became visibly 

and materially impaired2 and her body   
was so much affected by the sufferings  
of her mind1 that she soon sank into a  
state of alarming debility4' ,she who   
bore with 'calmness and composure' the  
death of a husband1 of him whom she     
calls 'the man of her choice1' felt that
 she lost on the death of a brother1    
'her strongest tie to this world1' and  
'sank into a state of alarming          
debility6' ,where the treasure is1 there
 also will the heart still be found4    
,sublunary happiness is at the best     
uncertain as unstable2 and those whose  
plans of good are made for this earth1  
will see1 sooner or later1 that they    
have built on the sands instead of the  
rock4  ,contracted in circumstances1 and
 limited in the number of her friends1  
,mrs4 ,chapone1 with her youngest niece1
 retired to ,hadley1 in the autumn of   
#ahjj2 where her living near to ,miss   
,amy ,burrows#ac1 who had been there for
 some years1 opened new prospects of    
comfort for her rapidly declining age4  

,it was now that ,mrs4 ,chapone needed  
all that the most affectionate assiduity
 could do for her4 ',mrs4 and ,miss     
,burrows1' continues the short account  
by her family1 'were her constant       
visitors2 and while they surveyed1 with 
compassion and humiliation1 the awful   
lesson to nature which the wreck of so  
bright an ornament to it presented1 they
 omitted no opportunity to administer   
every soothing means of relief she was  
then capable of experiencing4' ,mr4     
,cottrell1 also1 successor to the ,rev4 
,mr4 ,burrows1 at ,hadley1 and his      
family1 with their friends1 sometimes   
enlivened the solitary seclusion to     
which she was doomed2 but her           
infirmities augmented so much1 at this  
time1 that she was not able to go down  
stairs more than three or four times4   
,her life was near its close4 ,october  
#ahja1 she completed her #gdth year2 and
 on the ,christmas-day following1       
without any direct illness1 having      
described herself as unusually well the 

day before1 and after experiencing less 
distemper during the last than any of   
the years of her life1 she fell into a  
doze1 from which nothing could rouse    
her2 and at the eighth hour of the      
night1 she drew her last breath1        
tranquilly and imperceptibly1 in the    
arms of her niece4 ,mrs4 ,burrows was   
also with her4  ,mrs4 ,chapone is not   
represented as one who had pretensions  
to what men term beauty4 ,if1 however1  
any credit is due to the opinion of     
,richardson1 who knew her in her best   
days1 and who could judge of the sex1   
there was in her something of           
physiognomical fascination1 that bright 
emanation of soul1 illuminating the     
countenance1 which1 candid and benign1  
gave to the face its best charm4  ,music
 was one of her delights4 ,naturally    
possessing a voice both mellifluous and 
powerful1 with much true taste1 and     
great accuracy of ear1 she1 without the 
aid of science1 would often surpass the 
efforts of professional excellence4     

,aided by her brother#ad on the violin1 
her singing frequently astonished those 
who were the highest judges of that     
talent4#ae  ,accomplished in deportment1
 intelligent in conversation1 uniformly 
agreeable to society generally1 her     
company was coveted by all who knew her1
 and sought for by numbers of persons   
with whom she never associated4         
,physical infirmities were to her the   
source of habitual misery4 ,cold and wet
 seem to have been too much for her     
frame2 and1 by the medium of that1 for  
her mind4  ,with all her faults1 for    
some there were in her1 she was still   
great4 ,her life may teach much that it 
will be well to learn2 nor can too much 
be said in praise of her best work4     
,mrs4 ,chapone holds out one bright     
proof of what intelligence and          
perseverance may in due time hope to    
accomplish4 ,she cast her own lot4      
,herself made herself2 and to the       
honours of her name1 great as they are1 
those who tread in her steps may yet    

aspire4  ,considering the high          
importance of her literary exertions1 no
 task would have been more pleasing than
 that of bestowing unqualified          
approbation on her character4 ,her      
writings1 already productive of good the
 most extensively beneficial1 will stand
 the imperishable monument of her worth4
 ,while the sentiments which they       
inculcate are valued1 and the language  
in which they are conveyed is known1    
while virtue is loved1 or piety revered 
among us1 the ',letters on the          
,improvement of the ,mind' will suffer  
no diminution of that reputation in     
which they have been so long held by the
 world4  ,,footnotes3  #a ',i am at     
present engaged with a most admirable   
young lady of little more than twenty1  
,miss ,mulso1 on the subject of ,filial 
,obedience and ,paternal ,authority1 c4 
,miss ,mulso is a charming writer1 c4   
,your ladyship will be charmed with her 
part of the subject4' ,richardson to    
,lady ,bradshaigh1 #agea4  ',i have been

 engaged in a kind of amicable          
controversy with my honoured friend ,mr4
 ,richardson1 which has occasioned      
letters of so immoderate a length       
between us1 that ,i have been quite     
tired of pen and ink1 and inexcusably   
negligent of all my other               
correspondents4 ,does it not sound      
strange1 my dear ,miss ,carter1 that a  
girl like me should have dared to engage
 in a dispute with such a man8 ,indeed  
,i have often wondered at my own        
assurance2 but the pleasure and         
improvement ,i expected from his letters
 were motives too strong to be resisted1
 and the kind encouragement he gave me  
got the better of my fear of exposing   
myself4' ,miss ,mulso to ,miss ,carter1 
,march #agej4  ,this correspondence is  
dated from ,october #agej1 to ,january  
#agea4  #b ',i shall still find in her  
7,miss ,mulso is writing to and of ,miss
 ,carter7 that amiable condescension1   
and unreserved benevolence1 which       
endears her conversation1 and enhances  

the value of her understanding2 which   
teaches her how to improve her          
companions without appearing to instruct
 them1 to correct without seeming to    
reprove1 and even to reprove without    
offending4' ,miss ,mulso to ,miss       
,carter1 ,september #aa1 #agdi4  ',it is
 impossible not to be better1 as well as
 happier1 for an intimate acquaintance  
with ,miss ,carter2 take her for all in 
all1 ,i think1 ,i may venture to        
pronounce her the first of women6' ,miss
 ,mulso to ,mr4 ,richardson1 ,july #bd1 
#ageb4  #c ',i think ,i read the        
',rambler' with great attention1 yet ,i 
cannot entirely acquit him of the charge
 of severity in his satires on mankind4 
,i believe him a worthy humane man2 but 
,i think ,i see a little of the asperity
 of disappointment in his writings4'    
,miss ,mulso to ,miss ,carter1 ,october 
#ageb4  ',i am very unwilling to believe
 those that fright us with shocking     
pictures of human nature1 and could     
almost quarrel with my very great       

favourite1 ',the ,rambler1' for his     
too-general censures on mankind2 and for
 speaking of envy and malice as         
universal passions4' ,ibid4  #d ',i     
thank ,god1 7,canterbury1 ,august #bi1  
#ageg17 my best soul has now the upper  
hand1 by the assistance of medicine and 
cool weather1 much more than of reason2 
and perhaps by the hope of two or three 
days of fancied good1 in the presence of
 a fancied essential 7,mr4 ,chapone7 to 
my happiness1 who has promised to come  
down and see me some time before the    
middle of next month4'----',i shall now 
tell you something of myself1 who live  
here 7,salisbury1 ,john1 the second     
brother to her1 being then its          
,prebendary7 uncorrupted by grandeur1 c4
 c4 c4 who could prefer a little        
attorney 7,chapone7 even to my ,lord    
,feversham2 had he offered to me1       
instead of the fair young lady he has so
 happily won4' ,miss ,mulso to ,miss    
,carter4  #e ',nothing can ever make me 
amends for that luxurious ease and      

security1 in the kindness of all around 
me1 which enables me to wrangle1 abuse1 
and dispute1 till ,i am black in the    
face1' c4 c4 ,mrs4 ,chapone to ,mr4     
,burrows1 #aggc4  #f ',it has always    
been one of my prayers1 that ,i might   
never be the wife of an overgrown       
scholar4' ,miss ,mulso to ,miss ,carter1
 #aged4  #g ,letters on the ,improvement
 of the ,mind1 edit4 #ahja1 pages #ic1  
#id4  #h ',i have been very near death2 
and1 at the time he threatened me most1 
it was the most earnest wish of my heart
 to meet and embrace him4 ,but1 ,i bless
 ,god1 ,i am restored not only to life1 
but to a sense of the great mercy       
indulged me in the grant of a longer    
tern of trial4'--',you are so obligingly
 solicitous about my circumstances1 that
 ,i would willingly inform you of the   
state of them1 if ,i had any certainty  
about them4 ,but my dear ,mr4 ,chapone's
 affairs were left in great confusion   
and perplexity by his sudden death2     
which happened just at the time of year 

in which he should have settled his     
accounts1 and made out his bills4 ,as   
these are very considerable1 his estate 
must suffer a great loss from this      
circumstance4 ,at present1 things are in
 a very melancholy state1 and my own    
prospects such as would probably have   
appeared very dreadful to me at any     
other time4' ,mrs4 ,chapone to ,miss    
,carter1 ,december #f1 #agfa4  #i ,king 
,george ,,iii4 and ,queen ,charlotte2   
his present ,majesty1 then ,prince of   
,wales1 and sixteen years old2 ,prince  
,frederic1 ,duke of ,york1 then fifteen 
years old2 ,prince ,william1 ,duke of   
,clarence1 then thirteen years old2     
,princess ,royal1 now ,queen of         
,wirtemberg1 then about fourteen years  
old1 and ,princess ,augusta1 then about 
ten years old4  #aj ,addressed by ,mrs4 
,chapone to her friend ,mrs4 ,carter4   
#aa ',letters on the ,improvement of the
 ,mind4' ,they had been published five  
years then4  #ab ,this young lady1 of   
whom the reader must wish to know more1 

was the eldest daughter of ,mrs4        
,chapone's second brother1 ,john1 who   
was ,prebendary of the cathedrals of    
,winchester and ,salisbury4 ,she became 
attached to this niece in #agff1 while  
on a visit at her home2 wrote the       
,letters1 to her1 in #aggb2 and1        
stimulated by her literary friends1     
published them in #aggc4--';,i had great
 satisfaction1' writes ,mrs4 ,chapone to
 ,miss ,carter1 ,november #agig1 'in    
seeing my darling niece established in  
the happiest manner1 at ,winchester1    
with husband 7,rev4 ,benjamin ,jeffreys7
 who seems in every respect calculated  
to make her happy4' ,mrs4 ,chapone      
passed the autumns #agig and #agih at   
the ,deanery at ,winchester4 ,here she  
awaited the approaching accouchement of 
her dearest niece1 which was destined to
 terminate one or her fondest hopes4    
,this last joy of her life1 this child  
of her heart1 was now torn from her1    
after the birth of a dead infant1 in    
,march #agii4  #ac ,of the family of the

 ,burrows's1 who were her tried friends1
 ',i am glad1' writes ,mrs4 ,chapone to 
,miss ,carter1 ,july #ca1 #agfa1 'that  
you love my ,burrows's1 who are1 indeed1
 some of the most valuable persons ,i   
have ever known4----,poor ,miss ,amy    
7who was her last prop67 is still       
complaining1 and consequently her       
sisters are anxious and unhappy4----,i  
wish you were to hear ,mr4 ,burrows     
preach4 ,there is a simplicity and an   
earnestness in his manner more affecting
 than any thing ,i ever heard from the  
pulpit4' ,mrs4 ,smith and ,mrs4         
,elizabeth ,burrows1 two of the sisters 
mentioned in this place1 together with  
,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,burrows1 died before    
,mrs4 ,chapone's final retreat to       
,hadley2 so that 'out of that amiable   
and happy circle with whom she delighted
 to associate1 and on whom she relied as
 the sources of the most refined        
enjoyments1 only one sister1 the present
 ,mrs4 ,amy ,burrows1 remained to bestow
 on her that heartfelt consolation which

 this inestimable friend never failed to
 administer4' ,the houses of ,mr4       
,burrows1 with his wife and two younger 
sisters1 and of his eldest sister1 wife 
of ,sir ,culling ,smith1 ,bart4 were    
long her favourite asylums1 and the     
hours spent by her in them were among   
the most happy of her life4  #ad ,edward
 ,mulso4 ',since you went1' 7,miss      
,carter had just left the then ,miss    
,mulso17 ',i have done nothing1' writes 
,mrs4 ,c41 'but sing ,metastasio's song4
 ,i am distracted for a tune that will  
go to the ,translation1 that ,i might   
sing that1 from morning to night4 ,i    
have made ,neddy walk with me to the    
tree1 by ,sir ,edward ,hale's park2 and 
intend often to reconnoitre the spot    
where you sat by me there4'--',your     
friend ,edward is with us2 and we make a
 pretty little concert at home1 pretty  
often1' c4 c4  #ae ,the following       
compliment to the vocal powers of ,mrs4 
,c41 though high1 appears to be         
ingenuous4 ,dr4 ,kennicott1 relating the

 ,university ,festival1 at ,oxford1 in a
 letter to ,richardson1 dated ,exeter   
,college1 ,june #i1 #aged1              
observes--,the first clap of applause   
was upon ,forasi's taking her place in  
the orchestra2 ,signiora seemed a little
 too sensible of the honour1 c4 ,but ,i 
forgive her2 for indeed she sings--,i   
cannot say most delightfully--for have  
,i not heard ,miss ,mulso8     ,,letters
 ,,on ,,the ,,improvement ,,of ,,the    
,,mind4     ,,letter ,i4  ,,on ,,the    
,,first ,,principles ,,of ,,religion4   
,,my ,,dearest ,,niece1  ,,though you   
are so happy as to have parents1 who are
 both capable and desirous of giving you
 all proper instruction1 yet ,i1 who    
love you so tenderly1 cannot help fondly
 wishing to contribute something1 if    
possible1 to your improvement and       
welfare3 and1 as ,i am so far separated 
from you1 that it is only by pen and ink
 ,i can offer you my sentiments1 ,i will
 hope that your attention may be        
engaged1 by seeing on paper1 from the   

hand of one of your warmest friends1    
,truths of the highest importance1      
which1 though you may not find new1 can 
never be too deeply engraven on your    
mind4 ,some of them perhaps may make no 
great impression at present1 and yet may
 so far gain a place in your memory as  
readily to return to your thoughts when 
occasion recalls them4 ,and1 if you pay 
me the compliment of preserving my      
letters1 you may possibly re-peruse them
 at some future period1 when concurring 
circumstances may give them additional  
weight3--and thus they may prove more   
effectual than the same things spoken in
 conversation4 ,but1 however this may   
prove1 ,i cannot resist the desire of   
trying in some degree to be useful to   
you on your setting out in a life of    
trial and difficulty2 your success in   
which must determine your fate for ever4
  ,hitherto you have thought as a child1
 and understood as a child2 but it is   
time to put away childish things4 ,you  
are now in your fifteenth year1 and must

 soon act for yourself2 therefore it is 
high time to store your mind with those 
principles1 which must direct your      
conduct1 and fix your character4 ,if you
 desire to live in peace and honour1 in 
favour with ,god and man1 and to die in 
the glorious hope of rising from the    
grave to a life of endless happiness--if
 these things appear worthy your        
ambition1 you must set out in earnest in
 the pursuit of them4 ,virtue and       
happiness are not attained by chance1   
nor by a cold and languid approbation3  
they must be sought with ardour1        
attended to with diligence1 and every   
assistance must be eagerly embraced that
 may enable you to obtain them4         
,consider1 that good and evil are now   
before you2 that1 if you do not heartily
 choose and love the one1 you must      
undoubtedly be the wretched victim of   
the other4 ,your trial is now begun2 you
 must either become one of the glorious 
children of ,god1 who are to rejoice in 
his love for ever1 or a child of        

destruction--miserable in this life1 and
 punished with eternal death hereafter4 
,surely1 you will be impressed by so    
awful a situation6 you will earnestly   
pray to be directed into that road of   
life1 which leads to excellence and     
happiness2 and you will be thankful to  
every kind hand that is held out1 to set
 you forward in your journey4  ,the     
first step must be to awaken your mind  
to a sense of the importance of the task
 before you1 which is no less than to   
bring your frail nature to that degree  
of ,christian perfection1 which is to   
qualify it for immortality1 and without 
which1 it is necessarily incapable of   
happiness2 for it is a truth never to be
 forgotten1 that ,god has annexed       
happiness to virtue1 and misery to vice1
 by the unchangeable nature of things2  
and that a wicked being 7while he       
continues such7 is in a natural         
incapacity of enjoying happiness1 even  
with the concurrence of all those       
outward circumstances1 which in a       

virtuous mind would produce it4  ,as    
there are degrees of virtue and vice1 so
 are there of reward and punishment1    
both here and hereafter3 ,but1 let not  
my dearest ,niece aim only at escaping  
the dreadful doom of the wicked--let    
your desires take a nobler flight1 and  
aspire after those transcendent honours1
 and that brighter crown of glory1 which
 await those who have excelled in       
virtue2 and1 let the animating thought1 
that every secret effort to gain his    
favour is noted by your all-seeing      
,judge1 who will1 with infinite         
goodness1 proportion your reward to your
 labours1 excite every faculty of your  
soul to please and serve him4 ,to this  
end you must inform your understanding  
what you ought to believe and to        
do4--,you must correct and purify your  
heart2 cherish and improve all its good 
affections1 and continually mortify and 
subdue those that are evil4--,you must  
form and govern your temper and manners1
 according to the laws of benevolence   

and justice2 and qualify yourself1 by   
all means in your power1 for an useful  
and agreeable member of society4 ,all   
this you see is no light business1 nor  
can it be performed without a sincere   
and earnest application of the mind1 as 
to its great and constant object4 ,when 
once you consider life1 and the duties  
of life1 in this manner1 you will listen
 eagerly to the voice of instruction and
 admonition1 and seize every opportunity
 of improvement2 every useful hint will 
be laid up in your heart1 and your chief
 delight will be in those persons1 and  
those books1 from which you can learn   
true wisdom4  ,the only sure foundation 
of human virtue is ,religion1 and the   
foundation and first principle of       
religion is in the belief of the one    
only ,god1 and a just sense of his      
attributes4 ,this you will think you    
have learned long since1 and possess in 
common with almost every human creature 
in this enlightened age and nation2 but1
 believe me1 it is less common than you 

imagine1 to believe in the true         
,god--that is1 to form such a notion of 
the ,deity as is agreeable to truth1 and
 consistent with those infinite         
perfections1 which all profess to       
ascribe to him4 ,to form worthy notions 
of the ,supreme ,being1 as far as we are
 capable1 is essential to true religion 
and morality2 for as it is our duty to  
imitate those qualities of the          
,divinity1 which are imitable by us1 so 
is it necessary we should know what they
 are1 and fatal to mistake them4 ,can   
those who think of ,god with servile    
dread and terror1 as of a gloomy tyrant1
 armed with almighty power to torment   
and destroy them1 be said to believe in 
the true ,god8--in that ,god1 who1 the  
scriptures say1 is love8--the kindest   
and best of ,beings1 who made all       
creatures in bountiful goodness1 that he
 might communicate to them some portion 
of his own unalterable happiness6--who  
condescends to style himself our        
,father2 and who pitieth us1 as a father

 pitieth his own children6 ,can those1  
who expect to please ,god by cruelty to 
themselves or to their                  
fellow-creatures--by horrid punishments 
of their own bodies for the sin of their
 souls--or1 by more horrid persecution  
of others for difference of opinion1 be 
called true believers8 ,have they not   
set up another ,god in their own minds1 
who rather resembles the worst of beings
 than the best8 ,nor do those act on    
surer principles who think to gain the  
favour of ,god by senseless enthusiasm  
and frantic raptures1 more like the wild
 excesses of the most depraved human    
love1 than that reasonable adoration1   
that holy reverential love1 which is due
 to the pure and holy ,father of the    
universe4 ,those likewise1 who murmur   
against his providence1 and repine under
 the restraint of his commands1 cannot  
firmly believe him infinitely wise and  
good4 ,if we are not disposed to trust  
him for future events1 to banish        
fruitless anxiety1 and to believe that  

all things work together for good to    
those that love him1 surely we do not   
really believe in the ,god of mercy and 
truth4 ,if we wish to avoid all         
remembrance of him1 all communion with  
him1 as much as we dare1 surely we do   
not believe him to be the source of joy 
and comfort1 the dispenser of all good4 
,how lamentable it is1 that so few      
hearts should feel the pleasures of real
 piety2 that prayer and thanksgiving    
should be performed1 as they too often  
are1 not with joy1 and love1 and        
gratitude2 but1 with cold indifference1 
melancholy dejection1 or secret horror6 
,it is true1 we are all such frail and  
sinful creatures1 that we justly fear to
 have offended our gracious ,father3 but
 let us remember the condition of his   
forgiveness3 ,if you have sinned1 sin no
 more4 ,he is ready to receive you      
whenever you sincerely turn to him--and 
he is ready to assist you1 when you do  
but desire to obey him4 ,let your       
devotion then be the language of filial 

love and gratitude2 confide to this     
kindest of fathers every want and every 
wish of your heart2 but submit them all 
to his will1 and freely offer him the   
disposal of yourself1 and of all your   
affairs4 ,thank him for his benefits1   
and even for his punishments--convinced 
that these also are benefits1 and       
mercifully designed for your good4      
,implore his direction in all           
difficulties2 his assistance in all     
trials2 his comfort and support in      
sickness or affliction2 his restraining 
grace in time of prosperity and joy4 ,do
 not persist in desiring what his       
providence denies you2 but be assured it
 is not good for you4 ,refuse not any   
thing he allots you1 but embrace it as  
the best and properest for you4 ,can you
 do less to your heavenly ,father than  
what your duty to an earthly one        
requires8 ,if you were to ask permission
 of your father to do or to have any    
thing you desire1 and he should refuse  
it to you1 would you obstinately persist

 in setting your heart upon it          
notwithstanding his prohibition8 ,would 
you not rather say1 ,my father is wiser 
than ,i am2 he loves me1 and would not  
deny my request1 if it was fit to be    
granted2 ,i will therefore banish the   
thought1 and cheerfully acquiesce in his
 will8 ,how much rather should this be  
said of our heavenly ,father1 whose     
wisdom cannot be mistaken1 and whose    
bountiful kindness is infinite6 ,love   
him1 therefore1 in the same manner you  
love your earthly parents1 but in a much
 higher degree--in the highest your     
nature is capable of4 ,forget not to    
dedicate yourself to his service every  
day2 to implore his forgiveness of your 
faults1 and his protection from evil1   
every night3 and this not merely in     
formal words1 unaccompanied by any act  
of the mind1 but in spirit and in truth2
 in grateful love and humble adoration4 
,nor let these stated periods of worship
 be your only communication with him2   
accustom yourself to think often of him1

 in all your waking hours1--to          
contemplate his wisdom and power1 in the
 works of his hands1--to acknowledge his
 goodness in every object of use or of  
pleasure1--to delight in giving him     
praise in your inmost heart in the midst
 of every innocent gratification--in the
 liveliest hour of social enjoyment4    
,you cannot conceive1 if you have not   
experienced1 how much such silent acts  
of gratitude and love will enhance every
 pleasure2 nor what sweet serenity and  
cheerfulness such reflections will      
diffuse over your mind4 ,on the other   
hand1 when you are suffering pain or    
sorrow1 when you are confined to an     
unpleasant situation1 or engaged in a   
painful duty1 how will it support and   
animate you1 to refer yourself to your  
,almighty ,father6--to be assured that  
he knows your state and your intentions2
 that no effort of virtue is lost in his
 sight1 nor the least of your actions or
 sufferings disregarded or              
forgotten6--that his hand is ever over  

you1 to ward off every real evil1 which 
is not the effect of your own           
ill-conduct1 and to relieve every       
suffering that is not useful to your    
future well-being4  ,you see1 my dear1  
that true devotion is not a melancholy  
sentiment1 that depresses the spirits1  
and excludes the ideas of pleasure1     
which youth is fond of3 on the contrary1
 there is nothing so friendly to joy1 so
 productive of true pleasure1 so        
peculiarly suited to the warmth and     
innocence of a youthful heart4 ,do not  
therefore think it too soon to turn your
 mind to ,god2 but offer him the first  
fruits of your understanding and        
affections3 and be assured1 that the    
more you increase in love to him1 and   
delight in his laws1 the more you will  
increase in happiness1 in excellence1   
and honour3--that in proportion as you  
improve in true piety1 you will become  
dear and amiable to your                
fellow-creatures2 contented and peaceful
 in yourself2 and qualified to enjoy the

 best blessings of this life1 as well as
 to inherit the glorious promise of     
immortality4  ,thus far ,i have spoken  
of the first principles of all religion2
 namely1 belief in ,god1 worthy notions 
of his attributes1 and suitable         
affections towards him--which will      
naturally excite a sincere desire of    
obedience4 ,but before you can obey his 
will1 you must know what that will is2  
you must enquire in what manner he has  
declared it1 and where you may find     
those laws which must be the rule of    
your actions4  ,the great laws of       
morality are indeed written in our      
hearts1 and may be discovered by reason3
 but our reason is of slow growth1 very 
unequally dispensed to different        
persons1 liable to error1 and confined  
within very narrow limits in all4 ,if1  
therefore1 ,god vouchsafed to grant a   
particular revelation of his will--if he
 has been so unspeakably gracious1 as to
 send his ,son into the world to reclaim
 mankind from error and wickedness--to  

die for our sins--and to teach us the   
way to eternal life--surely it becomes  
us to receive his precepts with the     
deepest reverence2 to love and prize    
them above all things2 and to study them
 constantly1 with an earnest desire to  
conform our thoughts1 our words1 and    
actions to them4  ,as you advance in    
years and understanding1 ,i hope you    
will be able to examine for yourself the
 evidences of the ,christian religion1  
and be convinced1 on rational grounds1  
of its divine authority4 ,at present1   
such inquiries would demand more study1 
and greater powers of reasoning1 than   
your age admits of4 ,it is your part1   
therefore1 till you are capable of      
understanding the proofs1 to believe    
your parents and teachers1 that the holy
 scriptures are writings inspired by    
,god1 containing a true history of      
facts1 in which we are deeply           
concerned--a true recital of the laws   
given by ,god to ,moses1 and of the     
precepts of our blessed ,lord and       

,saviour1 delivered from his own mouth  
to his disciples1 and repeated and      
enlarged upon in the edifying epistles  
of his apostles--who were men chosen    
from amongst those who had the advantage
 of conversing with our ,lord1 to bear  
witness of his miracles and             
resurrection--and who1 after his        
ascension1 were assisted and inspired by
 the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this sacred volume  
must be the rule of your life4 ,in it   
you will find all truths necessary to be
 believed2 and plain and easy directions
 for the practice of every duty4 ,your  
,bible then must be your chief study and
 delight3 but as it contains many       
various kinds of writing--some parts    
obscure and difficult of interpretation1
 others plain and intelligible to the   
meanest capacity--,i would chiefly      
recommend to your frequent perusal such 
parts of the sacred writings as are most
 adapted to your understanding1 and most
 necessary for your instruction4 ,our   
,saviour's precepts were spoken to the  

common people amongst the ,jews2 and    
were therefore given in a manner easy to
 be understood1 and equally striking and
 instructive to the learned and         
unlearned2 for the most ignorant may    
comprehend them1 whilst the wisest must 
be charmed and awed1 by the beautiful   
and majestic simplicity with which they 
are expressed4 ,of the same kind are the
 ,ten ,commandments1 delivered by ,god  
to ,moses2 which1 as they were designed 
for universal laws1 are worded in the   
most concise and simple manner1 yet with
 a majesty which commands our utmost    
reverence4  ,i think you will receive   
great pleasure1 as well as improvement1 
from the ,historical ,books of the ,old 
,testament--provided you read them as an
 history1 in a regular course1 and keep 
the thread of it in your mind1 as you go
 on4 ,i know of none1 true or           
fictitious1 that is equally wonderful1  
interesting1 and affecting2 or that is  
told in so short and simple a manner as 
this1 which is1 of all histories1 the   

most authentic4  ,in my next letter1 ,i 
will give you some brief directions1    
concerning the method and course ,i wish
 you to pursue1 in reading the ,holy    
,scriptures4 ,may you be enabled to make
 the best use of this most precious gift
 of ,god--this sacred treasury of       
knowledge6 ,may you read the ,bible1 not
 as a task1 nor as the dull employment  
of that day only in which you are       
forbidden more lively                   
entertainments--but with a sincere and  
ardent desire of instruction2 with that 
love and delight in ,god's word which   
the holy psalmist so pathetically felt1 
and described1 and which is the natural 
consequence of loving ,god and virtue6  
,though ,i speak this of the ,bible in  
general1 ,i would not be understood to  
mean that every part of the volume is   
equally interesting4 ,i have already    
said1 that it consists of various       
matter1 and various kinds of books1     
which must be read with different views 
and sentiments4 ,the having some general

 notion of what you are to expect from  
each book may possibly help you to      
understand them1 and heighten your      
relish of them4 ,i shall treat you as if
 you were perfectly new to the whole2   
for so ,i wish you to consider yourself2
 because the time and manner1 in which  
children usually read the ,bible1 are   
very ill-calculated to make them really 
acquainted with it2 and too many people 
who have read it thus1 without          
understanding it in their youth1 satisfy
 themselves that they know enough of it1
 and never afterwards study it with     
attention1 when they come to a maturer  
age4  ,adieu1 my beloved ,niece6 ,if the
 feelings of your heart1 whilst you read
 my letters1 correspond with those of   
mine1 whilst ,i write them1 ,i shall not
 be without the advantage of your       
partial affection1 to give weight to my 
advice2 for1 believe me1 my own dear    
girl1 my heart and eyes overflow with   
tenderness while ,i tell you1 with how  
warm and earnest prayers for your       

happiness here1 and hereafter1 ,i       
subscribe myself      ,your faithful    
friend        and most affectionate     
,,aunt4     ,,letter ,,ii4  ,,on ,,the  
,,study ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,scriptures4 
,i ,,now proceed to give my dear ,niece 
some short sketches of the matter       
contained in the different books of the 
,bible1 and of the course in which they 
ought to be read4  ,the first ,book1    
,,genesis1 contains the most grand1 and1
 to us1 the most interesting1 events    
that ever happened in the universe3 ,the
 creation of the world1 and of          
man3--,the deplorable fall of man1 from 
his first state of excellence and bliss1
 to the distressed condition in which we
 see all his descendants continue3--,the
 sentence of death pronounced on ,adam1 
and on all his race1 with the reviving  
promise of that deliverance which has   
since been wrought for us by our blessed
 ,saviour3--,the account of the early   
state of the world3--,of the universal  
deluge3--,the division of mankind into  

different nations and languages3--,the  
story of ,abraham1 the founder of the   
,jewish people1 whose unshaken faith and
 obedience1 under the severest trial    
human nature could sustain1 obtained    
such favour in the sight of ,god1 that  
he vouchsafed to style him his friend1  
and promised to make his posterity a    
great nation2 and that in his seed--that
 is1 in one of his descendants--all the 
kingdoms of the earth should be blessed3
 this1 you will easily see1 refers to   
the ,messiah1 who was to be the blessing
 and deliverance of all nations4 ,it is 
amazing that the ,jews1 possessing this 
prophecy among many others1 should have 
been so blinded by prejudice1 as to have
 expected from this great personage only
 a temporal deliverance of their own    
nation from the subjection to which they
 were reduced under the ,romans3 it is  
equally amazing1 that some ,christians  
should1 even now1 confine the blessed   
effects of his appearance upon earth to 
this or that particular sect or         

profession1 when he is so clearly and   
emphatically described as the ,saviour  
of the whole world6 ,the story of       
,abraham's proceeding to sacrifice his  
only son at the command of ,god1 is     
affecting in the highest degree1 and    
sets forth a pattern of unlimited       
resignation1 that every one ought to    
imitate1 in those trials of obedience   
under temptation1 or of acquiescence    
under afflicting dispensations1 which   
fall to their lot3 of this we may be    
assured1 that our trials will be always 
proportioned to the powers afforded us3 
if we have not ,abraham's strength of   
mind1 neither shall we be called upon to
 lift the bloody knife against the bosom
 of an only child3 but1 if the almighty 
arm should be lifted up against him1 we 
must be ready to resign him1 and all we 
hold dear1 to the ,divine will4 ,this   
action of ,abraham has been censured by 
some1 who do not attend to the          
distinction between obedience to a      
special command1 and the detestably     

cruel sacrifices of the heathens1 who   
sometimes voluntarily1 and without any  
,divine injunctions1 offered up their   
own children1 under the notion of       
appeasing the anger of their gods4 ,an  
absolute command from ,god himself--as  
in the case of ,abraham--entirely alters
 the moral nature of the action2 since  
he1 and he only1 has a perfect right    
over the lives of his creatures1 and may
 appoint whom he will1 either angel or  
man1 to be his instrument of            
destruction4 ,that it was really the    
voice of ,god which pronounced the      
command1 and not a delusion1 might be   
made certain to ,abraham's mind1 by     
means we do not comprehend1 but which we
 know to be within the power of him who 
made our souls as well as bodies1 and   
who can control and direct every faculty
 of the human mind3 and we may be       
assured1 that1 if he was pleased to     
reveal himself so miraculously1 he would
 not leave a possibility of doubting    
whether it was a real or an imaginary   

revelation3 thus the sacrifice of       
,abraham appears to be clear of all     
superstition1 and remains the noblest   
instance of religious faith and         
submission that was ever given by a mere
 man3 we cannot wonder that the         
blessings bestowed on him for it should 
have been extended to his posterity4    
,this book proceeds with the history of 
,isaac1 which becomes very interesting  
to us1 from the touching scene ,i have  
mentioned2 and still more so1 if we     
consider him as the type of our         
,saviour3 it recounts his marriage with 
,rebecca--the birth and history of his  
two sons1 ,jacob1 the father of the     
twelve tribes1 and ,esau1 the father of 
the ,edomites or ,idumeans--the         
exquisitely affecting story of ,joseph  
and his brethren--and of his            
transplanting the ,israelites into      
,egypt1 who there multiplied to a great 
nation4  ,in ,,exodus you read of a     
series of wonders wrought by the        
,almighty1 to rescue the oppressed      

,israelites from the cruel tyranny of   
the ,egyptians1 who1 having first       
received them as guests1 by degrees     
reduced them to a state of slavery4 ,by 
the most peculiar mercies and exertions 
in their favour1 ,god prepared his      
chosen people to receive1 with reverent 
and obedient hearts1 the solemn         
restitution of those primitive laws1    
which probably he had revealed to ,adam 
and his immediate descendants1 or which1
 at least1 he had made known by the     
dictates of conscience1 but which1 time1
 and the degeneracy of mankind1 had much
 obscured4 ,this important revelation   
was made to them in the wilderness of   
,sinah3 there1 assembled before the     
burning mountain1 surrounded with       
blackness1 and darkness1 and tempest1   
they heard the awful voice of ,god      
pronounce the eternal law1 impressing it
 on their hearts with circumstances of  
terror1 but without those encouragements
 and those excellent promises1 which    
were afterwards offered to mankind by   

,jesus ,christ4 ,thus were the great    
laws of morality restored to the ,jews1 
and through them transmitted to other   
nations2 and by that means a great      
restraint was opposed to the torrent of 
vice and impiety1 which began to prevail
 over the world4  ,to those moral       
precepts1 which are of perpetual and    
universal obligation1 were superadded1  
by the ministration of ,moses1 many     
peculiar institutions1 wisely adapted to
 different ends--either to fix the      
memory of those past deliverances1 which
 were figurative of a future and far    
greater salvation--to place inviolable  
barriers between the ,jews and the      
idolatrous nations1 by whom they were   
surrounded--or1 to be the civil law1 by 
which the community was to be governed4 
,to conduct this series of events1 and  
to establish these laws with his people1
 ,god raised up that great prophet      
,moses1 whose faith and piety enabled   
him to undertake and execute the most   
arduous enterprises1 and to pursue1 with

 unabated zeal1 the welfare of his      
countrymen3 even in the hour of death1  
this generous ardour still prevailed3   
his last moments were employed in       
fervent prayers for their prosperity1   
and in rapturous gratitude for the      
glimpse vouchsafed him of a ,saviour1   
far greater than himself1 whom ,god     
would one day raise up to his people4   
,thus did ,moses1 by the excellency of  
his faith1 obtain a glorious            
pre-eminence among the saints and       
prophets in heaven2 while1 on earth1 he 
will be ever revered1 as the first of   
those benefactors to mankind1 whose     
labours for the public good have        
endeared their memory to all ages4  ,the
 next book is ,,leviticus1 which        
contains little besides the laws for the
 peculiar ritual observance of the      
,jews1 and therefore affords no great   
instruction to us now3 you may pass it  
over entirely2 and1 for the same reason1
 you may omit the first eight chapters  
of ,,numbers4 ,the rest of ,numbers is  

chiefly a continuation of the history1  
with some ritual laws4  ,in             
,,deuteronomy1 ,moses makes a           
recapitulation of the foregoing history1
 with zealous exhortations to the       
people1 faithfully to worship and obey  
that ,god1 who had worked such amazing  
wonders for them3 he promises them the  
noblest temporal blessings1 if they     
prove obedient1 and adds the most awful 
and striking denunciations against them1
 if they rebel or forsake the true ,god4
 ,i have before observed1 that the      
sanctions of the ,mosaic law were       
temporal rewards and punishments1 those 
of the ,new ,testament are eternal3     
these last1 as they are so infinitely   
more forcible than the first1 were      
reserved for the last1 best gift to     
mankind--and were revealed by the       
,messiah1 in the fullest and clearest   
manner4 ,moses1 in this book1 directs   
the method in which the ,israelites were
 to deal with the seven nations1 whom   
they were appointed to punish for their 

profligacy and idolatry6 and whose land 
they were to possess1 when they had     
driven out the old inhabitants4 ,he     
gives them excellent laws1 civil as well
 as religious1 which were ever after the
 standing municipal laws of that people4
 ,this book concludes with ,moses' song 
and death4  ,the book of ,,joshua       
contains the conquests of the           
,israelites over the seven nations1 and 
their establishment in the promised     
land4 ,their treatment of these         
conquered nations must appear to you    
very cruel and unjust1 if you consider  
it as their own act1 unauthorized by a  
positive command3 but they had the most 
absolute injunctions1 not to spare these
 corrupt people--to make no covenant    
with them1 nor shew mercy to them1 but  
utterly to destroy them4 ,and the reason
 is given--lest they should turn away   
the ,israelites from following the      
,lord1 that they might serve other      
gods#af4 ,the children of ,israel are to
 be considered as instruments in the    

hand of the ,lord1 to punish those whose
 idolatry and wickedness had deservedly 
brought destruction on them3 this       
example1 therefore1 cannot be pleaded in
 behalf of cruelty1 or bring any        
imputation on the character of the      
,jews4 ,with regard to other cities1    
which did not belong to these seven     
nations1 they were directed to deal with
 them1 according to the common law of   
arms at that time4 ,if the city         
submitted1 it became tributary1 and the 
people were spared2 if it resisted1 the 
men were to be slain1 but the women and 
children saved#ag4 ,yet1 though the     
crime of cruelty cannot be justly laid  
to their charge on this occasion1 you   
will observe in the course of their     
history many things recorded of them    
very different from what you would      
expect from the chosen people of ,god1  
if you supposed them selected on account
 of their own merit3 their national     
character was by no means amiable2 and  
we are repeatedly told1 that they were  

not chosen for their superior           
righteousness--for they were a          
stiff-necked people1 and provoked the   
,lord with their rebellions from the day
 they left ,egypt4--,you have been      
rebellious against the ,lord1 says      
,moses1 from the day that ,i knew       
you#ah4 ,and he vehemently exhorts them1
 not to flatter themselves that their   
success was1 in any degree1 owing to    
their own merits4 ,they were appointed  
to be the scourge of other nations1     
whose crimes rendered them fit objects  
of ,divine chastisement4 ,for the sake  
of righteous ,abraham1 their founder1   
and perhaps for many other wise reasons1
 undiscovered to us1 they were selected 
from a world over-run with idolatry1 to 
preserve upon earth the pure worship of 
the one only ,god1 and to be honoured   
with the birth of the ,messiah amongst  
them4 ,for this end1 they were          
precluded1 by ,divine command1 from     
mixing with any other people1 and       
defended by a great number of peculiar  

rites and observances from falling into 
the corrupt worship practised by their  
neighbours4  ,the book of ,,judges1 in  
which you will find the affecting       
stories of ,samson and of ,jephtha1     
carries on the history from the death of
 ,joshua1 about two hundred and fifty   
years2 but the facts are not told in the
 times in which they happened1 which    
makes some confusion2 and it will be    
necessary to consult the marginal dates 
and notes1 as well as the index1 in     
order to get any clear idea of the      
succession of events during that period4
  ,the history then proceeds regularly  
through the two books of ,,samuel1 and  
those of ,,kings3 nothing can be more   
interesting and entertaining than the   
reigns of ,saul1 ,david1 and ,solomon3  
but1 after the death of ,solomon1 when  
the ten tribes revolted from his son    
,rehoboam1 and became a separate        
kingdom1 you will find some difficulty  
in understanding distinctly the         
histories of the two kingdoms of ,israel

 and ,judah1 which are blended together1
 and1 by the likeness of the names1 and 
other particulars1 will be apt to       
confound your mind1 without great       
attention to the different threads thus 
carried on together3 the ,index here    
will be of great use to you4 ,the       
,second ,book of ,kings concludes with  
the ,babylonish captivity1 #ehh years   
before ,christ2 till which time1 the    
kingdom of ,judea had descended         
uninterruptedly in the line of ,david4  
,the first book of ,,chronicles begins  
with a genealogy from ,adam1 through all
 the tribes of ,israel and ,judah2 and  
the remainder is the same history which 
is contained in the books of ,kings1    
with little or no variation1 till the   
separation of the ten tribes3 from that 
period1 it proceeds with the history of 
the kingdom of ,judah alone1 and gives  
therefore a more regular and clear      
account of the affairs of ,judah than   
the book of ,kings4 ,you may pass over  
the first book of ,chronicles1 and the  

nine first chapters of the second book3 
but1 by all means1 read the remaining   
chapters1 as they will give you more    
clear and distinct ideas of the history 
of ,judah1 than that you read in the    
second book of ,kings4 ,the second of   
,chronicles ends1 like the second of    
,kings1 with the ,babylonish captivity4 
,you must pursue the history in the book
 of ,,ezra1 which gives an account of   
the return of some of the ,jews1 on the 
edict of ,cyrus1 and of the rebuilding  
the ,lord's temple4  ,,nehemiah carries 
on the history for about twelve years1  
when he himself was governor of         
,jerusalem1 with authority to rebuild   
the walls1 c4  ,the story of ,,esther is
 prior in time to that of ,ezra and     
,nehemiah2 as you will see by the       
marginal dates3 however1 as it happened 
during the seventy years captivity1 and 
is a kind of episode1 it may be read in 
its own place4  ,this is the last of the
 canonical books that is properly       
historical2 and ,i would therefore      

advise1 that you pass over what follows1
 till you have continued the history    
through the apocryphal books4  ,the     
history of ,,job is probably very       
ancient1 though that is a point upon    
which learned men have differed3 ,it is 
dated1 however1 #aebj years before      
,christ3 ,i believe it is uncertain by  
whom it was written3 many parts of it   
are obscure1 but it is well worth       
studying1 for the extreme beauty of the 
poetry1 and for the noble and sublime   
devotion it contains4 ,the subject of   
the dispute1 between ,job and his       
pretended friends1 seems to be1 whether 
the providence of ,god distributes the  
rewards and punishments of this life in 
exact proportion to the merit or demerit
 of each individual4 ,his antagonists   
suppose that it does3 and therefore     
infer1 from ,,job',s uncommon           
calamities1 that1 notwithstanding his   
apparent righteousness1 he was in       
reality a grievous sinner3 they         
aggravate his supposed guilt1 by the    

imputation of hypocrisy1 and call upon  
him to confess it1 and to acknowledge   
the justice of his punishment4 ,job     
asserts his own innocence and virtue in 
the most pathetic manner1 yet does not  
presume to accuse the ,supreme ,being of
 injustice4 ,elihu attempts to arbitrate
 the matter1 by alleging the            
impossibility that so frail and ignorant
 a creature as man should comprehend the
 ways of the ,almighty1 and1 therefore1 
condemns the unjust and cruel inference 
the three friends had drawn from the    
sufferings of ,job4 ,he also blames ,job
 for the presumption of acquitting      
himself of all iniquity1 since the best 
of men are not pure in the sight of     
,god--but all have something to repent  
of2 and he advises him to make this use 
of his affliction4 ,at last1 by a bold  
figure of poetry1 the ,supreme ,being   
himself is introduced1 speaking from the
 whirlwind1 and silencing them all by   
the most sublime display of his own     
power1 magnificence1 and wisdom1 and of 

the comparative littleness and ignorance
 of man4 ,this indeed is the only       
conclusion of the argument which could  
be drawn1 at a time when life and       
immortality were not yet brought to     
light4 ,a future retribution is the only
 satisfactory solution of the difficulty
 arising from the sufferings of good    
people in this life4  ,next follow ,,the
 ,,psalms1 with which you cannot be too 
conversant4 ,if you have any taste1     
either for poetry or devotion1 they will
 be your delight1 and will afford you a 
continual feast4 ,the ,bible translation
 is far better than that used in the    
,common ,prayer ,book3 and will often   
give you the sense1 when the other is   
obscure4 ,in this1 as well as in all    
other parts of the scripture1 you must  
be careful always to consult the margin1
 which gives you the corrections made   
since the last translation1 and is      
generally preferable to the words of the
 text4 ,i would wish you to select some 
of the ,psalms that please you best1 and

 get them by heart2 or1 at least1 make  
yourself mistress of the sentiments     
contained in them3 ,dr4 ,delany's ,life 
of ,david will show you the occasions on
 which several of them were composed1   
which add much to their beauty and      
propriety2 and1 by comparing them with  
the events of ,david's life1 you will   
greatly enhance your pleasure in them4  
,never did the spirit of true piety     
breathe more strongly than in these     
divine songs2 which1 being added to a   
rich vein of poetry1 makes them more    
captivating to my heart and imagination 
than any thing ,i ever read4 ,you will  
consider how great disadvantages any    
poems must sustain from being rendered  
literally into prose1 and then imagine  
how beautiful these must be in the      
original4 ,may you be enabled1 by       
reading them frequently1 to transfuse   
into your own breast that holy flame    
which inspired the writer6--to delight  
in the ,lord1 and in his laws1 like the 
,psalmist--to rejoice in him always1 and

 to think one day in his courts better  
than a thousand6 ,but may you escape the
 heart-piercing sorrow of such          
repentance as that of ,david1 by        
avoiding sin1 which humbled this unhappy
 king to the dust1 and which cost him   
such bitter anguish1 as it is impossible
 to read of without being moved4 ,not   
all the pleasures of the most prosperous
 sinner could counterbalance the        
hundredth part of those sensations      
described in his ,penitential ,psalms2  
and which must be the portion of every  
man1 who has fallen from a religious    
state into such crimes1 when once he    
recovers a sense of religion and virtue1
 and is brought to a real hatred of sin3
 however available such repentance may  
be to the safety and happiness of the   
soul after death1 it is a state of such 
exquisite suffering here1 that one      
cannot be enough surprised at the folly 
of those1 who indulge in sin1 with the  
hope of living to make their peace with 
,god by repentance4 ,happy are they who 

preserve their innocence unsullied by   
any great or wilful crimes1 and who have
 only the common failings of humanity to
 repent of3 these are sufficiently      
mortifying to a heart deeply smitten    
with the love of virtue1 and with the   
desire of perfection4 ,there are many   
very striking prophecies of the ,messiah
 in these divine songs2 particularly in 
,psalm xxii3 such may be found scattered
 up and down almost throughout the ,old 
,testament4 ,to bear testimony to him is
 the great and ultimate end1 for which  
the spirit of prophecy was bestowed on  
the sacred writers3--but this will      
appear more plainly to you1 when you    
enter on the study of prophecy1 which   
you are now much too young to undertake4
  ,the ,,proverbs and ,,ecclesiastes are
 rich stores of wisdom2 from which ,i   
wish you to adopt such maxims as may be 
of infinite use1 both to your temporal  
and eternal interest4 ,but detached     
sentences are a kind of reading not     
proper to be continued long at a time3 a

 few of them well chosen and digested   
will do you much more service than to   
read half a dozen chapters together3 in 
this respect they are directly opposite 
to the historical books1 which1 if not  
read in continuation1 can hardly be     
understood1 or retained to any purpose4 
,the ,,song of ,,solomon is a fine poem2
 but its mystical reference to religion 
lies too deep for a common              
understanding3 if you read it1          
therefore1 it will be rather as matter  
of curiosity than of edification4  ,next
 follow the ,,prophecies1 which1 though 
highly deserving the greatest attention 
and study1 ,i think you had better omit 
for some years1 and then read them with 
a good exposition2 as they are much too 
difficult for you to understand without 
assistance4 ,dr4 ,newton on the         
,prophecies will help you much1 whenever
 you undertake this study2 which you    
should by all means do1 when your       
understanding is ripe enough2 because   
one of the main proofs of our religion  

rests on the testimony of the           
prophecies2 and they are very frequently
 quoted and referred to in the ,new     
,testament3 besides the sublimity of the
 language and sentiments1 through all   
the disadvantages of antiquity and      
translation1 must1 in very many         
passages1 strike every person of taste2 
and the excellent moral and religious   
precepts found in them must be useful to
 all4  ,though ,i have spoken of these  
books in the order in which they stand1 
,i repeat1 that they are not to be read 
in that order2 but that the thread of   
the history is to be pursued1 from      
,nehemiah1 to the first book of         
,,maccabees1 in the ,apocrypha2 taking  
care to observe the ,chronology         
regularly1 by referring to the ,index1  
which supplies the deficiencies of this 
history1 from ,josephus's ,antiquities  
of the ,jews4 ,the first of ,maccabees  
carries on the story till within #aie   
years of our ,lord's circumcision3 the  
second book is the same narrative1      

written by a different hand1 and does   
not bring the history so forward as the 
first2 so that it may be entirely       
omitted1 unless you have the curiosity  
to read some particulars of the heroic  
constancy of the ,jews1 under the       
tortures inflicted by their heathen     
conquerors2 with a few other things not 
mentioned in the first book4  ,you must 
then connect the history by the help of 
the ,index1 which will give you brief   
heads of the changes that happened in   
the state of the ,jews1 from this time1 
till the birth of the ,messiah4  ,the   
other books of the ,apocrypha1 though   
not admitted as of sacred authority1    
have many things well worth your        
attention2 particularly the admirable   
book called ,,ecclesiasticus1 and the   
,,book ,,of ,,wisdom4 ,but1 in the      
course of reading which ,i advise1 these
 must be omitted till after you have    
gone through the ,gospels and ,acts1    
that you may not lose the historical    
thread4 ,i must reserve1 however1 what  

,i have to say to you concerning the    
,new ,testament to another letter4      
,adieu1 my dear6  ,,footnotes3  #af     
,deut4 chap4 ii4  #ag ,ibid4 chap4 xx4  
#ah ,deut4 chap4 ix4 ver4 #bd4          
,,letter ,,iii4       ,,my ,,dearest    
,,niece1  ,,we come now to that part of 
scripture1 which is the most important  
of all2 and which you must make your    
constant study1 not only till you are   
thoroughly acquainted with it1 but all  
your life long2 because how often soever
 repeated1 it is impossible to read the 
life and death of our blessed ,saviour1 
without renewing and increasing in our  
hearts that love1 and reverence1 and    
gratitude1 towards him1 which is so     
justly due for all he did and suffered  
for us6 ,every word that fell from his  
lips is more precious than all the      
treasures of the earth2 for his are the 
words of eternal life6 ,they must       
therefore be laid up in your heart1 and 
constantly referred to on all occasions1
 as the rule and direction of all your  

actions2 particularly those very        
comprehensive moral precepts he has     
graciously left with us1 which can never
 fail to direct us aright1 if fairly and
 honestly applied3 such as1 whatsoever  
ye would that men should do unto you1   
even so do unto them4 ,there is no      
occasion1 great or small1 on which you  
may not safely apply this rule1 for the 
direction of your conduct3 and1 whilst  
your heart honestly adheres to it1 you  
can never be guilty of any sort of      
injustice or unkindness4 ,the two great 
commandments1 which contain the summary 
of our duty to ,god and man1 are no less
 easily retained1 and made a standard by
 which to judge our own hearts4--,to    
love the ,lord our ,god with all our    
hearts1 with all our minds1 with all our
 strength2 and our neighbour 7or        
fellow-creature7 as ourselves4 ,love    
worketh no ill to his neighbour2        
therefore1 if you have true benevolence1
 you will never do any thing injurious  
to individuals1 or to society4 ,now1 all

 crimes whatever are 7in their remoter  
consequences at least1 if not           
immediately and apparently7 injurious to
 the society in which we live4 ,it is   
impossible to love ,god without desiring
 to please him2 and1 as far as we are   
able1 to resemble him2 therefore1 the   
love of ,god must lead to every virtue  
in the highest degree2 and1 we may be   
sure1 we do not truly love him1 if we   
content ourselves with avoiding flagrant
 sins1 and do not strive in good        
earnest1 to reach the greatest degree of
 perfection we are capable of4 ,thus do 
those few words direct us to the highest
 ,christian virtue4 ,indeed1 the whole  
tenor of the gospel is to offer us every
 help1 direction1 and motive1 that can  
enable us to attain that degree of      
perfection1 on which depends our eternal
 good4  ,what an example is set before  
us in our blessed ,master6 ,how is his  
whole life1 from earliest youth1        
dedicated to the pursuit of true wisdom1
 and to the practice of the most exalted

 virtue6 ,when you see him1 at twelve   
years of age1 in the temple amongst the 
doctors1 hearing them1 and asking them  
questions on the subject of religion1   
and astonishing them all with his       
understanding and answers1 you will say1
 perhaps1 ,well might the ,son of ,god1 
even at those years1 be far wiser than  
the aged2 but1 can a mortal child       
emulate such heavenly wisdom8 ,can such 
a pattern be proposed to my imitation8  
,yes1 my dear2 remember that he has     
bequeathed to you his heavenly wisdom1  
as far as concerns your own good4 ,he   
has left you such declarations of his   
will1 and of the consequences of your   
actions1 as you are1 even now1 fully    
able to understand1 if you will but     
attend to them4 ,if then you will       
imitate his zeal for knowledge1 if you  
will delight in gaining information and 
improvement1 you may1 even now1 become  
wise unto salvation4 ,unmoved by the    
praise he acquired amongst those learned
 men1 you see him meekly return to the  

subjection of a child1 under those who  
appeared to be his parents1 though he   
was in reality their ,lord3 you see him 
return to live with them1 to work for   
them1 and to be the joy and solace of   
their lives2 till the time came1 when he
 was to enter on that scene of public   
action1 for which his heavenly ,father  
had sent him from his own right hand1 to
 take upon him the form of a poor       
carpenter's son4 ,what a lesson of      
humility is this1 and of obedience to   
parents4 ,when1 having received the     
glorious testimony from heaven1 of his  
being the beloved ,son of the ,most     
,high1 he enters on his public ministry1
 what an example does he give us1 of the
 most extensive and constant            
benevolence6--how are all his hours     
spent in doing good to the souls and    
bodies of men6--not the meanest sinner  
is below his notice3 to reclaim and save
 them1 he condescends to converse       
familiarly with the most corrupt as well
 as the most abject4 ,all his miracles  

are wrought to benefit mankind2 not one 
to punish and afflict them4 ,instead of 
using the almighty power1 which         
accompanied him1 to the purpose of      
exalting himself and treading down his  
enemies1 he makes no other use of it    
than to heal and to save4  ,when you    
come to read of his sufferings and      
death1 the ignominy and reproach1 the   
sorrow of mind1 and torment of body1    
which he submitted to--when you         
consider1 that it was for all our       
sakes--that by his stripes we are       
healed--and by his death we are raised  
from destruction to everlasting         
life--what can ,i say that can add any  
thing to the sensations you must then   
feel8 ,no power of language can make the
 scene more touching than it appears in 
the plain and simple narrations of the  
evangelists4 ,the heart that is unmoved 
by it can be scarcely human4 ,but1 my   
dear1 the emotions of tenderness and    
compunction1 which almost every one     
feels in reading this account1 will be  

of no avail1 unless applied to the true 
end--unless it inspires you with a      
sincere and warm affection towards your 
blessed ,lord--with a firm resolution to
 obey his commands3--to be his faithful 
disciple--and ever to renounce and abhor
 those sins1 which brought mankind under
 ,divine condemnation1 and from which we
 have been redeemed at so dear a rate4  
,remember1 that the title of ,christian1
 or follower of ,christ1 implies a more 
than ordinary degree of holiness and    
goodness4 ,as our motives to virtue are 
stronger than those which are afforded  
to the rest of mankind1 our guilt will  
be proportionably greater if we depart  
from it4  ,our ,saviour appears to have 
had three great purposes1 in descending 
from his glory and dwelling amongst men4
 ,the first1 to teach them true virtue1 
both by his example and precepts3 the   
second1 to give them the most forcible  
motives to the practice of it1 by       
bringing life and immortality to light1 
by showing them the certainty of a      

resurrection and judgment1 and the      
absolute necessity of obedience to      
,god's laws3 the third1 to sacrifice    
himself for us1 to obtain by his death  
the remission of our sins upon our      
repentance and reformation1 and the     
power of bestowing on his sincere       
followers the inestimable gift of       
immortal happiness4  ,what a tremendous 
scene of the last day does the gospel   
place before our eyes8--of that day when
 you1 and every one of us1 shall awake  
from the grave1 and behold the ,son of  
,god1 on his glorious tribunal1 attended
 by millions of celestial beings1 of    
whose superior excellence we can now    
form no adequate idea3--,when1 in       
presence of all mankind1 of those holy  
angels1 and of the great ,judge himself1
 you must give an account of your past  
life1 and hear your final doom1 from    
which there can be no appeal1 and which 
must determine your fate to all         
eternity4 ,then think--if for a moment  
you can bear the thought--what will be  

the desolation1 shame1 and anguish of   
those wretched souls1 who shall hear    
these dreadful words3--,depart from me1 
ye cursed1 into everlasting fire1       
prepared for the devil and his angels4  
,oh6 my beloved child6 ,i cannot support
 even the idea of your becoming one of  
those undone1 lost creatures4 ,i trust  
in ,god's mercy1 that you will make a   
better use of that knowledge of his     
will1 which he has vouchsafed you1 and  
of those amiable dispositions he has    
given you4 ,let us therefore turn from  
this horrid1 this insupportable view1   
and rather endeavour to imagine1 as far 
as is possible1 what will be the        
sensation of your soul1 if you shall    
hear our heavenly ,judge address you in 
these transporting words--,come1 thou   
blessed of my ,father1 inherit the      
kingdom prepared for you from the       
foundation of the world4 ,think1 what it
 must be1 to become an object of the    
esteem and applause1 not only of all    
mankind assembled together1 but of all  

the host of heaven1 of our blessed ,lord
 himself1 nay1 of his and our ,almighty 
,father3 to find your frail flesh       
changed in a moment into a glorious     
celestial body1 endowed with perfect    
beauty1 health1 and agility--to find    
your soul cleansed from all its faults  
and infirmities2 exalted to the purest  
and noblest affections1 overflowing with
 divine love and rapturous              
gratitude2--to have your understanding  
enlightened and refined1 your heart     
enlarged and purified1 and every power  
and disposition of mind and body adapted
 to the highest relish of virtue and    
happiness6 ,thus accomplished1 to be    
admitted into the society of amiable and
 happy beings1 all united in the most   
perfect peace and friendship1 all       
breathing nothing but love to ,god1 and 
to each other2--with them to dwell in   
scenes more delightful than the richest 
imagination can paint--free from every  
pain and care1 and from all possibility 
of change or satiety3--but1 above all1  

to enjoy the more immediate presence of 
,god himself--to be able to comprehend  
and admire his adorable perfections in a
 high degree1 though still far short of 
their infinity--to be conscious of his  
love and favour1 and to rejoice in the  
light of his countenance6--but here all 
imagination fails3--,we can form no idea
 of that bliss which may be communicated
 to us by such a near approach to the   
source of all beauty and all good3--,we 
must content ourselves with believing1  
that it is what mortal eye hath not     
seen1 nor ear heard1 neither hath it    
entered into the heart of man to        
conceive4 ,the crown of all our joys    
will be to know that we are secure of   
possessing them for ever--,what a       
transporting idea6  ,my dearest child6  
can you reflect on all these things1 and
 not feel the most earnest longings     
after immortality8 ,do not all other    
views and desires seem mean and trifling
 when compared with this8 ,and does not 
your inmost heart resolve that this     

shall be the chief and constant object  
of its wishes and pursuit1 through the  
whole course of your life8 ,if you are  
not insensible to that desire of        
happiness1 which seems woven into our   
nature1 you cannot surely be unmoved by 
the prospect of such a transcendent     
degree of it2 and that1 continued to all
 eternity--perhaps continually          
increasing4 ,you cannot but dread the   
forfeiture of such an inheritance as the
 most insupportable evil6 ,remember     
then--remember the conditions on which  
alone it can be obtained4 ,god will not 
give to vice1 to carelessness1 or sloth1
 the prize he has proposed to virtue4   
,you have every help that can animate   
your endeavours3--,you have written laws
 to direct you--the example of ,christ  
and his disciples to encourage you--the 
most awakening motives to engage        
you--and you have1 besides1 the         
comfortable promise of constant         
assistance from the ,holy ,spirit1 if   
you diligently and sincerely pray for   

it4 ,o1 my dear child6 let not all this 
mercy be lost upon you2 but give your   
attention to this your only important   
concern1 and accept1 with profound      
gratitude1 the inestimable advantages   
that are thus affectionately offered    
you4  ,though the four gospels are each 
of them a narration of the life1        
sayings1 and death of ,christ2 yet1 as  
they are not exactly alike1 but some    
circumstances and sayings1 omitted in   
one1 are recorded in another1 you must  
make yourself perfectly mistress of them
 all4  ,the ,,acts of the holy          
,apostles1 endowed with the ,holy       
,ghost1 and authorized by their divine  
,master1 come next in order to be read4 
,nothing can be more interesting and    
edifying1 than the history of their     
actions--of the piety1 zeal1 and        
courage1 with which they preached the   
glad tidings of salvation--and of the   
various exertions of the wonderful      
powers conferred on them by the ,holy   
,spirit1 for the confirmation of their  

mission4  ,the character of ,st4 ,paul1 
and his miraculous conversion1 demand   
your particular attention3 most of the  
apostles were men of low birth and      
education2 but ,st4 ,paul was a ,roman  
citizen2 that is1 he possessed the      
privileges annexed to the freedom of the
 city of ,rome1 which was considered as 
an high distinction in those countries  
that had been conquered by the ,romans4 
,he was educated amongst the most       
learned sect of the ,jews1 and by one of
 their principal doctors4 ,he was a man 
of extraordinary eloquence1 as appears  
not only in his writings1 but in several
 speeches in his own defence1 pronounced
 before governors and courts of justice1
 when he was called to account for the  
doctrines he taught4 ,he seems to have  
been of an uncommon warm temper1 and    
zealous in whatever religion he         
professed3 this zeal1 before his        
conversion1 showed itself in the most   
unjustifiable actions1 by furiously     
persecuting the innocent ,christians3   

but though his actions were bad1 we may 
be sure his intentions were good2       
otherwise we should not have seen a     
miracle employed to convince him of his 
mistake1 and to bring him into the right
 way4 ,this example may assure us of the
 mercy of ,god towards mistaken         
consciences1 and ought to inspire us    
with the most enlarged charity and      
good-will towards those whose erroneous 
principles mislead their conduct3       
instead of resentment and hatred against
 their persons1 we ought only to feel an
 active wish of assisting them to find  
the truth2 since we know not whether1 if
 convinced1 they might not prove1 like  
,st4 ,paul1 chosen vessels to promote   
the honour of ,god1 and of true         
religion4 ,it is not my intention now to
 enter with you into any of the         
arguments for the truth of              
,christianity1 otherwise it would be    
impossible wholly to pass over that     
which arises from this remarkable       
conversion1 and which has been so       

admirably illustrated by a noble        
writer1#ai whose tract on this subject  
is in every body's hand4  ,next follow  
the ,,epistles1 which make a very       
important part of the ,new ,testament3  
and you cannot be too much employed in  
reading them4 ,they contain the most    
excellent precepts and admonitions1 and 
are of particular use in explaining more
 at large several doctrines of          
,christianity1 which we could not so    
fully comprehend without them4 ,there   
are indeed in the ,epistles of ,st4     
,paul many passages hard to be          
understood2 such1 in particular1 are the
 first eleven chapters to the ,romans2  
the greater part of his ,epistles to the
 ,corinthians and ,galatians2 and       
several chapters of that to the         
,hebrews4 ,instead of perplexing        
yourself with these more obscure        
passages of ,scripture1 ,i would wish   
you to employ your attention chiefly on 
those that are plain2 and to judge of   
the doctrines taught in the other parts1

 by comparing them with what you find in
 these4 ,it is through the neglect of   
this rule1 that many have been led to   
draw the most absurd doctrines from the 
,holy ,scriptures4 ,let me particularly 
recommend to your careful perusal the   
#abth1 #acth1 #adth1 and #aeth chapters 
of the ,epistle to the ,romans4 ,in the 
#adth chapter1 ,st4 ,paul has in view   
the difference between the ,jewish and  
,gentile 7or ,heathen7 converts at that 
time2 the former were disposed to look  
with horror on the latter1 for their    
impiety in not paying the same regard to
 the distinctions of days and meats1    
that they did2 and the latter1 on the   
contrary1 were inclined to look with    
contempt on the former1 for their       
weakness and superstition4 ,excellent is
 the advice which the apostle gives to  
both parties3 he exhorts the ,jewish    
converts not to judge1 and the ,gentiles
 not to despise2 remembering that the   
kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink1
 but righteousness1 and peace1 and joy  

in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,endeavour to      
conform yourself to this advice2 to     
acquire a temper of universal candour   
and benevolence3 and learn neither to   
despise nor condemn any persons on      
account of their particular modes of    
faith and worship2 remembering always1  
that goodness is confined to no party2  
that there are wise and worthy men among
 all the sects of ,christians2 and that1
 to his own master1 every one must stand
 or fall4  ,i will enter no further into
 the several points discussed by ,st4   
,paul in his various epistles--most of  
them too intricate for your             
understanding at present1 and many of   
them beyond my abilities to state       
clearly4 ,i will only again recommend to
 you1 to read those passages frequently1
 which1 with so much fervour and energy1
 excite you to the practice of the most 
exalted piety and benevolence4 ,if the  
effusions of a heart1 warmed with the   
tenderest affection for the whole human 
race--if precept1 warning1              

encouragement1 example1 urged by an     
eloquence which such affection only     
could inspire1 are capable of           
influencing your mind1 you cannot fail  
to find1 in such parts of his epistles  
as are adapted to your understanding1   
the strongest persuasives to every      
virtue that can adorn and improve your  
nature4  ,the ,epistle of ,st4 ,james is
 entirely practical1 and exceedingly    
fine2 you cannot study it too much4 ,it 
seems particularly designed to guard    
,christians against misunderstanding    
some things in ,st4 ,paul's writings1   
which have been fatally perverted to the
 encouragement of a dependance on faith 
alone1 without good works4 ,but the more
 rational commentators will tell you1   
that by the works of the law1 which the 
apostle asserts to be incapable of      
justifying us1 he means not the works of
 moral righteousness1 but the ceremonial
 works of the ,mosaic law2 on which the 
,jews laid the greatest stress1 as      
necessary to salvation4 ,but ,st4 ,james

 tells us1 that1 ,if any man among us   
seem to be religious1 and bridleth not  
his tongue1 but deceiveth his own heart1
 that man's religion is vain4 ,and that 
pure religion1 and undefiled before ,god
 the ,father1 is this3 to visit the     
fatherless and widow in their           
affliction1 and to keep himself         
unspotted from the world4 ,faith in     
,christ1 if it produce not these        
effects1 he declares is dead1 or of no  
power4  ,the ,epistles of ,st4 ,peter   
are also full of the best instructions  
and admonitions1 concerning the relative
 duties of life2 amongst which are set  
forth the duties of women in general1   
and of wives in particular4 ,some part  
of the second ,epistle is prophetical2  
warning the church of false teachers1   
and false doctrines1 which would        
undermine morality1 and disgrace the    
cause of ,christianity4  ,the first of  
,st4 ,,john is written in a highly      
figurative style1 which makes it in some
 parts hard to be understood3 but the   

spirit of divine love1 which it so      
fervently expresses1 renders it highly  
edifying and delightful4--,that love of 
,god and of man1 which this beloved     
apostle so pathetically recommends1 is  
in truth the essence of religion1 as our
 ,saviour himself informs us4  ,the book
 of ,,revelations contains a prophetical
 account of most of the great events    
relating to the ,christian church1 which
 were to happen from the time of the    
writer1 ,st4 ,john1 to the end of the   
world4 ,many learned men have taken a   
great deal of pains to explain it2 and  
they have done this in many instances   
very successfully3 but1 ,i think1 it is 
yet too soon for you to study this part 
of scripture2 some years hence perhaps  
there may be no objection to your       
attempting it1 and taking into your     
hands the best expositions to assist you
 in reading such of the most difficult  
parts of the ,new ,testament as you     
cannot now be supposed to understand4   
,may ,heaven direct you in studying this

 sacred volume1 and render it the means 
of making you wise unto salvation6 ,may 
you love and reverence1 as it deserves1 
this blessed and invaluable book1 which 
contains the best rule of life1 the     
clearest declaration of the will and    
laws of the ,deity1 the reviving        
assurance of favour to true penitents1  
and the unspeakably joyful tidings of   
eternal life and happiness to all the   
truly virtuous1 through ,jesus ,christ1 
the ,saviour and ,deliverer of the      
world6      ,adieu4  ,,footnote3  #ai   
,lord ,lyttelton4     ,,letter ,,iv4    
,,on ,,the ,,regulation ,,of ,,the      
,,heart ,,and ,,affections4   ,,you will
 have read the ,new ,testament to very  
little purpose1 my dearest ,niece1 if   
you do not perceive the great end and   
intention of all its precepts to be the 
improvement and regulation of the heart3
 not the outward actions alone1 but the 
inward affections1 which give birth to  
them1 are the subjects of those         
precepts2 as appears in our ,saviour's  

explanation#bj of the commandments      
delivered to ,moses2 and in a thousand  
other passages of the gospels1 which it 
is needless to recite4 ,there are no    
virtues more insisted on1 as necessary  
to our future happiness1 than humility1 
and sincerity1 or uprightness1 of heart2
 yet none more difficult and rare4      
,pride and vanity1 the vices opposite to
 humility1 are the sources of almost all
 the worst faults1 both of men and      
women4 ,the latter are particularly     
accused--and not without reason--of     
vanity1 the vice of little minds1       
chiefly conversant with trifling        
subjects4 ,pride and vanity have been   
supposed to differ so essentially1 as   
hardly ever to be found in the same     
person4 ,too proud to be vain1 is no    
uncommon expression2 by which ,i suppose
 is meant1 too proud to be over anxious 
for the admiration of others3 but this  
seems to be founded on mistake4 ,pride  
is1 ,i think1 an high opinion of one's  
self1 and an affected contempt of       

others3 ,i say affected1 for that it is 
not a real contempt is evident from     
this1 that the lowest object of it is   
important enough to torture the proud   
man's heart1 only by refusing him the   
homage and admiration he requires4 ,thus
 ,haman could relish none of the        
advantages in which he valued himself1  
whilst that ,mordecai1 whom he pretended
 to despise1 sat still in the king's    
gate1 and would not bow to him as he    
passed4 ,but as the proud man's contempt
 of others is only assumed with a view  
to awe them into reverence by his       
pretended superiority1 so it does not   
preclude an extreme inward anxiety about
 their opinions1 and a slavish          
dependance on them for all his          
gratifications4 ,pride1 though a        
distinct passion1 is seldom             
unaccompanied by vanity1 which is an    
extravagant desire of admiration4       
,indeed1 ,i never saw an insolent       
person1 in whom a discerning eye might  
not discover a very large share of      

vanity1 and of envy1 its usual          
companion4 ,one may nevertheless see    
many vain persons who are not proud2    
though they desire to be admired1 they  
do not always admire themselves3 but as 
timid minds are apt to despair of those 
things they earnestly wish for1 so you  
will often see the woman who is most    
anxious to be thought handsome1 most    
inclined to be dissatisfied with her    
looks1 and to think all the assistance  
of art too little to attain the end     
desired4 ,to this cause1 ,i believe1 we 
may generally attribute affectation2    
which seems to imply a mean opinion of  
one's own real form1 or character1 while
 we strive against nature to alter      
ourselves by ridiculous contortions of  
body1 or by feigned sentiments and      
unnatural manners4 ,there is no art so  
mean1 which this mean passion will not  
descend to for its gratification--no    
creature so insignificant1 whose incense
 it will not gladly receive4 ,far from  
despising others1 the vain man will     

court them with the most assiduous      
adulation2 in hopes1 by feeding their   
vanity1 to induce them to supply the    
craving wants of his own4 ,he will put  
on the guise of benevolence1 tenderness1
 and friendship1 where he feels not the 
least degree of kindness1 in order to   
prevail on good-nature and gratitude to 
like and to commend him2 but if1 in any 
particular case1 he fancies the airs of 
insolence and contempt may succeed      
better1 he makes no scruple to assume   
them2 though so awkwardly1 that he still
 appears to depend on the breath of the 
person he would be thought to despise4  
,weak and timid natures seldom venture  
to try this last method2 and1 when they 
do1 it is without the assurance         
necessary to carry it on with success3  
but a bold and confident mind will      
oftener endeavour to command and extort 
admiration than to court it4 ,as women  
are more fearful than men1 perhaps this 
may be one reason why they are more vain
 than proud2 whilst the other sex are   

oftener proud than vain4 ,it is1 ,i     
suppose1 from some opinion of a certain 
greatness of mind accompanying the one  
vice rather than the other1 that many   
will readily confess their pride1 nay1  
and even be proud of their pride1 whilst
 every creature is ashamed of being     
convicted of vanity4 ,you see1 however1 
that the end of both is the same1 though
 pursued by different means2 or1 if it  
differs1 it is in the importance of the 
subject4 ,whilst men are proud of power1
 of wealth1 dignity1 learning1 or       
abilities1 young women are usually      
ambitious of nothing more than to be    
admired for their persons1 their dress1 
or their most trivial accomplishments4  
,the homage of men is their grand       
object2 but they only desire them to be 
in love with their persons1 careless how
 despicable their minds appear1 even to 
these their pretended adorers4 ,i have  
known a woman so vain as to boast of the
 most disgraceful addresses2 being      
contented to be thought meanly of1 in   

points the most interesting to her      
honour1 for the sake of having it known1
 that her person was attractive enough  
to make a man transgress the bounds of  
respect due to her character1 which was 
not a vicious one1 if you except this   
intemperate vanity4 ,but this passion   
too often leads to the most ruinous     
actions1 always corrupts the heart1 and1
 when indulged1 renders it1 perhaps1 as 
displeasing in the sight of the         
,almighty1 as those faults which find   
least mercy from the world2 yet1 alas6  
it is a passion so prevailing1 ,i had   
almost said universal1 in our sex1 that 
it requires all the efforts of reason1  
and all the assistance of grace1 totally
 to subdue it4 ,religion is indeed the  
only effectual remedy for this evil4 ,if
 our hearts are not dedicated to ,god1  
they will in some way or other be       
dedicated to the world1 both in youth   
and age4 ,if our actions are not        
constantly referred to him1 if his      
approbation and favour is not our       

principal object1 we shall certainly    
take up with the applause of men1 and   
make that the ruling motive of our      
conduct4 ,how melancholy is it to see   
this phantom so eagerly followed through
 life6 whilst all that is truly valuable
 to us is looked upon with indifference2
 or1 at best1 made subordinate to this  
darling pursuit6  ,equally vain and     
absurd is every scheme of life that is  
not subservient to1 and does not        
terminate in1 that great end of our     
being--the attainment of real           
excellence1 and of the favour of ,god4  
,whenever this becomes sincerely our    
object1 then will pride and vanity1     
envy1 ambition1 covetousness1 and every 
evil passion1 lose their power over us2 
and we shall1 in the language of        
scripture1 walk humbly with our ,god4   
,we shall then cease to repine under our
 natural or accidental disadvantages1   
and feel dissatisfied only with our     
moral defects2--we shall love and       
respect all our fellow-creatures1 as the

 children of the same dear parent1 and  
particularly those who seek to do his   
will3 ,all our delight will be in the   
saints that are in the earth1 and in    
such as excel in virtue4 ,we shall wish 
to cultivate good-will1 and to promote  
innocent enjoyment wherever we are3--we 
shall strive to please1 not from vanity1
 but from benevolence4 ,instead of      
contemplating our own fancied           
perfections1 or even real superiority   
with self-complacence1 religion will    
teach us to look into ourselves1 and    
fear3 the best of us1 ,god knows1 have  
enough to fear1 if we honestly search   
into all the dark recesses of the heart1
 and bring out every thought and        
intention fairly to the light1 to be    
tried by the precepts of our pure and   
holy religion4  ,it is with the rules of
 the gospel we must compare ourselves1  
and not with the world around us2 for we
 know1 that the many are wicked3 and    
that we must not be conformed to the    
world4  ,how necessary it is frequently 

thus to enter into ourselves1 and search
 out our spirit1 will appear1 if we     
consider1 how much the human heart is   
prone to insincerity1 and how often1    
from being first led by vanity into     
attempts to impose upon others1 we come 
at last to impose on ourselves4  ,there 
is nothing more common than to see      
people fall into the most ridiculous    
mistakes1 with regard to their own      
characters2 but ,i can by no means allow
 such mistakes to be unavoidable1 and   
therefore innocent3 they arose from     
voluntary insincerity1 and are continued
 for want of that strict honesty towards
 ourselves and others1 which the        
,scripture calls singleness of heart2   
and which in modern language is termed  
simplicity1--the most enchanting of all 
qualities1 esteemed and beloved in      
proportion to its rareness4  ,he1 who   
requires truth in the inward parts1 will
 not excuse our self-deception2 for he  
has commanded us to examine ourselves   
diligently1 and has given us such rules 

as can never mislead us1 if we desire   
the truth1 and are willing to see our   
faults1 in order to correct them4 ,but  
this is the point in which we are       
defective2 we are desirous to gain our  
own approbation1 as well as that of     
others1 at a cheaper rate than that of  
being really what we ought to be2 and we
 take pains to persuade ourselves that  
we are that which we indolently admire  
and approve4  ,there is nothing in which
 this self-deception is more notorious  
than in what regards sentiment and      
feeling4 ,let a vain young woman be told
 that tenderness and softness is the    
peculiar charm of the sex1 that even    
their weakness is lovely1 and their     
fears becoming1 and you will presently  
observe her grow so tender as to be     
ready to weep for a fly2 so fearful1    
that she starts at a feather2 and so    
weak-hearted1 that the smallest accident
 quite overpowers her4 ,her fondness and
 affection become fulsome and           
ridiculous2 her compassion grows        

contemptible weakness2 and her          
apprehensiveness the most abject        
cowardice3 for1 when once she quits the 
direction of ,nature1 she knows not     
where to stop1 and continually exposes  
herself by the most absurd extremes4    
,nothing so effectually defeats its own 
ends as this kind of affectation3 for   
though warm affections and tender       
feelings are beyond measure amiable and 
charming1 when perfectly natural1 and   
kept under the due control of reason and
 principle1 yet nothing is so truly     
disgusting as the affectation of them1  
or even the unbridled indulgence of such
 as are real4  ,remember1 my dear1 that 
our feelings were not given us for our  
ornament1 but to spur us on to right    
actions4 ,compassion1 for instance1 was 
not impressed upon the human heart1 only
 to adorn the fair face with tears1 and 
to give an agreeable languor to the     
eyes2 it was designed to excite our     
utmost endeavours to relieve the        
sufferer4 ,yet1 how often have ,i heard 

that selfish weakness1 which flies from 
the sight of distress1 dignified with   
the name of tenderness6--,my friend is1 
,i hear1 in the deepest affliction and  
misery2--,i have not seen her--for      
indeed ,i cannot bear such scenes--they 
affect me too much6--those who have less
 sensibility are fitter for this        
world2--but1 for my part1 ,i own1 ,i am 
not able to support such things4--,i    
shall not attempt to visit her1 till ,i 
hear she has recovered her spirits4     
,this have ,i heard said1 with an air of
 complacence2 and the poor selfish      
creature has persuaded herself that she 
had finer feelings than those generous  
friends1 who are sitting patiently in   
the house of mourning1 watching1 in     
silence1 the proper moment to pour in   
the balm of comfort2--who suppressed    
their own sensations1 and only attended 
to those of the afflicted person2 and   
whose tears flowed in secret1 whilst    
their eyes and voice were taught to     
enliven the sinking heart with the      

appearance of cheerfulness4  ,that sort 
of tenderness which makes us useless1   
may indeed be pitied and excused1 if    
owing to natural imbecility2 but1 if it 
pretends to loveliness and excellence1  
it becomes truly contemptible4  ,the    
same degree of active courage is not to 
be expected in woman as in man2 and1 not
 belonging to her nature1 it is not     
agreeable in her3 but passive           
courage--patience1 and fortitude under  
sufferings--presence of mind1 and calm  
resignation in danger--are surely       
desirable in every rational creature2   
especially in one professing to believe 
in an over-ruling ,providence1 in which 
we may at all times quietly confide1 and
 which we may safely trust with every   
event that does not depend upon our own 
will4 ,whenever you find yourself       
deficient in these virtues1 let it be a 
subject of shame and humiliation--not of
 vanity and self-complacence3 do not    
fancy yourself the more amiable for that
 which really makes you despicable2 but 

content yourself with the faults and    
weaknesses that belong to you1 without  
putting on more by way of ornament4     
,with regard to tenderness1 remember    
that compassion is best shown by an     
ardour to relieve2 and affection1 by    
assiduity to promote the good and       
happiness of the persons you love2 that 
tears are unamiable1 instead of being   
ornamental1 when voluntarily indulged2  
and can never be attractive but when    
they flow irresistibly1 and avoid       
observation as much as possible3 the    
same may be said of every other mark of 
passion4 ,it attracts our sympathy1 if  
involuntary1 and not designed for our   
notice--,it offends1 if we see that it  
is purposely indulged and obtruded on   
our observation4  ,another point1 on    
which the heart is apt to deceive       
itself1 is generosity3 we cannot bear to
 suspect ourselves of base and          
ungenerous feelings1 therefore we let   
them work without attending to them1 or 
we endeavour to find out some better    

motive for those actions1 which really  
flow from envy and malignity4 ,before   
you flatter yourself that you are a     
generous benevolent person1 take care to
 examine whether you are really glad of 
every advantage and excellence1 which   
your friends and companions possess1    
though they are such as you are yourself
 deficient in4 ,if your sister or friend
 makes a greater proficiency than       
yourself in any accomplishment1 which   
you are in pursuit of1 do you never wish
 to stop her progress1 instead of trying
 to hasten your own8  ,the boundaries   
between virtuous emulation and vicious  
envy are very nice1 and may be easily   
mistaken4 ,the first will awaken your   
attention to your own defects1 and      
excite your endeavours to improve2 the  
last will make you repine at the        
improvements of others1 and wish to rob 
them of the praise they have deserved4  
,do you sincerely rejoice when your     
sister is enjoying pleasure or          
commendation1 though you are at the same

 time in disagreeable or mortifying     
circumstances8 ,do you delight to see   
her approved and beloved1 even by those 
who do not pay you equal attention8 ,are
 you afflicted and humbled1 when she is 
found to be in fault1 though you        
yourself are remarkably clear from the  
same offence8 ,if your heart assures you
 of the affirmative to these questions1 
then may you think yourself a kind      
sister and a generous friend3 for you   
must observe1 my dear1 that scarcely any
 creature is so depraved as not to be   
capable of kind affections in some      
circumstances4 ,we are all naturally    
benevolent1 when no selfish interest    
interferes1 and where no advantage is to
 be given up3 we can all pity distress1 
when it lies complaining at our feet1   
and confesses our superiority and       
happier situation3 but ,i have seen the 
sufferer himself become the object of   
envy and ill-will1 as soon as his       
fortitude and greatness of mind had     
begun to attract admiration1 and to make

 the envious person feel the superiority
 of virtue above good fortune4  ,to take
 sincere pleasure in the blessings and  
excellencies of others1 is a much surer 
mark of benevolence than to pity their  
calamities3 and you must always         
acknowledge yourself ungenerous and     
selfish1 whenever you are less ready to 
rejoice with them that do rejoice1 than 
to weep with them that weep4 ,if ever   
your commendations of others are forced 
from you1 by the fear of betraying your 
envy--or if ever you feel a secret      
desire to mention something that may    
abate the admiration given them1 do not 
try to conceal the base disposition from
 yourself1 since that is not the way to 
cure it4  ,human nature is ever liable  
to corruption1 and has in it the seeds  
of every vice1 as well as of every      
virtue2 and the first will be           
continually shooting forth and growing  
up1 if not carefully watched and rooted 
out as fast as they appear4 ,it is the  
business of religion to purify and exalt

 us1 from a state of imperfection and   
infirmity1 to that which is necessary   
and essential to happiness4 ,envy would 
make us miserable in heaven itself1     
could it be admitted there2 for we must 
there see beings far more excellent1 and
 consequently more happy than ourselves2
 and till we can rejoice in seeing      
virtue rewarded in proportion to its    
degree1 we can never hope to be among   
the number of the blessed4  ,watch then1
 my dear child1 and observe every evil  
propensity of your heart1 that you may  
in time correct it1 with the assistance 
of that grace which alone can conquer   
the evils of our nature1 and which you  
must constantly and earnestly implore4  
,i must add1 that even those vices which
 you would most blush to own1 and which 
most effectually defile and vilify the  
female heart1 may by degrees be         
introduced into yours--to the ruin of   
that virtue1 without which1 misery and  
shame must be your portion--unless the  
avenues of the heart are guarded by a   

sincere abhorrence of every thing that  
approaches towards evil4 ,would you be  
of the number of those blessed1 who are 
pure in heart1 you must hate and avoid  
every thing1 both in books and in       
conversation1 that conveys impure ideas1
 however neatly clothed in decent       
language1 or recommended to your taste  
by pretended refinements1 and tender    
sentiments--by elegance of style1 or    
force of wit and genius4  ,i must not   
now begin to give you my thoughts on the
 regulation of the affections1 as that  
is a subject of too much consequence to 
be soon dismissed4 ,i shall dedicate to 
it my next letter3 in the mean time1    
believe me1      ,your ever             
affectionate4  ,,footnote3  #bj ,matt4  
v4     ,,letter ,v4  ,,on ,,the         
,,regulation ,,of ,,the ,,affections4   
,,the attachments of the heart1 on which
 almost all the happiness or misery of  
life depends1 are most interesting      
objects of our consideration4 ,i shall  
give my dear niece the observations     

which experience has enabled me to draw 
from real life1 and not from what others
 have said or written1 however great    
their authority4  ,the first attachment 
of young hearts is friendship--the      
noblest and happiest of affections1 when
 real1 and built on a solid foundation2 
but1 oftener pernicious than useful to  
very young people1 because the          
connection itself is ill understood1 and
 the subject of it frequently ill       
chosen4 ,their first error is that of   
supposing equality of age1 and exact    
similarity of disposition1 indispensably
 requisite in friends2 whereas these are
 circumstances which in great measure   
disqualify them for assisting each other
 in moral improvements1 or supplying    
each other's defects2 they expose them  
to the same dangers1 and incline them to
 encourage rather than correct each     
other's failings4  ,the grand cement of 
this kind of friendship is telling      
secrets1 which they call confidence3 and
 ,i verily believe that the desire of   

having secrets to tell1 has often helped
 to draw silly girls into very unhappy  
adventures4 ,if they have no lover or   
amour to talk of1 the too frequent      
subject of their confidence is betraying
 the secrets of their families2 or      
conjuring up fancied hardships to       
complain of against their parents or    
relations3 this odious cabal1 they call 
friendship2 and fancy themselves        
dignified by the profession2 but nothing
 is more different from the reality1 as 
is seen by observing how generally those
 early friendships drop off1 as the     
parties advance in years and            
understanding4  ,do not you1 my dear1 be
 too ready to profess a friendship with 
any of your young companions4 ,love     
them1 and be always ready to serve and  
oblige them1 and to promote all their   
innocent gratifications3 but1 be very   
careful how you enter into confidence   
with girls of your own age4 ,rather     
choose some person of riper years and   
judgment1 whose good-nature and worthy  

principles may assure you of her        
readiness to do you a service1 and of   
her candour and condescension towards   
you4  ,i do not expect that youth should
 delight to associate with age1 or      
should lay open its feelings and        
inclinations to such as have almost     
forgot what they were1 or how to make   
proper allowance for them2 but if you   
are fortunate enough to meet with a     
young woman eight or ten years older    
than yourself1 of good sense and good   
principles1 to whom you can make        
yourself agreeable1 it may be one of the
 happiest circumstances of your life4   
,she will be able to advise and to      
improve you--and your desire of this    
assistance will recommend you to her    
taste1 as much as her superior abilities
 will recommend her to you4 ,such a     
connection will afford you more         
pleasure1 as well as more profit1 than  
you can expect from a girl like         
yourself1 equally unprovided with       
knowledge1 prudence1 or any of those    

qualifications which are necessary to   
make society delightful4  ,with a       
friend1 such as ,i have described1 of   
twenty-three or twenty-four years of    
age1 you can hardly pass an hour without
 finding yourself brought forward in    
some useful knowledge2 without learning 
something of the world or of your own   
nature1 some rule of behaviour1 or some 
necessary caution in the conduct of     
life3 for even in the gayest            
conversations1 such useful hints may    
often be gathered from those whose      
knowledge and experience are much beyond
 our own4 ,whenever you find yourself in
 real want of advice1 or seek the relief
 of unburdening your heart1 such a      
friend will be able to judge of the     
feelings you describe1 or of the        
circumstances you are in--perhaps from  
her own experience--or1 at least1 from  
the knowledge she will have gained of   
human nature6 she will be able to point 
out your dangers1 and to guide you into 
the right path2 or1 if she finds herself

 incapable1 she will have the prudence  
to direct you to some abler adviser4    
,the age ,i have mentioned will not     
prevent her joining in your pleasures1  
nor will it make her a dull or grave    
companion2 on the contrary1 she will    
have more materials for entertaining    
conversation1 and her liveliness will   
shew itself more agreeably than in one  
of your own age4 ,your's therefore will 
be the advantage in such a connection2  
yet do not despair of being admitted    
into it1 if you have an amiable and     
docile disposition4 ,ingenuous youth has
 many charms for a benevolent mind2 and1
 as nothing is more endearing than the  
exercise of benevolence1 the hope of    
being useful and beneficial to you will 
make her fond of your company4  ,i have 
known some of the sweetest and most     
delightful connections between persons  
of different ages1 in which the elder   
has received the highest gratification  
from the affection and docility of the  
younger2 whilst the latter has gained   

the noblest advantages from the         
conversation and counsels of her wiser  
friend4 ,nor has the attachment been    
without use as well as pleasure to the  
elder party4 ,she has found that there  
is no better way of improving one's own 
attainments1 than by imparting them to  
another2 and the desire of doing this in
 the most acceptable way has added a    
sweetness and gentleness to her manner1 
and taught her the arts of insinuating  
instruction1 and of winning the heart1  
whilst she convinces the understanding4 
,i hope1 my dear1 you in your turn will 
be this useful and engaging friend to   
your younger companions1 particularly to
 your sisters and brothers1 who ought   
ever--unless they should prove          
unworthy--to be your nearest and dearest
 friends1 whose interest and welfare you
 are bound to desire as much as your    
own4 ,if you are wanting here1 do not   
fancy yourself qualified for friendship 
with others1 but1 be assured1 your heart
 is too narrow and selfish for so       

generous an affection4  ,remember1 that 
the end of true friendship is the good  
of its object1 and the cultivation of   
virtue1 in two hearts emulous of each   
other1 and desirous to perpetuate their 
society beyond the grave4 ,nothing can  
be more contrary to this end than that  
mutual intercourse of flattery1 which   
some call friendship4 ,a real friend    
will venture to displease me1 rather    
than indulge my faulty inclinations1 or 
increase my natural frailties2 she will 
endeavour to make me acquainted with    
myself1 and will put me upon guarding   
the weak parts of my character4         
,friendship1 in the highest sense of the
 word1 can only subsist between persons 
of strict integrity and true generosity4
 ,before you fancy yourself possessed of
 such a treasure1 you should examine the
 value of your own heart1 and see how   
well it is qualified for so sacred a    
connection2 and then a harder task      
remains--to find out whether the object 
of your affection is also endued with   

the same virtuous disposition4 ,youth   
and inexperience are ill able to        
penetrate into characters3 the least    
appearance of good attracts their       
admiration1 and they immediately suppose
 they have found the object they        
pursued4  ,it is a melancholy           
consideration1 that the judgement can   
only be formed by experience1 which     
generally comes too late for our own    
use1 and is seldom accepted for that of 
others4 ,i fear it is in vain for me to 
tell you what dangerous mistakes ,i made
 in the early choice of friends--how    
incapable ,i then was of finding out    
such as were fit for me1 and how little 
,i was acquainted with the true nature  
of friendship1 when ,i thought myself   
most fervently engaged in it6 ,i am     
sensible all this will hardly persuade  
you to choose by the eyes of others1 or 
even to suspect that your own may be    
deceived4 ,yet1 if you should give any  
weight to my observations1 it may not be
 quite useless to mention to you some of

 the essential requisites in a friend2  
and to exhort you never to choose one in
 whom they are wanting4  ,the first of  
these is a deep and sincere regard for  
religion4 ,if your friend draws her     
principles from the same source with    
yourself1 if the gospel precepts are the
 rule of her life1 as well as your's1   
you will always know what to expect from
 her1 and have one common standard of   
right and wrong to refer to1 by which to
 regulate all material points of        
conduct4 ,the woman who thinks lightly  
of sacred things1 or who is ever heard  
to speak of them with levity or         
indifference1 cannot reasonably be      
expected to pay a more serious regard to
 the laws of friendship1 or to be       
uniformly punctual in the performance of
 any of the duties of society2 take no  
such person to your bosom1 however      
recommended by good-humour1 wit1 or any 
other qualification2 nor let gaiety or  
thoughtlessness be deemed an excuse for 
offending in this important point3 a    

person habituated to the love and       
reverence of religion and virtue1 no    
more wants the guard of serious         
consideration to restrain her from      
speaking disrespectfully of them1 than  
to prevent her speaking ill of her      
dearest friend4 ,in the liveliest hour  
of mirth1 the innocent heart can dictate
 nothing but what is innocent2 it will  
immediately take alarm at the           
apprehension of doing wrong1 and stop at
 once in the full career of youthful    
sprightliness1 if reminded of the       
neglect or transgression of any duty4   
,watch for these symptoms of innocence  
and goodness1 and admit no one to your  
entire affection1 who would ever        
persuade you to make light of any sort  
of offence1 or who can treat with levity
 or contempt any person or thing that   
bears a relation to religion4  ,a due   
regard to reputation is the next        
indispensable qualification4--,have     
regard to thy name1 saith the wise son  
of ,sirach1 for that will continue with 

thee above a thousand great treasures of
 gold4 ,the young person1 who is        
careless of blame1 and indifferent to   
the esteem of the wise and prudent part 
of the world1 is not only a most        
dangerous companion1 but gives a certain
 proof of the want of rectitude in her  
own mind4 ,discretion is the guardian of
 all the virtues2 and1 when she forsakes
 them1 they cannot long resist the      
attacks of an enemy4 ,there is a        
profligacy of spirit in defying the     
rules of decorum1 and despising censure1
 which seldom ends otherwise than in    
extreme corruption and utter ruin4      
,modesty and prudence are qualities that
 early display themselves1 and are      
easily discerned3 where these do not    
appear1 you should avoid1 not only      
friendship1 but every step towards      
intimacy1 lest your own character should
 suffer with that of your companion2    
but1 where they shine forth in any      
eminent degree1 you may safely cultivate
 an acquaintance1 in the reasonable hope

 of finding the solid fruits of virtue  
beneath such sweet and promising        
blossoms3 should you be disappointed1   
you will at least have run no risk in   
the search after them1 and may cherish  
as a creditable acquaintance the person 
so adorned1 though she may not deserve a
 place in your inmost heart4  ,the      
understanding must next be examined3 and
 this is a point which requires so much 
understanding to judge of in another1   
that ,i must earnestly recommend to you1
 not to rely entirely on your own1 but  
to take the opinion of your older       
friends4 ,i do not wish you to seek for 
bright and uncommon talents1 though     
these are sources of inexhaustible      
delight and improvement1 when found in  
company with solid judgment and sound   
principles4 ,good sense 7by which ,i    
mean a capacity for reasoning justly and
 discerning truly7 applied to the uses  
of life1 and exercised in distinguishing
 characters and directing conduct1 is   
alone necessary to an intimate          

connection2 but1 without this1 the best 
intentions1 though certain of reward    
hereafter1 may fail of producing their  
effects in this life2 nor can they      
singly constitute the character of an   
useful and valuable friend4 ,on the     
other hand1 the most dazzling genius1 or
 the most engaging wit and humour1 can  
but ill answer the purposes of          
friendship1 without plain common sense  
and a faculty of just reasoning4  ,what 
can one do with those who will not be   
answered with reason1 and who1 when you 
are endeavouring to convince or persuade
 them by serious arguments1 will parry  
the blow with a witty repartee or a     
stroke of poignant raillery8 ,i know not
 whether such a reply is less provoking 
than that of an obstinate fool1 who     
answers your strongest reasons          
with--,what you say may be very true1   
but this is my way of thinking4 ,a small
 acquaintance with the world will show  
you instances of the most absurd and    
foolish conduct in persons of brilliant 

parts and entertaining faculties4 ,but  
how trifling is the talent of diverting 
an idle hour1 compared with true wisdom 
and prudence1 which are perpetually     
wanted to direct us safely and happily  
through life1 and to make us useful and 
valuable to others6  ,fancy1 ,i know1   
will have her share in friendship1 as   
well as in love3--you must please as    
well as serve me1 before ,i can love you
 as the friend of my heart4 ,but the    
faculties that please for an evening may
 not please for life4 ,the humourous man
 soon runs through his stock of odd     
stories1 mimickry1 and jest2 and the    
wit1 by constant repeated flashes1      
confounds and tires one's intellect1    
instead of enlivening it with agreeable 
surprise3 but good sense can neither    
tire nor wear out2 it improves by       
exercise1 and increases in value1 the   
more it is known3 the pleasure it gives 
in conversation is lasting and          
satisfactory1 because it is accompanied 
with improvement2 its worth is          

proportioned to the occasion that calls 
for it1 and rises highest on the most   
interesting topics2 the heart1 as well  
as the understanding1 finds its account 
in it2 and our noblest interests are    
promoted by the entertainment we receive
 from such a companion4  ,a good temper 
is the next qualification2 the value of 
which in a friend1 you will want no     
arguments to prove1 when you are truly  
convinced of the necessity of it in     
yourself1 which ,i shall endeavour to   
show you in a following letter4 ,but1 as
 this is a quality in which you may be  
deceived1 without a long and intimate   
acquaintance1 you must not be hasty in  
forming connections1 before you have had
 sufficient opportunity for making      
observations on this head4 ,a young     
person1 when pleased and enlivened by   
the presence of her youthful companions1
 seldom shows ill temper2 which must be 
extreme indeed1 if it is not at least   
controllable in such situations4 ,but1  
you must watch her behaviour to her own 

family1 and the degree of estimation she
 stands in with them4 ,observe her      
manner to servants and inferiors--to    
children--and even to animals4 ,see in  
what manner she bears disappointments1  
contradiction1 and restraint2 and what  
degree of vexation she expresses on any 
accident of loss or trouble4 ,if in such
 little trials she shows a meek1        
resigned1 and cheerful temper1 she will 
probably preserve it on greater         
occasions2 but if she is impatient and  
discontented under these1 how will she  
support the far greater evils which may 
await her in her progress through life8 
,if you should have an opportunity of   
seeing her in sickness1 observe whether 
her complaints are of a mild and gentle 
kind1 forced from her by pain1 and      
restrained as much as possible2 or      
whether they are expressions of a       
turbulent rebellious mind1 that hardly  
submits to the ,divine hand4 ,see       
whether she is tractable1 considerate1  
kind1 and grateful1 to those about her3 

or whether she takes the opportunity1   
which their compassion gives her1 to    
tyrannize over and torment them4 ,women 
are in general very liable to ill       
health1 which must necessarily make them
 in some measure troublesome and        
disagreeable to those they live with4   
,they should therefore1 take the more   
pains to lighten the burden as much as  
possible1 by patience and good humour2  
and be careful not to let their         
infirmities break in on the health1     
freedom1 or enjoyments of others1 more  
than is needful and just4 ,some ladies  
seem to think it very improper for any  
person within their reach to enjoy a    
moment's comfort while they are in pain2
 and make no scruple of sacrificing to  
their own least convenience1 whenever   
they are indisposed1 the proper rest1   
meals1 or refreshments of their         
servants1 and even sometimes of their   
husbands and children4 ,but their       
selfishness defeats its own purpose1 as 
it weakens that affection and tender    

pity which excites the most assiduous   
services1 and affords the most healing  
balm to the heart of the sufferer4  ,i  
have already expressed my wishes that   
your chosen friend may be some years    
older than yourself2 but this is an     
advantage not always to be obtained4    
,whatever be her age1 religion1         
discretion1 good sense1 and good temper1
 must on no account be dispensed with2  
and till you can find one so qualified1 
you had better make no closer connection
 than that of a mutual intercourse of   
civilities and good offices4 ,but if it 
is always your aim to mix with the best 
company1 and to be worthy of such       
society1 you will probably meet with    
some one among them deserving your      
affection1 to whom you may be equally   
agreeable4  ,when ,i speak of the best  
company1 ,i do not mean1 in the common  
acceptation of the word1 persons of high
 rank and fortune--but rather the most  
worthy and sensible4 ,it is however very
 important to a young woman to be       

introduced into life on a respectable   
footing1 and to converse with those     
whose manners and style of life may     
polish her behaviour1 refine her        
sentiments1 and give her consequence in 
the eye of the world4 ,your equals in   
rank are most proper for intimacy1 but  
to be sometimes amongst your superiors  
is every way desirable and advantageous1
 unless it should inspire you with      
pride1 or with the foolish desire of    
emulating their grandeur and expense4   
,above all things avoid intimacy with   
those of low birth and education6 nor   
think it a mark of humility to delight  
in such society2 for it much oftener    
proceeds from the meanest kind of       
pride1--that of being the head of the   
company1 and seeing your companions     
subservient to you4 ,the servile        
flattery and submission1 which usually  
recommend such people1 and make amends  
for their ignorance and want of         
conversation1 will infallibly corrupt   
your heart1 and make all company insipid

 from whom you cannot expect the same   
homage4 ,your manners and faculties1    
instead of improving1 must be           
continually lowered1 to suit you to your
 companions2 and1 believe me1 you will  
find it no easy matter to raise them    
again to a level with those of polite   
and well-informed people4  ,the greatest
 kindness and civility to inferiors is  
perfectly consistent with proper caution
 on this head4 ,treat them always with  
affability1 and talk to them of their   
own affairs with an affectionate        
interest2 but never make them familiar1 
nor admit them as associates in your    
diversions3 but1 above all1 never trust 
them with your secrets1 which is putting
 yourself entirely in their power1 and  
subjecting yourself to the most shameful
 slavery4 ,the only reason for making   
choice of such confidants1 must be the  
certainty that they will not venture to 
blame or contradict inclinations1 which 
you are conscious no true friend would  
encourage4 ,but this is a meanness into 

which ,i trust you are in no danger of  
falling4 ,i rather hope you will have   
the laudable ambition of spending your  
time chiefly with those1 whose superior 
talents1 education1 and politeness1 may 
continually improve you1 and whose      
society will do you honour4 ,however1   
let no advantage of this kind weigh     
against the want of principle4 ,i have  
long ago resolved with ,david1 that1 as 
far as lies in my power1 ,i will not    
know a wicked person4 ,nothing can      
compensate for the contagion of bad     
example1 and for the danger of wearing  
off by use that abhorrence of evil      
actions and sentiments1 which every     
innocent mind sets out with1 but which  
an indiscriminate acquaintance in the   
world soon abates1 and at length        
destroys4  ,if you are good1 and seek   
friendship only among the good1 ,i trust
 you will be happy enough to find it4   
,the wise son of ,sirach pronounces that
 you will4 #ba;,a faithful friend1 saith
 he1 is the medicine of life2 and he    

that feareth the ,lord shall find him4  
,whoso feareth the ,lord shall direct   
his friendship aright2 for1 as he is1 so
 shall his neighbour be also4 ,in the   
same admirable book1 you will find      
directions how to choose and preserve a 
friend4 ,indeed there is hardly a       
circumstance in life concerning which   
you may not there meet with the best    
advice imaginable4 ,caution in making   
friendships is particularly recommended4
 #bb;,be in peace with many1            
nevertheless have but one counsellor of 
a thousand4 ,if thou wouldst get a      
friend1 prove him first1 and be not     
hasty to credit him2 for some man is a  
friend for his own occasion1 and will   
not abide in the day of trouble4 ,and   
there is a friend1 who1 being turned to 
enmity and strife1 will discover thy    
reproach4 ,again1 ,some friend is a     
companion at the table1 and will not    
continue in the day of thy affliction2  
but in thy prosperity he will be as     
thyself1 and will be bold over thy      

servants3 if thou be brought low1 he    
will be against thee1 and will hide     
himself from thy face4 ,chap4 ix4 #aj4  
,forsake not an old friend2 for the new 
is not comparable to him--,a new friend 
is as new wine2 when it is old1 thou    
shalt drink it with pleasure4  ,when you
 have discreetly chosen1 the next point 
is how to preserve your friend4 ,numbers
 complain of the fickleness and         
ingratitude of those on whom they       
bestowed their affection2 but few       
examine1 whether what they complain of  
is not owing to themselves4 ,affection  
is not like a portion of freehold land1 
which once settled upon you is a        
possession for ever1 without further    
trouble on your part4 ,if you grow less 
deserving1 or less attentive to please1 
you must expect to see the effects of   
your remissness1 in the gradual decline 
of your friend's esteem and attachment4 
,resentment and reproaches will not     
recal what you have lost2 but1 on the   
contrary1 will hasten the dissolution of

 every remaining tie4 ,the best remedy  
is1 to renew your care and assiduity to 
deserve and cultivate affection1 without
 seeming to have perceived its          
abatement4 ,jealousy and distrust are   
the bane of friendship1 whose essence is
 esteem and affiance4 ,but if jealousy  
is expressed by unkind upbraidings1 or1 
what is worse1 by cold haughty looks and
 insolent contempt1 it can hardly fail1 
if often repeated1 to realize the       
misfortune1 which at first perhaps was  
imaginary4 ,nothing can be more an      
antidote to affection than such         
behaviour1 or than the cause of it1     
which1 in reality1 is nothing but pride2
 though the jealous person would fain   
attribute it to uncommon tenderness and 
delicacy3 but tenderness is never so    
expressed3 it is indeed deeply sensible 
of unkindness1 but it cannot be         
unkind2--it may subsist with anger1 but 
not with contempt2--it may be weakened1 
or even killed1 by ingratitude2 but it  
cannot be changed into hatred4 ,remember

 always1 that if you would be loved1 you
 must be amiable4 ,habit may1 indeed1   
for a time1 supply the deficiency of    
merit2 what we have long loved we do not
 easily cease to love2 but habit will at
 length be conquered by frequent        
disgusts4--#bc,whoso casteth a stone at 
the birds1 frayeth them away2 and he    
that upbraideth his friend1 breaketh    
friendship4 ,though thou drewest a sword
 at thy friend1 yet despair not1 for    
there may be a returning to favour4 ,if 
thou hast opened thy mouth against thy  
friend1 fear not1 for there may be a    
reconciliation2 excepting for           
upbraiding1 or pride1 or disclosing of  
secrets1 or a treacherous wound1--for1  
for these things every friend will      
depart4  ,i have hitherto spoken of a   
friend in the singular number1 rather in
 compliance with the notions of most    
writers1 who have treated of friendship1
 and who generally suppose it can have  
but one object1 than from my own ideas4 
,the highest kind of friendship is      

indeed confined to one2--,i mean the    
conjugal1 which1 in its perfection1 is  
so entire and absolute an union of      
interest1 will1 and affection1 as no    
other connection can stand in           
competition with4 ,but there are various
 degrees of friendship1 which can admit 
of several objects1 esteemed1 and       
delighted in1 for different qualities1  
and whose separate rights are perfectly 
compatible4 ,perhaps it is not possible 
to love two persons exactly in the same 
degree2 yet1 the difference may be so   
small1 that none of the parties can be  
certain on which side the scale         
preponderates4  ,it is narrowness of    
mind to wish to confine your friend's   
affection solely to yourself2 since you 
are conscious that1 however perfect your
 attachment may be1 you cannot possibly 
supply to her all the blessings she may 
derive from several friends1 who may    
each love her as well as you do1 and may
 each contribute largely to her         
happiness4 ,if she depends on you alone 

for all the comforts and advantages of  
friendship1 your absence or death may   
leave her desolate and forlorn4 ,if     
therefore you prefer her good to your   
own selfish gratification1 you should   
rather strive to multiply her friends1  
and be ready to embrace in your         
affections all who love1 and deserve her
 love3 this generosity will bring its   
own reward1 by multiplying the sources  
of your pleasures and supports2 and your
 first friend will love you the more for
 such an endearing proof of the extent  
of your affection1 which can stretch to 
receive all who are dear to her4 ,but   
if1 on the contrary1 every mark of      
esteem shewn to another excites         
uneasiness or resentment in you1 the    
person you love must soon feel her      
connection with you a burden and        
restraint4 ,she can own no obligation to
 so selfish an attachment2 nor can her  
tenderness be increased by that which   
lessens her esteem4 ,if she is really   
fickle and ungrateful1 she is not worth 

your reproaches3 ,if not1 she must be   
reasonably offended by such injurious   
imputations4  ,you do not want to be    
told1 that the strictest fidelity is    
required in friendship3 and though      
possibly instances might be brought1 in 
which even the secret of a friend must  
be sacrificed to the calls of justice   
and duty1 yet these are rare and        
doubtful cases2 and we may venture to   
pronounce that1 #bd,whoso discovereth   
secrets1 loseth his credit1 and shall   
never find a friend to his mind4--,love 
thy friend1 and be faithful unto him3   
but if thou betrayest his secrets1      
follow no more after him4 ,for as a man 
that hath destroyed his enemy1 so hast  
thou destroyed the love of thy friend4  
,as one that letteth a bird go out of   
his hand1 so hast thou let thy neighbour
 go4 ,follow no more after him1 for he  
is too far off2 he is as a roe escaped  
out of the snare4 ,as for a wound1 it   
may be bound up2 and after revilings    
there may be reconcilement2 but he that 

betrayeth secrets is without hope4  ,but
 in order to reconcile this inviolable  
fidelity with the duty you owe to       
yourself or others1 you must carefully  
guard against being made the repository 
of such secrets as are not fit to be    
kept4 ,if your friend should engage in  
any unlawful pursuit--if1 for instance1 
she should intend to carry on an affair 
of love1 unknown to her parents--you    
must first use your utmost endeavours to
 dissuade her from it2 and if she       
persists1 positively and solemnly       
declare against being a confidant in    
such a case4 ,suffer her not to speak to
 you on the subject1 and warn her to    
forbear acquainting you with any step   
she may propose to take towards a       
marriage unsanctified by parental       
approbation4 ,tell her1 you would think 
it your duty to apprize her parents of  
the danger into which she was throwing  
herself4 ,however unkindly she may take 
this at the time1 she will certainly    
esteem and love you the more for it1    

whenever she recovers a sense of her    
duty1 or experiences the sad effects of 
swerving from it4  ,there is another    
case1 which ,i should not choose to     
suppose possible1 in addressing myself  
to so young a person1 was it not that   
too many instances of it have of late   
been exposed to public animadversion3 ,i
 mean the case of a married woman1 who  
encourages or tolerates the addresses of
 a lover4 ,may no such person be ever   
called a friend of your's6 but if ever  
one1 whom1 when innocent1 you had loved1
 should fall into so fatal an error1 ,i 
can only say that1 after proper         
remonstrances1 you must immediately     
withdraw from all intimacy and          
confidence with her4 ,nor let the absurd
 pretence of innocent intentions1 in    
such circumstances1 prevail with you to 
lend your countenance a moment to       
disgraceful conduct4 ,there cannot be   
innocence1 in any degree of indulgence  
to unlawful passion4 ,the sacred        
obligations of marriage are very ill    

understood by the wife1 who can think   
herself innocent1 while she parleys with
 a lover1 or with love1 and who does not
 shut her heart and ears against the    
most distant approaches of either4 ,a   
virtuous wife--though she should be so  
unhappy as not to be secured1 by having 
her strongest affections fixed on her   
husband--will never admit an idea of any
 other man1 in the light of a lover2 but
 if such an idea should unawares intrude
 into her mind1 she would instantly     
stifle it1 before it grew strong enough 
to give her much uneasiness4 ,not to the
 most intimate friend--hardly to her own
 soul--would she venture to confess a   
weakness1 she would so sincerely abhor4 
,whenever therefore such infidelity of  
heart is made a subject of confidence1  
depend upon it the corruption has spread
 far1 and has been faultily indulged4   
,enter not into her counsels3 show her  
the danger she is in1 and then withdraw 
yourself from it1 whilst you are yet    
unsullied by contagion4  ,it has been   

supposed a duty of friendship to lay    
open every thought and every feeling of 
the heart to our friend4 ,but ,i have   
just mentioned a case1 in which this is 
not only unnecessary1 but wrong4 ,a     
disgraceful inclination1 which we       
resolve to conquer1 should be concealed 
from every body2 and is more easily     
subdued when denied the indulgence of   
talking of its object2 and1 ,i think1   
there may be other instances1 in which  
it would be most prudent to keep our    
thoughts concealed even from our dearest
 friend4 ,some things ,i would          
communicate to one friend1 and not to   
another1 whom perhaps ,i loved better1  
because ,i might know that my first     
friend was not so well qualified as the 
other to counsel me on that particular  
subject3 a natural bias on her mind1    
some prevailing opinion1 or some        
connection with persons concerned1 might
 make her an improper confidant with    
regard to one particular1 though        
qualified to be so on all other         

occasions4  ,this confidence of         
friendship is indeed one of its sweetest
 pleasures and greatest advantages4 ,the
 human heart often stands in need of    
some kind and faithful partner of its   
cares1 in whom it may repose all its    
weaknesses1 and with whom it is sure of 
finding the tenderest sympathy4 ,far be 
it from me to shut up the heart with    
cold distrust1 and rigid caution1 or to 
adopt the odious maxim1 that we should  
live with a friend1 as if he were one   
day to become an enemy4 ,but we must not
 wholly abandon prudence in any sort of 
connection2 since1 when every guard is  
laid aside1 our unbounded openness may  
injure others as well as ourselves4     
,secrets entrusted to us must be        
sacredly kept even from our nearest     
friend3 for we have no right to dispose 
of the secrets of others4  ,if there is 
danger in making an improper choice of  
friends1 my dear child1 how much more   
fatal would it be to mistake in a       
stronger kind of attachment--in that    

which leads to an irrevocable engagement
 for life6 yet so much more is the      
understanding blinded1 when once the    
fancy is captivated1 that it seems a    
desperate undertaking to convince a girl
 in love that she has mistaken the      
character of the man she prefers4  ,if  
the passions would wait for the decision
 of judgment1 and if a young woman could
 have the same opportunities of         
examining into the real character of her
 lover1 as into that of a female        
candidate for her friendship1 the same  
rules might direct you in the choice of 
both3 for marriage being the highest    
state of friendship1 the qualities      
requisite in a friend are still more    
important in a husband4 ,but young women
 know so little of the world1 especially
 of the other sex1 and such pains are   
usually taken to deceive them1 that they
 are every way unqualified to choose for
 themselves1 upon their own judgment4   
,many a heart-ache shall ,i feel for    
you1 my sweet girl1 if ,i live a few    

years longer6 ,since1 not only all your 
happiness in this world1 but your       
advancement in religion and virtue1 or  
your apostacy from every good principle 
you have been taught1 will probably     
depend on the companion you fix to for  
life4 ,happy will it be for you1 if you 
are wise and modest enough to withdraw  
from temptation1 and preserve your heart
 free and open to receive the just      
recommendation of your parents3 further 
than a recommendation1 ,i dare say they 
will never go1 in an affair which1      
though it should be begun by them1 ought
 never to be proceeded in without your  
free concurrence4  ,whatever romantic   
notions you may hear or read of1 depend 
upon it1 those matches are the happiest 
which are made on rational grounds--on  
suitableness of character1 degree1 and  
fortune--on mutual esteem1 and the      
prospect of a real and permanent        
friendship4 ,far be it from me to advise
 you to marry where you do not love2--a 
mercenary marriage is a detestable      

prostitution4 ,but1 on the other hand1  
an union formed upon mere personal      
liking1 without the requisite foundation
 of esteem1 without the sanction of     
parental approbation1 and1 consequently1
 without the blessing of ,god1 can be   
productive of nothing but misery and    
shame4 ,the passion1 to which every     
consideration of duty and prudence is   
sacrificed1 instead of supplying the    
loss of all other advantages1 will soon 
itself be changed into mutual           
distrust--repentance--reproaches--and1  
finally1 perhaps into hatred4 ,the      
distresses it brings will be void of    
every consolation2 you will have        
disgusted the friends who should be your
 support--debased yourself in the eyes  
of the world--and1 what is much worse1  
in your own eyes1 and even in those of  
your husband3 above all1 you will have  
offended that ,god1 who alone can shield
 you from calamity4  ,from an act like  
this1 ,i trust1 your duty and gratitude 
to your kind parents--the first of dudes

 next to that we owe to ,god1 and       
inseparably connected with it--will     
effectually preserve you4 ,but most     
young people think they have fulfilled  
their duty1 if they refrain from        
actually marrying against prohibition3  
they suffer their affections1 and even  
perhaps their word of honour1 to be     
engaged1 without consulting their       
parents2 yet satisfy themselves with    
resolving not to marry without their    
consent3 not considering1 that1 besides 
the wretched1 useless1 uncomfortable    
state they plunge themselves into1 when 
they contract an hopeless engagement1   
they must likewise involve a parent in  
the miserable dilemma of either giving a
 forced consent against his judgment1 or
 of seeing his beloved child pine away  
her prime of life in fruitless          
anxiety--seeing her accuse him of       
tyranny1 because he restrains her from  
certain ruin--seeing her affections     
alienated from her family--and all her  
thoughts engrossed by one object1 to the

 destruction of her health and spirits1 
and of all improvements and occupations4
 ,what a cruel alternative for parents1 
whose happiness is bound up with that of
 their child6 ,the time to consult them 
is before you have given a lover the    
least encouragement2 nor ought you to   
listen a moment to the man who would    
wish you to keep his addresses secret2  
since he thereby shows himself conscious
 that they are not fit to be encouraged4
  ,but perhaps ,i have said enough on   
this subject at present2 though1 if ever
 advice on such a topic can be of use1  
it must be before passion has got       
possession of the heart1 and silenced   
both reason and principle4 ,fix         
therefore in your mind1 as deeply as    
possible1 those rules of duty and       
prudence which now seem reasonable to   
you1 that they may be at hand in the    
hour of trial1 and save you from the    
miseries1 in which strong affections1   
unguided by discretion1 involve so many 
of our sex4  ,if you love virtue        

sincerely1 you will be incapable of     
loving an openly vicious character4     
,but1 alas6 your innocent heart may be  
easily ensnared by an artful one--and   
from this danger nothing can secure you 
but the experience of those1 to whose   
guidance ,god has entrusted you3 may you
 be wise enough to make use of it6--,so 
will you have the fairest chance of     
attaining the best blessings this world 
can afford1 in a faithful and virtuous  
union with a worthy man1 who may direct 
your steps in safety and honour through 
this life1 and partake with you the     
rewards of virtue in that which is to   
come4 ,but1 if this happy lot should be 
denied you1 do not be afraid of a single
 life4 ,a worthy woman is never         
destitute of valuable friends1 who in a 
great measure supply to her the want of 
nearer connections4 ,she can never be   
slighted or disesteemed1 while her good 
temper and benevolence render her a     
blessing to her companions4 ,nay1 she   
must be honoured by all persons of sense

 and virtue1 for preferring the single  
state to an union unworthy of her4 ,the 
calamities of an unhappy marriage are so
 much greater than can befall a single  
person1 that the unmarried woman may    
find abundant argument to be contented  
with her condition1 when pointed out to 
her by ,providence4 ,whether married or 
single1 if your first care is to please 
,god1 you will undoubtedly be a blessed 
creature2--,for that which he delights  
in must be happy4 ,how earnestly ,i wish
 you this happiness1 you can never know1
 unless you could read the heart of     
,your truly affectionate4  ,,footnotes3 
#ba ,ecclus v4  #bb ,ibid4 vi4  #bc     
,ecclus4 xxii4 #bj4  #bd ,ecclus4 xxvii4
 #af4     ,,letter ,,vi4  ,,on ,,the    
,,government ,,of ,,the ,,temper4       
,,the next great point of importance to 
your future happiness1 my dear1 is what 
your parents have1 doubtless1 been      
continually attentive to from your      
infancy1 as it is impossible to         
undertake it too early--,i mean the due 

,regulation of your ,temper4 ,though you
 are in great measure indebted to their 
forming hands for whatever is good in   
it1 you are sensible1 no doubt1 as every
 human creature is1 of propensities to  
some infirmity of temper1 which it must 
now be your own care to correct and to  
subdue3 otherwise the pains that have   
hitherto been taken with you may all    
become fruitless2 and1 when you are your
 own mistress1 you may relapse into     
those faults1 which were originally in  
your nature1 and which will require to  
be diligently watched and kept under1   
through the whole course of your life4  
,if you consider1 that the constant     
tenor of the gospel precepts is to      
promote love1 peace1 and good-will      
amongst men1 you will not doubt that the
 cultivation of an amiable disposition  
is a great part of your religious duty3 
since nothing leads more directly to the
 breach of charity1 and to the injury   
and molestation of our fellow-creatures1
 than the indulgence of an ill-temper4  

,do not therefore think lightly of the  
offences you may commit1 for want of a  
due command over it1 or suppose yourself
 responsible for them to your           
fellow-creatures only2 but1 be assured1 
you must give a strict account of them  
all to the ,supreme ,governor of the    
world1 who has made this a great part of
 your appointed trial upon earth4  ,a   
woman1 bred up in a religious manner1   
placed above the reach of want1 and out 
of the way of sordid or scandalous      
vices1 can have but few temptations to  
the flagrant breach of the ,divine laws4
 ,it particularly concerns her therefore
 to understand them in their full       
import1 and to consider how far she     
trespasses against them1 by such actions
 as appear trivial when compared with   
murder1 adultery1 and theft1 but which  
become of very great importance1 by     
being frequently repeated1 and occurring
 in the daily transactions of life4     
,the principal virtues or vices of a    
woman must be of a private and domestic 

kind4 ,within the circle of her own     
family and dependents lies her sphere of
 action--the scene of almost all those  
tasks and trials1 which must determine  
her character1 and her fate1 here and   
hereafter4 ,reflect1 for a moment1 how  
much the happiness of her husband1      
children1 and servants1 must depend on  
her temper1 and you will see that the   
greatest good1 or evil1 which she ever  
may have in her power to do1 may arise  
from her correcting or indulging its    
infirmities4  ,though ,i wish the       
principle of duty towards ,god to be    
your ruling motive in the exercise of   
every virtue1 yet1 as human nature      
stands in need of all possible helps1   
let us not forget how essential it is to
 present happiness1 and to the enjoyment
 of this life1 to cultivate such a      
temper as is likewise indispensably     
requisite to the attainment of higher   
felicity in the life to come4 ,the      
greatest outward blessings cannot afford
 enjoyment to a mind ruffled and uneasy 

within itself4 ,a fit of ill-humour will
 spoil the finest entertainment1 and is 
as real a torment as the most painful   
disease4 ,another unavoidable           
consequence of ill-temper is the dislike
 and aversion of all who are witnesses  
to it1 and1 perhaps1 the deep and       
lasting resentment of those who suffer  
from its effects4 ,we all1 from social  
or self-love1 earnestly desire the      
esteem and affection of our             
fellow-creatures2 and indeed our        
condition makes them so necessary to us1
 that the wretch who has forfeited them1
 must feel desolate and undone1 deprived
 of all the best enjoyments and comforts
 the world can afford1 and given up to  
his inward misery1 unpitied and scorned4
 ,but this can never be the fate of a   
good-natured person3 whatever faults he 
may have1 they will generally be treated
 with lenity2 he will find an advocate  
in every human heart2 his errors will be
 lamented rather than abhorred2 and his 
virtues will be viewed in the fairest   

point of light4 ,his good humour1       
without the help of great talents or    
acquirements1 will make his company     
preferable to that of the most brilliant
 genius1 in whom this quality is        
wanting2 in short1 it is almost         
impossible that you can be sincerely    
beloved by any body1 without this       
engaging property1 whatever other       
excellencies you may possess2 but1 with 
it1 you will scarcely fail of finding   
some friends and favourers1 even though 
you should be destitute of almost every 
other advantage4  ,perhaps you will say1
 all this is very true2 but our tempers 
are not in our own power2 we are made   
with different dispositions1 and1 if    
mine is not amiable1 it is rather my    
unhappiness than my fault4 ,this1 my    
dear1 is commonly said by those who will
 not take the trouble to correct        
themselves4 ,yet1 be assured1 it is a   
delusion1 and will not avail in our     
justification before ,him1 who knoweth  
whereof we are made1 and of what we are 

capable4 ,it is true1 we are not all    
equally happy in our dispositions2 but  
human virtue consists in cherishing and 
cultivating every good inclination1 and 
in checking and subduing every          
propensity to evil4 ,if you had been    
born with a bad temper1 it might have   
been made a good one1 at least with     
regard to its outward effects1 by       
education1 reason1 and principle3 and1  
though you are so happy as to have a    
good one while young1 do not suppose it 
will always continue so1 if you neglect 
to maintain a proper command over it4   
,power1 sickness1 disappointments1 or   
worldly cares1 may corrupt and embitter 
the finest disposition1 if they are not 
counteracted by reason and religion4    
,it is observed1 that every temper is   
inclined1 in some degree1 either to     
passion1 peevishness1 or obstinacy4     
,many are so unfortunate as to be       
inclined to each of the three in turn3  
it is necessary therefore to watch the  
bent of our nature1 and to apply the    

remedies proper for the infirmity to    
which we are most liable4 ,with regard  
to the first1 it is so injurious to     
society1 and so odious in itself1       
especially in the female character1 that
 one would think shame alone would be   
sufficient to preserve a young woman    
from giving way to it3 for it is as     
unbecoming her character to be betrayed 
into ill-behaviour by passion1 as by    
intoxication1 and she ought to be       
ashamed of the one as much as of the    
other4 ,gentleness1 meekness1 and       
patience1 are her peculiar distinctions2
 and an enraged woman is one of the most
 disgusting sights in nature4  ,it is   
plain1 from experience1 that the most   
passionate people can command           
themselves1 when they have a motive     
sufficiently strong--such as the        
presence of those they fear1 or to whom 
they particularly desire to recommend   
themselves2 it is therefore no excuse to
 persons1 whom you have injured by      
unkind reproaches1 and unjust           

aspersions1 to tell them you was in a   
passion2 the allowing yourself to speak 
to them in a passion is a proof of an   
insolent disrespect1 which the meanest  
of your fellow-creatures would have a   
right to resent4 ,when once you find    
yourself heated so far as to desire to  
say what you know would be provoking and
 wounding to another1 you should        
immediately resolve either to be silent1
 or to quit the room1 rather than give  
utterance to any thing dictated by so   
bad an inclination4 ,be assured1 you are
 then unfit to reason or to reprove1 or 
to hear reason from others4 ,it is      
therefore your part to retire from such 
an occasion of sin2 and wait till you   
are cool1 before you presume to judge of
 what has passed4 ,by accustoming       
yourself thus to conquer and disappoint 
your anger1 you will1 by degrees1 find  
it grow weak and manageable1 so as to   
leave your reason at liberty4 ,you will 
be able to restrain your tongue from    
evil1 and your looks and gestures from  

all expressions of violence and         
ill-will4 ,pride1 which produces so many
 evils in the human mind1 is the great  
source of passion4 ,whoever cultivates  
in himself a proper humility1 a due     
sense of his own faults and             
insufficiencies1 and a due respect for  
others1 will find but small temptation  
to violent or unreasonable anger4  ,in  
the case of real injuries1 which justify
 and call for resentment1 there is a    
noble and generous kind of anger1 a     
proper and necessary part of our nature1
 which has nothing in it sinful or      
degrading4 ,i would not wish you        
insensible to this2 for the person1 who 
feels not an injury1 must be incapable  
of being properly affected by benefits4 
,with those1 who treat you ill without  
provocation1 you ought to maintain your 
own dignity4 ,but1 in order to do this1 
whilst you show a sense of their        
improper behaviour1 you must preserve   
calmness1 and even good-breeding2 and   
thereby convince them of the impotence  

as well as injustice of their malice4   
,you must also weigh every circumstance 
with candour and charity1 and consider  
whether your showing the resentment     
deserved may not produce ill            
consequences to innocent persons--as is 
almost always the case in family        
quarrels2 and whether it may not        
occasion the breach of some duty1 or    
necessary connection1 to which you ought
 to sacrifice even your just            
resentments4 ,above all things1 take    
care that a particular offence to you   
does not make you unjust to the general 
character of the offending person4      
,generous anger does not preclude esteem
 for whatever is really estimable1 nor  
does it destroy good-will to the person 
of its object3 it even inspires the     
desire of overcoming him by benefits1   
and wishes to inflict no other          
punishment than the regret of having    
injured one who deserved his kindness3  
it is always placable1 and ready to be  
reconciled1 as soon as the offender is  

convinced of his error2 nor can any     
subsequent injury provoke it to recur to
 past disobligations1 which had been    
once forgiven4 ,but it is perhaps       
unnecessary to give rules for this case4
 ,the consciousness of injured innocence
 naturally produces dignity1 and usually
 prevents excess of anger4 ,our passion 
is most unruly1 when we are conscious of
 blame1 and when we apprehend that we   
have laid ourselves open to contempt4   
,where we know we have been wrong1 the  
least injustice in the degree of blame  
imputed to us1 excites our bitterest    
resentment2 but1 where we know ourselves
 faultless1 the sharpest accusation     
excites pity or contempt1 rather than   
rage4 ,whenever1 therefore1 you feel    
yourself very angry1 suspect yourself to
 be in the wrong1 and resolve to stand  
the decision of your own conscience     
before you cast upon another the        
punishment1 which is perhaps due to     
yourself4 ,this self-examination will at
 least give you time to cool1 and1 if   

you are just1 will dispose you to       
balance your own wrong with that of your
 antagonist1 and to settle the account  
with him on equal terms4  ,peevishness1 
though not so violent and fatal in its  
immediate effects1 is still more        
unamiable than passion1 and1 if         
possible1 more destructive of happiness1
 inasmuch as it operates more           
continually4 ,though the fretful man    
injures us less1 he disgusts us more    
than the passionate one2 because he     
betrays a low and little mind1 intent on
 trifles1 and engrossed by a paltry     
self-love1 which knows not how to bear  
the very apprehension of any            
inconvenience4 ,it is self-love then1   
which we must combat1 when we find      
ourselves assaulted by this infirmity2  
and1 by voluntarily induring            
inconveniences1 we shall habituate      
ourselves to bear them with ease and    
good-humour1 when occasioned by others4 
,perhaps this is the best kind of       
religious mortification2 as the chief   

end of denying ourselves any innocent   
indulgences1 must be to acquire a habit 
of command over our passions and        
inclinations1 particularly such as are  
likely to lead us into evil4 ,another   
method of conquering this enemy1 is to  
abstract our minds from that attention  
to trifling circumstances1 which usually
 creates this uneasiness4 ,those1 who   
are engaged in high and important       
pursuits1 are very little affected by   
small inconveniences4 ,the man1 whose   
head is full of studious thought1 or    
whose heart is full of care1 will eat   
his dinner without knowing whether it   
was well or ill dressed1 or whether it  
was served punctually at the hour or    
not3 and though absence from the common 
things of life is far from              
desirable--especially in a woman--yet   
too minute and anxious an attention to  
them seldom fails to produce a teasing1 
mean1 and fretful disposition4 ,i would 
therefore wish your mind to have always 
some object in pursuit worthy of it1    

that it may not be engrossed by such as 
are in themselves scarce worth a        
moment's anxiety4 ,it is chiefly in the 
decline of life1 when amusements fail1  
and when the more importunate passions  
subside1 that this infirmity is observed
 to grow upon us2 and perhaps it will   
seldom fail to do so1 unless carefully  
watched1 and counteracted by reason4 ,we
 must then endeavour to substitute some 
pursuits in the place of those1 which   
can only engage us in the beginning of  
our course4 ,the pursuit of glory and   
happiness in another life1 by every     
means of improving and exalting our own 
minds1 becomes more and more interesting
 to us1 the nearer we draw to the end of
 all sublunary enjoyments4 ,reading1    
reflection1 rational conversation1 and1 
above all1 conversing with ,god1 by     
prayer and meditation1 may preserve us  
from taking that anxious interest in the
 little comforts and conveniences of our
 remaining days1 which usually gives    
birth to so much fretfulness in old     

people4 ,but though the aged and infirm 
are most liable to this evil--and they  
alone are to be pitied for it--yet we   
sometimes see the young1 the healthy1   
and those who enjoy most outward        
blessings1 inexcusably guilty of it4    
,the smallest disappointment in         
pleasure1 or difficulty in the most     
trifling employment1 will put wilful    
young people out of temper1 and their   
very amusements frequently become       
sources of vexation and peevishness4    
,how often have ,i seen a girl1         
preparing for a ball1 or for some other 
public appearance--unable to satisfy her
 own vanity--fret over every ornament   
she put on1 quarrel with her maid1 with 
her clothes1 her hair2 and growing still
 more unlovely as she grew more cross1  
be ready to fight with her looking-glass
 for not making her as handsome as she  
wished to be6 ,she did not consider1    
that the traces of this ill-humour on   
her countenance would be a greater      
disadvantage to her appearance than any 

defect in her dress1 or even than the   
plainest features enlivened by joy and  
good-humour4 ,there is a degree of      
resignation necessary even to the       
enjoyment of pleasure3 we must be ready 
and willing to give up some part of what
 we could wish for1 before we can enjoy 
that which is indulged to us4 ,i have no
 doubt that she1 who frets all the while
 she is dressing for an assembly1 will  
suffer still greater uneasiness when she
 is there4 ,the same craving restless   
vanity will there endure a thousand     
mortifications1 which1 in the midst of  
seeming pleasure1 will secretly corrode 
her heart2 whilst the meek and humble   
generally find more gratification than  
they expected1 and return home pleased  
and enlivened from every scene of       
amusement1 though they could have staid 
away from it with perfect ease and      
contentment4  ,sullenness1 or obstinacy1
 is perhaps a worse fault of temper than
 either of the former1 and1 if indulged1
 may end in the most fatal extremes of  

stubborn melancholy1 malice1 and        
revenge4 ,the resentment which1 instead 
of being expressed1 is nursed in secret1
 and continually aggravated by the      
imagination1 will1 in time1 become the  
ruling passion2 and then1 how horrible  
must be his case1 whose kind and        
pleasurable affections are all swallowed
 up by the tormenting as well as        
detestable sentiments of hatred and     
revenge8 #be;,admonish thy friend1      
peradventure he hath not done it3 or1 if
 he hath1 that he do it no              
more4--,admonish thy friend1            
peradventure he hath not said it3 or1 if
 he hath1 that he speak it not again4   
,brood not over a resentment which      
perhaps was at first ill-grounded1 and  
which is undoubtedly heightened by an   
heated imagination4 ,but when you have  
first subdued your own temper1 so as to 
be able to speak calmly1 reasonably1 and
 kindly1 then expostulate with the      
person you suppose to be in fault--hear 
what she has to say2 and either         

reconcile yourself to her1 or quiet your
 mind under the injury by the principle 
of ,christian charity4 ,but1 if it      
should appear that you yourself have    
been most to blame1 or if you have been 
in an error1 acknowledge it fairly and  
handsomely2 if you feel any reluctance  
to do so1 be certain that it arises from
 pride1 to conquer which is an absolute 
duty4 ,a soft answer turneth away wrath1
 and a generous confession oftentimes   
more than atones for the fault which    
requires it4 ,truth and justice demand1 
that we should acknowledge conviction1  
as soon as we feel it1 and not maintain 
an erroneous opinion1 or justify a wrong
 conduct1 merely from the false shame of
 confessing our past ignorance4 ,a false
 shame it undoubtedly is1 and as        
impolitic as unjust1 since your error is
 already seen by those who endeavour to 
set you right2 but your conviction1 and 
the candour and generosity of owning it 
freely1 may still be an honour to you1  
and would greatly recommend you to the  

person with whom you disputed4 ,with a  
disposition strongly inclined to        
sullenness or obstinacy1 this must be a 
very painful exertion2 and to make a    
perfect conquest over yourself at once  
may perhaps appear impracticable1 whilst
 the zeal of self-justification1 and the
 abhorrence of blame1 are strong upon   
you4 ,but1 if you are so unhappy as to  
yield to your infirmity1 at one time1 do
 not let this discourage you from       
renewing your efforts4 ,your mind will  
gain strength from the contest1 and your
 internal enemy will by degrees be      
forced to give ground4 ,be not afraid to
 revive the subject1 as soon as you find
 yourself able to subdue your temper2   
and then frankly lay open the conflict  
you sustained at the time3 by this you  
will make all the amends in your power  
for your fault1 and will certainly      
change the disgust you have given into  
pity at least1 if not admiration4       
,nothing is more endearing than such a  
confession2 and you will find such a    

satisfaction in your own consciousness1 
and in the renewed tenderness and esteem
 you will gain from the person          
concerned1 that your task for the future
 will be made more easy1 and your       
reluctance to be convinced will on every
 occasion grow less and less4  ,the love
 of truth1 and a real desire of         
improvement1 ought to be the only       
motives of argumentation2 and1 where    
these are sincere1 no difficulty can be 
made of embracing the truth1 as soon as 
it is perceived4 ,but1 in fact1 people  
oftener dispute from vanity and pride1  
which makes it a grievous mortification 
to allow that we are the wiser for what 
we have heard from another4 ,to receive 
advice1 reproof1 and instruction1       
properly1 is the surest sign of a       
sincere and humble heart2 and shows a   
greatness of mind1 which commands our   
respect and reverence1 while it appears 
so willingly to yield to us the         
superiority4  ,observe1 notwithstanding1
 that ,i do not wish you to hear of your

 faults without pain3 ,such an          
indifference would afford small hopes of
 amendment4 ,shame and remorse are the  
first steps to true repentance2 yet we  
should be willing to bear this pain1 and
 thankful to the kind hand that inflicts
 it for our good4 ,nor must we1 by      
sullen silence under it1 leave our kind 
physician in doubt1 whether the         
operation has taken effect or not1 or   
whether it has not added another malady1
 instead of curing the first4 ,you must 
consider that those who tell you of your
 faults1 if they do it from motives of  
kindness1 and not of malice1 exert their
 friendship in a painful office1 which  
must have cost them as great an effort  
as it can be to you to acknowledge the  
service2 and1 if you refuse this        
encouragement1 you cannot expect that   
any one1 who is not absolutely obliged  
to it by duty1 will a second time       
undertake such an ill-requited trouble4 
,what a loss would this be to           
yourself6--,how difficult would be our  

progress to that degree of perfection1  
which is necessary to our happiness1 was
 it not for the assistance we receive   
from each other6--,this certainly is one
 of the means of grace held out to us by
 our merciful ,judge1 and1 if we reject 
it1 we are answerable for all the       
miscarriages we may fall into for want  
of it4  ,i know not1 whether that       
strange caprice1 that inequality of     
taste and behaviour1 so commonly        
attributed to our sex1 may be properly  
called a fault of temper1--as it seems  
not to be connected with1 or arising    
from1 our animal frame1--but to be      
rather the fruit of our own             
self-indulgence1 degenerating by degrees
 into such a wantonness of will as knows
 not how to please itself4 ,when1       
instead of regulating our actions by    
reason and principle1 we suffer         
ourselves to be guided by every slight  
and momentary impulse of inclination1 we
 shall1 doubtless1 appear so variable   
and inconstant1 that nobody can guess1  

by our behaviour to day1 what may be    
expected from us to-morrow2 nor can we  
ourselves tell1 whether what we         
delighted in a week ago will now afford 
us the least degree of pleasure4 ,it is 
in vain for others to attempt to please 
us--we cannot please ourselves1 though  
all we could wish for waits our choice3 
and thus does a capricious woman become 
sick of herself1 through very           
selfishness3 ,and1 when this is the     
case1 it is easy to judge how sick      
others must be of her1 and how          
contemptible and disgusting she must    
appear4 ,this wretched state is the     
usual consequence of power and flattery4
 ,may my dear child never meet with the 
temptation of that excessive and        
ill-judged indulgence from a husband1   
which she has happily escaped from her  
parents1 and which seldom fails to      
reduce women to the miserable condition 
of a humoured child1 always unhappy from
 having nobody's will to study but its  
own6 ,the insolence of such demands for 

yourself1 and such disregard to the     
choice and inclinations of others1 can  
seldom fail to make you as many enemies 
as there are persons obliged to bear    
with your humours2 whilst a compliant1  
reasonable1 and contented disposition1  
would render you happy in yourself1 and 
beloved by all your companions2         
particularly by those1 who live         
constantly with you2 and1 of what       
consequence this is to your happiness1 a
 moment's reflection will convince you4 
,family friendships are the friendships 
made for us1 if ,i may so speak1 by ,god
 himself4 ,with the kindest intentions1 
he has knit the bands of family love1 by
 indispensable duties2 and wretched are 
they who have burst them asunder by     
violence and ill-will1 or worn them out 
by constant little disobligations1 and  
by the want of that attention to please1
 which the presence of a stranger always
 inspires1 but which is so often        
shamefully neglected towards those1 whom
 it is most our duty and interest to    

please4 ,may you1 my dear1 be wise      
enough to see that every faculty of     
entertainment1 every engaging           
qualification1 which you possess1 is    
exerted to the best advantage for those1
 whose love is of most importance to    
you--for those who live under the same  
roof1 and with whom you are connected   
for life1 either by the ties of blood1  
or by the still more sacred obligations 
of a voluntary engagement4  ,to make you
 the delight and darling of your family1
 something more is required than barely 
to be exempt from ill-temper and        
troublesome humours4 ,the sincere and   
genuine smiles of complacency and love  
must adorn your countenance4 ,that ready
 compliance1 that alertness to assist   
and oblige1 which demonstrates true     
affection1 must animate your behaviour1 
and endear your most common action4     
,politeness must accompany your greatest
 familiarities1 and restrain you from   
every thing that is really offensive1 or
 which can give a moment's unnecessary  

pain4 ,conversation1 which is so apt to 
grow dull and insipid in families1 nay1 
in some to be almost wholly laid aside1 
must be cultivated with the frankness   
and openness of friendship1 and by the  
mutual communication of whatever may    
conduce to the improvement or innocent  
entertainment of each other4  ,reading1 
whether apart or in common1 will furnish
 useful and pleasing subjects2 and the  
sprightliness of youth will naturally   
inspire harmless mirth and native       
humour1 if encouraged by a mutual desire
 of diverting each other1 and making the
 hours pass agreeably in your own house3
 every amusement that offers will be    
heightened by the participation of these
 dear companions1 and by talking over   
every incident together and every object
 of pleasure4 ,if you have any acquired 
talent of entertainment1 such as music1 
painting1 or the like1 your own family  
are those before whom you should most   
wish to excel1 and for whom you should  
always be ready to exert yourself2 not  

suffering the accomplishments which you 
have gained1 perhaps by their means1 and
 at their expense1 to lie dormant1 till 
the arrival of a stranger gives you     
spirit in the performance4 ,where this  
last is the case1 you may be sure vanity
 is the only motive of the exertion3 a  
stranger will praise you more3 but how  
little sensibility has that heart which 
is not more gratified by the silent     
pleasure painted on the countenance of a
 partial parent1 or of an affectionate  
brother1 than by the empty compliment of
 a visitor1 who is perhaps inwardly more
 disposed to criticise and ridicule than
 to admire you6  ,i have been longer in 
this letter than ,i intended1 yet it is 
with difficulty ,i can quit the subject1
 because ,i think it is seldom          
sufficiently insisted on1 either in     
books or in sermons2 and because there  
are many persons weak enough to believe 
themselves in a safe and innocent course
 of life1 whilst they are daily         
harassing every body about them by their

 vexatious humours4 ,but you will1 ,i   
hope1 constantly bear in mind1 that you 
can never treat a fellow-creature       
unkindly1 without offending the kind    
,creator and ,father of all2 and that   
you can no way render yourself so       
acceptable to him1 as by studying to    
promote the happiness of others1 in     
every instance1 small as well as great4 
,the favour of ,god1 and the love of    
your companions1 will surely be deemed  
rewards sufficient to animate your most 
fervent endeavours2 yet this is not all3
 the disposition of mind1 which ,i would
 recommend1 is its own reward1 and is in
 itself essential to happiness4         
,cultivate it therefore1 my dear child1 
with your utmost diligence2 and watch   
the symptoms of ill-temper1 as they     
rise1 with a firm resolution to conquer 
them1 before they are even perceived by 
any other person4 ,in every such inward 
conflict1 call upon our ,maker1 to      
assist the feeble nature he hath given  
you1 and sacrifice to ,him every feeling

 that would tempt you to disobedience3  
so will you at length attain the true   
,christian meekness1 which is blessed in
 the sight of ,god and man2 which has   
the promise of this life as well as of  
that which is to come4 ,then will you   
pity1 in others1 those infirmities1     
which you have conquered in yourself2   
and will think yourself as much bound to
 assist1 by your patience and           
gentleness1 those who are so unhappy as 
to be under the dominion of evil        
passions1 as you are to impart a share  
of your riches to the poor and          
miserable4      ,adieu1 my dearest4     
,,footnotes3  #be ,ecclus4 xix4 #ac4    
,,letter ,,vii4  ,,on ,,economy4        
,,my ,,dearest ,,niece1  ,,economy is so
 important a part of a woman's          
character1 so necessary to her own      
happiness1 and so essential to her      
performing properly the duties of a wife
 and of a mother1 that it ought to have 
the precedence of all other             
accomplishments1 and take its rank next 

to the first duties of life4 ,it is1    
moreover1 an art as well as a virtue2   
and many well-meaning persons1 from     
ignorance1 or from inconsideration1 are 
strangely deficient in it4 ,indeed it is
 too often wholly neglected in a young  
woman's education2 and she is sent from 
her father's house to govern a family1  
without the least degree of that        
knowledge which should qualify her for  
it3 this is the source of much          
inconvenience2 for though experience and
 attention may supply1 by degrees1 the  
want of instruction1 yet this requires  
time3 the family in the meantime may get
 into habits1 which are very difficult  
to alter2 and1 what is worse1 the       
husband's opinion of his wife's         
incapacity may be fixed too strongly to 
suffer him ever to think justly of her  
gradual improvements4 ,i would therefore
 earnestly advise you to make use of    
every opportunity you can find1 for the 
laying in some store of knowledge on    
this subject1 before you are called upon

 to the practice2 by observing what     
passes before you--by consulting prudent
 and experienced mistresses of          
families--and by entering in a book a   
memorandum of every new piece of        
intelligence you acquire2 you may       
afterwards compare these with more      
mature observations1 and you can make   
additions and corrections1 as you see   
occasion4 ,i hope it will not be long   
before your mother entrusts you with    
some part1 at least1 of the management  
of your father's house4 ,whilst you are 
under her eye1 your ignorance cannot do 
much harm1 though the relief to her at  
first may not be near so considerable as
 the benefit to yourself4  ,economy     
consists of so many branches1 some of   
which descend to such minutenesses1 that
 it is impossible for me in writing to  
give you particular directions4 ,the    
rude outlines may be perhaps described1 
and ,i shall be happy if ,i can furnish 
you with any hint that may hereafter be 
usefully employed4  ,the first and      

greatest point is1 to lay out your      
general plan of living in a just        
proportion to your fortune and rank3 if 
these two will not coincide1 the last   
must certainly give way2 for1 if you    
have right principles1 you cannot fail  
of being wretched under the sense of the
 injustice as well as danger of spending
 beyond your income1 and your distress  
will be continually increasing4 ,no     
mortifications1 which you can suffer    
from retrenching in your appearance1 can
 be comparable to this unhappiness4 ,if 
you would enjoy the real comforts of    
affluence1 you should lay your plan     
considerably within your income2 not for
 the pleasure of amassing               
wealth--though1 where there is a growing
 family1 it is an absolute duty to lay  
by something every year--but to provide 
for contingencies1 and to have the power
 of indulging your choice in the        
disposal of the overplus1 either in     
innocent pleasures1 or to increase your 
funds for charity and generosity1 which 

are in fact the true funds of pleasure4 
,in some circumstances indeed this would
 not be prudent3 there are professions  
in which a man's success greatly depends
 on his making some figure1 where the   
bare suspicion of poverty would bring on
 the reality4 ,if by marriage you should
 be placed in such a situation1 it will 
be your duty to exert all your skill in 
the management of your income3 yet1 even
 in this case1 ,i would not strain to   
the utmost for appearance1 but would    
choose my models among the most prudent 
and moderate of my own class2 and be    
contented with slower advancement1 for  
the sake of security and peace of mind4 
,a contrary conduct is the ruin of many2
 and1 in general1 the wives of men in   
such professions might live in a more   
retired and frugal manner than they do1 
without any ill consequence1 if they did
 not make the scheme of advancing the   
success of their husbands an excuse to  
themselves for the indulgence of their  
own vanity and ambition4  ,perhaps it   

may be said1 that the settling the      
general scheme of expenses is seldom the
 wife's province1 and that many men do  
not choose even to acquaint her with the
 real state of their affairs4 ,where    
this is the case1 a woman can be        
answerable for no more than is entrusted
 to her4 ,but ,i think it a very ill    
sign1 for one or both of the parties    
where there is such a want of openness1 
in what equally concerns them4 ,as ,i   
trust you will deserve the confidence of
 your husband1 so ,i hope you will be   
allowed free consultation with him on   
your mutual interest2 and ,i believe    
there are few men1 who would not hearken
 to reason on their own affairs1 when   
they saw a wife ready and desirous to   
give up her share of vanities and       
indulgences1 and only earnest to promote
 the common good of the family4  ,in    
order to settle your plan1 it will be   
necessary to make a pretty exact        
calculation3 and if1 from this time1 you
 accustom yourself to calculations1 in  

all the little expenses entrusted to    
you1 you will grow expert and ready at  
them1 and be able to guess very nearly1 
where certainty cannot be obtained4     
,many articles of expense are regular   
and fixed3 these may be valued exactly2 
and1 by consulting with experienced     
persons1 you may calculate nearly the   
amount of others3 any material article  
of consumption1 in a family of any given
 number and circumstances1 may be       
estimated pretty nearly4 ,your own      
expenses of clothes and pocket-money    
should be settled and circumscribed1    
that you may be sure not to exceed the  
just proportion4 ,i think it an         
admirable method to appropriate such a  
portion of your income1 as you judge    
proper to bestow in charity1 to be      
sacredly kept for that purpose1 and no  
longer considered as your own4 ,by which
 means you will avoid the temptation of 
giving less than you ought1 through     
selfishness1 or more than you ought1    
through good-nature or weakness4 ,if    

your circumstances allow of it1 you     
might set apart another fund for acts of
 liberality or friendship1 which do not 
come under the head of charity4 ,the    
having such funds ready at hand1 makes  
it easy and pleasant to give2 and when  
acts of bounty are performed without    
effort1 they are generally done more    
kindly and effectually4 ,if you are     
obliged in conscience to lay up for a   
family1 the same method of an           
appropriated fund for saving will be of 
excellent use1 as it will prevent that  
continual and often ineffectual anxiety1
 which a general desire of saving1      
without having fixed the limits1 is sure
 to create4  ,regularity of payments and
 accounts is essential to               
,economy3--your house-keeping should be 
settled at least once a week1 and all   
the bills paid3 all other tradesmen     
should be paid1 at furthest1 once a     
year4 ,indeed ,i think it more          
advantageous to pay oftener3 but1 if you
 make them trust you longer1 they must  

either charge proportionally higher1 or 
be losers by your custom4 ,numbers of   
them fail1 every year1 from the cruel   
cause of being obliged to give their    
customers so much longer credit than the
 dealers1 from whom they take their     
goods1 will allow to them4 ,if people of
 fortune considered this1 they would not
 defer their payments1 from mere        
negligence1 as they often do1 to the    
ruin of whole families4  ,you must      
endeavour to acquire skill in           
purchasing3 in order to this1 you should
 begin now to attend to the prices of   
things1 and take every proper           
opportunity of learning the real value  
of every thing1 as well as the marks    
whereby you are to distinguish the good 
from the bad4  ,in your table1 as in    
your dress1 and in all other things1 ,i 
wish you to aim at propriety and        
neatness1 or1 if your state demands it1 
elegance1 rather than superfluous       
figure4 ,to go beyond your sphere1      
either in dress or in the appearance of 

your table1 indicates a greater fault in
 your character than to be too much     
within it4 ,it is impossible to enter   
into the minutiae of the table2 good    
sense and observation on the best models
 must form your taste1 and a due regard 
to what you can afford must restrain it4
  ,ladies1 who are fond of needle-work1 
generally choose to consider that as a  
principal part of good housewifery3 and 
though ,i cannot look upon it as of     
equal importance with the due regulation
 of a family1 yet1 in a middling rank1  
and with a moderate fortune1 it is a    
necessary part of a woman's duty1 and a 
considerable article in expense is saved
 by it4 ,many young ladies make almost  
every thing they wear2 by which means   
they can make a genteel figure at a     
small expense4 ,this1 in your station1  
is the most profitable and desirable    
kind of work2 and1 as much of it as you 
can do1 consistently with a due         
attention to your health1 to the        
improvement of your mind1 and to the    

discharge of other duties1 ,i should    
think highly commendable4 ,but1 as ,i do
 not wish you to impose upon the world  
by your appearance1 ,i should be        
contented to see you worse dressed1     
rather than see your whole time employed
 in preparations for it1 or any of those
 hours given to it1 which are needful to
 make your body strong and active by    
exercise1 or your mind rational by      
reading4 ,absolute idleness is          
inexcusable in a woman1 because the     
needle is always at hand for those      
intervals in which she cannot be        
otherwise employed4 ,if you are         
industrious1 and if you keep good hours1
 you will find time for all your proper 
employments4 ,early rising1 and a good  
disposition of time1 is essential to    
,economy4 ,the necessary orders1 and    
examinations into household affairs1    
should be dispatched as soon in the day 
and as privately as possible1 that they 
may not interrupt your husband or       
guests1 or break in upon conversation1  

or reading1 in the remainder of the day4
 ,if you defer any thing that is        
necessary1 you may be tempted by        
company1 or by unforeseen avocations1 to
 forget or to neglect it3 hurry and     
irregularity will ensue1 with expensive 
expedients to supply the defect4  ,there
 is in many people1 and particularly in 
youth1 a strange aversion to            
regularity--a desire to delay what ought
 to be done immediately1 in order to do 
something else1 which might as well be  
done afterwards4 ,be assured it is of   
more consequence to you than you can    
conceive1 to get the better of this idle
 procrastinating spirit1 and to acquire 
habits of constancy and steadiness1 even
 in the most trifling matters3 without  
them there can be no regularity1 or     
consistency of action or character--no  
dependence on your best intentions1     
which a sudden humour may tempt you to  
lay aside for a time1 and which a       
thousand unforeseen accidents will      
afterwards render it more and more      

difficult to execute3 no one can say    
what important consequences may follow a
 trivial neglect of this kind4 ,for     
example--,i have known one of these     
procrastinators disoblige and gradually 
lose very valuable friends1 by delaying 
to write to them so long1 that1 having  
no good excuse to offer1 she could not  
get courage enough to write at all1 and 
dropped their correspondence entirely4  
,the neatness and order of your house   
and furniture is a part of ,economy1    
which will greatly affect your          
appearance and character1 and to which  
you must yourself give attention1 since 
it is not possible even for the rich and
 great to rely wholly on the care of    
servants1 in such points1 without their 
being often neglected4 ,the more        
magnificently a house is furnished1 the 
more one is disgusted with that air of  
confusion1 which often prevails where   
attention is wanting in the owner4 ,but1
 on the other hand1 there is a kind of  
neatness1 which gives a lady the air of 

a housemaid1 and makes her excessively  
troublesome to every body1 and          
particularly to her husband3 in this1 as
 in all other branches of ,economy1 ,i  
wish you to avoid all parade and bustle4
 ,those ladies who pique themselves on  
the particular excellence of neatness1  
are very apt to forget that the decent  
order of the house should be designed to
 promote the convenience and pleasure of
 those who are to be in it2 and that1 if
 it is converted into a cause of trouble
 and constraint1 their husbands and     
guests would be happier without it4 ,the
 love of fame1 that universal passion1  
will sometimes show itself on strangely 
insignificant subjects2 and a person who
 acts for praise only1 will always go   
beyond the mark in every thing4 ,the    
best sign of a house being well governed
 is1 that nobody's attention is called  
to any of the little affairs of it1 but 
all goes on so well of course1 that one 
is not led to make remarks upon any     
thing1 nor to observe any extraordinary 

effort that produces the general result 
of ease and elegance1 which prevails    
throughout4  ,domestic ,economy1 and the
 credit and happiness of a family1      
depend so much on the choice and proper 
regulation of servants1 that it must be 
considered as an essential part both of 
prudence and duty4 ,those who keep a    
great number of them1 have a heavy      
charge on their consciences1 and ought  
to think themselves in some measure     
responsible for the morals and happiness
 of so many of their fellow-creatures1  
designed like themselves for            
immortality4 ,indeed the cares of       
domestic management are by no means     
lighter to persons of high rank and     
fortune1 if they perform their duty1    
than to those of a retired station4 ,it 
is with a family1 as with a             
commonwealth1 the more numerous and     
luxurious it becomes1 the more difficult
 it is to govern it properly4 ,though   
the great are placed above the little   
attentions and employments1 to which a  

private gentlewoman must dedicate much  
of her time1 they have a larger and more
 important sphere of action1 in which1  
if they are indolent and neglectful1 the
 whole government of their house and    
fortune must fall into irregularity4    
,whatever number of deputies they may   
employ to overlook their affairs1 they  
must themselves overlook those deputies1
 and be ultimately answerable for the   
conduct of the whole4 ,the characters of
 those servants1 who are entrusted with 
power over the rest1 cannot be too      
nicely inquired into2 and the mistress  
of the family must be ever watchful over
 their conduct2 at the same time that   
she must carefully avoid every          
appearance of suspicion1 which1 whilst  
it wounds and hinders a worthy servant1 
only excites the artifice and cunning of
 an unjust one4  ,none1 who pretend to  
be friends of religion and virtue1      
should ever keep a domestic1 however    
expert in business1 whom they know to be
 guilty of immorality4 ,how unbecoming a

 serious character is it1 to say of such
 an one1 ,he is a bad man1 but a good   
servant6 ,what a preference does it show
 of private convenience to the interests
 of society1 which demand that vice     
should be constantly discountenanced1   
especially in every one's own household2
 and that the sober1 honest1 and        
industrious1 should be sure of finding  
encouragement and reward1 in the houses 
of those who maintain respectable       
characters6 ,such persons should be     
invariably strict and peremptory with   
regard to the behaviour of their        
servants1 in every thing which concerns 
the general plan of domestic government2
 but should by no means be severe on    
small faults1 since nothing so much     
weakens authority as frequent chiding4  
,whilst they require precise obedience  
to their rules1 they must prove by their
 general conduct1 that these rules are  
the effect1 not of humour but of reason4
 ,it is wonderful that those1 who are   
careful to conceal their ill-temper from

 strangers1 should be indifferent how   
peevish and even contemptibly capricious
 they appear before their servants1 on  
whom their good name so much depends1   
and from whom they can hope for no real 
respect1 when their weakness is so      
apparent4 ,when once a servant can say1 
,i cannot do any thing to please my     
mistress to-day1 all authority is lost4 
,those1 who continually change their    
servants1 and complain of perpetual ill 
usage1 have good reason to believe that 
the fault is in themselves1 and that    
they do not know how to govern4 ,few    
indeed possess the skill to unite       
authority with kindness1 or are capable 
of that steady and uniformly reasonable 
conduct1 which alone can maintain true  
dignity1 and command a willing and      
attentive obedience4 ,let us not forget 
that human nature is the same in all    
stations4 ,if you can convince your     
servants1 that you have a generous and  
considerate regard to their health1     
their interest1 and their reasonable    

gratifications--that you impose no      
commands but what are fit and right1 nor
 ever reprove but with justice and      
temper--why should you imagine that they
 will be insensible to the good they    
receive1 or whence suppose them         
incapable of esteeming and prizing such 
a mistress8 ,i could never1 without     
indignation1 hear it said1 that servants
 have no gratitude2 as if the condition 
of servitude excluded the virtues of    
humanity6 ,the truth is1 masters and    
mistresses have seldom any real claim to
 gratitude4 ,they think highly of what  
they bestow1 and little of the service  
they receive3 they consider only their  
own convenience1 and seldom reflect on  
the kind of life their servants pass    
with them3 they do not ask themselves1  
whether it is such an one as is         
consistent with the preservation of     
their health1 their morals1 their       
leisure for religious duties1 or with a 
proper share of the enjoyments and      
comforts of life4 ,the dissipated       

manners1 which now so generally prevail1
 perpetual absence from home1 and       
attendance on assemblies or at public   
places1 is1 in all these respects1      
pernicious to the whole household1 and  
to the men-servants absolutely ruinous4 
,their only resource1 in the tedious    
hours of waiting1 whilst their masters  
and ladies are engaged in diversions1 is
 to find out something of the same kind 
for themselves4 ,thus they are led into 
gaming1 drinking1 extravagance1 and bad 
company2 and thus1 by a natural         
progression1 they become distressed and 
dishonest4 ,that attachment and         
affiance1 which ought to subsist between
 the dependant and his protector1 are   
destroyed4 ,the master looks on his     
attendants as thieves and traitors1     
whilst they consider him as one whose   
money only gives him power over them1   
and who uses that power without the     
least regard to their welfare4  #bf,the 
fool saith1 ,i have no friends--,i have 
no thanks for all my good deeds1 and    

they that eat my bread speak evil of me4
 ,thus foolishly do those complain1 who 
choose their servants1 as well as their 
friends1 without discretion1 or who     
treat them in a manner that no worthy   
person will bear4  ,i have been often   
shocked at the want of politeness1 by   
which masters and mistresses sometimes  
provoke impertinence from their         
servants3 a gentleman1 who would resent 
to death an imputation of falsehood1    
from his equal1 will not scruple1       
without proof1 to accuse his servant of 
it in the grossest terms4 ,i have heard 
the most insolent contempt of the whole 
class expressed at a table1 whilst five 
or six of them attended behind the      
chairs1 who the company seemed to think 
were without senses1 without            
understanding1 or the natural feelings  
of resentment3 these are cruel injuries1
 and will be retorted in some way or    
other4  ,if you1 my dear1 live to be at 
the head of a family1 ,i hope you will  
not only avoid all injurious treatment  

of your domestics1 but behave to them   
with that courtesy and good breeding1   
which will heighten their respect as    
well as their affection4 ,if1 on any    
occasion1 they do more than you have a  
right to require1 give them1 at least1  
the reward of seeing that they have     
obliged you4 ,if1 in your service1 they 
have any hardship to endure1 let them   
see that you are concerned for the      
necessity of imposing it4 ,when they are
 sick1 give them all the attention and  
every comfort in your power1 with a free
 heart and kind countenance2 #bgnot     
blemishing thy good deeds1 not using    
uncomfortable words when thou givest any
 thing4 ,is not a word better than a    
gift8 but both are with a gracious man4 
,a fool will upbraid churlishly1 and a  
gift of the envious consumeth the eyes4 
,whilst you thus endear yourself to all 
your servants1 you must ever carefully  
avoid making a favourite of any2 unjust 
distinctions1 and weak indulgences to   
one1 will of course excite envy and     

hatred in the rest4 ,your favourite may 
establish whatever abuses she pleases2  
none will dare to complain against her1 
and you will be kept ignorant of her ill
 practices1 but will feel the effects of
 them1 by finding all your other        
servants uneasy in their places1 and1   
perhaps1 by being obliged continually to
 change them4  ,when they have spent a  
reasonable time in your service1 and    
have behaved commendably1 you ought to  
prefer them1 if it is in your power1 or 
to recommend them to a better provision4
 ,the hope of this keeps alive attention
 and gratitude1 and is the proper       
support of industry4 ,like a parent1 you
 should keep in view their establishment
 in some way1 that may preserve their   
old age from indigence2 and to this end1
 you should endeavour to inspire them   
with care to lay up part of their gains1
 and constantly discourage in them all  
vanity in dress1 and extravagance in    
idle expenses4 ,that you are bound to   
promote their eternal as well as        

temporal welfare1 you cannot doubt1     
since1 next to your children1 they are  
your nearest dependants4 ,you ought     
therefore to instruct them as far as you
 are able1 furnish them with good books 
suited to their capacity1 and see that  
they attend the public worship of ,god3 
and you must take care so to pass the   
sabbath-day as to allow them time1 on   
that day1 at least1 for reading and     
reflection at home1 as well as for      
attendance at church4 ,though this is   
part of your religious duty1 ,i mention 
it here1 because it is also a part of   
family management3 for the same reason  
,i shall here take occasion earnestly to
 recommend family prayers1 which are    
useful to all1 but more particularly to 
servants1 who1 being constantly         
employed1 are led to the neglect of     
private prayer1 and whose ignorance     
makes it very difficult for them to     
frame devotions for themselves1 or to   
choose proper helps1 amidst the numerous
 books of superstitious or enthusiastic 

nonsense1 which are printed for that    
purpose4 ,even1 in a political light1   
this practice is eligible1 since the    
idea which it will give them of your    
regularity and decency1 if not          
counteracted by other parts of your     
conduct1 will probably increase their   
respect for you1 and will be some       
restraint at least on their outward     
behaviour1 though it should fail of that
 inward influence1 which in general may 
be hoped from it4  ,the prudent         
distribution of your charitable gifts   
may not improperly be considered as a   
branch of ,economy1 since the great duty
 of almsgiving cannot be truly fulfilled
 without a diligent attention so to     
manage the sums you can spare as to     
produce the most real good to your      
fellow-creatures4 ,many are willing to  
give money1 who will not bestow their   
time and consideration1 and who         
therefore often hurt the community1 when
 they mean to do good to individuals4   
,the larger are your funds1 the stronger

 is the call upon you to exert your     
industry and care in disposing of them  
properly4 ,it seems impossible to give  
rules for this1 as every case is        
attended with a variety of              
circumstances1 which must all be        
considered4 ,in general1 charity is most
 useful1 when it is appropriated to     
animate the industry of the young1 to   
procure some ease and comforts to old   
age1 and to support in sickness those1  
whose daily labour is their only        
maintenance in health4 ,they1 who are   
fallen into indigence1 from             
circumstances of ease and plenty1 and in
 whom education and habit have added a  
thousand wants to those of nature1 must 
be considered with the tenderest        
sympathy by every feeling heart4 ,it is 
needless to say1 that to such the bare  
support of existence is scarcely a      
benefit1 and that the delicacy and      
liberality of the manner1 in which      
relief is here offered1 can alone make  
it a real act of kindness4 ,in great    

families1 the waste of provisions1      
sufficient for the support of many poor 
ones1 is a shocking abuse of the gifts  
of ,providence3 nor should any lady     
think it beneath her to study the best  
means of preventing it1 and of employing
 the refuse of luxury in the relief of  
the poor4 ,even the smallest families   
may give some assistance in this way1 if
 care is taken that nothing be wasted4  
,i am sensible1 my dear child1 that very
 little more can be gathered from what  
,i have said on ,economy1 than the      
general importance of it1 which cannot  
be too much impressed on your mind1     
since the natural turn of young people  
is to neglect and even to despise it2   
not distinguishing it from parsimony and
 narrowness of spirit4 ,but1 be assured1
 my dear1 there can be no true          
generosity without it2 and that the most
 enlarged and liberal mind will find    
itself not debased but ennobled by it4  
,nothing is more common than to see the 
same person1 whose want of ,economy is  

ruining his family1 consumed with regret
 and vexation at the effect of his      
profusion2 and1 by endeavouring to save1
 in such trifles as will not amount to  
twenty pounds in a year1 that which he  
wastes by hundreds1 incur the character 
and suffer the anxieties of a miser1    
together with the misfortunes of a      
prodigal4 ,a rational plan of expense   
will save you from all these corroding  
cares1 and will give you the full and   
liberal enjoyment of what you spend4 ,an
 air of ease1 of hospitality1 and       
frankness1 will reign in your house1    
which will make it pleasant to your     
friends and to yourself4 ,better is a   
morsel of bread1 where this is found1   
than the most elaborate entertainment1  
with that air of constraint and anxiety1
 which often betrays the grudging heart 
through all the disguises of civility4  
,that you1 my dear1 may unite in        
yourself the admirable virtues of       
,generosity and ,economy1 which will be 
the grace and crown of all your         

attainments1 is the earnest wish of     
,your ever affectionate4  ,,footnotes3  
#bf ,ecclus4 xx4 #af4  #bg ,ecclus4     
xviii4     ,,letter ,,viii4  ,,on       
,,politeness ,,and ,,accomplishments4   
,,whilst you labour to enrich your mind 
with the essential virtues of           
,christianity--with piety1 benevolence1 
meekness1 humility1 integrity1 and      
purity--and to make yourself useful in  
domestic management1 ,i would not have  
my dear child neglect to pursue those   
graces and acquirements1 which may set  
her virtue in the most advantageous     
light1 adorn her manners1 and enlarge   
her understanding3 and this1 not in the 
spirit of vanity1 but in the innocent   
and laudable view of rendering herself  
more useful and pleasing to her         
fellow-creatures1 and consequently more 
acceptable to ,god4 ,politeness of      
behaviour1 and the attainment of such   
branches of knowledge and such arts and 
accomplishments as are proper to your   
sex1 capacity1 and station1 will prove  

so valuable to yourself through life1   
and will make you so desirable a        
companion1 that the neglect of them may 
reasonably be deemed a neglect of duty2 
since it is undoubtedly our duty to     
cultivate the powers entrusted to us1   
and to render ourselves as perfect as we
 can4  ,you must have often observed1   
that nothing is so strong a             
recommendation on a slight acquaintance 
as politeness2 nor does it lose its     
value by time or intimacy1 when         
preserved1 as it ought to be1 in the    
nearest connections and strictest       
friendships4 ,this delightful           
qualification--so universally admired   
and respected1 but so rarely possessed  
in any eminent degree--cannot but be a  
considerable object of my wishes for    
you3 nor should either of us be         
discouraged by the apprehension1 that   
neither ,i am capable of teaching1 nor  
you of learning it1 in perfection2 since
 whatever degree you attain will amply  
reward our pains4  ,to be perfectly     

polite1 one must have great presence of 
mind1 with a delicate and quick sense of
 propriety2 or1 in other words1 one     
should be able to form an instantaneous 
judgment of what is fittest to be said  
or done1 on every occasion as it offers4
 ,i have known one or two persons1 who  
seemed to owe this advantage to nature  
only1 and to have the peculiar happiness
 of being born1 as it were1 with another
 sense1 by which they had an immediate  
perception of what was proper and       
improper1 in cases absolutely new to    
them3 but this is the lot of very few2  
in general1 propriety of behaviour must 
be the fruit of instruction1 of         
observation1 and reasoning2 and is to be
 cultivated and improved like any other 
branch of knowledge or virtue4 ,a good  
temper is a necessary groundwork of it2 
and1 if to this is added a good         
understanding1 applied industriously to 
this purpose1 ,i think it can hardly    
fail of attaining all that is essential 
in it4 ,particular modes and ceremonies 

of behaviour vary in different          
countries1 and even in different parts  
of the same town4 ,these can only be    
learned by observation on the manners of
 those who are best skilled in them1 and
 by keeping what is called good company4
 ,but the principles of politeness are  
the same in all places4 ,wherever there 
are human beings1 it must be impolite to
 hurt the temper or to shock the        
passions of those you converse with4 ,it
 must every where be good-breeding1 to  
set your companions in the most         
advantageous point of light1 by giving  
each the opportunity of displaying their
 most agreeable talents1 and by         
carefully avoiding all occasions of     
exposing their defects2--to exert your  
own endeavours to please1 and to amuse1 
but not to outshine them2--to give each 
their due share of attention and        
notice--not engrossing the talk1 when   
others are desirous to speak1 nor       
suffering the conversation to flag1 for 
want of introducing something to        

continue or renew a subject2--not to    
push your advantages in argument so far 
that your antagonist cannot retreat with
 honour3--,in short1 it is an universal 
duty in society to consider others more 
than yourself--in honour preferring one 
another4 ,christianity1 in this rule1   
gives the best lesson of politeness2 yet
 judgment must be used in the           
application of it3 our humility must not
 be strained so far as to distress those
 we mean to honour2 we must not quit our
 proper rank1 nor force others to treat 
us improperly2 or to accept1 what we    
mean as an advantage1 against their     
wills4 ,we should be perfectly easy1 and
 make others so1 if we can4 ,but this   
happy ease belongs perhaps to the last  
stage of perfection in politeness1 and  
can hardly be attained till we are      
conscious that we know the rules of     
behaviour1 and are not likely to offend 
against propriety4 ,in a very young     
person1 who has seen little or nothing  
of the world1 this cannot be expected2  

but a real desire of obliging1 and a    
respectful attention1 will in a great   
measure supply the want of knowledge1   
and will make every one ready to        
overlook those deficiencies1 which are  
owing only to the want of opportunities 
to observe the manners of polite        
company4 ,you ought not therefore to be 
too much depressed by the consciousness 
of such deficiencies1 but endeavour to  
get above the shame of wanting what you 
have not had the means of acquiring4    
,nothing heightens this false shame1 and
 the awkwardness it occasions1 so much  
as vanity4 ,the humble mind1 contented  
to be known for what it is1 and         
unembarrassed by the dread of betraying 
its ignorance1 is present to itself1 and
 can command the use of understanding1  
which will generally preserve you from  
any great indecorum1 and will secure you
 from that ridicule1 which is the       
punishment of affectation rather than of
 ignorance4 ,people of sense will never 
despise you1 whilst you act naturally2  

but1 the moment you attempt to step out 
of your own character1 you make yourself
 an object of just ridicule4  ,many are 
of opinion1 that a very young woman can 
hardly be too silent and reserved in    
company2 and1 certainly1 nothing is so  
disgusting in youth as pertness and     
self-conceit4 ,but modesty should be    
distinguished from an awkward           
bashfulness1 and silence should be only 
enjoined1 when it would be forward and  
impertinent to talk4 ,there are many    
proper opportunities for a girl1 young  
even as you are1 to speak in company1   
with advantage to herself2 and1 if she  
does it without conceit or affectation1 
she will always be more pleasing than   
those1 who sit like statues1 without    
sense or motion4 ,when you are silent1  
your looks should show your attention   
and presence to the company3 a          
respectful and earnest attention is the 
most delicate kind of praise1 and never 
fails to gratify and please4 ,you must  
appear to be interested in what is said1

 and endeavour to improve yourself by   
it3 if you understand the subject well  
enough to ask now and then a pertinent  
question1 or if you can mention any     
circumstances relating to it that have  
not before been taken notice of1 this   
will be an agreeable way of showing your
 willingness to make a part of the      
company2 and will probably draw a       
particular application to you1 from some
 one or other4 ,then1 when called upon1 
you must not draw back as unwilling to  
answer1 nor confine yourself merely to  
yes1 or no1 as is the custom of many    
young persons1 who become intolerable   
burdens to the mistress of the house1   
whilst she strives in vain to draw them 
into notice1 and to give them some share
 in the conversation4  ,in your father's
 house it is certainly proper for you to
 pay civility to the guests1 and to talk
 to them in your turn--with modesty and 
respect--if they encourage you to it4   
,young ladies of near your own age1 who 
visit there1 fall of course to your     

share to entertain4 ,but1 whilst you    
exert yourself to make their visit      
agreeable to them1 you must not forget  
what is due to the elder part of the    
company1 nor1 by whispering and laughing
 apart1 give them cause to suspect1 what
 is too often true1 that they themselves
 are the subjects of your mirth4 ,it is 
so shocking an outrage against society1 
to talk of1 or laugh at1 any person in  
his own presence1 that one would only   
think it could be committed by the      
vulgar4 ,i am sorry however to say1 that
 ,i have too often observed it amongst  
young ladies1 who little deserved that  
title whilst they indulged their        
overflowing spirits in defiance of      
decency and good-nature4 ,the desire of 
laughing will make such inconsiderate   
young persons find a subject of         
ridicule1 even in the most respectable  
character4 ,old age1 which--if not      
disgraced by vice or affectation--has   
the justest title to reverence1 will be 
mimicked and insulted2 and even personal

 defects and infirmities will too often 
excite contempt and abuse1 instead of   
compassion4 ,if you have ever been led  
into such an action1 my dear girl1 call 
it seriously to mind1 when you are      
confessing your faults to ,almighty     
,god2 and be fully persuaded1 that it is
 not one of the least which you have to 
repent of4 ,you will be immediately     
convinced of this1 by comparing it with 
the great rule of justice1 that of doing
 to all as you would they should do unto
 you4 ,no person living is insensible to
 the injury of contempt1 nor is there   
any talent so invidious1 or so certain  
to create ill-will1 as that of ridicule4
 ,the natural effects of years1 which   
all hope to attain1 and the infirmities 
of the body1 which none can prevent1 are
 surely of all others the most improper 
objects of mirth4 ,there are subjects   
enough that are innocent1 and on which  
you may freely indulge the vivacity of  
your spirits2 for ,i would not condemn  
you to perpetual seriousness2 on the    

contrary1 ,i delight in a joyous temper1
 at all ages1 and particularly at       
your's4 ,delicate and good-natured      
raillery amongst equal friends1 if      
pointed only against such trifling      
errors as the owner can hardly join to  
laugh at1 or such qualities as they do  
not pique themselves upon1 is both      
agreeable and useful2 but then it must  
be offered in perfect kindness and      
sincere good-humour2 if tinctured with  
the least degree of malice1 its sting   
becomes venomous and detestable4 ,the   
person rallied should have liberty and  
ability to return the jest1 which must  
be dropped upon the first appearance of 
its affecting the temper4  ,you will    
wonder1 perhaps1 when ,i tell you1 that 
there are some characters in the world1 
which ,i would freely allow you to laugh
 at--though not in their presence4      
,extravagant vanity and affectation are 
the natural subjects of ridicule1 which 
is their proper punishment4 ,when you   
see old people1 instead of maintaining  

the dignity of their years1 struggling  
against nature to conceal them1         
affecting the graces1 and imitating the 
follies of youth--or a young person     
assuming the importance and solemnity of
 old age--,i do not wish you to be      
insensible to the ridicule of such      
absurd deviations from truth and nature4
 ,you are welcome to laugh1 when you    
leave the company1 provided you lay up a
 lesson for yourself at the same time2  
and remember that1 unless you improve   
your mind whilst you are young1 you also
 will be an insignificant fool in old   
age2 and that1 if you are presuming and 
arrogant in youth1 you are as ridiculous
 as an old woman with a head-dress of   
flowers4  ,in a young lady's behaviour  
towards gentlemen1 great delicacy is    
certainly required3 yet1 ,i believe1    
women oftener err from too great a      
consciousness of the supposed views of  
men1 than from inattention to those     
views1 or want of caution against them4 
,you are at present rather too young to 

want rules on this subject2 but ,i could
 wish that you should behave almost in  
the same manner three years hence as    
now2 and retain the simplicity and      
innocence of childhood1 with the sense  
and dignity of riper years4 ,men of     
loose morals or impertinent behaviour   
must always be avoided3 or1 if at any   
time you are obliged to be in their     
company1 you must keep them at a        
distance by cold civility4 ,but1 with   
regard to those gentlemen whom your     
parents think it proper for you to      
converse with1 and who give no offence  
by their own manners1 to them ,i wish   
you to behave with the same frankness   
and simplicity as if they were of your  
own sex4 ,if you have natural modesty1  
you will never transgress its bounds1   
whilst you converse with a man1 as one  
rational creature with another1 without 
any view to the possibility of a lover  
or admirer1 where nothing of that kind  
is professed2 where it is1 ,i hope you  
will ever be equally a stranger to      

coquetry and prudery2 and that you will 
be able to distinguish the effects of   
real esteem and love from idle gallantry
 and unmeaning fine speeches3 the       
slighter notice you take of these last1 
the better2 and that1 rather with       
good-humoured contempt than with        
affected gravity3 but the first must be 
treated with seriousness and well-bred  
sincerity2 not giving the least         
encouragement1 which you do not mean1   
nor assuming airs of contempt1 where it 
is not deserved4 ,but this belongs to a 
subject1 which ,i have touched upon in a
 former letter4 ,i have already told    
you1 that you will be unsafe in every   
step which leads to a serious           
attachment1 unless you consult your     
parents1 from the first moment you      
apprehend any thing of that sort to be  
intended3 let them be your first        
confidants1 and let every part of your  
conduct1 in such a case1 be particularly
 directed by them4  ,with regard to     
accomplishments1 the chief of these is a

 competent share of reading1 well chosen
 and properly regulated2 and of this ,i 
shall speak more largely hereafter4     
,dancing and the knowledge of the       
,french tongue are now so universal1    
that they cannot be dispensed with in   
the education of a gentlewoman2 and     
indeed they both are useful as well as  
ornamental2 the first1 by forming and   
strengthening the body1 and improving   
the carriage2 the second1 by opening a  
large field of entertainment and        
improvement for the mind4 ,i believe    
there are more agreeable books of female
 literature in ,french than in any other
 language2 and1 as they are not less    
commonly talked of than ,english books1 
you must often feel mortified in        
company1 if you are too ignorant to read
 them4 ,italian would be easily learnt  
after ,french1 and1 if you have leisure 
and opportunity1 may be worth your      
gaining1 though in your station of life 
it is by no means necessary4  ,to write 
a free and legible hand1 and to         

understand common arithmetic1 are       
indispensable requisites4  ,as to music 
and drawing1 ,i would only wish you to  
follow as ,genius leads3 you have some  
turn for the first1 and ,i should be    
sorry to see you neglect a talent1 which
 will at least afford you an innocent   
amusement1 though it should not enable  
you to give much pleasure to your       
friends4 ,i think the use of both these 
arts is more for yourself than for      
others3 it is but seldom that a private 
person has leisure or application enough
 to gain any high degree of excellence  
in them2 and your own partial family are
 perhaps the only persons who would not 
much rather be entertained by the       
performance of a professor than by      
your's3 but1 with regard to yourself1 it
 is of great consequence to have the    
power of filling up agreeably those     
intervals of time1 which too often hang 
heavily on the hands of a woman1 if her 
lot be cast in a retired situation4     
,besides this1 it is certain that even a

 small share of knowledge in these arts 
will heighten your pleasure in the      
performances of others3 the taste must  
be improved before it can be susceptible
 of an exquisite relish for any of the  
imitative arts3 an unskilful ear is     
seldom capable of comprehending harmony1
 or of distinguishing the most delicate 
charms of melody4 ,the pleasure of      
seeing fine paintings1 or even of       
contemplating the beauties of ,nature1  
must be greatly heightened by our being 
conversant with the rules of drawing1   
and by the habit of considering the most
 picturesque objects4 ,as ,i look upon  
taste to be an inestimable fund of      
innocent delight1 ,i wish you to lose no
 opportunity of improving it1 and of    
cultivating in yourself the relish of   
such pleasures as will not interfere    
with a rational scheme of life1 nor lead
 you into dissipation1 with all its     
attendant evils of vanity and luxury4   
,as to the learned languages1 though ,i 
respect the abilities and application of

 those ladies who have attained them1   
and who make a modest and proper use of 
them1 yet ,i would by no means advise   
you--or any other woman who is not      
strongly impelled by a particular       
genius--to engage in such studies4 ,the 
labour and time which they require are  
generally incompatible with our natures 
and proper employments3 the real        
knowledge which they supply is not      
essential1 since the ,english1 ,french1 
or ,italian tongues afford tolerable    
translations of all the most valuable   
productions of antiquity1 besides the   
multitude of original authors which they
 furnish3 and these are much more than  
sufficient to store your mind with as   
many ideas as you will know how to      
manage4 ,the danger of pedantry and     
presumption in a woman--of her exciting 
envy in one sex and jealousy in the     
other--of her exchanging the graces of  
imagination for the severity and        
preciseness of a scholar1 would be1 ,i  
own1 sufficient to frighten me from the 

ambition of seeing my girl remarkable   
for learning4 ,such objections are      
perhaps still stronger with regard to   
the abstruse sciences4  ,whatever tends 
to embellish your fancy1 to enlighten   
your understanding1 and furnish you with
 ideas to reflect upon when alone1 or to
 converse upon in company1 is certainly 
well worth your acquisition4 ,the       
wretched expedient1 to which ignorance  
so often drives our sex1 of calling in  
slander to enliven the tedious          
insipidity of conversation1 would alone 
be a strong reason for enriching your   
mind with innocent subjects of          
entertainment1 which may render you a   
fit companion for persons of sense and  
knowledge1 from whom you may reap the   
most desirable improvements2 for1 though
 ,i think reading indispensably         
necessary to the due cultivation of your
 mind1 ,i prefer the conversation of    
such persons to every other method of   
instruction3 but this you cannot hope to
 enjoy1 unless you qualify yourself to  

bear a part in such society1 by1 at     
least1 a moderate share of reading4     
,though religion is the most important  
of all your pursuits1 there are not many
 books on that subject which ,i should  
recommend to you at present4            
,controversy is wholly improper at your 
age1 and it is also too soon for you to 
enquire into the evidence of the truth  
of revelation1 or to study the difficult
 parts of scripture3 when these shall   
come before you1 there are many         
excellent books1 from which you may     
receive great assistance4 ,at present1  
practical divinity--clear of            
superstition and enthusiasm1 but        
addressed to the heart1 and written with
 a warmth and spirit capable of exciting
 in it pure and rational piety--is what 
,i wish you to meet with4  ,the         
principal study1 ,i would recommend1 is 
history4 ,i know of nothing equally     
proper to entertain and improve at the  
same time1 or that is so likely to form 
and strengthen your judgment1 and1 by   

giving you a liberal and comprehensive  
view of human nature1 in some measure to
 supply the defect of that experience1  
which is usually attained too late to be
 of much service to us4 ,let me add1    
that more materials for conversation are
 supplied by this kind of knowledge1    
than by almost any other2 but ,i have   
more to say to you on this subject in a 
future letter4  ,the faculty1 in which  
women usually most excel1 is that of    
imagination2 and1 when properly         
cultivated1 it becomes the source of all
 that is most charming in society4      
,nothing you can read will so much      
contribute to the improvement of this   
faculty as poetry2 which1 if applied to 
its true ends1 adds a thousand charms to
 those sentiments of religion1 virtue1  
generosity1 and delicate tenderness1 by 
which the human soul is exalted and     
refined4 ,i hope you are not deficient  
in natural taste for this enchanting    
art1 but that you will find it one of   
your greatest pleasures to be conversant

 with the best poets1 whom our language 
can bring you acquainted with1          
particularly those immortal ornaments of
 our nation1 ,shakspeare and ,milton4   
,the first is not only incomparably the 
noblest genius in dramatic poetry1 but  
the greatest master of nature1 and the  
most perfect characterizer of men and   
manners3 in this last point of view1 ,i 
think him inestimable2 and ,i am        
persuaded that1 in the course of your   
life1 you will seldom find occasion to  
correct those observations on human     
nature1 and those principles of         
morality1 which you may extract from his
 capital pieces4 ,you will at first find
 his language difficult2 but1 if you    
take the assistance of a friend1 who    
understands it well1 you will by degrees
 enter into his manner of phraseology1  
and perceive a thousand beauties1 which 
at first lay buried in obsolete words   
and uncouth constructions4 ,the         
admirable ,essay on ,shakespeare1 which 
has lately appeared1 so much to the     

honour of our sex1 will open your mind  
to the peculiar excellences of this     
author1 and enlighten your judgment on  
dramatic poetry in general1 with such   
force of reason and brilliancy of wit1  
as cannot fail to delight as well as    
instruct you4  ,our great ,english poet1
 ,milton1 is as far above my praise as  
his ,paradise ,lost is above any thing  
which ,i am able to read1 except the    
sacred writers4 ,the sublimity of his   
subject sometimes leads him into        
abstruseness2 but many parts of his     
great poem are easy to all              
comprehensions1 and must find their way 
directly to every heart by the          
tenderness and delicacy of his          
sentiments1 in which he is not less     
strikingly excellent than in the        
richness and sublimity of his           
imagination4 ,addison's criticism in the
 ,spectators1 written with that beauty1 
elegance1 and judgment1 which           
distinguish all his writings1 will      
assist you to understand and to relish  

this poem4  ,it is needless to recommend
 to you the translations of ,homer and  
,virgil1 which every body reads that    
reads at all4 ,you must have heard that 
,homer is esteemed the father of poetry1
 the original from whence all the       
moderns--not excepting ,milton          
himself--borrow some of their greatest  
beauties1 and from whom they extract    
those rules for composition1 which are  
found most agreeable to nature and true 
taste4 ,virgil1 you know1 is the next in
 rank among the classics3 you will read 
his ,eneid with extreme pleasure1 if    
ever you are able to read ,italian1 in  
,annibal ,caro's translation2 the idiom 
of the ,latin and ,italian languages    
being more alike1 it is1 ,i believe1    
much closer1 yet preserves more of the  
spirit of the original than the ,english
 translations4  ,for the rest1 fame will
 point out to you the most considerable 
of our poets2 and ,i would not exclude  
any of name among those whose morality  
is unexceptionable3 but of poets1 as of 

all other authors1 ,i wish you to read  
only such as are properly recommended to
 you--since there are many who debase   
their divine art by abusing it to the   
purposes of vice and impiety4 ,if you   
could read poetry with a judicious      
friend1 who could lead your judgment to 
a true discernment of its beauties and  
defects1 it would inexpressibly heighten
 both your pleasure and improvement4    
,but1 before you enter upon this1 some  
acquaintance with the ,heathen          
,mythology is necessary4 ,i think that  
you must before now have met with some  
book under the title of ,the            
,pantheon#bh3 and1 if once you know as  
much of the gods and goddesses as the   
most common books on the subject will   
tell you1 the rest may be learned by    
reading ,homer3 but then you must       
particularly attend to him in this view4
 ,i do not expect you to penetrate those
 numerous mysteries--those amazing      
depths of morality1 religion1 and       
metaphysics--which some pretend to have 

discovered in his mythology1 but to know
 the names and principal offices of the 
gods and goddesses1 with some idea of   
their moral meaning1 seems requisite to 
the understanding almost any poetical   
composition4 ,as an instance of the     
moral meaning ,i speak of1 ,i will      
mention an observation of ,bossuet4     
,that ,homer's poetry was particularly  
recommended to the ,greeks by the       
superiority which he ascribes to them   
over the ,asiatics3 this superiority is 
shown in the ,iliad1 not only in the    
conquest of ,asia by the ,greeks1 and in
 the actual destruction of its capital1 
but in the division and arrangement of  
the gods1 who took part with the        
contending nations4 ,on the side of     
,asia was ,venus--that is1 sensual      
passion--pleasure--and effeminacy4 ,on  
the side of ,greece was ,juno--that is1 
matronly gravity and conjugal love2     
together with ,mercury--invention and   
eloquence--and ,jupiter--or political   
wisdom4 ,on the side of ,asia was ,mars1

 who represents brutal valour and blind 
fury4 ,on that of ,greece was           
,pallas--that is1 military discipline1  
and bravery1 guarded by judgment4       
,this1 and many other instances that    
might be produced1 will show you how    
much of the beauty of the poet's art    
must be lost to you1 without some notion
 of these allegorical personages4 ,boys1
 in their school learning1 have this    
kind of knowledge impressed on their    
minds by a variety of books3 but women1 
who do not go through the same course of
 instruction1 are very apt to forget    
what little they read or hear on the    
subject3 ,i advise you1 therefore1 never
 to lose an opportunity of enquiring    
into the meaning of any thing you meet  
with in poetry1 or in painting1 alluding
 to the history of any of the heathen   
deities1 and of obtaining from some     
friend an explanation of its connection 
with true history1 or of its allegorical
 reference to morality or to physics4   
,natural ,philosophy1 in the largest    

sense of the expression1 is too wide a  
field for you to undertake2 but the     
study of nature1 as far as may suit your
 powers and opportunities1 you will find
 a most sublime entertainment3 the      
objects of this study are all the       
stupendous works of the ,almighty ,hand1
 that lie within the reach of our       
observation4 ,in the works of man       
perfection is aimed at1 but it can only 
be found in those of the ,creator4 ,the 
contemplation of perfection must produce
 delight1 and every natural object      
around you would offer this delight1 if 
it could attract your attention4 ,if you
 survey the earth1 every leaf that      
trembles in the breeze1 every blade of  
grass beneath your feet1 is a wonder as 
absolutely beyond the reach of human art
 to imitate as the construction of the  
universe4 ,endless pleasures1 to those  
who have a taste for them1 might be     
derived from the endless variety to be  
found in the composition of this globe  
and its inhabitants4 ,the fossil--the   

vegetable--and the animal               
world--gradually rising in the scale of 
excellence--the innumerable species of  
each1 still preserving their specific   
differences from age to age1 yet of     
which no two individuals are ever       
perfectly alike--afford such a range for
 observation and enquiry1 as might      
engross the whole term of our short     
life1 if followed minutely4 ,besides all
 the animal creation obvious to our     
unassisted senses1 the eye1 aided by    
philosophical inventions1 sees myriads  
of creatures1 which by the ignorant are 
not known to have existence3 it sees all
 nature teem with life2 every           
fluid--each part of every vegetable and 
animal--swarm with its peculiar         
inhabitants--invisible to the naked eye1
 but as perfect in all their parts1 and 
enjoying life as indisputably1 as the   
elephant or the whale4  ,but if from the
 earth1 and from these minute wonders1  
the philosophic eye is raised towards   
the heavens1 what a stupendous scene    

there opens to its view6--those         
brilliant lights that sparkle to the eye
 of ignorance as gems adorning the sky1 
or as lamps to guide the traveller by   
night1 assume an importance that amazes 
the understanding6--they appear to be   
worlds1 formed like ours for a variety  
of inhabitants--or suns1 enlightening   
numberless other worlds too distant for 
our discovery6 ,i shall ever remember   
the astonishment and rapture with which 
my mind received this idea1 when ,i was 
about your age3 it was then perfectly   
new to me1 and it is impossible to      
describe the sensations ,i felt from the
 glorious boundless prospect of infinite
 beneficence bursting at once upon my   
imagination6 ,who can contemplate such a
 scene unmoved8 ,if our curiosity is    
excited to enter upon this noble        
enquiry1 a few books on the subject1 and
 those of the easiest sort1 with some of
 the common experiments1 may be         
sufficient for your purpose--which is to
 enlarge your mind1 and to excite in it 

the most ardent gratitude and profound  
adoration towards that great and good   
,being1 who exerts his boundless power  
in communicating various portions of    
happiness through all the immense       
regions of creation4  ,moral philosophy1
 as it relates to human actions1 is of  
still higher importance than the study  
of nature4 ,the works of the ancients on
 this subject are universally said to be
 entertaining as well as instructive1 by
 those who can read them in their       
original languages2 and such of them as 
are well translated will undoubtedly1   
some years hence1 afford you great      
pleasure and improvement4 ,you will also
 find many agreeable and useful books1  
written originally in ,french1 and in   
,english1 on morals and manners3 for the
 present1 there are works1 which1       
without assuming the solemn air of      
philosophy1 will enlighten your mind on 
these subjects1 and introduce           
instruction in an easier dress3 of this 
sort are many of the moral essays1 that 

have appeared in periodical papers1     
which1 when excellent in their kind--as 
are the ,spectators1 ,guardians1        
,ramblers1 and ,adventurers--are        
particularly useful to young people1 as 
they comprehend a great variety of      
subjects--introduce many ideas and      
observations that are new to them--and  
lead to a habit of reflecting on the    
characters and events that come before  
them in real life1 which ,i consider as 
the best exercise of the understanding4 
,books on taste and criticism will      
hereafter be more proper for you than at
 present3 whatever can improve your     
discernment1 and render your taste      
elegant and just1 must be of great      
consequence to your enjoyments as well  
as to the embellishment of your         
understanding4  ,i would by no means    
exclude the kind of reading1 which young
 people are naturally most fond of3     
though ,i think the greatest care should
 be taken in the choice of those        
fictitious stories that so enchant the  

mind2 most of which tend to inflame the 
passions of youth1 whilst the chief     
purpose of education should be to       
moderate and restrain them4 ,add to     
this1 that both the writing and         
sentiments of most novels and romances  
are such as are only proper to vitiate  
your style1 and to mislead your heart   
and understanding4 ,the expectation of  
extraordinary adventures--which seldom  
ever happen to the sober and prudent    
part of mankind--and the admiration of  
extravagant passions and absurd conduct1
 are some of the usual fruits of this   
kind of reading2 which1 when a young    
woman makes it her chief amusement1     
generally render her ridiculous in      
conversation1 and miserably wrong-headed
 in her pursuits and behaviour4 ,there  
are however works of this class in which
 excellent morality is joined with the  
most lively pictures of the human mind1 
and with all that can entertain the     
imagination and interest the heart4 ,but
 ,i must repeatedly exhort you1 never to

 read any thing of the sentimental kind 
without taking the judgment of your best
 friends in the choice2 for1 ,i am      
persuaded that1 the indiscriminate      
reading of such kind of books corrupts  
more female hearts than any other cause 
whatsoever4  ,before ,i close this      
correspondence1 ,i shall point out the  
course of history ,i wish you to pursue1
 and give you my thoughts of geography  
and chronology1 some knowledge of both  
being1 in my opinion1 necessary to the  
reading of history with any advantage4  
,i am1 my dearest ,niece1        ,your  
ever affectionate4  ,,footnote3  #bh    
,there has been lately published a work 
particularly adapted to the use of young
 ladies1 entitled1 ,a ,dictionary of    
,polite ,literature1 or ,fabulous       
,history of ,heathen ,gods and          
,illustrious ,heroes4 ,two ,vols4 with  
,plates4         ,editor4     ,,letter  
,,ix4  ,,on ,,geography ,,and           
,,chronology4       ,,my ,,dearest      
,,niece1  ,i ,,have told you1 that you  

will not be able to read history1 with  
much pleasure or advantage1 without some
 little knowledge of ,geography and     
,chronology4 ,they are both very easily 
attained--,i mean in the degree that    
will be necessary for you4 ,you must be 
sensible that you can know but little of
 a country1 whose situation with respect
 to the rest of the world you are       
entirely ignorant of2 and1 that it is to
 little purpose that you are able to    
mention a fact1 if you cannot nearly    
ascertain the time in which it happened1
 which alone1 in many cases1 gives      
importance to the fact itself4  ,in     
,geography--the easiest of all sciences1
 and the best adapted to the capacity of
 children--,i suppose you to have made  
some beginning2 to know at least the    
figure of the earth--the supposed       
lines--the degrees--how to measure      
distances--and a few of the common      
terms3 ,if you do not already know      
these1 two or three lessons will be     
sufficient to attain them2 the rest is  

the work of memory1 and is easily gained
 by reading with maps2 for ,i do not    
wish your knowledge to be exact and     
masterly2 but such only as is necessary 
for the purpose of understanding        
history1 and1 without which1 even a     
newspaper would be unintelligible4 ,it  
may be sufficient for this end1 if1 with
 respect to ancient ,geography1 you have
 a general idea of the situation of all 
the great states1 without being able    
precisely to ascertain their limits4    
,but1 in the modern1 you ought to know  
the bounds and extent of every state in 
,europe1 and its situation with respect 
to the rest4 ,the other parts of the    
world will require less accurate        
knowledge1 except with regard to the    
,european settlements4  ,it may be an   
useful and agreeable method1 when you   
learn the situation of any important    
country1 to join with that knowledge    
some one or two leading facts or        
circumstances concerning it1 so that its
 particular property may always put you 

in mind of the situation1 and the       
situation1 in like manner1 recal the    
particular property4 ,when1 for         
instance1 you learn in what part of the 
globe to find ,ethiopia1 to be told at  
the same time1 that1 in that vast       
unknown tract of country1 the ,christian
 religion was once the religion of the  
state1 would be of service2 because the 
geographical and historical knowledge   
would assist each other4 ,thus1 to join 
with ,egypt1 the nurse and parent of    
arts and of superstition--with ,persia1 
shocking despotism and perpetual        
revolutions--with ancient ,greece1      
freedom and genius--with ,scythia1      
hardiness and conquest1 are hints which 
you may make use of as you please4      
,perhaps annexing to any country the    
idea of some familiar form which it most
 resembles may at first assist you to   
retain a general notion of it2 thus     
,italy has been called a boot1 and      
,europe compared to a woman sitting4    
,the difference of the ancient and      

modern names of places is somewhat      
perplexing2 the most important should be
 known by both names at the same time1  
and you must endeavour to fix a few of  
those which are of most consequence so  
strongly in your mind1 by thinking of   
them1 and being often told of them1 that
 the ancient name should always call up 
the modern one to your memory1 and the  
modern the ancient3 ,such as the        
,a,egean ,sea1 now ,the                 
,archipelago--,the ,peloponnesus1 now   
,the ,morea--,crete1 ,candia--,gaul1    
,france--,babylon1                      
,bagdat--,byzantium--to which the       
,romans transplanted their seat of      
empire--,constantinople1 c4  ,there have
 been so many ingenious contrivances to 
make ,geography easy and amusing1 that  
,i cannot hope to add any thing of much 
service2 ,i would only prevail with you 
not to neglect acquiring1 by whatever   
method pleases you best1 that share of  
knowledge in it which you will find     
necessary1 and which is so easily       

attained2 and ,i entreat that you would 
learn it in such a manner as to fix it  
in your mind1 so that it may not be lost
 and forgotten among other childish     
acquisitions1 but that it may remain    
ready for use through the rest of your  
life4  ,chronology indeed has more of   
difficulty2 but if you do not bewilder  
yourself by attempting to learn too much
 and too minutely at first1 you need not
 despair of gaining enough for the      
purpose of reading history with pleasure
 and utility4  ,chronology may be       
naturally divided into three parts1 the 
,ancient--the ,middle--and the ,modern4 
,with respect to all these1 the best    
direction that can be given is to fix on
 some periods or epochas1 which1 by     
being often mentioned and thought of1   
explained and referred to1 will at last 
be so deeply engraven on the memory1    
that they will be ready to present      
themselves whenever you call for them3  
these indeed should be few1 and ought to
 be well chosen for their importance1   

since they are to serve as elevated     
stations to the mind1 from which it may 
look backwards and forwards upon a great
 variety of facts4  ,till your more     
learned friends shall supply you with   
better1 ,i will take the liberty to     
recommend the following1 which ,i have  
found of service to myself4  ,in the    
ancient chronology1 you will find there 
were four thousand years from the       
creation to the redemption of man2 and  
that ,noah and his family were          
miraculously preserved in the ark #afej 
years after ,adam's creation4  ,as there
 is no history1 except that in the      
,bible1 of any thing before the flood1  
we may set out from that great event1   
which happened1 as ,i have said above1  
in the year of the world #afej4  ,the   
#bcej years1 which passed from the      
deluge to our ,saviour's birth1 may be  
thus divided4--,there have been four    
successive ,empires1 called ,universal1 
because they extended over a great part 
of the then known world3 these are      

usually distinguished by the name of    
,the ,four great ,monarchies3 the three 
first of them are included in ancient   
,chronology1 and began and ended in the 
following manner4  #ast1 ,the ,,assyrian
 ,,empire1 founded by ,nimrod in the    
year of the world #ahjj1 ended under    
,sardanapalus in #cbej1 endured #adej   
years4       ,the ,median--though not   
accounted one of the four great         
monarchies1 being conquests of rebels on
 the ,assyrian      empire--comes in    
here for about #bjj years4  #b;d1 ,,the 
,,persian ,,empire1 which began under   
,cyrus1 in the year of the world #cdej1 
ended in ,darius in #cfgj1 before       
,christ #ccj1 lasted a little more than 
#bjj years4  #c;d1 ,,the ,,grecian      
,,empire1 began under ,alexander the    
,great in #cfgj1 was soon after his     
death dismembered by his successors2 but
 the different parcels into which they  
divided it were possessed by their      
respective families1 till the famous    
,cleopatra1 the last of the race of     

,ptolemy1 one of ,alexander's captains  
who reigned in ,egypt1 was conquered by 
,julius ,caesar1 about half a century   
before our ,lord's birth1 which is a    
term of about #cjj years4  ,thus you see
 that1 from the deluge to the           
establishment of the first great        
monarchy--the                           
,years     ,assyrian--is                
#aej     ,the ,assyrian empire continued
       #adej     ,the ,median           
#bjj     ,the ,persian                  
#bjj     ,the ,grecian                  
#cjj     ,from ,julius ,caesar1 with    
whom began       the fourth great       
monarchy1--viz4       the ,roman--to    
,christ                #ej              
----                               ,in  
all    #bcej  years2 the term from the  
deluge to ,christ4  ,i do not give you  
these dates and periods as correctly    
true1 for ,i have taken only round      
numbers1 as more easily retained by the 
memory2 so that1 when you come to       
consult chronological books or tables1  

you will find variances of some years   
between them and the above accounts2 but
 precise exactness is not material to a 
beginner4  ,i offer this short table as 
a little specimen of what you may easily
 do for yourself2 but even this sketch1 
slight as it is1 will give you a general
 notion of the ancient history of the   
world1 from the deluge to the birth of  
,christ4  ,within this period flourished
 the ,grecian and ,roman republics1 with
 the history and chronology of which it 
will be expected you should be tolerably
 well acquainted2 and indeed you will   
find nothing in the records of mankind  
so entertaining4 ,greece was divided    
into many petty states1 whose various   
revolutions and annals you can never    
hope distinctly to remember2 you are    
therefore to consider them as forming   
together one great kingdom--like the    
,germanic body1 or the ,united          
,provinces--composed separately of      
different governments1 but sometimes    
acting with united force for their      

common interest4 ,the ,lacedemonian     
government1 formed by ,lycurgus in the  
year of the world #cajj--;and the       
,athenian1 regulated by ,solon about the
 year #cddj--will chiefly engage your   
attention4  ,in pursuing the ,grecian   
chronology1 you need only perhaps make  
one stand or epocha1 at the time        
,socrates1 that wisest of philosophers1 
whom you must have heard of1 who lived  
about #cegj years from the creation1 and
 about #dcj before ,christ3 for within  
the term of #aej years before ,socrates1
 and #bjj after him1 will fall in most  
of the great events and illustrious     
characters of the ,grecian history4  ,i 
must inform you that the ,grecian method
 of dating time was by ,olympiads2 that 
is1 four complete years2 so called from 
the celebration1 every fifty years1 of  
the ,olympic ,games1 which were contests
 in all the manly exercises1 such as    
wrestling1 boxing1 running1             
chariot-racing1 c4 ,they were instituted
 in honour of ,jupiter and took their   

name from ,olympia1 a city of ,elis1    
near which they were performed3 they    
were attended by all ranks of people1   
from every state in ,greece2 the noblest
 youths were eager to obtain the prize  
of victory1 which was no other than an  
olive crown1 but esteemed the most      
distinguishing ornament4 ,these games   
continued all the time that ,greece     
retained any spark of liberty2 and with 
them begins the authentic history of    
that country--all before being          
considered as fabulous4 ,you must       
therefore endeavour to remember1 that   
they began in the year of the world     
#cbbh2 after the flood #aegj years2     
after the destruction of ,troy #djj2    
before the building of ,rome #bc2 before
 ,cyrus about #bjj2 and #ggj before     
,christ4 ,if you cannot retain all these
 dates1 at least you must not fail to   
remember the near coincidence of the    
first ,olympiad with the building of    
,rome1 which is of great consequence1   
because1 as the ,grecians reckoned time 

by ,olympiads1 the ,romans dated from   
the building of their city2 and as these
 two eras are within #bc years of each  
other1 you may1 for the ease of memory1 
suppose them to begin together1 in the  
year of the world #cbbh4  ,in reading   
the history of the ,roman ,republic1    
which continued in that form of         
government to the time of ,julius       
,caesar's dictatorship1 about the year  
of the world #cifj1 and about #dh years 
before ,christ1 you will make as many   
epochas as you shall find convenient3 ,i
 will mention only two2 the sacking of  
,rome by the ,gauls1 which happened in  
the year of the world #cfbj1 in the     
#cfeth year of the city1 in the #igth   
,olympiad1 before ,christ #che1 and     
about #cj years before the birth of     
,alexander4 ,the second epocha may be   
the #fjhth year of the city1 when1 after
 three obstinate wars1 ,carthage was    
destroyed1 and ,rome was left without a 
rival4  ,perhaps the following bad      
verses1 which were given me when ,i was 

young1 may help to fix in your mind the 
important eras of the ,roman and        
,grecian dates3 ,you must not laugh at  
them1 for chronologers do not pique     
themselves on their poetry1 but they    
make use of numbers and rhymes merely as
 assistants to memory1 being so easily  
learned by heart4      ,rome and        
,olympiads bear the same date1          
,three thousand two hundred and         
twenty-eight4     ,in three hundred and 
sixty#bi was ,rome sack'd and torn1     
,thirty summers before ,alexander was   
born4  ,you will allow that what ,i have
 said in these few pages is very easily 
learned2 yet1 little as it is1 ,i will  
venture to say that1 was you as         
perfectly mistress of it as of your     
alphabet1 you might answer several      
questions relating to ancient chronology
 more readily than many who pretend to  
know something of this science4 ,one is 
not so much required to tell the precise
 year1 in which a great man lived1 as to
 know1 with whom he was contemporary in 

other parts of the world4 ,i would know 
then1 from the slight sketch above      
given1 about what year of the ,roman    
republic ,alexander the ,great lived4   
,you would quickly run over in your     
mind1 ,alexander lived in the #cfgjth   
year of the world1 #ccj before ,christ2 
consequently he must have flourished    
about the #djjth of ,rome1 which had    
endured #gej years when ,christ was     
born4 ,or1 suppose it was asked1 what   
was the condition of ,greece1 at the    
time of the sacking of ,rome by the     
,gauls2 had any particular state1 or the
 united body1 chosen then to take       
advantage of the misfortunes of the     
,romans8 ,you consider that the #cfeth  
year of the city--the date of that      
event---is #che before ,christ2         
consequently this must have happened    
about the time of ,philip of ,macedon1  
father of ,alexander1 when the ,grecians
 under such a leader might have         
extirpated the ,roman nation from the   
earth1 had they ever heard of them1 or  

thought the conquest of them an object  
worthy their ambition4  ,numberless     
questions might be answered in like     
manner1 even on this very narrow        
circumscribed plan1 if it was completely
 mastered4 ,i might require that other  
periods or epochas should be learned    
with the same exactness2 but these may  
serve to explain my meaning1 and to show
 you how practicable and easy it is4    
,one thing1 however1 ,i must            
observe--though perhaps it is           
sufficiently obvious--which is1 that you
 can make no use of this sketch of      
ancient ,chronology1 nor even hope to   
retain it1 till you have read the       
ancient history4 ,when you have gone    
through ,rollin's ,histoire ,ancienne   
once1 then will be the time to fix the  
ancient ,chronology deep in your mind1  
which will very much enhance the        
pleasure and use of reading it a second 
time2 for you must remember1 that nobody
 reads a history to much purpose1 who   
does not go over it more than once4     

,when you have got through your course  
of ancient history1 and are come to the 
more modern1 you must then have recourse
 to the second of the three divisions2  
viz4 middle ,chronology3 containing     
about #hjj years1 from the birth of our 
,lord1 and from within #ej years of the 
rise of the ,roman empire1 to           
,charlemagne1 who died in #had4  ,this  
period1 except in the earliest part of  
it1 is too much involved in obscurity to
 require a very minute knowledge of its 
history3 it may be sufficient to fix two
 or three of the most singular          
circumstances by their proper dates4    
,the first epocha to be observed is the 
year of our ,lord #ccj1 when            
,constantine1 the first ,christian      
emperor1 who restored peace to the      
oppressed and persecuted church1 removed
 the seat of empire from ,rome to       
,byzantium1 called afterwards from him  
,constantinople4 ,after his time1 about 
the year #djj1 began those irruptions of
 the ,goths and ,vandals1 and other     

northern nations1 who settled themselves
 all over the western parts of the      
,roman empire1 and laid the foundation  
of the several states which now subsist 
in ,europe4  ,the next epocha is the    
year #fbb--;for the ease of memory say  
#fjj--when ,mahomet1 by his successful  
imposture1 became the founder of the    
,saracen empire1 which his followers    
extended over a great part of ,asia and 
,africa1 and over some provinces of     
,europe4 ,at the same time1 ,st4        
,gregory1 bishop of ,rome1 began to     
assume a spiritual power1 which grew by 
degrees into that absolute and enormous 
dominion1 so long maintained by the     
popes over the greatest part of         
,christendom4 ,st4 ,augustine--a        
missionary from ,st4 ,gregory--about    
this time1 began the conversion of      
,great ,britain to ,christianity4  ,the 
third and concluding epocha in this     
division1 is the year #hjj2 when        
,charlemagne1 king of ,france--after    
having subdued the ,saxons1 repressed   

the ,saracens1 and established the      
temporal dominion of the pope by a grant
 of considerable territories--was       
elected emperor of the west1 and        
protector of the church4 ,the date of   
this event corresponds with that        
remarkable period of our ,english       
history--the union of the ,heptarchy1 or
 seven kingdoms1 under ,egbert4  ,as to 
the third part of ,chronology1 namely1  
the ,modern1 ,i shall spare you and     
myself all trouble about at present2 for
 if you follow the course of reading    
which ,i shall recommend1 it will be    
some years before you reach modern      
history2 and1 when you do1 you will     
easily make periods for yourself1 if you
 do but remember carefully to examine   
the dates as you read1 and to impress on
 your memory those of very remarkable   
reigns or events4  ,i fear you are by   
this time tired of ,chronology2 but my  
sole intention1 in what ,i have said1 is
 to convince you that it is a science   
not out of your reach1 in the moderate  

degree that is requisite for you2 the   
last volume of the ,ancient ,universal  
,history is the best ,english           
,chronological ,work ,i know2 if that   
does not come in your way1 there is an  
excellent ,french one1 called ,tablettes
 ,chronologiques de l',histoire         
,universelle1 ,du ,fresnoy1 #c tomes1   
,paris2 there is also a chart of        
universal history1 including            
,chronology1 and a ,biographical chart1 
both by ,priestley1 which you may find  
of service to you4  ,indeed1 my dear1 a 
woman makes a poor figure who affects1  
as ,i have heard some ladies do1 to     
disclaim all knowledge of times and     
dates3 the strange confusion they make  
of events1 which happened in different  
periods1 and the stare of ignorance when
 such are referred to as are commonly   
known1 are sufficiently pitiable3 but   
the highest mark of folly is to be proud
 of such ignorance--a resource1 in which
 some of our sex find great consolation4
  ,adieu1 my dear child6 ,i am1 with the

 tenderest affection1      ,ever your's4
  ,,footnote3  #bi ,that is1 in the     
#cfeth year of the city4     ,,letter   
,x4  ,,on ,,reading ,,history4          
,,my ,,dearest ,,niece1  ,,when ,i      
recommend to you to gain some insight   
into the general history of the world1  
perhaps you will think ,i propose a     
formidable task2 but your apprehensions 
will vanish1 when you consider that of  
near half the globe we have no histories
 at all2 that of other parts of it1 a   
few facts only are known to us2 and     
that1 even of those nations which make  
the greatest figure in history1 the     
early ages are involved in obscurity and
 fable3 it is not indeed allowable to be
 totally ignorant even of those fables1 
because they are the frequent subjects  
of poetry and painting1 and are often   
referred to in more authentic histories4
  ,the first recorders of actions are   
generally poets3 in the historical songs
 of the bards are found the only        
accounts of the first ages of every     

state2 but in these we must naturally   
expect to find truth mixed with fiction1
 and often disguised in allegory4 ,in   
such early times1 before science has    
enlightened the minds of men1 the people
 are ready to believe every thing2 and  
the historian1 having no restraints from
 the fear of contradiction or criticism1
 delivers the most improbable and absurd
 tales as an account of the lives and   
actions of their forefathers2 thus the  
first heroes of every nation are gods1  
or the sons of gods2 and every great    
event is accompanied with some          
supernatural agency4 ,homer1 whom ,i    
have already mentioned1 as a poet1 you  
will find the most agreeable historian  
of the early ages of ,greece2 and       
,virgil will show you the supposed      
origin of the ,carthaginians and        
,romans4  ,it will be necessary for you 
to observe some regular plan in your    
historical studies1 which can never be  
pursued with advantage otherwise than in
 a continued series4 ,i do not mean to  

confine you solely to that kind of      
reading2 on the contrary1 ,i wish you   
frequently to relax with poetry or some 
other amusement1 whilst you are pursuing
 your course of history2 ,i only mean to
 warn you against mixing ancient history
 with modern1 or general histories of   
one place with particular reigns in     
another2 by which desultory manner of   
reading1 many people distract and       
confound their memories1 and retain     
nothing to any purpose from such a      
confused mass of materials4  ,the most  
ancient of all histories1 you will read 
in your ,bible3 from thence you will    
proceed to l',histoire ,ancienne of     
,rollin1 who very ingeniously points out
 the connection of profane with sacred  
history1 and enlivens his narrative with
 many agreeable and improving           
reflections1 and many very pleasing     
detached stories and anecdotes1 which   
may serve you as resting places in your 
journey4 ,it would be an useful exercise
 of your memory and judgment1 to recount

 these interesting passages to a friend1
 either by letter or in conversation2   
not in the words of the author1 but in  
your own natural style--by memory1 and  
not by book2 and to add whatever remarks
 may occur to you4 ,i need not say that 
you will please me much1 whenever you   
are disposed to make this use of me4    
,the want of memory is a great          
discouragement in historical pursuits1  
and is what every body complains of4    
,many artificial helps have been        
invented1 of which those who have tried 
them can best tell you the effects2 but 
the most natural and pleasant expedient 
is that of conversation with a friend1  
who is acquainted with the history which
 you are reading4 ,by such              
conversations1 you will find out how    
much is usually retained of what is     
read1 and you will learn to select those
 characters and facts which are best    
worth preserving3 for it is by trying to
 remember every thing1 without          
distinction1 that young people are so   

apt to lose every trace of what they    
read4 ,by repeating to your friend what 
you can recollect1 you will fix it in   
your memory3 and if you should omit any 
striking particular1 which ought to be  
retained1 that friend will remind you of
 it1 and will direct your attention to  
it on a second perusal4 ,it is a good   
rule to cast your eye each day over what
 you read the day before1 and to look   
over the contents of every book when you
 have finished it4  ,rollin's work takes
 in a large compass3 but1 of all the    
ancient nations it treats of1 perhaps   
there are only the ,grecians and        
,romans1 whose stories ought to be read 
with any anxious desire of retaining    
them perfectly3 for the rest1 such as   
the ,assyrians1 ,egyptians1 c41 ,i      
believe you would find1 on examination1 
that most of those who are supposed     
tolerably well read in history1 remember
 no more than a few of the most         
remarkable facts and characters4 ,i tell
 you this1 to prevent your being        

discouraged on finding so little remain 
in your mind after reading these less   
interesting parts of ancient history4   
,but1 when you come to the ,grecian and 
,roman#cj stories1 ,i expect to find you
 deeply interested and highly           
entertained2 and1 of consequence1 eager 
to treasure up in your memory those     
heroic actions and exalted characters by
 which a young mind is naturally so much
 animated and impressed4 ,as ,greece and
 ,rome were distinguished as much for   
genius as valour1 and were the theatres1
 not only of the greatest military      
actions1 the noblest efforts of liberty 
and patriotism1 but of the highest      
perfection of arts and sciences1 their  
immortal fame is a subject of wonder and
 emulation1 even to these distant ages2 
and it is thought a shameful degree of  
ignorance1 even in our sex1 to be       
unacquainted with the nature and        
revolutions of their governments1 and   
with the characters and stories of their
 most illustrious heroes4 ,perhaps1 when

 you are told that the government and   
the national character of your own      
countrymen have been compared with those
 of the ,romans1 it may not be an       
useless amusement1 in reading the ,roman
 history1 to carry this observation in  
your mind1 and to examine how far the   
parallel holds good4 ,the ,french have  
been thought to resemble the ,athenians 
in their genius1 though not in their    
love of liberty4 ,these little hints    
sometimes serve to awaken reflection and
 attention in young readers--,i leave   
you to make what use of them you please4
  ,when you have got through ,rollin1 if
 you add ,vertot's ,revolutions         
,romaines--a short and very entertaining
 work--you may be said to have read as  
much as is absolutely necessary of      
ancient history4 ,plutarch's lives of   
famous ,greeks and ,romans--a book      
deservedly of the highest               
reputation--can never be read to so much
 advantage as immediately after the     
histories of ,greece and ,rome3 ,i      

should even prefer reading each life in 
,plutarch1 immediately after the history
 of each particular hero1 as you meet   
with them in ,rollin or in ,vertot4  ,if
 hereafter you should choose to enlarge 
your plan1 and should wish to know more 
of any particular people or period than 
you find in ,rollin1 the sources from   
which he drew may be open to you2 for   
there are1 ,i believe1 ,french or       
,english translations of all the        
original historians1 from whom he       
extracted his materials4  ,crevier's    
continuation of ,rollin1 ,i believe1    
gives the best account of the ,roman    
emperors down to ,constantine4 ,what    
shocking instances will you there meet  
with1 of the terrible effects of lawless
 power on the human mind6 ,how will you 
be amazed to see the most promising     
characters changed by flattery and      
self-indulgence into monsters that      
disgrace humanity6 ,to read a series of 
such lives as those of ,tiberius1 ,nero1
 or ,domitian1 would be intolerable1    

were we not consoled by the view of     
those excellent emperors1 who remained  
uncorrupted through all temptations4    
,when the mind--disgusted1 depressed1   
and terrified--turns from the           
contemplation of those depths of vice1  
to which human nature may be sunk1 a    
,titus1 the delight of mankind--a       
,trajan--an ,antoninus--restore it to an
 exulting sense of the dignity1 to which
 that nature may be exalted by virtue4  
,nothing is more awful than this        
consideration3 a human creature given up
 to vice is infinitely below the most   
abject brute2 the same creature1 trained
 by virtue to the utmost perfection of  
his nature1 'is but a little lower than 
the angels1 and is crowned with glory   
and immortality4'  ,before you enter    
upon the modern history of any          
particular kingdom1 it will be proper to
 gain some idea of that interval between
 ancient and modern times1 which is     
justly called the dark and barbarous    
ages1 and which lasted from ,constantine

 to ,charlemagne--perhaps one might say 
to some centuries after4 ,on the        
irruption of the northern ,barbarians1  
who broke the ,roman empire1 and        
dissipated all the treasures of         
knowledge1 as well as of riches1 which  
had been so long accumulating in that   
enormous state1 the ,european world may 
be said to have returned to a second    
infancy2 and the ,monkish legends1 which
 are the only records preserved of the  
times in which they were written1 are   
not less fabulous than the tales of the 
demi-gods4 ,i must profess myself       
ignorant how to direct you to any       
distinct or amusing knowledge of the    
,history of ,europe during this         
period#ca3 some collect it from         
,puffendorf's ,introduction2 some from  
,the ,universal ,history2 and now1      
perhaps1 with more advantage and        
delight1 from the first volume of       
,robertson's ,charles the ,fifth1 in    
which he traces the progress of         
civilization1 government1 and arts1 from

 the first settlements of the           
,barbarians2 and shows the foundation of
 the several states into which ,europe  
is now divided1 and of those laws1      
customs1 and politics1 which prevail in 
this quarter of the world4  ,in those   
dark ages1 you will find no single      
character so interesting as that of     
,mahomet2 that bold impostor1 who       
extended his usurped dominion equally   
over the minds and properties of men1   
and propagated a new religion1 whilst he
 founded a new empire1 over a large     
portion of the globe4 ,his life has been
 written by various hands4  ,when you   
come to the particular histories of the 
,european states1 your own country seems
 to demand the precedence2 and there is 
no part more commodious to set out from1
 since you cannot learn the history of  
,great ,britain1 without becoming in    
some degree acquainted with almost every
 neighbouring nation1 and without       
finding your curiosity excited to know  
more of those with whom we are most     

connected4  ,by the amazing progress of 
navigation and commerce1 within the last
 two or three centuries1 all parts of   
the world are now connected3 the most   
distant people are become well          
acquainted1 who1 for thousands of years1
 never heard of one another's existence3
 we are still every day exploring new   
regions2 and every day see greater      
reason to expect that immense countries 
may yet be discovered1 and ,america no  
longer retain the name of the ,new      
,world4 ,you may pass to every quarter  
of the earth1 and find yourself still in
 the ,british dominion3 this island1 in 
which we live1 is the least portion of  
it2 and1 if we were to adopt the style  
of ancient conquerors1 we might call it 
the throne1 from which we rule the      
world4 ,to this boast we are better     
entitled than some of those who formerly
 called themselves ,masters of the      
,globe1 as we possess an empire of      
greater extent1 and from the superior   
advantages of our commerce1 much greater

 power and riches3 but we have now too  
many rivals in dominion1 to take upon us
 such haughty titles4  ,you cannot be   
said to know the history of that empire1
 of which you are a subject1 without    
knowing something of the ,east and ,west
 ,indies1 where so great a part of it is
 situated3 and you will find the        
accounts of the discovery and conquest  
of ,america very entertaining1 though   
you will be shocked at the injustice and
 cruelty of its conquerors4 ,but1 with  
which of the glorious conquerors of     
mankind must not humanity be shocked6   
,ambition1 the most remorseless of all  
passions1 pursues its object by all     
sorts of means3 justice1 mercy1 truth1  
and every thing most sacred1 in vain    
oppose its progress6 ,alas1 my dear1    
shall ,i venture to tell you1 that the  
history of the world is little else than
 a shocking account of the wickedness   
and folly of the ambitious6 ,the world  
has ever been1 and1 ,i suppose1 ever    
must be1 governed and insulted by these 

aspiring spirits3 it has always1 in     
greater or less degree1 groaned under   
their unjust usurpation4  ,but let not  
the horror of such a scene put a stop to
 your curiosity3 it is proper you should
 know mankind as they are3 you must be  
acquainted with the heroes of the earth1
 and perhaps you may be too well        
reconciled to them3 mankind have in     
general a strong bias in their favour2  
we see them surrounded with pomp and    
splendour--every thing that relates to  
them has an air of grandeur--and1 whilst
 we admire their natural powers1 we are 
too apt to pardon the detestable abuse  
of them1 to the injury and ruin of the  
human race4 ,we are dazzled with false  
glory1 and willingly give into the      
delusion2 for mighty conquests1 like    
great conflagrations1 have something of 
the sublime that pleases the            
imagination1 though we know1 if we      
reflect at all1 that the consequences of
 them are devastation and misery4  ,the 
,western and ,eastern world will present

 to you very different prospects4 ,in   
,america1 the first ,european conquerors
 found nature in great simplicity2      
society still in its infancy2 and       
consequently the arts and sciences yet  
unknown3 so that the facility with which
 they overpowered these poor innocent   
people1 was entirely owing to their     
superior knowledge in the arts of       
destroying4 ,they found the inhabitants 
brave enthusiastic patriots1 but without
 either the military or political arts  
necessary for their defence4 ,the two   
great kingdoms of ,mexico and ,peru had 
alone made some progress in             
civilization2 they were both formed into
 regular states1 and had gained some    
order and discipline3 from these        
therefore the ,spaniards met with       
something like an opposition4 ,at first 
indeed the invaders appeared            
supernatural beings1 who came upon them 
flying over the ocean1 on the wings of  
the wind1 and who1 mounted on fiery     
animals1 unknown in that country1       

attacked them with thunder and lightning
 in their hands2 for such the fire-arms 
of the ,spaniards appeared to this      
astonished people4 ,but from being      
worshipped as gods1 they soon came to be
 feared as evil spirits2 and in time    
being discovered to be men--different   
from the ,americans only in their       
outrageous injustice1 and in the cruel  
arts of destroying--they were abhorred  
and boldly opposed4 ,the resistance     
however of a million of these poor naked
 people1 desperately crowding on each   
other to destruction1 served only to    
make their ruin more complete4 ,the     
,europeans have destroyed1 with the most
 shocking barbarity1 many millions of   
the original inhabitants of these       
countries1 and have ever since been     
depopulating ,europe and ,africa to     
supply their places4  ,though our own   
countrymen have no reason to boast of   
the justice and humanity of their       
proceedings in ,america1 yet1 in        
comparison with those of the ,spaniards1

 our possessions there were innocently  
acquired4 ,some of them gained by       
conquest1 or cession1 from ,spain and   
from other ,european powers2 some by    
contract with the natives1 or by        
settlements on uninhabited lands#cb4 ,we
 are now possessed of a series of       
colonies1 extending above two thousand  
miles along the whole ,eastern coast of 
,north-,america1 besides many islands of
 immense value4 ,these countries1       
instead of being thinly peopled by a few
 hordes of ignorant savages1 are now    
adorned with many great cities1 and     
innumerable rich plantations1 which have
 made ample returns to their            
mother-country1 for the dangers and     
expenses which attended their first     
establishment4 ,blessed with more       
natural advantages than almost any      
country in the world1 they are making a 
swift progress in wealth and grandeur1  
and seem likely1 in some future period1 
to be as much the seat of empire and of 
science as ,europe is at present4       

,whether their attainments in virtue and
 happiness will keep pace with their    
advancement in knowledge1 wealth1 and   
power1 is much to be questioned2 for you
 will observe in your historical view of
 the several great empires of the world1
 that as each grew up towards the       
highest pitch of greatness1 the seeds of
 destruction grew up with it2 luxury and
 vice1 by debasing the minds1 and       
enervating the bodies of the people1    
left them all1 in their turns1 an easy  
prey to poorer and more valiant nations4
  ,in the ,east1 the ,europeans         
introduced themselves in a milder way2  
admitted first as traders--and1 for the 
more commodious carrying on their       
commerce1 indulged by the powers of the 
country in establishing a few small     
factories--they1 by gentle degrees1     
extended and strengthened their         
settlements there1 till their force     
became considerable enough to be thought
 an useful auxiliary to contending      
princes2 and1 as it has often happened  

to those who have called in foreign     
powers to interfere in their domestic   
contentions1 by availing themselves of  
the disturbances of a dismembered       
monarchy1 they at length raised a power 
almost independent of their employers4  
,soon1 the several ,european nations1   
who had thus got footing in the ,indies1
 jealous of each other's growing        
greatness1 made the feuds of the native 
princes subservient to their mutual     
contests2 till within a few years1 the  
,english1 by a happy concurrence of     
circumstances1 obtained the mastery1 and
 expelled their rivals from all their   
considerable settlements4  ,the rapidity
 of our conquests here has been perhaps 
equal to that of the first invaders of  
,america--but from different causes4    
,here we found an old-established empire
 advanced to its crisis2 the            
magnificence and luxury of the great    
carried to the highest excess1 and the  
people in a proportionable degree of    
oppression and debasement4 ,thus ripe   

for destruction1 the rivalship of the   
viceroys1 from the weakness of the      
government1 become independent          
sovereigns2 and the dastardly spirit of 
the meaner people1 indifferent to the   
cause for which they were compelled to  
fight1 encouraged these ambitious       
merchants to push their advantages      
further than they could at first have   
supposed possible3 with astonishment    
they saw the intrepid leaders of a few  
hundreds of brave free ,britons1 boldly 
oppose and repeatedly put to flight     
millions of these effeminate ,indian    
slaves2 and1 in a short time1 raised for
 them an empire much larger than their  
mother-country4  ,from these remote     
quarters of the world1 let us now return
 to ,great ,britain1 with the history of
 which you ought certainly to acquaint  
yourself1 before you enter upon that of 
any other ,european kingdom4 ,if you    
have courage and industry enough to     
begin so high as the invasion of ,julius
 ,caesar--before which nothing is known 

of the inhabitants of this island--you  
may set out with ,rapin1 and proceed    
with him to ,william the ,conqueror4    
,from this era there are other histories
 of ,england more entertaining than his1
 though ,i believe none esteemed more   
authentic4 ,party so strongly influences
 both historians and their readers1 that
 it is a difficult and invidious task to
 point out the best amongst the number  
of ,english histories that offer        
themselves3 but1 as you will not read   
with a critical view1 nor enter deeply  
into politics1 ,i think you may be      
allowed to choose that which is most    
entertaining2 and1 in this view1 ,i     
believe the general voice will direct   
you to ,hume1 though he goes no further 
than the ,revolution4 ,among other      
historians1 do not forget my darling    
,shakspeare--a faithful as well as a    
most agreeable one--whose historical    
plays1 if read in a series1 will fix in 
your memory the reigns he has chosen1   
more durable than any other history4    

,you need not fear his leading you into 
any material mistakes1 for he keeps     
surprisingly close to the truth1 as well
 in the characters as in the events4    
,one cannot but wish he had given us a  
play on the reign of every ,english     
king2 as it would have been the         
pleasantest1 and perhaps the most       
useful1 way of becoming acquainted with 
it4  ,for the other portion of ,great   
,britain1 ,robertson's ,history of      
,scotland is a delightful work1 and of a
 moderate size4  ,next to your own      
country1 ,france will be the most       
interesting object of your inquiries2   
our ancient possessions in that country1
 and the frequent contests we have been 
engaged in with its inhabitants1 connect
 their history with our own4 ,the extent
 of their dominion and influence--their 
supposed superiority in elegance and    
politeness--their eminence in the ,arts 
and ,sciences--and that intercourse of  
thought1 if so ,i may call it1 which    
subsists between us1 by the mutual      

communication of literary               
productions--make them peculiarly       
interesting to us2 and we cannot but    
find our curiosity excited to know their
 story1 and to be intimately acquainted 
with the character1 genius1 and         
sentiments of this nation4  ,i do not   
know of any general history of ,france1 
that will answer your purpose1 except   
that of ,mezerai1 which even in the     
abridgment is a pretty large work3 there
 is a very modern one by ,velly and     
others1 which perhaps may be more       
lively1 but is still more voluminous1   
and not yet completed4 ,from ,mezerai   
you may proceed with ,voltaire to the   
end of the reign of ,louis the          
,fourteenth4  ,in considering the rest  
of ,europe1 your curiosity may be       
confined within narrower limits4 ,modern
 history is1 from the nature of it1 much
 more minute and laborious than the     
ancient2 and to pursue that of so many  
various kingdoms and governments1 would 
be a task unequal to your leisure and   

abilities1 at least for several years to
 come2 at the same time1 it must be     
owned1 that the present system of       
politics and commerce has formed such a 
relation between the different powers of
 ,europe1 that they are in a manner     
members of one great body1 and a total  
ignorance of any considerable state     
would throw an obscurity even upon the  
affairs of your own country#cc2 an      
acquaintance however with the most      
remarkable circumstances that           
distinguish the principal governments1  
will sufficiently enlighten you1 and    
will enable you to comprehend whatever  
relates to them1 in the histories with  
which you are more familiar4 ,instead of
 referring you for this purpose to dull 
and uninteresting abridgments1 ,i choose
 rather to point out to you a few small 
,tracts1 which exhibit striking and     
lively pictures1 not easily effaced from
 the memory1 of the constitutions and   
the most remarkable transactions of     
several of these nations4 ,such are     

,sir ,william ,temple's ,essay on the   
,united ,provinces4       ,his ,essay on
 ,heroic ,virtue1 which contains some   
account of      the ,saracen ,empire4   
,vertot's ,revolutions de ,suede4       
,vertot's ,revolutions de ,portugal4    
,voltaire's ,charles ,,xii4 de ,suede4  
,voltaire's ,pierre le ,grand4          
,puffendorf's ,account of the ,popes1 in
 his ,introduction to      ,modern      
,history4  ,some part of the ,history of
 ,germany and ,spain1 you will see more 
in detail in ,robertson's ,history of   
,charles the ,vth1 which ,i have already
 recommended to you in another view4    
,after all this1 you may still be at a  
loss for the transactions of ,europe1 in
 the last fifty years3 for the purpose  
of giving you1 in a very small compass1 
some idea of the state of affairs during
 that period1 ,i will venture to        
recommend one book more--,campbell's    
,state of ,europe#cd4  ,thus much may   
suffice for that moderate scheme1 which 
,i think is best suited to your sex and 

age4 ,there are several excellent       
histories1 and memoirs of particular    
reigns and periods1 which ,i have taken 
no notice of in this circumscribed plan2
 but with which1 if you should happen to
 have a taste for the study1 you will   
hereafter choose to be acquainted3 these
 will be read with most advantage after 
you have gained some general view of    
history2 and they will then serve to    
refresh your memory1 and settle your    
ideas distinctly2 as well as enable you 
to compare different accounts of the    
persons and facts which they treat of1  
and to form your opinions of them on    
just grounds4  ,as ,i cannot1 with      
certainty1 foresee what degree of       
application or genius for such pursuits 
you will be mistress of1 ,i shall leave 
deficiencies of this collection to be   
supplied by the suggestions of your more
 informed friends2 who1 if you explain  
to them how far you wish to extend your 
knowledge1 will direct you to the proper
 books4  ,but if1 instead of an eager   

desire for this kind of knowledge1 you  
should happen to feel that distaste for 
it1 which is too common in young ladies 
who have been indulged in reading only  
works of mere amusement1 you will       
perhaps rather think that ,i want mercy 
in offering you so large a plan1 than   
that there needs an apology for the     
deficiencies of it3 but1 comfort        
yourself with the assurance1 that a     
taste for history will grow and improve 
by reading2 that1 as you get acquainted 
with one period or nation1 your         
curiosity cannot fail to be awakened for
 what concerns those immediately        
connected with it3 and thus you will    
insensibly be led on from one degree of 
knowledge to another4  ,if you waste in 
trivial amusement the next three or four
 years of your life1 which are the prime
 season of improvement1 believe me you  
will hereafter bitterly regret their    
loss3 when you come to feel yourself    
inferior in knowledge to almost every   
one you converse with--and1 above all1  

if you should ever be a mother1 when you
 feel your own inability to direct and  
assist the pursuits of your             
children--you will then find ignorance a
 severe mortification and a real evil4  
,let this1 my dear1 animate your        
industry2 and let not a modest opinion  
of your own capacity be a discouragement
 to your endeavours after knowledge3 a  
moderate understanding1 with diligent   
and well-directed application1 will go  
much further than a more lively genius1 
if attended with that impatience and    
inattention1 which too often accompanies
 quick parts4 ,it is not from want of   
capacity that so many women are such    
trifling insipid companions1 so ill     
qualified for the friendship and        
conversation of a sensible man1 or for  
the task of governing and instructing a 
family3 it is much oftener from the     
neglect of exercising the talents which 
they really have1 and from omitting to  
cultivate a taste for intellectual      
improvement3 by this neglect1 they lose 

the sincerest of pleasures2 a pleasure  
which would remain when almost every    
other forsakes them2 which neither      
fortune nor age can deprive them of1 and
 which would be a comfort and resource  
in almost every possible situation of   
life4  ,if ,i can but inspire you1 my   
dear child1 with the desire of making   
the most of your time and abilities1 my 
end is answered2 the means of knowledge 
will easily be found by those who       
diligently seek them1 and they will find
 their labours abundantly rewarded4     
99       99       99       99       99  
,and now1 my dear1 ,i think it is time  
to finish this long correspondence1     
which1 though in some parts it may have 
been tedious to you1 will not1 ,i hope1 
be found entirely useless in any4 ,i    
have laid before you all that my        
maturest reflections could enable me to 
suggest1 for the direction of your      
conduct through life4 ,my love for you1 
my dearest child1 extends its views     
beyond this frail and transitory        

existence2 it considers you as a        
candidate for immortality--as entering  
the lists for the prize of your high    
calling--as contending for a crown of   
unfading glory4 ,it sees1 with anxious  
solicitude1 the dangers that surround   
you1 and the everlasting shame that must
 follow1 if you do not exert all your   
strength in the conflict4 ,religion     
therefore has been the basis of my      
plan--the principle to which every other
 pursuit is ultimately referred4 ,here  
then ,i have endeavoured to guide your  
researches2 and to assist you in forming
 just notions on a subject of such      
infinite importance1 ,i have shown you  
the necessity of regulating your heart  
and temper1 according to the genuine    
spirit of that religion which ,i have so
 earnestly recommended as the great rule
 of your life4 ,to the same principle ,i
 would refer your attention to domestic 
duties2 and1 even that refinement and   
elegance of manners1 and all those      
graces and accomplishments1 which will  

set your virtues in the fairest light1  
and will engage the affection and       
respect of all who converse with you4   
,endeared to society by these amiable   
qualities1 your influence in it will be 
more extensive1 and your capacity of    
being useful proportionably enlarged4   
,the studies1 which ,i have recommended 
to you1 must be likewise subservient to 
the same views2 the pursuit of          
knowledge1 when it is guided and        
controlled by the principles ,i have    
established1 will conduce to many       
valuable ends3 the habit of industry it 
will give you1 the nobler kind of       
friendships for which it will qualify   
you1 and its tendency to promote a      
candid and liberal way of thinking1 are 
obvious advantages4 ,i might add1 that a
 mind well informed in the various      
pursuits which interest mankind1 and the
 influence of such pursuits on their    
happiness1 will embrace with a clearer  
choice1 and will more steadily adhere   
to1 those principles of ,virtue and     

,religion1 which the judgment must ever 
approve1 in proportion as it becomes    
enlightened4  ,may those delightful     
hopes be answered which have animated my
 heart1 while with diligent attention ,i
 have endeavoured to apply to your      
advantage all that my own experience and
 best observation could furnish4 ,with  
what joy should ,i see my dearest girl  
shine forth a bright example of every   
thing that is amiable and               
praiseworthy2--and how sweet would be   
the reflection that ,i had1 in any      
degree1 contributed to make her so6--,my
 heart expands with the affecting       
thought1 and pours forth in this adieu  
the most ardent wishes for your         
perfection6 ,if the tender solicitude   
expressed for your welfare by this      
'labour of love' can engage your        
gratitude1 you will always remember how 
deeply your conduct interests the       
happiness of      ,your most            
affectionate        ,,aunt4             
,,footnotes3  #cj ,dr4 ,goldsmith's     

,histories of ,greece and ,rome are     
generally considered as most useful to  
young persons4          ,editor4  #ca   
,russel's ,history of ,ancient ,europe  
will give all the information requisite4
          ,editor4  #cb ,this work was  
first printed in #aggc4  #cc ,the       
,history of ,modern ,europe may be read 
with particular advantage4              
,editor4  #cd ,this work has not been   
published for some years2 ,guthrie's    
,geographical and ,historical ,grammar  
is the best work of the kind1 at        
present4          ,editor4              
,,finis4  ,printed by ,weed and ,rider1 
,little ,britain1 ,london4          99  
99       99       99       99           
,transcriber's ,notes3  ,obvious        
misspellings and punctuation errors     
repaired4 ,otherwise1 unusual spellings 
retained when used consistently in      
original4  ,hyphenated_/nonhyphenated   
retained when occurring evenly4         
,thought break on ,p4#bji added1        
corresponds to ,conclusion in ,contents4

  ,p4#bje1 list3 ,second occurrences of 
,vertot's ,revolutions and ,voltaire's  
added in place of repeat dashes4        
,ecclus  ,sirach1 or ,ecclesiasticus    
,p4xxxii1 whole tenour of the ,gospel to
 whole tenor of the ,gospel  ,p4#bf     
himself was govenor to himself was      
governor