,,fenelon's ,,treatise    ,,on ,,the    
,,education ,,of ,,daughters4           
,illustration3 ,woman reading to girl   
,delightful task6 to rear the tender    
thought1    ,to teach the young idea how
 to shoot4            ,,fenelon's       
,,treatise      ,,on ,,the ,,education  
,,of ,,daughters3      ,,translated     
,,from ,,the ,,french1      ,,and       
,,adapted ,,to ,,english ,,readers1     
,with an ,original ,chapter1      ,on   
,religious ,studies4        ,,by ,,the  
,,rev4 ,t4 ,f4 ,,dibdin1 ,b4,a4         
,f4,a4,s4      ,author of    ,an        
,introduction to the ,knowledge of the  
best ,editions of    the ,greek and     
,latin ,classics1 c4      ,chaste and   
modest writings never alter the honour  
of any gentlewoman4    ,for as the      
remembrance of infamous persons is much 
detested and hated    by the ,muses--so 
is the glory and renown of the virtuous 
installed    by them in eternal memory  
for ever4                               
,,pastorals ,,of ,,julietta4  ,fol4     

,edit4 #afaj4                           
,pt4 #c1 p4 #hh4      ,so in this       
pilgrimage ,i would behold    ,you1 as  
you are--,,virtue',s ,,temple6          
,,donne',s ,,poems4  ,edit4 #afej4 p4   
#aef4                        ,to the    
,countess of ,bedford4                  
,,cheltenham3      ,,printed ,,and      
,,published ,,by ,h4 ,,ruff3 ,,and      
,,sold ,,by    ,,longman1 ,,hurst1      
,,rees ,,and ,,orme1 ,,london4          
#ahje4      ,entered at ,stationers'    
,hall4            ,,to    ,,her ,,grace 
,,georgiana    ,,duchess ,,of ,,bedford1
    ,,whose ,,amiable ,,disposition1    
,,accomplished ,,manners1    ,,and      
,,elevated ,,rank1    ,,render ,,her    
,,the ,,esteem ,,and ,,admiration       
,,of    ,,the ,,great ,,and ,,the       
,,virtuous1    ,this small ,tribute     
,,of ,,gratitude ,,and ,,respect    ,,is
 ,,dedicated    ,,by ,,her ,,obliged    
,,and ,,obedient ,,humble ,,servant1    
,h4 ,,ruff4          ,,preface4         
,the ,translation of the following ,work

 was undertaken at the request of  ,mr4 
,,ruff1 the ,publisher1 who wished me to
 paraphrase what ,i thought  might more 
particularly interest and edify the     
,english reader4    ,it is dedicated1 by
 the ,publisher1 to her ,grace the      
,,duchess ,,of ,,bedford  --and he is   
anxious that it may be found worthy of  
her patronage4    ,the original ,french 
work was first published in #afhh2 and  
the earliest  ,english translation      
appeared in #agjg4 ,this translation1   
which was by  ,dr4 ,hickes1 ,i have     
never seen4 ,in the year #agig1 another 
anonymous  ,english translation was     
printed at ,hull1 in a duodecimo volume4
 ,in this  performance there is so close
 an adherence to the idiom of the       
,french  language1 that almost every    
page abounds with gallicisms4 ,it is    
not1  however1 entirely destitute of    
merit2 but it appears1 on the whole1  to
 have been hastily executed for the     
purpose of ensuring a cheap and         
extensive sale4    ,the present         

translation is offered to the public1   
with a full conviction  of its          
inadequacy to give a just idea of the   
beauty and force of the  original4 ,the 
author of ,telemaque and ,de            
l',education des ,filles  appears1 on a 
comparison of these two performances1   
very unlike the same  writer4 ,in the   
former1 his periods are flowing and     
luxuriant2 in the  latter1 they are     
sententious and logical2 and nearly as  
difficult to  clothe in an              
,english-dress as those of the          
philosophical ,tacitus4    ,it will be  
seen1 therefore1 that a literal         
translation has not been  attempted2 and
 a still greater deviation will be      
observable1 from a  wish to distinguish 
it from the translation of #agig4       
,whether this has  always been done for 
the better1 the reader will determine   
for himself4    ,the ,original ,chapter 
,,on ,,religious ,,studies has been     
submitted to  those1 whose opinions1    
matured by experience1 ,i have been     

anxious to  obtain2 and it has received 
the sanction of their approbation4      
,if the ,work fail of success1 it will  
not be from the want of spirit in  the  
,publisher2 for it is accompanied with  
considerable beauty of type  and paper1 
and elegance of ornament4    ,the design
 is every way worthy of the ingenious   
artist by whom it was  executed1 and who
 has long been known to the world from  
the taste and  fidelity of his pencil4  
,the engraving1 by ,mr4 ,freeman1 will  
convince  the public that he requires   
only to be known1 to be more generally  
encouraged4                             
,t4 ,f4 ,d4      ,,terrace1             
,,kensington1    ,june #b1 #ahje4       
,,contents4                             
,,page4    ,,chapter ,i4    ,,importance
 ,,of ,,female ,,education           #a 
,,chapter ,,ii4    ,,errors ,,in        
,,ordinary ,,education             #i   
,,chapter ,,iii4    ,,first             
,,foundations ,,of ,,education          
#ag      ,,chapter ,,iv4    ,,the       

,,danger ,,of ,,imitation               
#cc      ,,chapter ,v4    ,,indirect    
,,instructions                   #cg    
,,chapter ,,vi4    ,,use ,,of ,,history 
#hg      ,,chapter ,,vii4               
,,principles ,,of ,,religion            
#ajf      ,,chapter ,,viii4    ,,on     
,,religious ,,studies                   
#ada      ,,chapter ,,ix4    ,,ordinary 
,,defects ,,among ,,girls           #afc
      ,,chapter ,x4    ,,vanity ,,of    
,,beauty ,,and ,,dress             #agd 
,,chapter ,,xi4    ,,instruction ,,of   
,,women ,,in ,,their ,,duties   #ahh    
,,chapter ,,xii4    ,,continuation ,,of 
,,the ,,duties ,,of ,,women    #bjc     
,,chapter ,,xiii4    ,,of ,,governesses 
#bbg          ,,fenelon    ,,on ,,female
 ,,education4          ,,chapter ,i4    
,on the ,importance of the ,education of
 ,daughters4      ,the ,education of    
,girls is1 in general1 exceedingly      
neglected3#a custom1  and maternal      
caprice1 often appear to have the entire
 regulation of it4  ,it absolutely seems

 as if we supposed the sex to be in need
 of little  or no instruction4 ,on the  
other hand1 the ,education of ,boys is  
considered as a very important concern1 
affecting the welfare of  the public2   
and although it be frequently attended  
with errors and  mistakes1 great        
abilities are nevertheless thought      
necessary for the  accomplishment of it4
 ,the brightest talents have been       
engaged to form  plans and modes of     
instruction3--,what numbers of masters  
and colleges  do we behold8 ,what       
expences incurred in the printing of    
books1 in  researches after science1 in 
modes of teaching languages1 in the     
establishment of professors8 ,all these 
grand preparations may probably  have   
more shew than substance1 but they      
sufficiently denote the high  idea we   
entertain of the education of ,boys4 ,in
 regard to ,girls1 some  exclaim1 why   
make them learned8 curiosity renders    
them vain and  conceited3 it is         
sufficient if they be one day able to   

govern their  families1 and implicitly  
obey their husbands6 ,examples are then 
adduced of many women whom science has  
rendered ridiculous2 and on  such       
contemptible authority we think         
ourselves justified in blindly          
abandoning our daughters to the conduct 
of ignorant and indiscreet  mothers4    
#a ,it must be remembered that the above
 sentiment was expressed in   the year  
#afhh1 when the want of a good system of
 female education   was  universally    
felt and regretted4 ,at the present day1
 we witness   a noble reverse of things2
 and whatever theories may have1 been   
proposed abroad1 we can never cease to  
admire the labours1 and   applaud the   
sagacity1 of our countrywomen in behalf 
of their sex4    ,it is true1 that we   
should be on our guard not to make them 
ridiculously  learned4 ,women1 in       
general1 possess a weaker but more      
inquisitive mind  than men2 hence it    
follows that their pursuits should be of
 a quiet and  sober turn4 ,they are not 

formed to govern the state1 to make war1
 or to  enter into the church2 so that  
they may well dispense with any profound
  knowledge relating to politics1       
military tactics1 philosophy1 and       
theology4 ,the greater part of the      
mechanical arts are also improper for   
them3 they are made for moderate        
exercise2 their bodies as well as minds 
are less strong and energetic than those
 of men2 but to compensate for  their   
defects1 nature has bestowed on them a  
spirit of industry1 united  with a      
propriety of behaviour1 and an economy  
which renders them at once  the ornament
 and comfort of home4#b     #b ,this    
idea is beautifully expressed in the    
following lines of   ,,thomson3--       
,to give society its highest taste1     
,well-ordered home man's best delight to
 make2    ,and by submissive wisdom1    
modest skill1    ,with every gentle     
care-eluding art    ,to raise the       
virtues1 animate the bliss1    ,and     
sweeten all the toils of human life3    

,this be the female dignity and praise6 
,autumn1 ver4 #fjb-fjh4    ,but         
admitting that women are by nature      
weaker than men1 what is the            
consequence8 ,what1 but that the weaker 
they are1 the more they stand in  need  
of support4 ,have they not duties to    
perform1 which are the very  foundation 
of human existence8 ,consider1 it is    
women who ruin or uphold  families2 who 
regulate the minuti of domestic affairs2
 and who  consequently decide upon some 
of the dearest and tenderest points     
which affect the happiness of ,man4     
,they have undoubtedly the strongest    
influence on the manners1 good or bad1  
of society4 ,a sensible woman1 who  is  
industrious and religious1 is the very  
soul of a large establishment1  and     
provides both for its temporal and      
eternal welfare4 ,notwithstanding  the  
authority of men in public affairs1 it  
is evident1 that they cannot  effect any
 lasting good1 without the intervention 
and support of women4    ,the world is  

not a phantom1 it is the aggregate of   
all its families2  and who can civilize 
and govern these with a nicer           
discrimination than  women8 besides     
their natural assiduity and authority at
 home1 they are  peculiarly calculated  
for it1 by a carefulness1 attention to  
particulars1  industry1 and a soft and  
persuasive manner4 ,can men promise     
themselves  any felicity in this life1  
if marriage1 the very essence of        
domestic  society1 be productive of     
bitterness and disappointment8 and as to
  children1 who are to constitute the   
future generation1 to what misery  will 
they be exposed1 if their mothers ruin  
them from the cradle8    ,such then1 are
 the occupations of the female sex1     
which cannot be  deemed of less         
importance to society than those of the 
male4 ,it appears  that they have a     
house and establishment to regulate1 a  
husband to make  happy1 and children to 
rear4 ,virtue is as necessary for men as
 for  women2 and without entering upon  

the comparative good or ill which       
society experiences from the latter sex1
 it must be remembered that they  are   
one half of the human race1 ,,redeemed  
,,by ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,jesus         
,,christ1  ,,and ,,destined ,,to ,,life 
,,eternal4    ,lastly1 let us not forget
 that if women do great good to the     
community  when well educated1 they are 
capable of infinite mischief when       
viciously  instructed4 ,it is certain   
that a bad education works less ill in a
 male1  than in a female breast2 for the
 vices of men often proceed from the    
bad education which their mothers have  
given them1 and from passions  which    
have been instilled into them at a riper
 age1 from casual  intercourse with     
women4    ,what intrigues does history  
present to us--what subversion of laws  
and manners--what bloody wars--what     
innovations in religion--what           
revolutions in states--all arising from 
the irregularities of women8  ,ought not
 these considerations to impress us with

 the importance of  female education8   
,let us1 therefore1 discuss the various 
means of  accomplishing so desirable an 
object4          ,,chap4 ,,ii4          
,errors in the ,ordinary ,mode of       
,education4      ,ignorance is one of   
the causes of the ennui and discontent  
of young  persons1 and of the absence of
 all rational amusement4 ,when a child  
has  arrived at a certain age without   
having applied to solid pursuits1 she   
can have neither taste nor relish for   
them4 ,every thing which is serious     
assumes to her mind a sorrowful         
appearance2 and that which requires a   
continued attention1 wearies and        
disgusts her4 ,the natural inclination  
to pleasure1 which is strong in         
youth--the example of young people of   
the same age1 plunged in                
dissipation--every thing1 in short1     
serves to  excite a dread of an orderly 
and industrious life4 ,in this early    
age1  she wants both experience and     
authority to take a decided part in the 

management of household affairs2 she is 
even ignorant of the important          
consequences resulting from it1 unless  
her mother has previously  instructed   
her in some of its departments4 ,if she 
be born to affluence1  she is not       
necessitated to undergo manual toil3 she
 may probably work  an hour or two a    
day1 because she hears it said1 without 
knowing why1  that it is proper for     
women to work--but this pithy proverb   
will  only produce the semblance1       
without the substance1 of real useful   
application4    ,in such a situation    
what is she to do8 ,the society of a    
mother1 who  narrowly watches1 scolds1  
and thinks she is performing her duty in
 not  overlooking the least fault--who  
is never satisfied1 but always trying   
the temper1 and appears herself immersed
 in domestic cares2 all this  disgusts  
and torments her4 ,she is1 moreover1    
surrounded with flattering  servants1   
who1 seeking to insinuate themselves1 by
 base and dangerous  compliances1       

gratify all her fancies1 and direct her 
conversation to  every topic but that of
 goodness and virtue4 ,to her1 piety    
appears an  irksome task--a foe to every
 rational amusement4 ,what1 then1 are   
her  occupations8 ,none that are useful4
 ,hence arises a habit of indolence1    
which at length becomes incurable4      
,meantime what is to fill this vacuity8 
,nothing but the most frivolous  and    
contemptible pursuits4 ,in such a state 
of lassitude1 a young woman  abandons   
herself to pure idleness2 and idleness1 
which may be termed  a languor of the   
soul1 is an inexhaustible source of     
weariness and  discontent4 ,she sleeps  
one-third more than is necessary to     
preserve  her health3 this protracted   
slumber serves only to enervate and     
render  her more delicate2 more exposed 
to the turbulency of passion2 whereas   
moderate sleep1 accompanied with regular
 exercise1 produces that  cheerfulness1 
vigour1 and elasticity of spirits1 which
 form1 perhaps1  the true criterion of  

bodily and mental perfection4    ,this  
weariness and idleness1 united with     
ignorance1 beget a pernicious  eagerness
 for public diversions2 hence arises a  
spirit of curiosity1 as  indiscreet as  
it is insatiable4    ,those who are     
instructed and busied in serious        
employments1 have1  in general1 but a   
moderate curiosity4 ,what they know     
gives them an  indifference for many    
things of which they are ignorant2 and  
convinces  them of the inutility and    
absurdity of those things1 with which   
narrow  minds1 that know nothing1 and   
have nothing to exercise themselves     
upon1  are extremely desirous of        
becoming acquainted4    ,on the         
contrary1 young women1 without          
instruction and application1 have       
always a roving imagination4 ,in want of
 substantial employment1 their          
curiosity hurries them on to vain and   
dangerous pursuits4 ,those who have     
somewhat more vivacity1 pique themselves
 on a superior knowledge1 and  read1    

with avidity1 every book which flatters 
their vanity3 they become  enamoured of 
novels1 plays1 and ,tales of ,wonder1 in
 which love and  licentiousness         
predominate3 they fill their minds with 
visionary  notions1 by accustoming      
themselves to the splendid sentiments of
 heroes  of romance1 and hence are      
rendered unfit for the common           
intercourse of  society2 for all these  
fine airy sentiments1 these generous    
passions1  these adventures1 which the  
authors of romance have invented for    
mere amusement1 have no connexion with  
the real motives which  agitate mankind1
 and direct the affairs of the world2   
nor with those  disappointments which   
usually accompany us in almost every    
thing we  undertake4    ,a poor girl1   
full of the tender and the marvellous1  
which have delighted  her in her        
reading1 is astonished not to find in   
the world real  personages1 resembling  
the heroes she has read of--fain would  
she live  like those imaginary          

princesses1 whom fiction has described  
as always  charming1 always adored1 and 
always beyond the reach of want4 ,what  
disgust must she feel on descending from
 such a state of heroism1 to  the lowest
 offices of housewifery6    ,some there 
are who push their curiosity still      
further1 and without the  least         
qualifications1 presume to decide upon  
theological points4--,but  those who    
have not sufficient grasp of intellect  
for these curiosities1  have other      
pursuits1 better proportioned to their  
talents3 they are  extremely desirous of
 knowing what is said1 and going on in  
the world--a  song--news--an            
intrigue--to receive letters1 and to    
read those that  other people receive2  
these things delight prodigiously2 they 
wish  every thing to be told them1 and  
to tell every thing in turn3 they are   
vain1 and vanity is a sure incentive to 
talk4 ,they become giddy1 and           
volatility prevents those reflections   
from rising which would shew them  the  

value of silence4          ,,chap4      
,,iii4    ,of the ,first ,foundations of
 ,education4      ,to remedy the evils  
just complained of1 it is of material   
consequence to  commence a system of    
education from ,infancy3 this tender    
period1 which  is too often intrusted to
 imprudent and irregular women1 is1 in  
truth1  the most susceptible of the     
strongest impressions1 and consequently 
has  a great influence on the future    
regulation of life4    ,as soon as      
children can lisp1 they may be prepared 
for instruction3 this  may be thought   
paradoxical--but only consider what a   
child does before  it can talk4 ,it is  
learning a language which it will1 by   
and by1 speak  with more accuracy1 than 
the learned can speak the dead          
languages1  although studied at a mature
 period of life4 ,but what is the       
learning a  language8 ,it does not      
consist solely in treasuring in the     
memory a great  number of words--but in 
comprehending1 says ,st4 ,austin1 the   

meaning of  each particular word3 the   
child1 amidst its cries and amusements1 
knows  for what object each word is     
designed3 this is obtained sometimes by 
observing the natural motions of bodies 
which touch1 or shew1 the objects  of   
which one is speaking--sometimes by     
being struck with the frequent          
repetition of the same word to signify  
the same thing4 ,it cannot be  denied   
but that the brain of children is       
admirably calculated1 from  its         
temperament1 to receive impressions from
 all these images2 but what  strength of
 mental attention is requisite to       
distinguish them1 and to  unite each to 
its proper object8    ,consider too1 how
 children1 even at such a tender age1   
attach themselves  to those who flatter1
 and avoid those who restrain1 them3 how
 well they  know to obtain their object 
by a tear1 or silent submission3 how    
much  artifice and jealousy they already
 possess6 ,i have seen1 exclaims ,st4   
,austin1 a jealous child3 it could not  

speak2 but its face was pale1 and  the  
eyes were irritated against an infant   
that suckled with it4    ,from this it  
may be inferred1 that infants know more 
at such an early  period than is usually
 imagined3 thus1 by soft words and      
appropriate  gestures1 you may incline  
them towards honest and virtuous        
connexions1  rather than introduce them 
to those which it would be dangerous for
  them to caress4--,thus1 again1 you    
may1 by appropriate looks and tone  of  
voice1 represent to them1 with horror1  
those whom they have seen  exasperated  
with anger1 or any other furious        
passion2 and1 on the other  hand1 by a  
correspondent serenity of manner1       
depicture to them those who  are amiable
 and wise4    ,i do not wish to lay too 
great a stress on these subordinate     
matters3  but1 in reality1 these        
different dispositions form a           
commencement of  character which must   
not be neglected2 and this mode of      
foreseeing1  as it were1 the future     

dispositions of children1 has           
imperceptible  consequences which       
facilitate their education4    ,if we   
still doubt of the power of these early 
prepossessions on future  maturity1 we  
need only call to mind how lively and   
affecting1 at an  advanced age1 is the  
remembrance of those things which have  
delighted  us in childhood4 ,if1 instead
 of terrifying the minds of young people
  with absurd notions of ghosts and     
spirits1 which serve only to weaken  and
 disturb the still delicate texture of  
the brain3 if1 instead of  abandoning   
them to the caprice of a nurse for what 
they are to like or  dislike1 we        
endeavoured always to impress on their  
minds an agreeable  idea of good1 and a 
frightful one of evil--this foresight   
might  hereafter be the foundation of   
every practical virtue4 ,on the         
contrary1  we frighten them with the    
idea of a clergyman clothed in black--we
  talk of death merely to excite        
terror--and recount tales of the dead   

revisiting the earth1 at midnight1 under
 hideous shapes6 ,all this has  a       
tendency to weaken and agitate the mind1
 and to excite a prejudice  against the 
soundest doctrines4    ,one of the most 
useful and important things during      
infancy is1 to be  particularly careful 
of the child's health2 endeavouring to  
sweeten  the blood by a proper choice of
 food1 and a simple regimen of life3    
regulating its meals1 so that it eat    
pretty nearly at the same hours1  and as
 it feels the inclination2 that the     
stomach be not overloaded  before       
digestion takes place1 and that no      
high-seasoned dishes be  introduced1    
which must necessarily give a disrelish 
for more healthful  food4 ,lastly1 too  
many dishes should not be allowed at the
 same time2  for such a variety of food 
begets an appetite even after the real  
call  of hunger is satisfied4           
,another very important consideration   
is1 not to oppress the faculties  by too
 much instruction2 to avoid every thing 

which may kindle the  passions2 to      
deprive a child1 gently and by degrees1 
of that for which  it has expressed too 
vehement a desire to obtain2 so that1   
eventually1  it may be insensible of    
disappointment4    ,if a child's        
disposition be tolerably good1 it may1  
by the foregoing  method1 be rendered   
docile1 patient1 steady1 cheerful1 and  
tranquil2  whereas1 if its tender years 
be neglected1 it becomes restless and   
turbulent during the remainder of its   
life2 the blood boils1 bad habits  are  
formed1 and the body and mind1 both     
equally susceptible1 become  prone to   
evil4 ,hence arises a sort of second    
original sin1 which1 in  advanced age1  
is the source of a thousand disorders4  
,as soon as children arrive at a more   
mature period1 or their reason  becomes 
unfolded1 we must be careful that all   
our words have a tendency  to make them 
love truth1 and detest artifice and     
hypocrisy4 ,we ought  never to be guilty
 of any deception or falsehood to       

appease them1 or to  persuade them to   
comply with our wishes3 if we are1 we   
instruct them in  cunning and artifice2 
and this they never forget4 ,reason and 
good sense  must be our instruments of  
regulation4    ,but let us examine with 
a little more attention the exact       
dispositions  of children1 and what more
 particularly regards their treatment4  
,the  substance of their brain is soft1 
but it becomes harder every day3 it  has
 neither experience nor judgment to     
discriminate one object from  another1  
and every thing is1 therefore1 new to   
them4 ,from this softness  and          
pliability of the brain1 impressions are
 easily made2 and the  surprize which   
accompanies novelty1 is the cause of    
their continual  admiration1 and extreme
 curiosity4 ,it is true that this       
ductility of the  brain1 attended with  
considerable heat1 produces an easy and 
constant  motion2 hence arises that     
bustle and volatility of youth1 which is
 as  incapable of fixing the attention  

on one object1 as it is of confining    
the body to one spot4    ,again1        
children are incapable of thinking and  
acting for themselves2  they remark     
every thing1 but speak little2 unless   
they have been  accustomed to talk      
much--an evil1 against which we must be 
constantly on  our guard4 ,the pleasure 
which we derive and express from the    
sight of  pretty children1 spoils them2 
for they are1 in consequence1 accustomed
  to utter every thing which comes      
uppermost1 and to talk on subjects  of  
which they have no distinct ideas2 hence
 is formed an habit of  precipitately   
passing judgment1 and of discussing     
points they are  incapable of           
comprehending2 an unfortunate           
circumstance6 and which1  probably1     
adheres to them through life4    ,this  
admiration of pretty children has       
another pernicious consequence2  they   
are sensible that you look at them1     
watch all their actions1 and  listen to 
their prattle1 with pleasure--hence they

 flatter themselves  that all the world 
must follow your example4    ,during    
this period1 when applause is           
perpetually bestowed1 and  contradiction
 seldom obtruded1 children indulge      
chimerical hopes1 which1  alas6 are the 
source of endless disappointments       
throughout life4 ,i have  seen children 
who always fancied you were talking     
about them1 whenever  any thing was     
privately said--and this1 forsooth1     
because it has  sometimes actually been 
the case3 they have also imagined       
themselves  to be most extraordinary and
 incomparable beings4 ,take care1       
therefore1  that in your attentions to  
children1 they are unconscious of any   
particular solicitude on your part3 shew
 them that it is from pure  regard1 and 
the helplessness of their condition to  
relieve their  own wants1 that you      
interest yourself in their behalf--and  
not from  admiration of their talents4  
,be content to form their minds1 by     
degrees1  according to each emergency   

that may arise3 and if it were in your  
power to advance their knowledge much   
beyond their years1 even without        
straining their intellect1 by no means  
put it in practice2 recollect  that the 
danger of vanity and arrogance is always
 greater than the  fruit of those       
premature educations which make so much 
noise in the  world4    ,we must be     
satisfied to follow and assist nature4  
,children know little1  and should not  
be stimulated to talk3 but the          
consequence of this  ignorance is1 they 
are continually asking questions4 ,we   
should1  therefore1 answer them         
precisely1 and add sometimes little     
comparisons1  which may throw light on  
the information we give them4 ,if they  
judge of  some things without sufficient
 knowledge1 they should be checked by a 
new question1 which might make them     
sensible of their error without  rudely 
confounding them2 at the same time take 
care to impress on their  minds1 not by 
vague praises1 but by some effectual    

mark of esteem1  that they afford much  
more satisfaction when they doubt1 and  
ask  for information1 on points they do 
not know1 than when they happen to      
decide rightly4 ,this is the sure method
 to implant in them a true sense  of    
modesty and politeness2 and to excite a 
contempt for those idle  controversies  
in which ignorant young folks are too   
apt to indulge4    ,as soon as we begin 
to watch the dawn of reason spreading1  
we should  seize it as a favourable     
opportunity to guard them against       
presumption3  ,you see1 we should       
exclaim1 that you are much more         
reasonable and  tractable than you were 
last year--and in the following year you
 will  observe things yet more clearly  
than you do at present--if1 during the  
last year1 you were eager to have passed
 judgment on things which you  now know1
 and were then ignorant of1 you would   
assuredly have judged  wrong4 ,you would
 therefore have been to blame in        
offering opinions on  subjects above the

 reach of your intellect4 ,there are1 at
 this moment1  many things which remain 
for you to know2 and you will one day be
  convinced how imperfect are your      
present conceptions4 ,nevertheless1     
adhere to the counsel of those who judge
 of things as you yourself would  judge1
 were you gifted with their years and   
experience4    ,as the curiosity of     
children is a faculty which precedes    
instruction1 we  should be careful to   
make them profit by it4 ,for example1 in
 the country  when they see a mill1 they
 wish to know what it is--here1 then1   
you  may shew them how that food is     
prepared which nourishes man4 ,a little 
further they perceive reapers--and you  
must explain to them their  occupation2 
how they sow the grain1 and how it      
multiplies in the earth4  ,in the town  
they see a number of shops1 where       
various trades are  exercised1 and      
various merchandize is sold4 ,never     
consider their  questions as            
importunate2 they are overtures which   

nature makes to  facilitate             
instruction--shew them1 therefore1 that 
you take pleasure in  these             
questions--for1 by such means1 you teach
 them insensibly how every  thing is    
made1 which conduces to the comfort of  
man1 and extension of  commerce4 ,by    
degrees1 and without any particular     
study1 they become  acquainted with     
every article that is useful1 and with  
the price affixed  to each1 which is1   
indeed1 the true foundation of economy4 
,this kind of  knowledge1 which no one  
should despise1 because no one is       
willing to be  cheated from the want of 
it1 is particularly necessary for women4
          ,,chap4 ,,iv4    ,the ,danger 
of ,imitation4      ,the ignorance of   
children1 7in whose brain no correct    
impressions are  made17 renders them    
extremely susceptible1 and inclined to  
imitate every  thing they see4 ,it is1  
therefore1 of consequence to set before 
them none  but the very best models of  
imitation2 and to make them acquainted  

with  those1 by whose examples they     
would be profited in following4 ,but as 
it  happens1 in spite of all our        
precautions1 that they occasionally     
witness  many irregularities1 we must   
not fail to warn them betimes against   
the  impertinence of certain foolish and
 dissipated people1 whose reputation  is
 scarcely worth preserving3 we must shew
 them how truly miserable and  deserving
 of contempt1 are those who abandon     
themselves to passion1  without         
cultivating their reason4 ,one may also 
give them1 a correct  taste1 free from  
affectation1 and make them sensible of  
the true value  of modesty and decorum2 
we must not even abstain from guarding  
them  against probable errors1 although 
by this means we may open their eyes  to
 certain defects in those whom they are 
taught to respect4 ,we have  neither    
right nor reason to hope that they will 
remain ignorant on such  points1 and    
therefore the best method to pursue1 in 
order to keep them  to their duty1 is1  

to persuade them to bear with the faults
 of others2  not to pass too severe a   
sentence on them1 as they often appear  
greater  than they really are--that they
 are even compensated for by many good  
qualifications--and that as there is no 
perfection in this world1 they  should  
admire that which approaches the nearest
 towards it4 ,lastly1  although this    
advice should not be offered but in     
extreme cases1 we  should1 nevertheless1
 engraft on them true principles1 and   
preserve  them from imitating all the   
evil that is set before them4    ,we    
must also be on our guard to prevent    
their imitation of ridiculous  people2  
whose low and buffoon-like manners have 
something in them  extremely revolting  
to noble and generous sentiments2 we    
should be  apprehensive lest children   
afterwards assume these very manners2 as
  the warmth of their imagination1 and  
pliability of body1 added to the        
pleasure they seem to take in such      
diversion1 gives them a peculiar        

aptitude to represent every ridiculous  
object they behold4    ,this proneness  
to imitation1 which is natural to       
children1 is the source  of infinite    
mischief when they are delivered up to  
improper people who  are hardly able to 
restrain themselves before them4 ,but   
providence has  ordained this imitative 
power1 that children may be also capable
 of  applying themselves to what is good
 and virtuous4 ,often1 without  speaking
 to them1 we have only to shew them in  
others what we would  have them do      
themselves4          ,,chap4 ,v4        
,indirect ,instructions3 we should not  
be too urgent with ,children4      ,i   
think we should often make use of       
indirect instructions1 which are  not so
 tedious and uninteresting as lessons   
and remonstrances1 in order  to excite  
their attention to certain examples     
which are placed before  them4    ,a    
person may sometimes ask another1 in    
their presence1 ,why do you  do so--and 
the other may answer--,i do it for such 

a reason4 ,for  example--,why did you   
confess your fault8 ,because ,i should  
have been  guilty of a much greater one 
by disavowing it with a lye--and because
  nothing is more praiseworthy than to  
say frankly1 ,i am wrong4 ,then the     
first person should commend the one who 
has thus accused herself--but  care must
 be taken that all this be done without 
art or affectation1 for  children have  
much more penetration than we are aware 
of--and as soon as  they discover any   
finesse in their teachers1 they lose    
that simplicity  and confidence which is
 natural to their character4    ,we have
 before observed that the brain of      
children1 from being at the  same time  
moist and warm1 produces continual      
motion4 ,this softness or  pliancy of   
the brain causes impressions to be      
easily made1 and images  of every       
sensible object to be vividly and       
strongly imprinted2 hence  we should be 
anxious to engrave1 as it were1 on their
 minds such  characters as are easily   

formed4 ,but great care must be shewn in
 the  selection of such objects as we   
wish to impress3 for in so small and    
precious a cabinet1 none but the most   
exquisite furniture should be  admitted4
 ,let it be remembered1 that at such a  
tender age1 no knowledge  should be     
engrafted but such as we wish to remain 
there for life4  ,the first impressions 
that are made1 when the brain is so soft
 and  susceptible1 are in general the   
most durable2 and in proportion as age  
hardens the brain1 do such impressions  
become indelible4 ,hence it is1  that in
 old age we remember distinctly the     
images of youth1 however  remote2       
whereas as age advances we have a       
fainter recollection of such  things as 
we progressively behold1 because the    
impression has been made  on the brain  
when it is gradually hardening1 and     
filled with other  images4    ,although 
we understand how to reason in this     
manner1 we have some  difficulty in     
acceding to it3 and yet we absolutely do

 make use of this  very mode of         
reasoning4 ,for instance1 do we not say 
every day1 ,my  habits are fixed1 ,i am 
too old to change them1 ,i have been    
brought up  in this way4--,moreover are 
we not conscious of a singular pleasure 
in recalling to mind the images of      
youth8 are not the strongest            
propensities formed at that age8 ,does  
not1 therefore1 all this prove  that the
 first impressions and first habits are 
the strongest8 ,if  infancy be the      
fittest period for engraving such images
 on the brain1  it must be allowed that 
it is the least so for the cultivation  
of  reason4 ,that ductility of the brain
 which causes impressions to be  easily 
formed1 being united with extreme heat1 
produces an agitation  which sets all   
regular application at defiance4    ,the
 brain of children may be compared to a 
lighted wax taper1 situated  in a place 
which is exposed to the wind--its flame 
is perpetually  flickering4 ,a child    
asks you a question1 and before you can 

answer1 its  eyes are directed towards  
the cieling3 it counts all the figures  
that  are carved there1 or all the bits 
of glass which compose the window3 if   
you wish to bring it back to the first  
subject of discussion1 you vex  it as   
much as if you confined it in prison4   
,thus great care is required  in        
managing the organs before they assume a
 determined inclination3  answer every  
question promptly1 and leave the child  
to put others as  it pleases4 ,gratify  
only the curiosity which it evinces1 and
 lay up in  the memory a mass of sound  
materials4 ,the time will come1 when    
these  impressions will be regularly    
arranged1 and the brain having more     
consistency1 the child will reason on   
the consequences4 ,nevertheless1 be     
attentive to correct when the reasoning 
is fallacious2 and to convince  it1     
without embarrassment1 as an opportunity
 offers1 in what a wrong  consequence   
consists4    ,let a child amuse itself  
freely1 and mingle instruction with     

amusement3  let wisdom be introduced at 
proper intervals1 and under an agreeable
  form2 and take care not to fatigue it 
by a precision which is both  formal and
 injudicious4    ,if a child entertains 
sad and dismal notions of virtue1 if    
liberty and  irregularity present       
themselves in a seducing manner1 every  
thing is  lost1 and your labour is in   
vain4 ,never suffer it to be flattered  
by  little contemptible associates1 or  
people without character or worth3 we   
naturally love the manners and          
sentiments of those whom we regard2 and 
the pleasure which is sometimes taken in
 the company of disreputable  people1   
begets1 by degrees1 a love of those     
pernicious habits which  renders them so
 truly contemptible4    ,in order to    
conciliate children to people of real   
estimable character1  make them reflect 
on their excellence and utility1 their  
sincerity1  their modesty1 their        
disinterestedness1 their fidelity1 their
 discretion1  but above all their piety1

 which is the foundation of the rest4   
,if a child has any thing about it      
revolting or offensive1 you must        
observe to it that piety does not       
produce such defects3 when it is        
perfect1 it destroys1 or at least       
softens them4 ,but1 after all1 we  must 
not persist in making children admire   
certain pious characters  whose exterior
 deportment is disgusting4    ,although 
you are particularly anxious to regulate
 your own conduct with  the utmost      
circumspection and nicety1 do not       
imagine that children will  fancy you   
faultless3 oftentimes your slightest    
imperfections will be  noticed by them4 
,st4 ,austin informs us that he had     
remarked1 from his infancy1 the vanity  
of his tutors4 ,the best and most       
politic thing you can do1 is1 to know   
your own faults as completely as a child
 will know them1 and to request  some   
real friend to warn you of them4 ,the   
generality of instructors  pardon       
nothing in a pupil1 but every thing in  

themselves3 this excites  an inquisitive
 and watchful spirit of malignity in    
such pupils--so that  whenever they     
detect any fault in their tutor1 they   
are delighted1 and  eventually despise  
him4    ,shun this error3 do not be     
afraid to mention the faults which are  
visible in your conduct1 and which may  
have escaped you before the  child4 ,if 
you find her capable of reasoning       
thereupon1 observe that you  set her an 
example of correcting her faults1 by the
 detection of your  own--by this means1 
your imperfections will be instrumental 
in edifying  the child1 and encouraging 
her to correct herself4 ,you will also  
thereby  avoid the contempt and disgust 
which your own faults may cause her to  
entertain against your person4          
,meanwhile1 try every method to make    
those things agreeable which you  exact 
from a child4 ,have you any thing       
crabbed or difficult to propose8        
convince her that this pain will be     
succeeded by pleasure3 always shew  the 

utility which results from your         
instructions2 and make her sensible  of 
the consequences as affecting mankind1  
and the different orders of  society4   
,without this1 all study will appear as 
a dry1 barren1 and thorny  path4 ,of    
what use1 will children sometimes say to
 themselves1 is it  to learn those      
things which do not relate to ordinary  
conversation1 and  which have no        
immediate connection with what we are   
obliged to do8    ,we should therefore  
give them a reason for every thing we   
teach--,it is1  we should observe1 to   
enable you one day to do well in the    
world--it is  to form your judgment1 and
 to make you reason well on all the     
affairs of  life4 ,we should always     
represent to them some useful and solid 
end1  which may support them in their   
application3 and never pretend to keep  
them in subjection by a crabbed and     
absolute authority4    ,in proportion as
 their reason advances1 we should       
discuss with them on  the necessity of  

education2 not that we should implicitly
 follow their  thoughts1 but profit by  
them when they discover their real state
 of  mind3 so that we may try their     
discernment1 and make them relish those 
things we are anxious for them to learn4
    ,never assume1 without urgent       
necessity1 an austere and imperious     
manner1 which only causes children to   
tremble1 and savours strongly  of       
affectation and pedantry in those who   
govern3 children are1 for the  greater  
part1 timid and diffident4 ,by such     
means you shut out all access  to the   
heart1 and deprive them of a confidence1
 without which no benefit  can be       
derived from instruction4 ,make yourself
 beloved3 let them be  free with you1 so
 that they fear nothing in discovering  
their faults4  ,in order to attain this1
 be indulgent to those who do not       
disguise  themselves before you4 ,appear
 neither astonished nor irritated at    
their bad propensities3 on the contrary1
 bear with their foibles4 ,this         

inconvenience may1 however1 sometimes   
arise1 that they will be less           
intimidated2 but1 taking all things     
together1 confidence and sincerity  is  
of far greater utility than a rigorous  
discipline4    ,besides1 authority will 
lose its proper effect1 if confidence   
and  persuasion are not equally strong4 
,always commence with an open and       
candid manner2 be cheerful and familiar 
without vulgarity1 which enables  you to
 see children conduct themselves in a   
perfectly natural state1 and  to know   
their inmost character4 ,if even you    
should succeed in all your  plans by the
 force of authority alone1 you will not 
gain the proper end3  you will disgust  
them in their search after goodness1 of 
which you ought  solely to endeavour to 
inspire them with admiration4    ,if the
 wisest man has recommended parents to  
hold the rod continually  over the heads
 of their children1 if he has said that 
a father who  spareth his child will    
repent it hereafter--it does not follow 

that  he has censured a mild and lenient
 mode of education4 ,he only condemns   
those weak and inconsiderate parents who
 flatter the passions of their          
children1 and who only strive to divert 
them in their infancy1 so that  they are
 guilty of all sorts of excess4 ,the    
proper conclusion seems to  be that     
parents ought to preserve authority     
sufficient for correction2  for there   
are some dispositions which require to  
be subdued by fear  alone2 but let it be
 remembered that this should never be   
enforced  unless every other expedient  
has been previously applied4    ,a child
 who merely follows the capricious      
impulse of imagination1 and  who        
confounds every thing which presents    
itself to her mind1 detests  application
 and virtue1 because she has taken a    
prejudice against the  person who speaks
 to her concerning them4    ,hence      
arises that dismal and frightful idea of
 religion1 which she  preserves all her 
life3 and which1 alas6 is often the only

 wretched  remnant of a severe system of
 education4 ,we must frequently tolerate
  many things which are deserving of    
immediate punishment1 and wait for  the 
opportunity when the feelings of a child
 dispose it to profit by  correction4   
,never rebuke a child in the first      
moments of passion1 whether on your     
side or hers4 ,if on yours1 she will    
perceive that1 you conduct yourself     
according to caprice and resentment1 and
 not according to reason and  affection3
 you will1 in consequence1 irretrievably
 lose your authority4  ,if you correct  
in the first gust of her passion1 her   
mind is not  sufficiently collected to  
confess her fault1 to conquer her       
feelings1  and to acknowledge the       
importance of your advice3 such a mode  
may even  hazard your pupil's respect   
for you4 ,always let the child see you  
are  mistress of your own feelings2 and 
nothing can effect this so much  as     
patience4 ,watch every moment1 each day1
 when correction may be  well-timed4    

,never tell her of a fault1 without1 at 
the same time1  suggesting some mode of 
redressing it1 which will induce her to 
put it  in practice2 for nothing is more
 to be avoided than that chagrin and    
discouragement which are the consequence
 of mere formal correction4 ,if a  child
 is discovered to be a little rational1 
,i think you should win it  insensibly  
to wish to have its faults disclosed1 as
 this would be the  way of making it    
sensible of them1 without causing       
affliction3 never1  however1 recount too
 many faults at a time4    ,we should   
consider that children have a tender    
intellect1 that their  age makes them   
susceptible chiefly of pleasure1 and    
that we often  expect from them a       
correctness and seriousness of          
deportment1 which  their instructors are
 sometimes incapable of evincing4 ,a    
very dangerous  impression of ennui and 
sadness is produced on their mind1 by   
perpetually talking to them of words and
 things which they do not  understand3  

no liberty1 no amusement6 always lesson1
 silence1  constraint1 correction1 and  
threats6    ,our ancient forefathers    
knew better4 ,it was by the charm of    
verses and  music that the ,hebrews1    
,egyptians1 and ,greeks1 introduced the 
principal  sciences1 the maxims of      
virtue1 and the politeness of manners4  
,without  reading1 people scarcely      
believe these things1 so distant are    
they from  present custom6 nevertheless1
 little as history is known1 there is   
not a doubt but that this was the common
 practice for many centuries4  ,however1
 let us so far correct our own age1 as  
to unite the agreeable  and the useful  
together1 as much as lay in our power4  
,but although we can hardly hope to lay 
aside awe with the generality  of       
children1 whose dispositions are        
headstrong and untractable1 we  should1 
nevertheless1 not have recourse to it   
without having patiently  tried every   
other experiment4 ,we should even make  
them distinctly  understand the extent  

of our demands1 allowing a certain      
medium with  which we should be         
satisfied3 for good-humour and          
confidence should be  their natural     
disposition--otherwise we damp their    
spirit1 and daunt  their courage3 if    
they are lively1 we irritate2 if dull1  
we stupify  them4--,fear may be compared
 to violent remedies employed in extreme
  cases--they purge1 but they alter the 
temperament1 and reduce the organs  to  
extremity4 ,a mind governed by fear1 is 
generally the weaker for it4    ,we     
should not always menace without        
chastising1 for fear of rendering       
menace of no avail2 but we should menace
 more frequently than we  chastise4 ,as 
to chastisement1 the pain inflicted     
ought to be as slight  as possible--but 
accompanied with every circumstance     
which can prick the  child with shame   
and remorse4 ,for example1 shew her     
every thing you  have done to avoid     
coming to this unpleasant               
extremity--appear to be  even affected  

at it--speak to her1 in the presence of 
others1 of the  melancholy state of     
those whose want of reason and good     
conduct have  forced correction upon    
them2 and keep back the ordinary marks  
of  reconciliation1 till you see she    
stands in need of consolation4 ,this    
chastisement may be either public or    
private1 as it may benefit the          
child--either in covering her with      
shame1 or shewing her how she has  been 
spared such a mortification--a public   
exposition should1 however1  never be   
resorted to but in the last extremity4  
,it may be as well  sometimes to make   
use of a rational person to perform the 
office of  mediator--who might console  
the child1 and mention such things which
  would be improper for yourself to     
do--who might cure her of false  shame1 
and induce her to come to you for       
reconciliation--and to whom the  child1 
in the emotions of her heart1 would open
 herself more freely than  she would    
dare to do to yourself4 ,above all1 let 

it be manifest that you  never exact    
from a child more than necessary        
submission3 endeavour to  effect it so  
that she may pass her own condemnation1 
and that you have  little else to do but
 assuage the anguish she has herself    
inflicted4  ,general rules ought to be  
adopted as particular occasions may     
justify3  men1 and especially children1 
do not always resemble themselves--that 
which is good to-day1 may be bad        
to-morrow2 a conduct stubbornly uniform 
can never be advantageous4    ,the fewer
 formal lessons that are inculcated1 the
 better4 ,a thousand  modes of          
instruction may be adopted in the       
freedom of conversation1  more useful   
than lessons themselves4 ,i have known  
many children who  have learnt to read  
during their play2 we need only relate  
to them some  diverting story from a    
book opened in their presence1 and make 
them  insensibly become acquainted with 
their letters2 after this1 they will    
themselves be anxious to arrive at the  

source which has afforded them  such    
amusement4    ,there are two            
circumstances which spoil every thing2  
namely1 teaching  them at first to read 
in a foreign tongue#c--which takes away 
all  pleasure in reading2 and making    
them read with a forced and ridiculous  
emphasis4 ,give them a book handsomely  
bound1 with neat cuts1 and printed  with
 a fine type2 every thing which delights
 the fancy1 facilitates  study3 we      
should even let them have a book full of
 short and marvellous  stories4 ,after  
this1 do not be uneasy about the child's
 learning to  read--do not fatigue her  
by requiring too great a precision2 let 
her  pronounce naturally as she speaks3 
other tones are always bad1 and  partake
 of the declamation of the stage4 ,when 
the tongue has acquired  sufficient     
volubility1 the chest strength1 and the 
habit of reading been  confirmed1 she   
will then read without pain1 and with   
more grace and  distinctness4     #c    
,fenelon says the ,latin tongue3 but    

this is not practised in   ,england4    
,the manner of teaching to write should 
be pretty nearly the same4 ,when        
children can read a little1 one may     
amuse them in making them sort the      
letters2 and if there are several       
pupils1 emulation may be kindled4       
,children are naturally inclined to make
 figures on paper2 and if this          
propensity be encouraged1 without       
teasing them too much1 they will form   
letters during their play1 and accustom 
themselves by degrees to write4  ,one   
may also encourage them by the promise  
of a reward adapted to their  taste1 and
 which has no unpleasant consequences4  
,write me a note1 you may say1 inform   
your brother or cousin of  such and such
 things3 all this 7varied as you like7  
pleases a  child1 provided that no sad  
idea of a formal lesson intrude4 ,a free
  curiosity1 says ,st4 ,austin1 from his
 own experience1 excites the  mental    
faculties of a child1 much more than the
 formality of rules1  or a constraint   

imposed by fear4    ,observe this grand 
defect in ordinary educations--all      
pleasure is placed  on one side1 and    
pain on the other3 the latter is        
attached to study1 the  former to play4 
,what then can be expected from a child1
 but that1 in  supporting one of these  
maxims1 she will eagerly fly to her     
amusements8    ,let us try to invert    
this order3 let us make study agreeable1
 concealing  it under the form of       
liberty and pleasure3 the dull routine  
of continued  application may be        
sometimes broken in upon by little      
sallies of  amusement4 ,children require
 these relaxations to preserve the      
elasticity  of their mind4    ,let their
 imaginations roam a little4 ,permit    
occasionally some game or  diversion1 so
 that ample bounds be given to their    
spirits2 then bring  them gently back   
again to the principal object you have  
in view4 ,too  rigid or too long        
continued an application to study1 is   
productive  of much injury3 those who   

affect this regularity1 act more from   
the  convenience of stated hours of     
discipline1 than from wishing to seize  
every favourable moment of instruction4 
,at the same time1 do not  suffer any   
amusement which may agitate the passions
 of children3 on  the contrary1 every   
thing which can unbend their faculties1 
produce an  agreeable variety1 satisfy a
 curiosity for useful things1 and       
exercise  their body in healthful       
recreations1 should be recommended and  
practiced  in their diversions4 ,the    
amusements which they like best1 are    
those  that keep the body in motion2    
they are happy if they can but skip from
  place to place3 a shuttle-cock or a   
ball is sufficient4 ,we should not1     
however1 be uneasy about their          
diversions2 they invent quite enough    
themselves--it is sufficient if we leave
 them to their own inventions1  watch   
them with a cheerful countenance1 and   
moderate them when they  become too     
violent4 ,it would be prudent just to   

make them sensible1 as  much and as     
often as we can1 of the pleasure which  
results from the  cultivation of the    
mind2 such as conversation1 news1       
histories1 and  many industrious games  
which include instruction4 ,all this    
will have  its proper effect in due     
time3 but we should not force the       
feelings of  children on this subject2  
we should only make overtures to them4  
,the  period will arrive when their     
bodies will be inclined to move less1   
and  their minds1 more4    ,the care    
which is taken to season study with     
amusement1 will operate  favourably in  
abating the ardour of youth for         
dangerous diversions4 ,it  is subjection
 and ennui that beget an impatience for 
amusement4 ,if a  daughter felt less    
restraint in the presence of a mother1  
she would not  be so anxious to steal   
away in search of indifferent society4  
,in choosing diversions1 care must be   
taken to avoid all suspicious           
companions4 ,boys must not mingle with  

girls2 even girls of an unruly  and     
froward disposition must be rejected4   
,games which excite passion1  and       
thoughtlessness1 or which produce an    
improper attitude of the  body--frequent
 visiting abroad1 and conversations     
which give rise to  such visits--should 
be uniformly avoided4 ,when a child is  
not spoilt  by any rude diversion1 or is
 not stimulated by any ardent passion1  
it  will easily find pleasure and       
content3 health and innocence are the   
sure sources of both3 but those who have
 been accustomed to violent  amusements1
 lose all relish for moderate pleasure1 
and weary themselves  in a restless     
search after happiness4    ,there may be
 a satiated taste for amusements1 as    
well as for food3 one  may be so        
accustomed to high-seasoned dishes1 that
 a simple and common  diet will become  
flat and insipid4 ,let us1 therefore1 be
 on our guard  against those violent    
exercises1 which in the end produce     
ennui and  disgust3 above all1 they are 

to be particularly dreaded in regard to 
children2 who are less capable in       
suppressing their feelings1 and  who    
wish to be in perpetual motion4 ,let us 
manage them so as to excite  a taste for
 simple things3 that great preparations 
of food be not  necessary for their     
nourishment1 nor violent diversions for 
their  amusement4 ,a moderate fare      
always creates a sufficient appetite1   
without being obliged to pamper it with 
made dishes1 which produce              
intemperance4 ,temperance1 says an      
ancient writer1 is the best  contriver  
of luxury3 with this temperance1 which  
begets health of body  and mind1 one    
always enjoys a soft and tranquil       
emotion--there is no  need of trick or  
public shew1 or expense1 to make one    
happy3 some little  diversion1 or       
reading1 or labor--a walk1 or innocent  
conversation1 which  relaxes after      
toil--all or any of these produce a     
purer delight than is  felt from the    
most exquisite music4    ,it is true1   

simple pleasures are less lively and    
interesting than  violent ones1 which   
elevate the soul1 and affect all the    
sources of  passion4 ,but simple        
pleasures have a better tendency2 they  
produce an  equal and lasting joy1      
without any bitter consequence4 ,they   
are always  of real service1 whereas    
violent ones may be compared to         
adulterated  wine1 which pleases at     
first1 but which eventually injures the 
health4  ,the very temperament of the   
soul1 as well as the taste1 is affected 
by  seeking after such violent and      
seductive pleasures4 ,all that you can  
do  for children who are under your     
regulation is1 to accustom them to such 
a simple life as has been just          
described2 to fortify them in such      
habits  as long as you can1 to make them
 foresee the evil consequences attached 
to other amusements1 and not to abandon 
them to themselves2 as is too  commonly 
the case1 at an age when their passions 
begin to be shewn1 and  when1           

consequently1 they stand in need of     
greater restraint4    ,it must be       
allowed1 that of all the vexations      
incidental to education1  none can be   
compared with that which is experienced 
in the rearing of  a stupid child4      
,those who have strong lively natural   
capacities are1  indeed1 liable to      
terrible irregularities--passion and    
presumption  master them entirely2 but1 
on the other hand1 they have great      
resources1  and may be easily checked1  
however turbulent4 ,education is1 in    
them1  a concealed but vegetating germe1
 which sometimes bears fruit when       
experience comes to the aid of reason1  
and when the passions begin to  cool4   
,at least we know how to make them      
attentive1 and awaken their  curiosity3 
they have something in them which makes 
them take an interest  in their lessons1
 and stimulates their sense of          
honour--whereas one has  no sort of     
pleasure or gratification in the        
instruction of stupid  children4 ,all   

their thoughts are distracted3 they are 
never where they  ought to be3 the most 
poignant correction has no effect on    
them3 they  hear every thing1 and feel  
nothing4 ,this indolence and stupidity  
makes  a child negligent and disgusted  
with every thing she does4 ,she is  in  
such a case1 that the best mode of      
education runs a risk of  miscarrying1  
if we do not guard against the evil1    
from earliest infancy4  ,many people who
 have little depth of penetration1      
conclude1 from this  bad success1 that  
nature does every thing in the formation
 of men of  merit1 and education        
nothing--instead of remarking that there
 are  dispositions1 like barren soils1  
on which cultivation produces little4   
,it is yet more lamentable when these   
knotty systems of education have  been  
thwarted or neglected1 or badly         
regulated at the beginning4    ,we must 
not forget that there are many          
dispositions among children1 in  which  
we are likely to be deceived4 ,they     

appear at first interesting1  because   
there is attached to early youth a      
certain fascinating lustre  which covers
 every thing3 we1 at first1 perceive    
nothing but what is  tender and amiable1
 and this prevents a closer examination 
of the  features of the mind4 ,every    
sally of their wit surprises us1 because
 we  do not expect it at such an age3   
every error in judgment is permitted1   
and it has1 moreover1 the charm of      
ingenuity3 they assume a certain        
vivacity of deportment1 which never     
fails to pass for sprightliness and     
intellect4 ,hence it is1 that childhood 
often promises much1 but realises       
little4 ,such a one was celebrated for  
her wit at five years of age1 but  now1 
in proportion to her growth1 she has    
fallen into obscurity and  contempt6 ,of
 all the qualities which children       
possess1 there is but  one on which you 
can calculate with certainty1 and that  
is1 good  sense3 this grows with their  
growth1 provided it be well cultivated4 

,the graces of infancy fade away--its   
vivacity diminishes--and that           
tenderness of heart even becomes        
blunted1 in proportion as the passions  
and an intercourse with designing men   
harden young people on their  entrance  
into the world4 ,strive1 therefore1 to  
discover midst the graces  of childhood1
 whether the disposition you have to    
manage be deficient  in curiosity1 and  
insensible of honest emulation4 ,if this
 should be the  case1 it is almost      
impossible for every one concerned in   
her tuition1  not to be disgusted with  
so rugged and ungrateful an occupation4 
,every  qualification of a child should 
be roused and brought into action1 in   
order to extricate it from so fatal a   
lethargy4 ,if1 however1 you foresee  any
 such consequences about to follow1 do  
not at first be anxious to  urge any    
serious application3 take care not to   
overcharge her memory1  for it is that  
which stuns and stupifies the brain3 do 
not harass her  with unpleasant         

regulations3 make her as cheerful as you
 can1 because  she labours under the    
opposite extreme of presumption3 do not 
be afraid  of shewing her1 with         
discretion1 the extent of her powers3 be
 satisfied  with little at a time3 make 
her remark the smallest success3 shew   
her  how absurd it is to be afraid of   
not succeeding in that which she really 
does well3 set her emulation to work4   
,jealousy is more violent among         
children than we are aware of3 we often 
see some who are absolutely  fretting   
and wearing away1 because others are    
more beloved and caressed  than         
themselves4 ,mothers are often cruel    
enough to fan this jealous  flame1      
which1 however1 is of service in extreme
 cases of indolence and  stupidity--but 
then you should set before the child the
 examples of  those who are but very    
little superior--for disproportionate   
examples  of those who are greatly      
superior1 serve only to discourage and  
dismay4    ,let her1 occasionally1 gain 

some little victories over those of whom
  she is jealous3 make her1 if you can1 
laugh heartily with yourself at  her    
timidity3 and set before her those1     
equally timid with herself1 who  have   
conquered their disposition to fear3    
make her sensible1 by indirect          
instructions1 and the example of others1
 that timidity and idleness  destroy all
 the mental energies2 but be careful not
 to give these  instructions in an      
austere and impetuous manner3 nothing   
wounds the  inmost feelings of a mild   
and timid child so much as boisterous   
treatment3 on the contrary1 let the     
application which becomes               
indispensible1 be seasoned and relieved 
by such little circumstances of         
amusement and recreation as are suited  
to her disposition4 ,perhaps it  will be
 sometimes necessary to check her by    
reproaches2 but this should  not be done
 by yourself3 employ some inferior      
person1 or another child1  without      
appearing yourself to be acquainted with

 it4    ,st4 ,austin relates1 that his  
mother was once reproached by a servant 
for drinking pure wine2 an ill habit    
which she had contracted from her       
infancy1 and of which she was cured by  
the servant's reproach1 though  all the 
vehemence and severity of her governess 
was unable to effect it4  ,in short one 
should endeavour to excite a taste in   
the minds of such  sort of children1 in 
like manner as one tries to excite it in
 the palate  of those who are sick4     
,they are permitted to have any thing   
which may  cure their loathing2 they are
 indulged in many whims at the expence  
of  certain prescribed rules1 provided  
it be not carried to a dangerous        
excess4 ,it is much more arduous to     
create a taste in those that are  void  
of one1 than to regulate the taste of   
those who have not a correct  one4      
,there is another kind of sensibility   
extremely difficult and important  to   
impress them with1 and that is1         
friendship4 ,as soon as a child is      

susceptible of it1 there can be no doubt
 but that you should turn her  heart    
towards those who may be useful to her4 
,friendship will give her  every        
accomplishment that you desire2 you have
 then a certain tie on  her1 if you know
 how to regulate it3 excess1 or a bad   
choice1 are the  only things you have to
 dread4 ,there are1 however1 some       
children who are  born cunning1         
reserved1 and callous1 and who bring    
every thing home1 as  it were1 to their 
own bosoms3 they deceive their parents1 
whom fondness  has made credulous3 they 
appear to love them3 they regulate their
  inclinations to conform to them3 they 
seem more docile than other  children of
 the same age1 who indulge1 without     
restraint1 in all their  humours and    
follies3 their suppleness1 or rather    
hypocrisy1 which  conceals a savage     
temper1 assumes a softness of character2
 and their  real disposition does not   
discover itself till it is too late to  
reform  it4    ,if there really be any  

child on whom education is incapable of 
producing  a good effect1 it is one of  
the foregoing description2 and it must  
be allowed that the number is greater   
than we imagine4 ,parents bring         
themselves with difficulty to believe   
that their children have a bad  heart3  
when they shut their own eyes upon them1
 no other person will  have the courage 
to convince them of it2 and thus the    
evil is hourly  augmenting4 ,the        
principal remedy is1 to place children1 
from their  earliest infancy1 in such a 
situation where their tempers may be    
discovered without disguise4 ,always    
know the very bottom of their heart1    
before you correct them4 ,they are      
naturally simple and open2 but as soon  
as you plague them1 or give them an     
example of disguise1 they will no       
longer return to their original         
simplicity4 ,it is true1 that a good    
and tender-hearted disposition comes    
from ,god alone2 we can only  endeavour 
to excite it by generous examples1 by   

maxims of honour and  disinterestedness1
 and by a contempt of those people who  
set too high a  value on themselves4 ,we
 must endeavour to make children betimes
 sensible  of the most natural modes of 
conduct1 and of the pleasure arising    
from  a cordial1 and reciprocal         
friendship4 ,nothing so much conduces to
 this  end1 as an intercourse with      
people who have nothing about them      
harsh1  severe1 low1 or selfish3        
children might better associate with    
those who  have other faults1 than with 
those who possess the foregoing ones4   
,we  should praise them for every thing 
they do on the score of friendship1     
provided it be not misplaced or too     
violent4 ,parents must likewise  appear 
to them to be animated with the         
sincerest friendship towards  them2 for 
children oftentimes learn of their      
parents to have no  affection for any   
one object4 ,in short ,i would check1   
before friends1  all superfluous        
compliments1 all artificial             

demonstrations of esteem1  and all      
feigned caresses3 for by these things   
you teach them a great  deal of deceit  
towards those whom they ought to regard4
    ,there is a very common fault among 
girls1 the opposite to what we have     
been mentioning2 namely1 the affecting  
to be uncommonly struck and  delighted  
with the most insignificant things4     
,they cannot see two people  who are    
both equally bad1 without taking the    
part1 in their hearts1 of  one against  
the other4 ,they are full either of     
affection or aversion1  without the     
least cause3 they perceive no defect in 
what they esteem1  and no one good      
quality in what they despise4 ,you must 
not1 at first1  make a formidable       
opposition to all this--for             
contradiction will only  fortify them in
 their vagaries3 but observe1 by        
degrees1 to a young  girl1 that you know
 better than herself what good there is 
in that  which she likes1 and what evil 
in that which she detests4 ,take care   

also1 occasionally1 to make her sensible
 of certain defects which are  sometimes
 found in the object of her regard1 and 
of certain good  qualities which are    
discernible in that of her hatred3 do   
not be too  urgent3 press her not too   
much1 and you will find that she will   
come  to herself1 and coincide with your
 sentiments4 ,after which1 make her     
reflect on her past caprices1 and the   
most unreasonable circumstances         
attending them3 tell her1 gently1 that  
she will by and bye see those  of which 
she is not yet cured1 when they cease to
 act4 ,recount to her  similar errors of
 your own when you was of her age4      
,above all1 shew  her as clearly1 and as
 sensibly as you can1 that good and evil
 are  inherent in every object of our   
love and aversion3 this will repress    
her ardour in the indulgence of either  
the one or the other4    ,never promise 
children1 by way of reward1 fine clothes
 or dainties2 this  has two direct evils
 attending it3 the first will teach them

 to set  a value on what they ought to  
despise2 the second deprives you of an  
opportunity of establishing other       
rewards which would facilitate your     
labour4 ,be on your guard against       
threatening them to make them study1 or 
subjecting them to any formal rule4     
,make as few rules as possible3 and     
when there is an absolute necessity for 
one1 make it pass lightly under  the    
child's notice1 without giving it such a
 name2 and always give some  reason why 
a thing is done at one time and in one  
place1 rather than  in another4 ,you run
 a risk of disheartening children if    
they are not  praised when they have    
done well4 ,praise may sometimes be     
apprehended on  account of its exciting 
vanity2 but it should nevertheless be   
employed  to animate1 not to intoxicate1
 children4    ,we find that ,st4 ,paul  
has often made use of it1 in encouraging
 the weak1  and in softening his        
reproaches4 ,the ,fathers have also made
 the same use  of it4 ,it is true1 that 

to make it serviceable1 it must be so   
tempered  that it take away all         
exaggeration1 and flattery1 and that the
 good  resulting from it be attributed  
to ,god alone1 as the source4 ,children 
may be recompensed by innocent and      
industrious games2 by walks and         
recreations1 in which conversation may  
take a useful turn3 by little  presents 
which may be a kind of prize--as        
pictures1 prints1 medals1 maps  of      
geography1 or gilt books4               
,,chap4 ,,vi4    ,of the ,use of        
,history for ,children4      ,children  
are passionately fond of marvellous     
tales3 one sees them every  day         
transported with joy1 or drowned in     
tears1 at the recital of certain        
adventures4 ,do not fail to profit by   
this propensity4 ,when you find them    
disposed to listen to you1 relate to    
them some short and pretty fable3  but  
choose some ingenious and harmless one  
respecting animals3 repeat  them just as
 they are composed1 and shew them the   

moral resulting  therefrom4 ,as to pagan
 fables1 a girl will be happy in her    
total  ignorance of them1 as they are   
extremely indelicate and replete with   
impious absurdities4 ,if1 however1 you  
are not able to keep a child  ignorant  
of them1 impress her with a sense of    
their horror4 ,when you  have repeated  
one fable1 wait till you are asked to   
begin another--thus  leaving the child  
hungry1 as it were1 for more mental     
food4 ,when  curiosity is at last       
excited1 recount certain choice         
histories1 but in  as few words as      
possible3 connect them together1 and    
postpone the sequel  from one day to    
another1 so that you keep the children  
in suspense1 and  impatient to know the 
termination4 ,be animated and familiar  
in your  manner of repeating--make the  
personages speak--and children1 who have
  a lively imagination1 will fancy they 
hear and see them4 ,for instance1       
relate the history of ,joseph--make his 
brothers speak like brutal  characters1 

but ,jacob like a tender and afflicted  
father--then let  ,joseph himself       
speak--taking pleasure1 as being at the 
head of an  ,egyptian establishment1 in 
concealing himself from his brothers--in
  making them afraid of him2 and1 at    
last1 in discovering himself to them4   
,this natural representation1 joined to 
the extraordinary circumstances  of the 
history1 will delight a child2 provided 
she be not teased with  too many similar
 recitals4 ,you may let her express a   
desire for such  stories1 and promise   
them as a recompense for a prudent      
conduct1  provided they assume not the  
form of study--provided the child is not
  obliged to repeat them2 for these     
repetitions1 if not voluntarily         
undertaken1 will discompose and fret    
her1 and take away all pleasure  arising
 from such sort of narrations4    ,it   
must be observed that if a child has any
 facility in speaking1 she  will1 of her
 own accord1 relate to those whom she   
likes1 such histories  as have pleased  

her most3 but do not let her make a rule
 of it4 ,you may  employ some one1 who  
is on a footing of perfect intimacy with
 the child1  to appear anxious to learn 
of her a particular story3 the child    
will  be delighted in repeating it4 ,do 
not appear yourself to listen very      
earnestly to it--let her go on as she   
likes1 without checking her in  her     
faults4 ,the consequence will be1 that  
when she is more accustomed  to repeat1 
you may gently make her sensible of a   
better manner of  narrating1 by         
rendering it short1 simple1 and easy2   
and by a choice of  circumstances better
 calculated to represent forcibly the   
nature of  each thing4 ,if you have many
 children1 accustom them by degrees to  
represent the historical characters whom
 they read of--one may be  ,abraham1 the
 other1 ,isaac4 ,these representations  
will charm them more  than any other    
games--will accustom them to think1 and 
to utter serious  things with           
pleasure--and will indelibly fix such   

histories on their  memory4    ,we      
should strive to give them a taste for  
scriptural history rather than  for any 
other2 not in telling them that it is   
finer1 which they will  probably not    
believe--but in causing them to feel it 
to be so4 ,make  them observe how       
important1 wonderful1 and curious those 
histories are3  how full of natural     
representation1 and a spirit of noble   
simplicity4  ,those of the creation1 the
 fall of ,adam1 the deluge1 the call of 
,abraham1 the sacrifice of ,isaac1 the  
adventures of ,joseph 7which have  been 
briefly discussed71 and the birth and   
flight of ,moses1 are not only          
calculated to awaken the curiosity of   
children1 but in discovering to  them   
the origin of religion1 fix the         
foundations of it in their bosoms4  ,we 
must be strangely ignorant of the       
essential parts of religion not to      
observe that they are chiefly           
historical3 it is by a tissue1 as it    
were1  of marvellous facts that we      

discover its establishment1 its         
perpetuity1  and all that can induce us 
to believe and to practice it4 ,it is   
not to  be supposed that by all this we 
wish children to be plunged into        
profound  knowledge--on the contrary1   
these histories are short1 various1 and 
calculated to please the meanest        
capacity4 ,the ,almighty1 who best knows
  the faculties of that being whom he   
has created1 has clothed religion in    
popular facts1 which1 far from          
overpowering the simple1 assists them   
in conceiving and retaining its         
mysteries4 ,for example1 tell a child1  
that in ,god there are three equal      
persons1 but of one nature3 by the      
habit of hearing and repeating these    
terms1 she may retain them in her       
memory2 but ,i doubt whether she will   
understand the sense of them4  ,relate  
to her that as ,jesus ,christ went up   
out of the waters of ,jordan1  the      
,almighty caused these words to be      
heard--,this is my beloved son in  whom 

,i am well pleased--hear him3 add1 that 
the ,holy ,ghost descended  on our      
,saviour1 in the form of a dove--and    
thus1 you make her sensible  of the     
,,trinity1 in a history which she will  
never forget4 ,here are  three persons  
which she will distinguish by the       
difference of their  actions2 you have  
nothing more1 therefore1 but to inform  
her that all  these together make but   
one ,god4 ,this example is sufficient to
 shew the  use of history4 ,although it 
may seem to make instruction more       
tedious1  it really abridges it2 and    
renders the dryness of catechism1 where 
mysteries are detached from facts1      
unnecessary4 ,we may observe that       
history was an ancient mode of          
instruction4 ,the admirable method which
  ,st4 ,austin has pointed out for the  
instruction of the ignorant1 was  not   
suggested by that father alone--it was  
the universal method and  practice of   
the church3 it consisted in shewing1 by 
a succession of  historical facts1      

religion to be as ancient as the        
world--,jesus ,christ  conspicuous in   
the ,old ,testament1 and pervading every
 part of the ,new3  which1 in truth1 is 
the foundation of christian instruction4
    ,all this demands a little more time
 and care than are devoted to the  usual
 habits of instruction with which many  
people content themselves3  but in      
adopting such a mode1 religion will be  
truly taught2 whereas1  when children   
are not so instructed1 they have only   
confused ideas of  ,jesus ,christ1 the  
,gospel1 the church1 of the necessity of
 absolute  submission to its decrees1   
and of the foundation of those virtues  
with which the christian character      
should inspire us4 ,the historical      
catechism1 which is simple1 short1 and  
more perspicuous than the  ordinary     
catechism1 includes every thing         
necessary to be known  thereupon--so    
that it need not be said that much study
 is necessary4#d     #d ,i have omitted 
the remark which here follows--because  

it alludes   to the catechism of the    
,council of ,trent1 with which we have  
nothing to do in this country4    ,let  
us now add to the facts before mentioned
 from scripture1 the passage  of the    
,red ,sea1 and the sojourning of the    
people in the desert--where  they ate   
bread which fell from heaven1 and drank 
water which ,moses  caused to flow from 
the rock1 by striking it with his rod4  
,represent the  miraculous conquest of  
the promised land1 where the waters of  
,jordan  went backwards toward their    
source1 and the walls of a city fell    
down  of themselves in the sight of the 
besiegers4 ,describe1 in as natural     
colours as possible1 the combats of     
,saul and ,david3 and how the latter1  a
 youth1 without arms and habited like a 
shepherd1 became the conqueror  of the  
fierce and gigantic ,goliah4 ,do not    
forget the glory and wisdom of          
,solomon3 how he decided between the two
 women who disputed about a  child--but 
do not forget to impress on the mind1   

how he fell from this  height of wisdom2
 dishonouring himself by an effeminacy1 
which is almost  the inevitable         
consequence of overgrown prosperity4    
,next make the prophets1 as delegated   
from heaven1 converse with kings3  shew 
how they read the future as if in a     
book3 how they suffered  continual      
persecution for having spoken the truth4
 ,speak1 in  succession1 of the first   
destruction of ,jerusalem--represent the
 temple  burning1 and the holy city in  
ruins on account of the sins of the     
people4 ,relate the ,babylonian         
captivity1 and how the ,jews wept when  
they thought on ,sion4 ,before their    
return1 represent the interesting       
adventures of ,tobit1 ,judith1 ,esther1 
and ,daniel4 ,it may not be amiss to    
let children give their opinion on the  
different characters of these  holy     
persons1 to know which of them they     
admire the most4 ,one will  prefer      
,esther1 the other ,judith--and this may
 excite a little  controversy between   

them1 which will impress those histories
 more  strongly on their minds1 and form
 their judgments thereupon4 ,afterwards1
  bring back the ,jews from captivity to
 ,jerusalem1 and make them repair  their
 desolated city2 then paint1 in smiling 
colours1 the peace and  happiness which 
succeeded4 ,shortly you will have to    
draw a picture of  the cruel ,antiochus1
 who died in false repentance3 describe1
 under this  persecutor1 the victories  
of the ,maccabees1 and the martyrdom of 
the  seven brothers of that name4       
,descend regularly to the miraculous    
birth of ,st4 ,john3 and relate1 more   
in detail1 that of our ,saviour ,jesus  
,christ3 after which you must select  in
 the four ,gospels all the remarkable   
occurrences of his life--his  preaching 
in the temple at twelve years of        
age--his baptism--his retreat  and      
temptation in the desert--the calling of
 the apostles--the miracle  of the      
loaves--the conversion of the sinful    
woman1 who anointed the  feet of our    

,saviour with a precious perfume--washed
 them with her tears1  and dried them   
with her hair4 ,represent the ,samaritan
 woman instructed2  ,lazarus restored to
 life2 and ,christ's triumphant entry   
into ,jerusalem4  ,next describe his    
passion1 and his resurrection from the  
tomb4  ,afterwards make them remark the 
familiarity with which he continued     
forty days with his disciples1 until    
they saw him ascend into heaven4  ,next 
will follow the descent of the ,holy    
,ghost2 the stoning of ,stephen2  the   
conversion of ,st4 ,paul2 and the       
calling of the centurion ,cornelius3    
the voyages of the apostles1 and        
particularly of ,st4 ,paul1 are yet     
extremely interesting4 ,select the most 
wonderful histories of the  martyrs1 and
 give a general outline of the celestial
 life of the first  christians3 mingle  
with it the courage of young virgins1   
the astonishing  austerity of those who 
led a solitary life1 the conversion of  
emperors  and of the empire1 the        

blindness of the ,jews1 and the         
punishment which  yet awaits them4      
,all these histories 7managed with      
discretion7 of the whole series of      
religion1 from the creation to the      
present time1 would make an agreeable   
impression on the lively and tender     
minds of children2 and would fill  them 
with such noble ideas of it as would    
never be forgotten4 ,they would  even   
see1 in this narration1 the hand of ,god
 always lifted up to protect  the good1 
and to punish the wicked4 ,they would   
accustom themselves  to behold the      
,almighty1 working all in all1 secretly 
directing the  movement of creatures    
however remote from himself4 ,but care  
must be  taken to select such passages  
in these histories as afford the most   
beautiful and magnificent images2 for   
every faculty must be employed to  shew 
religion to children adorned with every 
thing amiable1 pleasing1  and august2   
and not to represent it1 as is too      
commonly the case1 as  something sad and

 disagreeable4    ,besides the          
inestimable advantage of teaching       
religion in this manner to              
children--such a series of pleasant     
histories1 which they learn betimes  to 
remember1 awakens their curiosity for   
serious things2 makes them  sensible of 
the pleasures of the mind1 and excites  
an interest in the  hearing of other    
histories which have some connection    
with those they  already know4 ,but     
again ,i repeat1 never make a rigid law 
that they  should hear and retain these 
things--much less let them be inculcated
 as  regular lessons3 for the pleasure  
which they take in such recitals  should
 be voluntary1 and without this1 nothing
 important can be  effected4 ,do not    
urge them much--you will attain the     
desired end1 even  with ordinary        
understandings3#e you have nothing to do
 but exercise  their capacities         
moderately1 and let their curiosity be  
excited1 by  degrees4 ,but you will say1
 how are those histories to be repeated 

in a  lively1 short1 natural1 and       
agreeable manner8 ,where are the        
teachers  who can accomplish such a     
thing8 ,to this ,i answer1 that ,i      
propose it  only that you should        
endeavour to choose persons of an       
excellent  understanding to govern your 
children1 and that they be gifted1 as   
much as possible1 with this method of   
teaching3 every governess will          
undertake it in proportion to her       
talents4 ,but if there be only a        
candour and openness of intellect1 the  
thing will go on with good effect  when 
children are formed to this manner1     
which is natural and simple4     #e ,i  
may be permitted to add1 that if        
children do not discover any            
propensity to these studies1 we should  
neither neglect nor despise   them2     
provided their dispositions and conduct 
be good and regular in   other matters4 
,besides1 nothing conclusive can1 at    
first1 be drawn   from their inattention
 to these subjects2 for a child at      

twelve   years of age may evince as     
great a regard for them1 as she did     
indifference1 at ten4 ,there is little  
consistency in the human   intellect at 
such a volatile period3 the girl of     
gaity and   dissipation at eighteen1 may
 become the devotee at five and         
twenty4                                 
,t4      ,to discourse or description1  
may be added the sight of pictures1     
which  represent sacred subjects4       
,prints will be sufficient1 which may be
  preserved for ordinary use--but when  
an opportunity offers of shewing  a     
child good paintings1 it must not be    
neglected3 for the force of  colouring1 
and the grandeur of composition1 will   
strike the imagination  with greater    
effect4          ,,chap4 ,,vii4    ,of  
,inculcating ,principles of ,religion in
 the ,minds of ,children4      ,it has  
been before observed that the first     
years of childhood are not  calculated  
for reasoning3 not that children are    
divested of those ideas  and general    

principles of reason which hereafter    
become manifest1 but  that they are     
ignorant of many facts1 which hinders   
the application of  their reason2 and1  
moreover1 leaves that agitation of the  
brain1 which  prevents them from        
connecting their ideas4    ,we should1  
however1 without pressing them1 gently  
direct the use of  their reason towards 
a knowledge of ,god4 ,persuade them of  
,christian  truths1 without giving them 
subjects of doubt4 ,they observe some   
one to  be dead3 they know that burial  
afterwards follows3 say to them--,is    
this dead person in the tomb8 ,yes4 ,he 
is not then in paradise8  ,pardon me1 he
 is4 ,how can he be in the grave and in 
paradise at the  same time8 ,it is his  
soul which is in paradise--his body only
 in the  grave4 ,his soul and body then 
are not the same thing8 ,no4 ,the  soul1
 therefore1 is not dead8 ,no--,it will  
live for ever in heaven4  ,add3 ,and    
you1 do you wish to be saved8 ,yes4 ,but
 what is being  saved8 ,it is the soul's

 going into paradise4 ,and what is      
death8  ,it is the mouldering of the    
body into dust1 when the soul has left  
it4    ,i do not pretend to say that    
children may at first be taught to      
answer  in this manner3 though ,i may   
add that many have given me such answers
  when they were four years of age4 ,let
 us1 however1 suppose a child to be     
extremely reserved and                  
uninstructed3--the worst that can happen
 is1 the  waiting only a few more years 
with patience4    ,shew children a      
house1 and make them comprehend that    
this house did not  build itself4 ,the  
stones or bricks1 say you1 were not     
elevated without  some one's carrying   
them so high4 ,it may be as well1 too1  
to shew them  the masons at work3 then  
make them contemplate heaven and earth1 
and the  principal things which ,god has
 made for the use of man3 say to them   
how  much more beautiful and better made
 is the world than a house6 ,was it     
made of itself8 ,no--assuredly it was   

made by the hands of the ,almighty4     
,first follow the method of scripture4  
,strike their imaginations in as  lively
 a manner as possible--propose to them  
nothing which may not be  clothed with  
sensible images4 ,represent ,god as     
seated on a throne--with  eyes more     
brilliant than the rays of the sun1 and 
more piercing than the                  
lightning--represent him with ears that 
hear every thing2 with hands  that      
support the universe2 with arms always  
stretched out to punish the  wicked2 and
 with a tender and paternal heart to    
make those happy who  love him4 ,the    
time will come when this information may
 be rendered more  exact4 ,observe every
 opening of the mind which a child      
presents to you3  try her by different  
methods1 so that you may discover how   
these great  truths will best occupy her
 attention4 ,above all1 talk of nothing 
new1  without familiarising her to it by
 some obvious comparison4    ,for       
example--ask her if she would rather die

 than renounce ,jesus  ,christ--she will
 answer--,yes4 ,then say--how1 would you
 suffer your  head to be cut off in     
order to enter paradise8 ,yes4 ,the     
child will  now think she has sufficient
 courage to do it4 ,but you1 who are    
willing  to make her sensible that      
nothing can be effected without grace1  
will gain nothing1 if you merely say    
that grace alone is sufficient to       
produce faithfulness--the child does not
 understand those words2 and if  you    
accustom her to repeat them without     
understanding them1 you gain  nothing by
 it4 ,what then is to be done8 ,relate  
to her the history of ,st4  ,peter3     
represent him saying1 in a presumptuous 
tone of voice--,i will  follow thee even
 unto death1 though all the rest should 
desert thee1  yet will ,i never abandon 
thee4 ,then describe his fall3 he denies
 his  master1 ,christ1 three times--even
 a servant makes him tremble4 ,declare  
why ,god permitted this weakness--then  
make use of the comparison of a  child  

or sick person who cannot walk          
alone--and make her comprehend1  that as
 an infant must be supported in the arms
 of its nurse1 so we  stand in need of  
the ,almighty's assistance4 ,thus you   
will make her  sensible of the mystery  
of grace4    ,but the most difficult    
truth for a child to comprehend is1 that
 we have  a soul more precious than our 
body4 ,children are at first accustomed 
to  talk about the soul2 and the custom 
is advantageous--for this language1     
which they do not understand1 is        
perpetually exciting them to have a     
7confused7 notion of the distinction of 
body and soul1 until they are  able     
really to conceive it4 ,in proportion as
 early prejudices are  pernicious when  
they lead to error1 so are they useful  
when they conduct  the imagination to   
truth1 until reason is gradually        
directed towards  it by the force of    
principles4 ,but1 at length1 we must fix
 a true  persuasion--and how are we to  
set about it8 ,is it in plunging a young

  girl in philosophical subtleties8     
,nothing is worse calculated for it4    
,we must confine ourselves to render    
clear and distinct to her mind1 what    
she hears and speaks every day4    ,as  
to her person1 she is perhaps too well  
instructed in the knowledge  of that3   
every thing induces her to flatter1     
adorn1 and idolise it4 ,an  essential   
point is gained if you can inspire her  
with contempt for it1  by observing     
something of greater value about her4   
,say then to a child who is capable of a
 little reasoning--,is it your  soul    
that eats8 ,if she answers absurdly1 do 
not be harsh with her--but  tell her    
mildly that the soul does not eat--,it  
is the body that  eats--the body1 which 
resembles the brutes4 ,have brutes      
intellect--are  they learned8 ,no1 the  
child will answer4 ,but they eat1 you   
will add1  although they have no        
intellect3 you see1 therefore1 that it  
is not the  soul which eats--it is the  
body which takes food to nourish it--it 

is  that which walks1 and which sleeps4 
,and what does the soul do8 ,it         
reasons--it knows every one--it loves   
certain things1 and dislikes  others4   
,go on1 in a playful manner1 ,do you    
know this table8 ,yes4  ,you know it    
then8 ,to be sure4 ,you see clearly that
 it is not made  like that chair1 which 
is formed of wood1 and not like the     
chimney  piece1 of stone8 ,yes1 the     
child will reply4 ,proceed no farther   
without being convinced1 by her tone of 
voice1 and by the child's eyes1  that   
these simple truths have struck her4    
,then say--,but does this  table know   
you8 ,you will see that the child will  
begin laughing1 and  ridiculing1 as it  
were1 such a question4--,no matter3 go  
on--,which  loves you the best1 that    
table or that chair8 ,she will still    
keep  laughing--but pursue the          
discourse--,is the window very wise8    
,then try  to go further--,does this    
doll answer you when you speak to it8   
,no4  ,why--has it no intellect8 ,no1   

none4 ,it is not then like you2 for you 
know it1 and it does not know you4 ,but 
after death1 when you will be  under the
 ground1 shall not you be like this     
doll8 ,yes4 ,you will no  longer feel   
any thing8 ,no4 ,you will no longer know
 any body8 ,no4 ,and  your soul will be 
in heaven8 ,yes4 ,will it not then see  
,god8 ,true1 it  will4 ,and where is the
 soul of the doll at present8 ,you will 
perceive  that the child will answer    
with a laugh--or at least that it will  
make  you understand the doll has no    
soul4    ,upon this foundation1 and by  
means of these simple illustrations1    
enforced at different times1 you may    
accustom the child1 by degrees1  to     
attribute both to the body and the soul1
 that which is peculiar to              
each--provided you do not indiscreetly  
propose to her consideration1  certain  
actions which are common to the one and 
the other4 ,all subtilty  must be       
avoided1 as it perplexes truth2 and we  
must content ourselves  to point out1   

with care and correctness1 those        
circumstances that mark  distinctly the 
difference between the body and soul4   
,sometimes one meets  with such stupid  
characters1 whom even the help of a good
 education will  not assist in the      
comprehension of these truths3 however1 
they may be  sometimes clearly          
conceived1 without being perspicuously  
expressed4  ,god sees better than we do 
into the spirit of man1 what is there   
placed  for the knowledge of his        
mysteries4    ,with respect to those    
children in whom we discover a mind     
capable of  further researches1 one may1
 without throwing them into a study     
which  savours too much of philosophy1  
make them conceive1 according to their  
inclination1 what is meant when it is   
said that ,god is a spirit1 and  that   
the soul is also a spirit4 ,i think that
 the best and most simple  method of    
making them conceive this spirituality  
of ,god and of the soul1  is1 to make   
them remark the difference between a    

dead and living man3 in  the one1 there 
is nothing but a body2 in the other1 the
 soul is united  with the body4         
,afterwards you may shew them that that 
which is capable  of reasoning1 is more 
perfect than that which has mere form   
and motion4  ,then illustrate1 by       
various examples1 that no body          
perishes--that it  is only separated3   
thus1 pieces of burnt wood fall into    
charcoal1 or  evaporate in smoke4 ,if   
then1 you will add1 that which is of    
itself only  charcoal 7incapable of     
knowing and thinking7 perishes not--how 
much more  shall the soul1 which is     
capable of both knowledge and thought1  
endure  for ever6 ,the body may         
die--that is to say1 may quit the soul  
and shrink  into dust--but the soul will
 live2 for it will always have the      
faculty  of thinking4    ,those who     
instruct children1 should develop1 as   
much as possible1 these  truths1 which  
are the foundation of all religion4 ,but
 if success should  not crown their     

exertions1 especially with dull         
obstinate children1  let them hope that 
,god will enlighten internally4 ,there  
is1 however1  a sensible and practical  
way of confirming this knowledge of the 
distinction between body and soul--and  
that is1 accustom children to  despise  
the one1 and regard the other1          
throughout their manners and            
intercourse with the world4 ,praise that
 instruction which nourishes the  soul  
and causes it to expand3 esteem those   
great truths which animate it  to become
 wise and virtuous4 ,despise luxury of  
diet and dress1 and every  thing which  
enervates the body3 make them sensible  
how much honour1 a  good conscience1 and
 religion1 are above these sensual      
pleasures4 ,by  the force of such       
sentiments1 without reasoning upon the  
body and the  soul1 the ancient ,romans 
taught their children to despise the    
body1 and  to sacrifise it to every     
thing which could inspire their minds   
with the  pleasure of virtue and glory4 

,with them1 it was not simply persons of
  high birth1 it was the entire mass of 
the people who lived temperately1       
disinterestedly1 despising life1 and    
sensible only of honour and wisdom1     
which excited their applause or         
imitation4 ,when ,i speak of the ancient
  ,romans1 ,i mean those who lived      
before the extension of their empire had
  corrupted their simplicity of manners4
    ,let it not be said that children   
are incapable of receiving these        
prejudices from education4 ,how often do
 we discover certain maxims which  have 
been established among us1 against the  
impression of our senses1 by  the force 
of custom alone4 ,for instance1 that of 
duelling--founded on  a false principle 
of honour4 ,it is not by reasoning1 but 
by taking for  granted1 without         
reasoning1 the maxim to be established  
on a principle  of honour1 that life is 
exposed1 and that every man who carries 
a sword  lives in continual danger4     
,those who have no quarrel may have one 

every  moment with certain people1 who  
are seeking every pretext to signalize  
themselves in some duel4 ,however       
moderate one may be1 such moderation is 
hardly preserved1 without violating that
 false honour1 which will not  suffer   
you to avoid a quarrel by an            
explanation1 or to refuse becoming  the 
second of some one who has an           
inclination to fight4 ,what authorities 
have not failed in eradicating so       
barbarous a custom6 ,see1 therefore1    
how powerful are the prejudices of      
education--,but how much more powerful  
will they be on the side of virtue1     
supported by reason1 and animated  with 
the hope of happiness hereafter6    ,the
 ,romans of whom we have been speaking1 
and before them the ,greeks--in  the    
good times of their republics1 brought  
up their children in the  contempt of   
luxury and effeminacy3 they taught them 
to esteem glory--to  be ardent1 not to  
heap up riches1 but to conquer those    
kings who  possessed them--to believe   

that virtue alone was the road to       
happiness4  ,this spirit was so strongly
 established in the foregoing republics1
  that they atchieved incredible things 
according to those maxims which  were so
 contrary to the opinions of all other  
people4 ,the examples of so  many       
martyrs1 and of other primitive         
christians of all conditions and  ages1 
demonstrates that the grace of baptism  
being united with the  help of          
education1 may make impressions still   
more wonderful among  the faithful1 to  
enable them to despise every thing which
 is attached  to the body4 ,seek then   
for every agreeable circumstance1 every 
striking comparison1 to convince        
children that our bodies are like the   
brutes--our souls like angels4          
,represent a knight mounted on a horse  
and  directing its course3 and say1 that
 the soul is to the body1 what the      
horseman is to the horse4 ,finish your  
remarks by observing that the  soul is  
weak and miserable1 when abandoned to   

the direction of the body2  which1 like 
a furious horse1 would hurl it down a   
precipice4 ,relate1  also1 that the     
beauty of the body1 or external person1 
is like a flower  which blossoms in the 
morning1 and withers and is trod under  
foot in the  evening--but that the soul 
is the express image of the immortal    
beauty  of ,god4 ,there is1 you may add1
 an order of things much more excellent1
  which cannot be seen by the gross eyes
 of the flesh--whereas every  thing here
 below is subject to change and         
corruption4 ,in order to make  children 
sensible that there are really certain  
things1 which neither  the eyes nor the 
ears can apprehend1 you may ask them    
whether it is  not true that such a     
person is wise--and that such an one is 
witty or  ingenious4--,when they have   
answered yes1 you may observe--,but have
  you seen the wisdom of such a person8 
,of what colour is it8 ,have you  heard 
it8 ,does it make much noise8 ,have you 
touched it8 ,is it cold  or hot8 ,the   

child will laugh3 nevertheless put the  
same questions  relating to wit or      
ingenuity4--,she will appear quite      
astonished when she  is asked of what   
colour is wit--whether it is round or   
square8 ,then you  may make her remark  
that she knows there are many things in 
reality  which she can neither see1     
touch1 nor hear2 and that these things  
are  spiritual4 ,but you must enter with
 great soberness and caution on these   
sort of conversations with girls4 ,i    
only propose it here for the sake  of   
those1 whose curiosity and reason1 will 
bring you1 in spite of  every effort to 
the contrary1 to such questions4 ,you   
must regulate the  discourse according  
to the bias of the child's mind1 and the
 necessity  of the case4    ,retain     
their understandings1 as much as        
possible1 within common limits3  and    
teach them that there is a modesty with 
regard to science1 which  belongs to    
their sex1 almost as delicate as that   
which is inspired by  the horror of     

vice4    ,at the same time you must     
bring imagination to the aid of         
intellect2 to  give them pleasing images
 of the truths of religion1 which the   
gross  senses of the body are unable to 
behold4 ,paint to them the glory of     
heaven1 such as ,st4 ,john has          
represented it6--tears wiped away from  
every eye--neither death1 disease1 nor  
lamentation--all agonies ceasing1  all  
evils at an end--eternal joy on the head
 of the righteous1 like the  waters on  
the head of a man immersed in the sea6  
,display that glorious  ,jerusalem1 of  
which ,god himself will be the ,sun1 to 
create days without  an end--a river of 
peace1 a torrent of delight1 a fountain 
of life1  shall water it--there1 every  
thing shall be gold1 pearls1 and        
precious  stones4    ,i am well aware   
that all these images are attached to   
things sensible2  but after having      
animated children with such a beautiful 
spectacle so as  to rivet their         
attention1 one may adopt the method just

 recommended to  bring them to spiritual
 things4    ,conclude1 that we are1 in  
this world1 like travellers in an inn1  
or  under a tent3 that the body is      
hastening to decay1 and that all our    
efforts can retard its corruption but a 
few years3 but that the soul  will fly  
away to that celestial country1 where it
 will live for ever  with ,god4 ,if     
children can be brought to contemplate  
these grand objects  with pleasure1 and 
to judge of the common things of life   
through the  medium of such high hopes1 
we shall have accomplished a most       
important  task4    ,i would even try to
 impress them with strong ideas of the  
resurrection  of the body4 ,teach them  
that nature is but the common order     
which ,god  has established in his      
works1 and that miracles are only       
exceptions to  this common order2 so    
that it is as easy for the ,almighty to 
work an  hundred miracles1 as it is for 
me to go out of my room a quarter of an 
hour before my usual time of departure4 

,then call to recollection the  history 
of the resurrection of ,lazarus1 of     
,jesus ,christ1 and of those            
apparitions which were recognised for   
forty days by a great number of         
persons4 ,next1 shew that it cannot be  
difficult for that ,being who  created  
man1 to bring him to life after         
dissolution2 and do not forget  the     
comparison of a grain of corn which is  
sowed in the earth1 and  decays1 in     
order to reproduce and multiply its     
species4    ,moreover1 these moral      
lessons must not be taught children by  
memory1 in  like manner as they are     
taught the catechism3 such a method     
would have  an immediate tendency to    
convert religion into an affected       
language1 or  at least into troublesome 
formalities3 only assist their          
understanding1  and put them in the way 
of comprehending the foregoing truths on
 their  proper foundations3 they will1  
in consequence1 appear more consistent  
and agreeable1 and become more vividly  

impressed on the mind4 ,take  advantage 
of every opportunity to make them       
develop with clearness1 what  they at   
present confusedly behold4    ,always   
bear in mind that nothing will be more  
dangerous than to speak  to them with   
contempt of this life1 when1 by the     
tenor of your conduct1  they discover   
that you do not deliver your sentiments 
with sincerity and  truth4 ,in every    
period of life1 example has an          
astonishing effect upon  us--in infancy1
 it is every thing4 ,children are very  
fond of imitation2  they have not yet   
acquired habits which render the        
imitation of another                    
difficult--besides1 not being of        
themselves able to judge profoundly  of 
things1 they judge much more from the   
example of those who propose1  than from
 the reasons which they adduce in       
proposing1 them4 ,actions are  much more
 striking than words3 so that if they   
observe your actions do  not correspond 
with your precepts1 they will be        

disposed to consider  religion1 only as 
a specious ceremony1 and virtue as an   
impracticable  idea4    ,never indulge  
yourself before children1 in any        
railleries about things  which have     
relation to religion1 or on the         
indiscretion of any pious  persons3 you 
may think all this innocent--you are    
mistaken--it will  have its certain     
consequences4 ,never speak of ,god1 or  
of what regards  the worship of him1 but
 with seriousness and respect1 free from
 all  levity--observe decorum in every  
thing1 but particularly on this head4   
,people who are very nice observers of  
it in what regards the world1 are       
frequently gross and negligent in       
respect to religion4    ,when a child   
shall have made such necessary          
reflections as lead to a  knowledge of  
herself and of ,god--add to them the    
historical facts in  which she has      
already been instructed3 this union will
 enable her to  have a correct idea of  
the whole of religion3 and she will     

remark with  pleasure the connection    
between such reflections and the history
 of  mankind4 ,she will have observed   
that man did not make himself1 that his 
soul is the image of ,god1 that his body
 has been formed with so many  admirable
 resources1 by an industry and power    
which can only be  divine--and she will 
then recollect the creation4 ,afterwards
 she will  think that he is born with   
inclinations contrary to reason1 that he
 has  been deceived by pleasure1 carried
 away by anger1 and that his body       
hurries on his soul1 contrary to reason1
 as a furious courser rushes  forward   
with a horseman2 instead1 of the soul   
governing the body4 ,she  will perceive 
the cause of this disorder in the       
history of the sin  of our first        
parents2 and this history will lead her 
to that of the  ,saviour1 who reconciles
 man to ,god4 ,such is the foundation of
 religion4    ,to make young people     
better understand the mysteries1        
actions1 and  precepts of ,christ1 we   

must dispose them to read the           
,evangelists4 ,they  must1 therefore1 be
 early prepared to read the word of     
,god1 as they are  prepared to receive  
the holy communion of the ,sacraments4#f
     #f ,here follows1 in the original1 
certain matter which may be   thought to
 savour too strongly1 on the one hand1  
of the authority due   to the ,romish   
,church2 and on the other1 of principles
 7resulting   therefrom7 which are now  
called ,evangelical2 and as such1       
contrary   to the doctrine and tenets of
 the established ,church of ,england4   
,remember1 then1 to place before their  
eyes the ,gospel1 and the great         
examples of antiquity2 but not till you 
are assured of their docility1  and     
simplicity of faith4 ,provided you lay  
the foundation of humility1  submission1
 and an aversion to all suspicious      
singularity1 you will  shew young       
people1 with great benefit and effect1  
every thing the most  perfect in the law
 of ,god1 in the institution of the     

,sacrament1 and in  the practice of the 
ancient church4 ,i know that one cannot 
hope to give  these instructions1 in    
their full latitude1 to all sorts of    
children2 ,i  propose it only1 in order 
that we may make use of them1 as exactly
 as  possible1 according to             
circumstances1 time1 and the            
dispositions of them  whom we instruct4 
,superstition1 without doubt1 is to be  
avoided in the sex3 but nothing         
eradicates or prevents it better than   
solid instruction3 this  instruction1   
although it ought to be restrained      
within proper bounds1  and different    
from the studies of the learned1        
produces greater effects  than is       
ordinarily imagined4 ,a person sometimes
 thinks himself to be  well informed1   
who in reality is not so2 and whose     
ignorance is even so  great that he is  
not in a condition to feel what he wants
 in order to  know the foundation of    
christianity4    ,never suffer any thing
 to be mixed with the faith1 or the     

practices1 of  religion1 that is not    
drawn from the ,gospel4 ,carefully guard
 children  against certain abuses which 
are but too common1 and which are1      
therefore1 too apt to be considered as  
points of present discipline in  the    
church4 ,these errors are not to be     
guarded against without recurring  to   
the source1 and knowing the origin of   
the usages and customs of holy  men of  
the primitive ages4 ,children who are   
naturally too credulous1  should never  
be used to admit lightly certain        
histories without  authority2 nor to    
attach themselves to certain devotions  
which are the  offspring of an          
indiscreet zeal4 ,the true way of       
instructing them in  these subjects1 is1
 not to criticise those things which    
have often been  introduced from pious  
notions1 but to shew1 without passing a 
severe  censure1 that they rest on no   
solid foundation4 ,content yourself with
  omitting these matters in your        
instructions relating to the christian  

religion3 this silence will be          
sufficient1 at first1 to enable children
  to form a perfect idea of             
christianity1 without adding practical  
cautions3 ,in the course of your        
instructions1 you may prepare them1 by  
degrees1 against the reasoning of       
,calvinists3 ,i think this will not  be 
useless1 as we mingle every day with    
people prejudiced in favour of          
,calvinistical opinions1 who deliver    
them in the most familiar               
conversations4    ,give children a taste
 for plain1 sensible1 and edifying      
discourses--not  for those that are full
 of vain and affected ornament3 accustom
 their  imaginations to hear death      
spoken of3 to see1 without perturbation1
  a funeral pall--an open grave--sick   
people who are dying1 and those  already
 dead3 if you can do so without exposing
 them to violent emotions  of fear4     
,nothing is more to be lamented than to 
see many people1 who are really         
religious1 express a continued dread of 

death3 some absolutely turn pale  at    
finding the number thirteen at table--or
 on having had certain  dreams--or      
having seen a saltseller thrown down3   
the fear arising from  these imaginary  
presages is a gross remnant of paganism3
 make children  see the folly and       
absurdity of them4 ,although women may  
not have  the same opportunities of     
shewing their courage1 as men1 they     
ought  nevertheless to possess it4      
,cowardice is despicable1 every where1  
and  has always bad effects4 ,a woman   
should know how to resist vain alarms1  
and should be firm against unforeseen   
danger3 let her cry and be  agitated on 
great occasions only1 and in them let   
virtue be her chief  support4 ,a        
christian of either sex should never be 
a coward4 ,the soul of  a christian1 if 
one may so express it1 is the contempt  
of this life1 and  the love of that     
which is to come4          ,,chap4      
,,viii4    ,on ,religious ,studies4#g   
#g ,the present original chapter is     

substituted for that of ,fenelon1   as  
being more applicable1 in the opinion of
 the translator1 to the   generality of 
female readers2 at least to those of his
 own country4    ,the preceding         
observations have sufficiently convinced
 us of the  importance of religion1 both
 as it affects our temporal and eternal 
welfare4 ,it now follows that we        
instruct our children in the reading  of
 certain religious works1 which are not 
only considered to contain  wholesome   
doctrine1 but which may strengthen us in
 the opinions we have  cherished1 and   
establish1 on an unshaken basis1 the    
reason of the hope  that is in us4      
,without a pretty accurate information  
of those data1 on which our  religion is
 formed1 we become subject to the       
caprice or violence of  certain artful  
characters1 who seldom fail to perplex  
us1 and undermine  many of the essential
 articles of the christian faith2 and   
who  ultimately leave us1 after pulling 
down the fair fabric we had built1 in   

all the misery of doubt and distraction4
 ,the scriptures may be said to  be     
written with the finger of ,god1 on     
adamant which can never perish3 it  is  
not in the power of man to shake their  
authority1 or to divert their  proper   
influence on a sincere and pious mind4  
,it is our duty to be  careful to       
comprehend them thoroughly1 to have as  
clear a conception  as possible of their
 more mysterious parts1 without         
harassing our minds  if some things     
still remain for future revelation4 ,we 
are not to  censure what we do not1 at  
first1 understand3 reason and knowledge 
are  progressive--by degrees1 the mist  
of ignorance is cleared away1 and the   
sunshine of intelligence succeeds4      
,above all1 let us not presumptuously   
conclude certain passages to be         
irrecoverably obscure1 without          
consulting the many able commentators   
who have treated on them2 but as  the   
library of a mother may not be          
extensively theological1 let us apply   

for information to those pious pastors1 
and studious men1 who have  made these  
commentators their particular study4 ,if
 we are so eager to  satisfy ourselves  
and our children on the trifling topics 
that ordinary  conversation gives rise  
to1 how much more anxious should we be  
to  obtain certainty and truth on the   
important doctrines of revelation6    ,i
 do not1 however1 mean that a child is  
to be always reading the bible1  or     
sermons1 or the catechism--nothing is so
 injudicious4 ,at her tender  years she 
can comprehend little of the doctrinal  
points of scripture2  and besides1 from 
such constant habits of perusing        
religious books1 she  may become        
fatigued and disgusted1 and turn an     
indifferent ear to all  future          
application to them4 ,let us avoid      
making children affectedly  knowing in  
those subjects which sometimes require  
the mature years and  profound study of 
divines to comprehend4 ,nothing is so   
disgusting as  cant2 as religious       

quotations in young people1 who cannot1 
from their  years and habits1 have      
formed an accurate idea either of the   
meaning or  application of what they    
quote3 such things savour strongly of   
those  suspicious singularities which   
,fenelon is so anxious to eradicate4    
,the  habit of quoting scripture in     
young persons of either sex1 carries    
with  it a pertness and conceit1 which  
all judicious parents will be careful   
to discourage4 ,sacred truths1 or       
religious denunciations1 are not to  be 
enforced by the levity of youth2        
ignorance and hypocrisy may be          
suspected where such premature sanctity 
prevails4 ,if there be one  thing more  
than another1 which destroys the        
simplicity and harmless  cheerfulness of
 girls1 it is the giving them notions of
 puritannical  gravity1 and artificial  
sobriety of behaviour3 joy and          
elasticity of  spirits are not of       
themselves criminal4 ,if we repress     
these innocent  ebullitions1 by         

inculcating formality and               
fastidiousness1 we do as  much mischief 
to the growth of the mind1 as we should 
do to that of an  upright and           
proportionate body1 by the application  
of bandages and  ligatures4    ,no small
 degree of care and skill is requisite  
for the direction of  religious studies 
in young people1 and especially in      
females2 because  the opposite sex1     
which is always fond of triumph1 will be
 exerting  every art1 and trying every  
expedient1 to weaken and subvert their  
arguments4 ,if reason or superior       
knowledge fail1 ridicule is resorted    
to2 and this1 it must be confessed1 has 
a very strong effect on  those young    
people of a disposition above described4
 ,in early years1  religious impressions
 should be kept solemnly within the     
breast3 they  should be our consolation 
in affliction1 our hope in distress1 and
 the  grand stimulus to prayer and      
meditation4 ,it is well known1 that from
  a premature disclosure of crude       

religious sentiments1 ridicule and      
disgust are excited2 and many an amiable
 and pious girl has suffered  her       
principles to be shaken1 and her faith  
to be overturned1 by the  buffoonery and
 sarcasm of a weak and contemptible     
antagonist4 ,let us  endeavour to guard 
against this2 and to prevent any ill    
effects arising  from those important   
studies1 which should be the ornament   
and solace of  our lives4    ,from no   
quarter can a child receive religious   
instruction with more  benefit than from
 a mother2 and in proportion to the     
ignorance or  indiscretion of the       
latter1 will be that of the former4 ,if 
a child is  unaccustomed to see books of
 religion in her mother's library1 she  
can have but little curiosity to peruse 
them2 and if they at last  be obtruded  
on her1 she will naturally suspect the  
sincerity of her  instructor1 who       
produces works which she deems of the   
highest importance  to her pupil's      
welfare1 but of which she herself does  

not possess a  single copy4 ,this evil  
is easily remedied1 if parents would    
only  consider the importance of        
religious education2 if1 instead of     
crowding  their shelves with the flimsy 
productions of novelists and romancers1 
they would admit a few judicious works1 
which treat of the evidences of  the    
,christian religion1 and describe the   
chief doctrines by which it is  upheld4 
,a portion of these studies might be    
given at stated times1 or as  the       
inclination of the child prompts1 so as 
not to make them too formal  or severe4 
,by the blessing of providence1 we have1
 in our own country1 a great  abundance 
of excellent religious tracts1 which    
display the rise1  progress and         
establishment of the ,christian         
religion4 ,men of eminence  and         
piety--archbishops1 bishops1 divines of 
every rank1 and laymen1 have  all       
contributed their talents1 with various 
ability and success1 to set  forth the  
glory of the gospel1 and the truths of  

the kingdom of heaven4  ,let us1        
therefore1 attend to the doctrines which
 these wise and virtuous  men1 who have 
passed a long and studious life1 as     
labourers in the  vineyard of ,christ1  
have illustrated and enforced4 ,let us  
not indulge  chimeras and conceits of   
our own2 but1 with a diffidence and     
timidity1  listen to those opinions of  
the learned and the good1 whose         
abilities  and opportunities have best  
entitled them to pronounce judgment4    
,nothing  should be so much avoided as  
hasty and obstinate conclusions1 drawn  
from  premises which are not            
sufficiently understood4    ,in         
proportion to the breadth and depth of  
the foundation1 will be the  strength of
 the superstructure2 and if we take care
 to place in the  hands of young        
religious pupils1 such sound and serious
 books as awaken  piety1 without        
kindling enthusiasm--as lead and satisfy
 the reason1  without exciting vain and 
sceptical curiosity--as strengthen the  

mind1  and meliorate the heart1 without 
creating vanity1 selfishness1 and       
hypocrisy--we shall1 ,i ardently        
conceive1 have effected that which it   
was our wish and duty to perform4       
,agreeably to these principles and      
reflections1 ,i am desirous of          
recommending such plain1 perspicuous1   
and sound works1 as comprehend  every   
thing relating to the elements1         
doctrines1 and practice of              
christianity2 and such as may not be    
difficult1 or attended with great       
expence1 in the procuring4    #a4 ,the  
,,ten ,,commandments2 and the #eth1     
#fth1 and #gth ,chapters of the         
,gospel1 according to ,st4 ,matthew4    
,these important parts of holy writ     
contain a fund of the most excellent and
 essential doctrines for a  christian to
 know and practice2 the primitive       
christians used to commit  them to      
memory1 and instruct their children in  
the application of  them4#h     #h      
,perhaps it may be advisable to have    

them printed separately1 in   large     
striking letters1 so as to be impressed 
stronger on the child's   imagination4  
,the following production may be worth  
obtaining2 ,,an ,,abstract of the       
,historical ,part of the ,old           
,testament1 with ,references to other   
,parts of  the ,scripture1 especially to
 the ,new ,testament2 which are placed  
at  length in an opposite column4       
,london3 printed by ,w4 ,bowyer1 #agcj1 
#hvo4  ,this is a very useful1 though   
not generally known1 publication4 ,if it
  has not been reprinted1 it is now     
probably scarce4    ,the work is        
inscribed to the founders1 benefactors1 
and trustees1 of  the charity schools4  
,it was composed by that learned        
printer1 ,mr4  ,bowyer2 and the         
introduction1 written by way of preface1
 bears strong  marks of the piety and   
talents of its author4 ,it is followed  
by a  ,translation of a ,letter from the
 ,earl of ,mirandola and ,concordia1 to 
his nephew1 then an officer in the army 

of the ,emperor ,charles ,v4 ,this      
letter1 which is too long to extract1 is
 serious and impressive2 and  such as   
does great honour to the religious      
principles1 and sound sense  of the     
writer4    #b4 ,dr4 ,,doddridge',s      
,three ,sermons on the ,evidences of    
,christianity1  separately published1   
from the particular superintendance and 
recommendation of the present ,bishop of
 ,london4 ,it is an useful tract1  and  
is sold very cheap4    #c4 ,the         
7present7 ,,bishop ,,of ,,london',s     
,summary of the ,evidences of           
,christianity1 c4 which may be          
considered one of the most useful1 and  
perspicuous treatises extant2 it is very
 cheap4    #d4 ,mr4 ,,addison',s        
,treatise on the same4 ,this 7which     
should properly  have been first        
noticed7 is a beautiful and masterly    
dissertation1 and  worthy of the        
celebrity of its pious and elegant      
author4    #e4 ,,grotius on the ,truth  
of the ,christian ,religion4 ,every     

enlightened  mother will derive great   
pleasure and benefit from the perusal of
 this  incomparable treatise4 ,it has   
been translated by ,john ,clark1 and    
lately  by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,madan1 from  
the ,latin of the famous ,grotius4      
,students in  divinity are usually      
examined in the original when they      
present  themselves for holy orders4    
#f4 ,,bishop ,,prettyman',s ,elements of
 ,christian ,theology4 ,this is a  work 
of deserved repute1 and will be found   
greatly instructive4 ,the  historical   
events of scripture are detailed in an  
interesting manner1  and cannot fail to 
afford the most pleasing conviction of  
the truth of  what is related4 ,there   
has been an abridgment of it in one     
large #hvo4  volume1 by the ,rev4 ,mr4  
,clapham4 ,the original is in #b vols4  
#hvo4    #g4 ,,secker 7,archbishop7 on  
the ,catechism3 and ,,wilson 7,bishop7  
on the  ,sacrament4 ,these are truly    
excellent treatises3 their established  
celebrity renders no further recital of 

them necessary in this place4    #h4    
,,sermons3 by ,dr4 ,s4 ,clarke2 ,abp4   
,secker1 ,sherlock1 ,jortin1  ,balguy1  
,porteus1 7,bishop of ,london71 ,blair1 
and ,carr4#i ,these  among many other   
excellent ones1 whose enumeration would 
swell the list  to an unnecessary size1 
may be perused and meditated on with    
great  advantage4 ,they are not selected
 in rejection of others1 but solely as  
containing much sound and edifying      
matter1 which may bring forth sixty  and
 an hundred fold4     #i ,miss ,boudler 
has published a small volume of useful  
sermons to a   country congregation1    
which it may be advisable to procure4   
,her name   is not prefixed to the work2
 but it is published by ,cadell and     
,davies1 in the ,strand4    #i4         
,,wilson',s 7,bishop7 ,bible1 with      
,commentaries3 in #c vols4 #dto4 ,bath3 
printed by ,crutwell4 ,perhaps1 the most
 judicious and unexceptionable          
illustration of the sacred text extant4 
#aj4 ,,gisborne',s ,duties of ,women1   

and ,familiar ,survey of the ,christian 
,religion1 are both very excellent      
performances1 and reflect great  credit 
on the head and heart of the            
distinguished and benevolent writer4    
#aa4 ,the ,whole ,duty of ,man4    #ab4 
,the ,ladies' ,calling4 ,these two last 
works are from the same  anonymous      
author1 whose publications are1 indeed1 
purer than gold--yea1  than much fine   
gold4    ,such are the works recommended
 to the perusal and meditation of       
serious  and enlightened parents3 and   
such1 it is hoped1 will not bring forth 
bitter fruits4    ,there are moments of 
languor and heaviness1 of dulness and   
despondency1  to which the best of      
mothers may be exposed1 and which may be
 removed1  or relieved1 by a perusal of 
some of the foregoing writers3 in such  
moments1 she will know the full value of
 their works1 and will not  repent the  
trouble or expence incurred in the      
procuring of them4 ,she  will then be   
convinced that the common productions1  

which amuse the  ignorant and the       
foolish1 could not have supplied the    
want of them2  whether in soothing the  
pangs which arise from a deceased       
husband or  child1 or in teaching her to
 bear up with fortitude against the     
frowns  of a persecuting world4 ,the    
balm of consolation1 which arises from  
these  studies1 she will pour into the  
bosom of a dutiful daughter2 and the    
knowledge that she has gained by        
experience1 will be imparted to1 and    
grow up with1 her rising posterity4     
,let it always be impressed on our      
minds1 that if we are so anxious to     
procure costly furniture1 or splendid   
apparel1 which the moth eats1 or  the   
thief steals1 how much more is it our   
duty to devote a comparatively  trifling
 sum towards the acquisition of those   
mental treasures1 of which  neither     
treachery nor violence can dispossess   
us1 and which fit us1 by  degrees1 for  
the eternal mansions of happiness and   
rest4    ,it has been observed1 that the

 female sex is more liable to fanaticism
  than the male2 the history1 however1  
of religious sectaries1 does not        
authorise this observation3 instances of
 violence and mad persecution  may be   
adduced1 in which females have taken a  
very subordinate part1 or  indeed none  
at all2 and while the examples of       
,athanasius and ,arius are  fresh in the
 memory1 we need not resort to another4 
,that the warmth  and susceptibility of 
a female mind renders it exposed to     
strong  impressions1 before the judgment
 begins to operate1 cannot be disputed4 
,what pleases on the first impression is
 not easily eradicated2 and we  conclude
 that to be true1 which flatters some   
previous opinion1 or  favour some secret
 bias4 ,error1 thus introduced1 is not  
extirpated  without difficulty3 and if  
to the pliancy and sensibility of a     
female  mind1 we add1 that opportunities
 are seldom offered of going into deep  
critical investigations1 or listening to
 opposite opinions1 which are  founded  

on reason and experience1 it will not   
appear surprising that  women are       
sometimes warm in their religious       
sentiments1 and slow and  reluctant to  
abandon them4    ,hence follows the     
necessity of a proper religious         
instruction--of an  adherence to those  
doctrines and opinions1 which1 on a     
careful survey of  the many that have   
agitated mankind1 seem to be the best   
calculated for  ensuring our present and
 future welfare4 ,in thus offering      
advice on so  important a subject1 the  
translator has ventured to advance      
certain  sentiments1 and to recommend   
certain works1 which in his humble      
apprehension1 appeared likely to be     
productive of some assistance  and      
advantage4 ,when he recommends a        
conformity to the tenets of the         
,,established ,,church ,,of ,,this      
,,country1 he does so from a            
conscientious  conviction of its purity 
and excellence2 from a recollection of  
the many  great and good men who have   

lived and died in its cause2 and whose  
works  remain a glorious monument of    
their diligence1 piety1 and learning4   
,while reason1 integrity1 and virtue1   
have any influence on the human         
character1 while practical good is      
acknowledged to be superior to          
plausible theory1 so long shall the     
luminous and illustrious divines  of the
 ,english ,church rise above all the    
pretensions of fanatical and            
self-inspired teachers1 who turn the    
word of ,god into craft1 and use the    
name of ,jesus with their lips1 while   
their hearts are estranged from  him4   
,that the foregoing sentiments may tend 
to promote true sober-minded            
religion--to adorn the female character 
with those charms which arise  from the 
substance1 and not the form1 of         
piety--to excite cheerfulness  without  
levity--seriousness without             
despondency--and happiness in this      
present state without groundless        
anxieties of the future--is the earnest 

and ardent wish of their author4        
,,chap4 ,,ix4    ,remarks on ,ordinary  
,defects among ,girls4      ,we are now 
to speak of the care and attention which
 are requisite  to preserve girls from  
many defects to which they are too      
commonly  addicted4 ,they are oftentimes
 brought up in so effeminate and timid a
  manner1 as to be rendered incapable of
 a firm and regular conduct4 ,at  first 
there is much affectation1 which        
afterwards become habitual1 in  those   
ill-founded fears1 and in those tears1  
which are so cheaply and  plentifully   
bestowed4 ,a contempt of such           
affectations would operate  greatly in  
correcting them2 as they are in a       
considerable degree the  offspring of   
vanity4    ,they should also be         
repressed in the indulgence of too      
violent  friendships1 little jealousies1
 excessive compliments1 and flatteries3 
all these things spoil them1 and        
accustom them to imagine that dryness   
and austerity belongs to every thing    

which is serious and grave4 ,we  should 
strive to effect this1 so that their    
common mode of parlance be  short and   
precise4 ,a good understanding consists 
in retrenching all  superfluous         
discourse1 and in saying much in few    
words3 whereas1 the  greater part of    
women say little in many words4 ,they   
mistake facility  of utterance and      
vivacity of imagination for good sense3 
they make no  selection of their        
thoughts3 they observe no order in      
regard to the  things they have to      
explain3 they are passionate in every   
thing they  utter1 and passion produces 
loquacity4 ,nothing very excellent can  
be  expected of a woman1 if she is not  
obliged to reflect on consequences1  to 
examine her thoughts1 to explain them in
 a precise manner1 and  afterwards to be
 silent4    ,another circumstance which 
greatly contributes to the loquacity of 
women1 is1 that they are naturally      
artificial1 and use a roundabout  manner
 to arrive at the proper end4 ,they are 

fond of finesse3 and  how is it possible
 they should be otherwise1 when they are
 ignorant  of a more prudent method--and
 when it is usually the first thing     
which  example has taught them8 ,they   
have a soft and ductile nature which    
enables them easily to play a part in   
every thing3 tears cost them  nothing3  
their passions are lively1 and their    
knowledge limited3 hence  it is that    
they neglect nothing to come off        
successful--and that they  admire       
certain methods1 which to a serious and 
prudent woman would  appear very        
exceptionable3 they seldom stop to      
enquire whether such a  thing is        
desirable1 but are anxious and          
indefatigable only in obtaining  it4    
,add to this1 they are timid and full of
 what is called mauvais  honte2 which is
 another source of dissimulation4 ,the  
method of  preventing so great an evil1 
never to put them under a necessity of  
finessing1 but accustom them to declare 
ingenuously their sentiments  upon every

 lawful topic4 ,let them be at liberty  
to express their  ennui whenever they   
feel it3 and let them never be subjected
 to feign  an admiration of certain     
persons or certain books1 which in      
reality  displease them4    ,sometimes a
 mother is prejudiced against a         
governess1 and undertakes  the          
management of the child herself1 while  
the daughter cunningly acts  contrary to
 her taste4 ,when children are so       
wretched that they are under  the       
necessity of disguising their           
sentiments1 the way of extricating  them
 from such a dilemma1 is1 to instruct   
them solidly in the maxims of  true     
prudence--as one perceives that the     
method of correcting a taste  for novels
 and romances1 is1 by exciting a turn   
for useful and agreeable  histories4 ,if
 you do not encourage a rational        
curiosity1 they will  entertain an      
irrational one--in like manner1 if you  
do not form their  minds on the         
principles of true prudence1 they will  

become attached to  falsehood1 which is1
 in fact1 finesse4    ,shew them1 by    
examples1 how one is able1 without      
duplicity1 to be  discreet1 foresighted1
 and attached to legitimate means of    
succeeding4  ,tell them that prudence   
consists chiefly in speaking little--in 
entertaining a greater distrust of      
oneself than of others1 and not in      
uttering false sentiments1 and playing a
 deceitful part4 ,an upright  conduct1  
and a general reputation for integrity1 
begets more confidence  and esteem1 and1
 in the end1 even more temporal         
advantages1 than  perverse and          
suspicious habits4 ,how much does this  
judicious rectitude  of conduct         
distinguish a person1 and render her fit
 for the most  important undertakings6  
,but add1 how base and contemptible is  
premeditated finesse6 it is  either an  
account of some trifle which one is     
ashamed to mention1 or it  must be      
considered as a pernicious passion4     
,when one wishes for that  which it is  

lawful to wish for1 the request is made 
openly--and it is  sought for in a      
direct and proper method1 with          
moderation4 ,what is  there more        
delightful and agreeable1 than to be    
sincere8 always  tranquil--always       
content--having nothing to fear or to   
feign8 ,on the  contrary1 a             
dissimulating character is always in    
agitation--remorse--and  danger--and    
under the deplorable necessity of       
covering one finesse by  substituting an
 hundred others4    ,with all these     
shameful disquietudes1 artificial       
characters never escape  that misery    
from which they are constantly          
flying--sooner or later their  real     
character will appear4 ,if the world has
 been their dupe in some  single action1
 it will not continue so during the     
whole of their lives3  oftentimes they  
are the dupes of those whom they wished 
to deceive3 for  there is sometimes an  
appearance of being dazzled by them1 and
 they  think themselves beloved--at the 

very moment1 perhaps1 when they are     
despised4 ,at least they cannot prevent 
suspicion--and can any thing be  more   
contrary to the rational interests of a 
prudent woman1 than to see  herself     
always suspected8 ,unfold these things  
by degrees--according as  opportunity1  
necessity1 or the bent of your pupil's  
intellect1 may  suggest4    ,observe1   
however1 that cunning 7or finesse7 is   
always the offspring  of a base heart   
and narrow-minded spirit4 ,in proportion
 as we wish to  conceal our views we    
become cunning--being convinced that we 
are not as  we ought to be--or1 that1   
seeking for lawful objects1 we adopt    
unworthy  means of obtaining them--which
 arises from our ignorance in seeking   
such  objects4 ,make children remark the
 impertinence of certain artifices that 
they see practised--the contempt which  
it draws on those practising  them--and 
lastly1 make them ashamed of themselves 
when you detect them  in some           
dissimulation4 ,as they grow up1 deprive

 them of what they love1  when they wish
 to obtain it by artifice--but declare1 
that they shall  possess it when they   
ask openly3 do not be afraid even of    
indulging  their little weaknesses1 in  
order to give them an opportunity and   
the  courage of shewing them4 ,false    
shame is the most dangerous of evils and
  the most difficult to cure2 and this  
too1 if great care be not taken1  will  
render all others irremediable4         
,paint1 in their proper colours1 those  
infamous artifices by which they  would 
wish to deceive their neighbour without 
having the reproach of  deceiving him3  
there is more perfidy and knavery in    
these refinements1  than in common      
artifices4 ,some people1 one may say1   
boldly practice  deception--but wretches
 of the preceding description1 add      
novelty and  disguise to authorise it4  
,tell a child that ,,god is truth       
itself--that  it is mocking him when we 
jest at truth in our discourse--which   
should  be precise and correct1 and     

should consist in few words1 that truth 
be  not violated4    ,be on your guard  
not to imitate those who applaud        
children1 when they  have discovered    
sharpness of intellect by some finesse4 
,far from  supposing these tricks pretty
 and diverting1 check them severely--and
  manage it so1 that all their artifice 
may end unsuccessfully1 and  experience 
at last may disgust them with it4 ,in   
praising them for  such and such faults1
 we1 in fact1 persuade them that ability
 and  deception are one and the same    
thing4          ,,chap4 ,x4    ,the     
,vanity of ,beauty and ,dress4          
,nothing is more to be dreaded among    
young girls1 than vanity--as they  are  
born with a violent desire to please4   
,those roads which conduct  men to      
authority and fame being shut to them2  
they strive to  be recompensed by the   
charms of intellect and person3 hence   
flows  their conversation so soft and so
 insinuating--hence it is that they     
aspire1 as well to beauty1 as to all the

 exterior graces1 and become            
passionately fond of dress4 ,a turban or
 bandeau is of the greatest  importance 
in their estimation4    ,this excess is 
carried farther in our country#aj than  
in any other4  ,that volatile           
disposition so remarkable among us1     
causes a continual  variety of fashions3
 so that1 to the love of dress is added 
the love of  novelty1 which has strange 
charms for some people4 ,these two      
follies  united1 reverses all orders and
 conditions1 and corrupts all manners4  
,as soon as certain rules are done away 
in respect to our clothes and           
furniture1 the same irregularity        
prevails in our conditions4 ,public     
authority cannot settle a table of      
particulars3#aa every one1  therefore1  
chooses according to his money2 or      
rather1 without money1  according to his
 ambition and vanity4     #aj ,france4  
#aa ,this is construed in the above     
manner in preference to the   table of  
particular persons3 conceiving that     

,fenelon means certain   rules or laws  
to be observed in regard to living and  
dressing4                               
,t4    ,this passion for splendor ruins 
families2 and the ruin of families      
brings with it a corruption of manners4 
,on the one hand1 it begets1  in persons
 of mean extraction1 a passion for a    
large fortune 7which  religion assures  
us is sinful72 on the other1 among      
people of quality  who find their       
resources exhausted1 it produces mean   
and dirty practices  in order to support
 their extravagance3 hence1 honor1      
fidelity1  integrity1 and benevolence1  
7even towards their nearest relatives17 
are  extinguished for ever6    ,these   
evils arise from the influence of vain  
women in directing the  fashions2 they  
ridicule those1 as antiquated dames1 who
 wish to preserve  the gravity and      
simplicity of ancient manners4    ,be   
particularly zealous1 therefore1 to make
 girls understand how much  more        
estimable is that honor which flows from

 an upright conduct and  sound capacity1
 than that which arises from the        
elegance and splendor of  dress4        
,beauty1 you may say1 deceives the      
possessor of it much more than  it does 
those whom it dazzles3 it agitates and  
intoxicates the soul2 we  are more      
foolishly idolising ourselves1 than the 
most passionate lovers  the object of   
their affection4 ,a few years only make 
the difference  between a beautiful and 
ordinary woman4 ,beauty is not desirable
 unless  it produces advantageous       
marriages3 and how should it effect     
this1  unsupported by merit and virtue8 
,a girl1 merely beautiful1 can only hope
  to be united to a giddy young man1    
with whom she is pretty certain of      
misery3 on the contrary1 her good sense 
and modesty would cause her to  be      
sought for by prudent men1 sensible of  
such solid qualifications4  ,those whose
 fame consists only in their beauty1    
soon become ridiculous3  they approach1 
without perceiving it1 to a certain age 

in which their  charms begin to fade2   
still1 however1 indulging the dear      
delusion of  self-gratification1 when   
the world has long ago been disgusted   
with  their vanity4 ,in short1 it is as 
unreasonable to be attached solely to   
beauty1 as to concentrate all merit in  
strength of body2 a maxim1 which        
barbarians and savages only inculcate4  
,from beauty let us pass to ,,dress4    
,true grace does not depend on a vain   
and affected exterior2 although         
propriety1 and some little skill may be 
shewn in our necessary clothing4 ,but   
after all1 these silks or satins1  which
 may be pretty enough1 can never be     
considered as ornaments which  confer   
beauty4    ,i would even make young     
girls remark that noble simplicity which
 appears  in the drapery of statues1 and
 in many figures which yet remain of    
,grecian and ,roman costume4 ,they      
should contemplate the superiority  of  
hair negligently tied behind1 and of the
 broad folds of a full and  floating    

drapery4 ,it would also be as well for  
them to hear painters  and connoisseurs1
 who possess a true taste for the       
antique1 converse on  these subjects4   
,in proportion as their understanding   
rose superior to the prejudices of      
fashion1 they would hold in contempt    
those artificial modes of twisting  and 
curling the hair1 and all the           
paraphernalia of a fashionable woman4   
,i am aware that one should not wish    
them to assume an entirely-antique      
costume of dress1 which would be        
extravagant1 and sometimes indecent3    
but they might1 without the affectation 
of singularity1 model their  taste on   
that simplicity of attire1 which is so  
noble1 so delightful1  and in all       
respects conformable to the manners of  
christians4 ,make them  observe often1  
and by times1 the vanity and1           
frivolousness of that mind  which is    
sacrificed to the inconstancy of        
fashion4#ab ,true grace  follows1 but   
never does violence to1 nature4     #ab 

,a preceding and subsequent sentence in 
the original is here   omitted2 because 
it has an allusion to antiquated high   
head   dresses2 which are now1 ,i       
believe1 banished not only from ,france1
   but from ,europe4 ,the present simple
 and unaffected mode of female   dress1 
7with some ridiculous and indelicate    
exceptions7 is in general   very        
conformable to the taste and advice of  
,fenelon4    ,fashion1 however1 soon    
destroys itself3 it is perpetually      
aiming at  perfection1 and never finds  
it2 at least1 it never stops when it has
  found it4 ,it would be reasonable     
enough if all changing and alteration   
were to cease after having found        
perfection1 comprising both elegance    
and utility3 but to change for the sake 
of changing1 appears very much  like    
sacrificing true politeness and good    
taste to inconstancy and  confusion6    
,fashions are frequently founded on mere
 caprice4 ,women are  the sole          
arbitrators of them2 and it being       

difficult to say1 who is to  be believed
 or imitated1 the most giddy and least  
informed seduce and  influence the rest4
 ,they neither choose nor leave any     
thing according  to rule3 it is quite   
sufficient if one thing1 though useful1 
has been  long adopted3 it ought to be  
discarded3 and another thing1 though    
perfectly ridiculous1 but having the    
charm of novelty1 is immediately        
substituted in its place1 and becomes   
the admiration of all4 ,after  having   
laid a proper foundation1 describe to   
them the rules of  christian modesty4   
,we learn1 you will say1 that man is    
born in the  corruption of sin3 his     
body1 exposed to a contagious malady1 is
 an  inexhaustible source of temptation 
to his soul4 ,our ,saviour has taught   
us to place all our virtue in fear and  
distrust of ourselves4 ,would you1  we  
may exclaim1 hazard your own soul and   
that of your neighbour by the           
indulgence of a foolish vanity8 ,look1  
therefore1 with horror upon the         

exposure of the bosom and all other     
indecencies6 ,when these absurdities    
are even committed without any          
premeditated passion1 they1 at least1   
savour strongly of vanity1 and betray an
 unbridled desire to please4  ,does this
 variety justify1 before ,god and man1  
so rash and scandalous  a conduct1 and  
so likely to be imitated by others8     
,this blind passion  of pleasing1 is it 
conformable to a christian character1   
which should  consider every thing as   
idolatrous1 that perverts the love of   
,god1 and  kindles the contempt of his  
creatures8 ,when such giddy female      
characters  strive to please--what is   
their real object8 ,is it not to excite 
the  passions of men8 ,and can they     
regulate these passions when in their   
possession8 ,if women go too far1 ought 
they not to be answerable for  the      
consequences8 ,and do they not always go
 too far1 when their minds  have been   
but little enlightened8 ,you are        
absolutely preparing a subtile  and     

deadly poison1 and pouring it on the    
spectators beneath1 and yet you  imagine
 yourself innocent6 ,when you address   
your pupils in this strong  manner1 add 
to it1 the example of those whom modesty
 has recommended1  and those whom       
indelicacy has covered with dishonor4   
,above every thing1  never suffer       
children's minds to be filled with ideas
 that suit not with  their condition4   
,repress severely all their whims and   
fantasies--shew  them the inevitable    
danger which follows--and how much they 
make  themselves despised by wise and   
discreet people1 in thus assuming a     
character which does not belong to them4
    ,what now remains to be effected1   
is1 the managing of children of high    
and animated spirit4 ,if care be not    
taken of this1 when they have any       
vivacity1 they intrigue3 they wish to   
speak on every topic3 they decide  on   
works the least calculated for their    
capacity1 and affect1 through  extreme  
delicacy1 to be easily fatigued and     

overpowered4 ,a girl should  never speak
 but when necessity prompts3 and then1  
with an air of  deference and doubt3    
they should never even discuss subjects 
above the  level of a common            
understanding1 how well soever versed in
 them4 ,let a  child possess a good     
memory and vivacity--shew pleasant      
little turns1  and a facility of        
graceful eloquence--all these           
qualifications she  may have in common  
with a great number of other stupid and 
contemptible  women4 ,but an exact and  
uniform conduct--an equal and regulated 
spirit--when to be silent1 and when to  
speak--these rare qualifications  will  
indeed distinguish her among her sex4   
,as to squeamish delicacy and           
affectation of ennui1 she must be       
repressed in both--by shewing her  that 
a correct taste and good understanding  
consist in accommodating  oneself to    
every thing in proportion to its        
utility4    ,good sense and virtue are  
alone estimable4 ,these will teach her  

to  consider disgust and ennui1 not as a
 commendable delicacy1 but as the       
weakness of a diseased mind4    ,since  
one must sometimes associate with gross 
characters1 and mingle in  occupations  
not altogether congenial--reason1 which 
is the only real  delicacy to be        
indulged1 should instruct us to         
accommodate ourselves  according to     
every emergency4 ,an understanding which
 knows in what true  politeness         
consists1 and practises it1 but which   
aspires to objects  beyond it1 in the   
hope of enjoying more solid             
attainments--is infinitely  superior to 
delicate and merely polite characters1  
who are subject to be  disgusted by     
their own nicety and refined taste4     
,,chap4 ,,xi4    ,instruction of ,women 
in their ,duties4      ,let us now      
discuss1 in detail1 those particulars of
 which it is the duty  of a woman to be 
well informed4 ,what are her            
employments8 ,she is charged  with the  
education of her children--of the boys1 

till a certain age--of  the girls till  
they are married2 of the conduct1       
manners1 and morals  of her domestic    
attendants2 of the whole detail of      
household expenses2  of the means of    
managing every thing with credit and    
economy2 and  sometimes1 of the         
regulation of farms and the receipt of  
profits which  arise from them4         
,women1 as well as men1 should adapt    
their pursuits in literature and        
science to their situations and         
functions in life2 and according  to    
their occupations1 should be their      
studies4 ,we must1 therefore1  confine  
the instruction of women to the         
foregoing circumstances4 ,but a  curious
 woman1 wishing to pry into every thing1
 may fancy that these  instructions will
 confine her curiosity within narrow    
limits indeed--she  is mistaken1 because
 she knows not the importance and extent
 of the  particulars in which ,i wish   
her to be instructed4    ,what          
discernment is necessary to know the    

disposition and genius of  each of her  
children6 to find out the proper mode of
 conduct so as to  discover their       
humours1 inclinations1 and talents6 to  
check those  passions which are born    
with them1 to inculcate good maxims1 and
 to cure  them of their errors6 ,what   
prudence should she possess1 to acquire 
and  preserve authority over them1      
without forfeiting their confidence and 
esteem6 ,has she not also need of       
observing and thoroughly knowing those  
people whom she places near them8       
,undoubtedly she has3 a mother of a     
family ought to be completely instructed
 in religion1 and to possess a  mature  
firm mind1 adapted to1 and experienced  
in1 the government of her  children4    
,can it be supposed that women ought not
 to be explicitly and formally          
instructed in these duties1 because they
 naturally fall into them  during the   
lives of their husbands1 who are        
generally engaged in  business from     
home8 ,or1 if widows1 they still attend 

to them more  closely8 ,st4 ,paul       
generally attaches the salvation of     
mothers to the  good education of       
daughters2 for by these1 he assures     
them1 they will be  saved4    ,i do not 
here take upon me to explain all that a 
woman ought to know for  the education  
of her daughters2 because such a        
memorial would make them  sufficiently  
feel the extent of that knowledge which 
it is their duty to  obtain4    ,to the 
government of families1 add ,,economy4  
,the greater part of women  neglect it  
as a mean consideration1 fit only for   
country folks or  farmers2 or1 at best1 
for innkeepers and housekeepers4 ,women 
nursed in  the lap of affluence1 luxury1
 and idleness1 not only neglect1 but    
despise1 this domestic virtue2 and seem 
to be forgetful of a middle  state      
between the rusticity of a peasant1 and 
the wildness of a ,canadian  savage4 ,if
 you speak to them of the sale of corn1 
of the cultivation  of lands1 of the    
different kinds of revenue1 of the      

receipt or raising  of rents and other  
seignoral rights1 of the best method of 
laying out  farms1 and appointing       
receivers1 they imagine that you wish to
 reduce  them to occupations1 unworthy  
of their rank and character4            
,ignorance is the offspring of their    
contempt for economy4 ,the ancient      
,greeks and ,romans1 so distinguished   
for their ability and politeness1       
studied economy with the utmost care3   
some of their finest writers1 from      
their own experience1 have composed     
works which we still possess1 and  in   
which they give an account of the latest
 improvements of agriculture4  ,it is   
well known that even their conquerors   
did not disdain to work in  the field2  
and instances have come down to us in   
which the splendor of a  triumph was    
followed by the care and conduct of a   
plough4 ,all this is so  foreign to our 
own customs and manners1 that we should 
not credit it if  it were not supported 
by historical truth4 ,but is it not     

natural that  the defence or            
augmentation of a country should be     
subordinate to the  ultimate object of  
cultivating it peaceably8 ,of what      
advantage is  victory1 if it enable us  
not to gather the fruits of peace8      
,after all1  solidity of intellect      
consists in wishing to be exactly       
informed of the  way in which those     
things operate1 which constitute the    
foundations of  human life3 the greatest
 occurrences are regulated by this      
principle4  ,the strength and felicity  
of a country consists not in the        
possession of  provinces badly          
cultivated1 but in the enjoyment of     
those productions of  the earth which   
are necessary and sufficient for the    
sustenance of a  numerous people4       
,without doubt it requires a more       
elevated and comprehensive genius to be 
instructed and well informed in all the 
particulars relating to economy1  and to
 be thereby able to regulate an entire  
family 7which is a little  republic71   

than to play1 talk of the fashions1 and 
be expert in all the  little polite arts
 of conversation4 ,that is a            
contemptible mind indeed1  which aspires
 not beyond perfection in the talent of 
conversation3 one  sees1 on all sides1  
women whose discourse is full of sound  
sense and  solid maxims--while this     
conduct is replete with frivolousness   
and  absurdity--the effect of not       
applying by times to better pursuits4   
,but take care of the opposite defect3  
women run a risk of being in  extremes  
in every thing4 ,it would be advisable  
for them1 from their  infancy1 to have  
the management of some trifling         
affair--to keep  accounts--to see the   
mode of bargaining for what they        
purchase1 and to  know how each thing   
should be made to answer a good use4    
,take care1  also1 that economy borders 
not on avarice3 shew them1 in detail1   
all the  absurdities attendant on this  
latter passion4 ,tell them that avarice 
gains little1 and dishonors itself      

greatly4 ,a reasonable mind will  seek1 
in a frugal and laborious life1 only how
 to avoid the shame and  injustice      
attached to a prodigal and ruinous      
conduct4 ,superfluous  expenses are to  
be retrenched as they enable a person to
 devote a  portion of money to satisfy  
the claims of benevolence1 friendship1  
and  charity3 great gain is frequently  
the result of seasonable forbearance3   
good order and management1 and not      
sordid savings1 are the source of       
profit4 ,do not fail to expose the gross
 error of those female economists  who  
pertinaceously forbid a mold candle1    
while they suffer their whole  affairs  
to be subjected to the knavery or       
rapacity of a steward4 ,respect         
propriety as well as economy4 ,accustom 
young people to do nothing in a         
slovenly and disorderly manner1 and to  
remark the least disarrangement  in a   
house4 ,make them also sensible that    
nothing so much contributes  to         
propriety and economy1 as the keeping of

 every thing in its proper  place4 ,this
 rule appears too trifling to mention2  
nevertheless it goes a  great way if it 
be rigidly observed4 ,for instance--are 
you in want of  any thing8 not a moment 
is lost in finding it--there is neither 
trouble1  disputation1 nor embarrassment
 attending its search3 you put your hand
  immediately upon it1 and when         
satisfied1 replace it in the situation  
where you found it4 ,this nice order    
constitutes one of the essential  parts 
of propriety2 and every eye is struck   
with the neat appearance of  so exact an
 arrangement4 ,moreover1 a particular   
place allotted to each  article1 not    
only has a pleasing appearance1 but1 in 
reality1 tends to  the preservation of  
that article4 ,it is used less than it  
otherwise  would be--it is not so       
frequently spoilt by accident--it is    
even more  respected and treasured3 for 
example1 a vase would never be covered  
with  dust1 or become liable to be      
broken1 if it were instantly put away   

after  being done with4 ,a passion for  
arranging things orderly1 produces a    
love  of neatness2 and this will appear 
very advantageous1 if it be considered  
that by such means servants are never   
encouraged in idleness and  confusion4  
,again1 something is gained by making   
their service prompt  and easy1 and     
depriving us of an opportunity of       
becoming impatient and  impetuous1 which
 is generally the case when things      
cannot be found from  confusion and     
irregularity4    ,at the same time1     
avoid the excess of politeness and      
propriety4 ,when  propriety is within   
moderation1 it is a virtue2 but when we 
consult too  much our own tastes and    
fancies1 it is converted into a         
littleness of  mind4 ,good taste rejects
 excessive delicacy3 it treats little   
matters  as little ones1 and is not hurt
 at any unpleasant consequences         
resulting therefrom4 ,ridicule1 before  
children1 those knick-knacks and        
gewgaws1 of which some women are        

prodigiously fond1 and which lead them  
insensibly into unwarrantable expenses4 
,accustom young people to a  propriety  
and decorum which is simple and easy of 
practice--shew them  the best way of    
managing things--but shew them also the 
advantage of  slighting them4 ,tell them
 how paltry and contemptible it is to   
grumble  if a dish be badly seasoned1 if
 a curtain be unevenly folded1 or a     
chair  be too high or too low4    ,it is
 undoubtedly better to be naturally     
coarse1 than to have an  overweening    
delicacy in matters of little moment4   
,this pernicious  delicacy1 if not      
repressed in women of understanding1 is 
more dangerous  as it regards           
conversation than every thing else3 to  
females of this  stamp1 the greater part
 of mankind appears insipid or          
fatiguing3 the  least deviation from    
politeness is monstrous3 and they are   
always  ridiculing and disgusted4 ,make 
such women know betimes that nothing is 
so injudicious as judging superficially 

of people by their manners1  instead of 
examining the very bottom of their      
intellect1 their  sentiments and useful 
qualities4 ,convince them1 by a variety 
of proofs1  how much a country woman1   
with a coarse or even ridiculous manner1
 but  with a good heart and sound       
understanding1 is more estimable than a 
courtisan1 who1 under an acquired       
politeness1 hides an ungrateful and     
unjust heart1 capable of every meanness 
and dissimulation4 ,observe also1  that 
those characters are always weak which  
incline to idleness and  disgust4 ,there
 is no one whose conversation is so bad1
 as that some  good may not1            
occasionally1 be drawn from it2 and     
although a person at  liberty would     
prefer choosing the best characters to  
converse with1  yet there is some       
consolation1 when reduced to converse   
with inferior  characters1 that we may  
make them talk on subjects that they    
understand1  from which1 perhaps1 some  
information may be gained4 ,but let us  

now  return to those particulars in     
which a girl should be instructed4      
,,chap4 ,,xii4    ,continuation of the  
,duties of ,women4      ,to the duties  
previously enumerated1 may be added the 
art of choosing  and retaining servants4
 ,we should employ such as have honor   
and  religion3 their offices should be  
distinctly ascertained3 the time and    
trouble which each thing requires1 the  
manner of doing it well1 and the        
expense attending it1 should also be    
considered4 ,it would be absurd  7for   
instance7 to find fault with a servant  
if you wished her to dress  any thing   
quicker than it could be dressed2 and if
 you have not some  knowledge of the    
quantity and price of the ingredients   
which compose  dishes1 you will be      
liable to become the dupe or the scourge
 of your  domestics2 so that a knowledge
 of these matters is essential to a     
mistress of a family4    ,it is also    
necessary to know their humours1 to     
manage their tempers1 and  to regulate  

in a christian-like manner this little  
household republic1  which is1 in       
general1 sufficiently turbulent4        
,authority1 is absolutely  essential in 
this respect2 for the more unreasonable 
servants are1 the  more they should be  
made obedient by fear3 but as they are  
your brethren  in ,christ1 and members  
of his kingdom1 a rigid authority should
 never be  exercised towards them1      
unless previous persuasion is found to  
fail4    ,strive1 therefore1 to be      
beloved by your servants1 without       
descending to  low familiarity2 enter   
not into conversation with them1 but at 
the same  time do not be backward in    
occasionally speaking1 with kindness and
  affability1 respecting their wants and
 concerns2 and let them be assured  of  
finding in you a compassionate          
counsellor4 ,do not check them too      
eagerly in their faults--appear neither 
surprised nor dissatisfied1  provided   
you think them not incorrigible3 let    
them gently hear reason2  and submit    

frequently to little losses by their    
service1 that you may  be able coolly to
 convince them1 that it is not from     
impetuosity and  chagrin that you       
correct them1 but rather for their own1 
than your1  interest4    ,it would be no
 easy task to accustom young women of   
fashion to adopt a  conduct1 at once so 
amiable and benevolent4 ,the impatience 
and ardor of  youth1 united with the    
false idea they are apt to entertain of 
their  birth1 often induce them to treat
 their domestics pretty nearly the same 
as they do their horses--they imagine   
that servants are any thing but  what   
they really are--and made solely for the
 convenience of their  masters4         
,endeavour to shew how revolting these  
principles are to modesty  in yourself1 
and to humanity towards your neighbour4 
,let it be comprehended that men are not
 born to be slaves--that it is a  brutal
 error to suppose our fellow mortals are
 created to flatter our  laziness and   
pride2 that servitude being established 

against the natural  equality of        
mankind1 we should endeavour to soften  
it as much as  possible2 that masters   
themselves1 though above their servants 
in  situation1 are not free from errors1
 and therefore should not expect an     
exemption from them in domestics2       
especially as they have not had the     
benefit of instruction and good         
example--and lastly1 if servants become 
good for nothing by serving ill1 masters
 also1 frequently1 become so1 by  being 
served well3 for a facility of          
accommodation in every wish1 and an     
immediate gratification in every desire1
 only softens and effeminates  the soul1
 and renders it peevish and irritable   
under every trifling  inconvenience4    
,nothing is so well calculated to effect
 this domestic government1 as the  being
 early initiated in it4 ,give a young   
woman something to manage  herself1 on  
condition of her rendering you some     
account of it3 this  confidence will    
delight her1 for youth is highly pleased

 when it is  thought worthy of          
confidence1 and capable of doing serious
 business4 ,the  example of ,queen      
,margaret is a fine illustration of     
this4 ,that princess  informs us1 in her
 memoirs1 that the most sensible        
pleasure she ever  experienced1 was in  
seeing the queen1 her mother1 begin to  
converse  with her1 when she was very   
young1 as with a person of years and    
maturity--she felt transported with joy 
on entering into the secrets  of state  
with the queen and her brother the ,duke
 of ,anjou1 reflecting  that1 not long  
ago1 she had been immersed in the       
pastimes of children4  ,overlook the    
faults of a child in her first attempts 
at these things1  and sacrifice         
something in order that she may         
ultimately gain  instruction4 ,make her 
sensible1 in a mild manner1 of what she 
should  have said or done1 to avoid the 
inconveniencies into which she has  been
 betrayed4 ,relate to her what has      
happened to yourself1 and be not        

anxious to suppress faults1 similar to  
her own1 which you committed when       
young4 ,thus will you inspire her with  
confidence2 without which1 all          
education is but a formal wearisome     
task4    ,teach a girl to read and write
 correctly4 ,it is a shameful thing1 but
  too common1 to see women of           
understanding and good breeding1 who    
cannot  accurately pronounce what they  
read3 either they stammer1 or have a    
sort  of singing or whine in their      
reading--whereas good reading consists  
in a simple and natural1 but firm and   
even1 tone of voice4 ,they are1         
moreover1 sometimes grossly deficient in
 orthography2 either as to the  manner  
of forming1 or connecting1 their letters
 when writing3 at any  rate they should 
be taught to write straight1 and in a   
character neat  and legible4    ,a girl 
should know the grammar of her own      
language2 not1 however1  that she is to 
be taught by rule1 as schoolboys are    
taught the ,latin  language--but that   

she be used to distinguish the different
 tenses1 in  an obvious and easy manner2
 to make use of proper terms2 and to    
explain  their thoughts1 in a way1 at   
once clear and concise4 ,by these means 
you  will enable her one day to teach   
her own children to speak accurately    
without previous study4 ,it is well     
known that in ancient ,rome1 the  mother
 of the ,gracchi contributed greatly1 by
 a sound education1 to  improve the     
language of her children1 who became    
afterwards such eminent  characters4    
,females should also be instructed in   
the first four rules of arithmetic2     
namely1 in addition1 subtraction1       
multiplication1 and division2 which     
will be of essential use to them in     
keeping accounts4 ,this1 though a  very 
important1 is a very disagreeable1      
occupation with many people2 but  early 
habits1 joined to a facility of quick   
reckoning1 by the help of  rules1 will  
overcome every antipathy1 and enable us 
to arrange the most  perplexed accounts4

 ,no one can be ignorant that a correct 
method of  keeping them is often        
productive of good order throughout an  
establishment4    ,it will be prudent   
also to give them a knowledge of the    
principal rules  of justice3 for        
example1 of the difference between a    
gift and a thing  bequeathed2 between a 
contract1 an entail1 and a copartnership
 of  inheritance2 the general rules of  
law1 or the particular customs of a     
country1 which render these things      
valid2 what is exclusive1 and what  is  
common1 property2 what goods are        
moveable1 and what immoveable4  ,when   
women marry1 they will find a knowledge 
of these things of great  importance to 
them4    ,but1 at the same time1        
convince them1 how incapable they are of
 entering  deeply into the subtilties of
 law3 how much the law itself1 by the   
weakness of human reason1 is subject to 
obscurity1 and doubtful  rules3 how it  
varies3 how uncertain every thing is    
that depends upon  judicial decision1   

clear and upright as it may seem3 how   
ruinous and  insupportable is the law's 
delay1 even in the most obvious         
cases4#ac     #ac ,i have here omitted  
two or three passages of the original1  
because they describe such incongruity  
and perniciousness in the law   of      
,france1 as cannot be applicable to the 
modes observed in the   ,british courts 
of judicature4                          
,t4      ,all this is of importance for 
women to know1 in order to abate their  
fondness for lawsuits1 and to prevent   
their trusting implicitly to            
counsellors1 who would dissuade them    
from peaceful measures4 ,when they  are 
widows1 or mistresses of their estates  
in any other way1 they may do  well to  
hear their agents1 but not blindly      
follow them4 ,they should act  with the 
utmost caution in any suits their agents
 may advise them to  undertake2 and     
consult men of greater ability1 and such
 as are more  inclined to recommend the 
advantages of compromise3 in short they 

should  be assured1 that the best       
ability in law causes1 is1 to foresee   
the  mischiefs of them1 and to know how 
they may be avoided4    ,young women of 
rank and large fortune should be        
acquainted with  the duties more        
particularly attached to great estates3 
tell them  therefore1 what should be    
done1 to prevent the abuses1 violence1  
tricks  and treacheries so common in the
 country2 how they ought to establish   
little schools and charitable societies1
 for the relief of the sick and  needy3 
shew them also the handicraft trades1   
that may be set on foot in  certain     
countries1 to help the poor2 and above  
all1 how they may be  taught useful     
knowledge and christian conduct2 this   
however will lead to  a detail too long 
to be here discussed4    #ad,these      
instructions having been attended to1 ,i
 think it may not be  improper to allow 
young women1 according to their leisure 
and capacity1  the perusal of profane or
 classical writers1 provided there be   

nothing  in them to inflame or mislead  
the passions3 these will be a means also
  of giving them a distaste for plays   
and romances4 ,put into their hands1    
therefore1 the ,greek and ,roman        
historians2 they will there see         
prodigies  of courage and               
disinterestedness3 let them be          
acquainted likewise with  the history of
 their own country1 which has its       
excellencies also1 and  with that of the
 neighbouring or foreign countries1     
judiciously written4  ,all this will    
serve to enlarge their understandings1  
and to fill their  hearts with noble    
sentiments1 provided you guard against  
vanity and  affectation4 ,it is         
generally thought a necessary part of a 
good  education1 for a young lady of    
rank to be taught the ,italian and      
,spanish  languages3 for my part ,i see 
no use in these acquirements1 unless the
  lady is to be connected with some     
,spanish or ,italian princess3#ae       
besides these two languages often lead  

them to books that are dangerous1  and  
which might increase the faults to which
 they are liable2 there is  much to     
lose1 and little to be gained1 by these 
studies4 ,latin might be  of some use2  
even in cultivating the elegancies of   
language1 they will  find the ,latin    
more perfect than the ,italian and      
,spanish1 which are  full of quaint     
conceits1 and a wantonness of           
imagination bordering on  extravagance3 
,latin however should be taught to young
 women of good  judgment and discreet   
conduct only2 who will set no greater   
value on  this study than it deserves2  
who will renounce all vain curiosity1   
and  have no other view than their own  
edification4     #ad ,another passage of
 the original is also here omitted2     
because it   relates to the observance  
of certain feudal rites1 and to a       
knowledge   of real property1 which can 
be of no service to a woman in this     
country4                                
,t4       #ae ,fenelon is certainly     

fastidious when he censures the         
acquirement   of the ,italian language1 
which is one of the most soft and       
pleasing   of any in modern ,europe4    
,nor does it at all follow that a       
knowledge   of the ,italian language    
should lead to a knowledge of improper  
books--the same argument may be applied 
to any other language4                  
,t4      ,i would allow also1 but with  
great care1 the perusal of works of     
eloquence and poetry1 if ,i saw they had
 a taste for them1 and solidity  of     
judgment enough to confine themselves to
 their real use3 but fearful  of        
agitating too much their lively         
imaginations1 ,i would have the utmost  
caution observed in this respect3 every 
thing that may awaken the  sentiments of
 love1 seems to me the more dangerous in
 proportion as it  is softened and      
disguised4    ,,music and ,,painting    
require the same precautions2 all these 
arts are of  the same taste and         
tendency3 as to music1 we know that the 

ancients  thought nothing was more      
pernicious to a well regulated republic1
  than to admit an effeminate melody3 it
 enervates men1 unbending and           
sensualizing their minds3 languishing   
and passionate tones please only1  by   
subjecting the soul to the seducement of
 the senses1 till it becomes            
intoxicated by them4 ,it was on this    
account1 that the magistrates of        
,sparta broke all the instruments1 the  
harmony of which was too delicate2  and 
this was one of the most important parts
 of their policy4 ,on the  same account 
,plato strictly forbids all the         
luxurious tones of the  ,asiatic music2 
and christians1 who ought never to      
pursue pleasure only  for the sake of   
pleasure1 are under much stronger       
obligations to guard  themselves against
 these dangerous entertainments4        
,poetry and music1 directed to their    
true end1 may be of excellent use  to   
excite in the soul1 lively and sublime  
sentiments of virtue4 ,how  many of the 

books of scripture of the poetical kind1
 according to all  appearance were sung 
by the ,hebrews4 ,songs were the first  
memorials  which preserved more         
distinctly1 the tradition of divine     
truths among  men1 before the invention 
of writing4 ,we see how powerful music  
has  been among the heathen nations1 in 
elevating their minds above the         
sentiments of the vulgar3 and the church
 has employed it1#af for the            
consolation of her children1 in         
celebrating the praises of ,god4 ,we    
ought  not therefore to abandon these   
arts1 which the spirit of ,god himself  
hath consecrated4     #af ,an admirable 
sermon1 on the antiquity1 use1 and      
excellence1 of   church music1 by       
,bishop ,horne1 may be seen among the   
#af sermons   separately published by   
that amiable prelate1 in #hvo4 ,oxford1 
#agie1   #b;d edit4                     
,t4      ,music and poetry employed on  
sacred subjects1 would have a powerful  
influence in destroying the relish for  

profane pleasures4 ,but while our       
present prejudices prevail1 these arts  
cannot be cultivated without  danger4   
,lose no time1 therefore1 in making a   
young woman who is strongly  susceptible
 of these impressions1 sensible of what 
charms may be found  in music1 even     
while it is confined to subjects of     
religion3 if she has  a good voice and a
 taste for music1 never hope to keep her
 in ignorance  of it2 to forbid it will 
only increase her passion for it4 ,it   
will be  much better to give it a proper
 direction1 than to endeavour to stifle 
it4    ,,painting is more easily        
convertible to good purposes2 besides1  
it  belongs in some degree to women2    
their needlework cannot properly be     
executed without it4 ,i know they might 
be confined to employments that  are    
simple and require no skill2 but as ,i  
think we should contrive to  employ the 
head and hands of women of condition at 
the same time1 ,i  could wish they had  
employments in which art and ingenuity  

might season  their labours with some   
entertainment4 ,their work cannot have  
any real  beauty1 unless it be conducted
 by a knowledge of the rules of drawing2
  for want of which1 what one sees in   
stuffs1 lace1 and embroidery1  is done  
in an ill taste2 all is confused2       
without design1 without  proportion4#ag 
,these things are reckoned fine1 because
 they cost a  great deal of labour to   
those who work them1 and a great deal of
 money  to those who buy them4 ,the     
lustre dazzles those who do not closely 
examine1 or are not skilful in these    
matters4 ,the women on this subject     
have made rules of their own1 which if  
any man should contest1 he  would be    
thought capricious and absurd4 ,however1
 they might correct  themselves by an   
attention to painting1 and so be able1  
at a moderate  expense1 and to their    
great entertainment1 to execute works of
 a noble  variety and beauty1 which     
would bid defiance to the caprice and   
uncertainty of fashion4     #ag ,i do   

not think this applicable to the present
 system of fashion3   women1 in general 
display great taste in patterns1 and    
great elegance   in the adjustment of   
dress4                                  
,t4      ,there is nothing which women  
ought to guard more against1 or despise1
  than living in idleness4 ,let them    
consider that the first christians  of  
whatever condition of life1 all applied 
themselves to some  employment1 not as  
an amusement1 but as a serious1 useful1 
constant  business4 ,the order of       
nature1 the penance imposed on the first
 man1 and  in him upon all his          
posterity1 the great example which our  
,saviour ,jesus  ,christ1 hath set      
before us in this respect1 all concur to
 engage us1  each in his station1 to a  
life of labour4    ,in the education of 
a young woman1 her condition ought to be
 regarded1  and the situation and cast  
of life she will probably move in4 ,take
 care  that her expectations do not     
exceed her fortune and rank2 if they do1

  they will cost her many sorrows2 what 
would have made her happy1 will  become 
disgusting to her1 if she has cast a    
wishful eye on a superior  condition4   
,if a girl is to live in the country1   
turn her attention  betimes to the      
occupations of the country2 keep her a  
stranger to the  amusements of the town3
 shew her the blessings of a simple     
active life4  ,if her situation be among
 the middle ranks of the town1 let her  
not come  near the people of the court2 
this intercourse will only serve to give
  her unbecoming and ridiculous airs3   
confine her within the bounds of her    
own station1 and point out to her good  
examples among those of the same  rank3 
form her mind to what will be the       
business of her life3 teach her  the    
management of a tradesman's family3 the 
care that ought to be taken  of his     
income1 whether from returns out of the 
country1 or rents of  houses in the     
town3 what belongs to the education of  
her children2  in short the whole detail

 of business or of commerce1 into which 
you  foresee she may probably be thrown1
 when she is married4#ah     #ah ,what  
follows1 in ,fenelon1 relating to the   
religious   establishments of women1 and
 taking the veil1 is not here           
inserted--as being wholly inapplicable  
to the laws and customs of   ,england4  
,,chap4 ,,xiii4    ,of ,governesses4    
,i foresee that this plan of education1 
will pass with many for a  chimerical   
project3 it requires1 they will say1 an 
uncommon share of  discernment1         
patience1 and skill1 to carry it into   
execution3 where are  the governesses   
capable of following1 or even           
understanding it8 ,but it  should be    
considered that when we are laying down 
rules for the best  education that can  
be given to children1 we are not to give
 imperfect  rules2 it is not matter of  
reprehension then1 that in such an      
enquiry1  we aim at what is most        
perfect4 ,it is true1 we cannot go so   
far in  practice as our thoughts go upon

 paper1 where they meet with no         
obstruction2 but after all1 though we   
are absolutely unable to arrive at      
perfection in this business1 it will be 
far from useless to know what           
perfection is1 and to attempt it at any 
rate2 which is the best means  of       
approaching it as nearly as we can4     
,besides1 my rules do not proceed  upon 
the supposition of any thing            
extraordinary in the disposition of     
children1 or a concurrence of           
circumstances happily calculated for a  
perfect education2 on the contrary ,i   
endeavour to apply remedies1 to  tempers
 naturally bad1 or which have been      
spoilt3 ,i calculate the common         
mistakes in education1 and have recourse
 to the most simple methods of          
correcting1 in the whole or in part1    
what has absolute need of  correction4  
,it is true1 you will not find in this  
little work1 the means of giving        
success to an education neglected or ill
 conducted2 but is there any  thing     

strange in this8 ,is it not the most    
that one can wish1 to obtain  simple    
rules1 by the observance of which1 a    
good education may be  acquired4 ,i     
confess we may dispense1 and do dispense
 generally1 with  much less than ,i     
propose2 but it is likewise very obvious
 that children  suffer materially by    
this neglect4 ,the road ,i am pointing  
out1 though  tedious in appearance1 is  
in reality the shortest1 as it leads    
directly  to the object we are in       
pursuit of4 ,the other1 which is that of
 fear  and of a superficial culture of  
the understanding1 short as it may      
seem1 is in reality long2 as it hardly  
ever attains to the only true  end of   
education1 which is to form the mind1   
and inspire it with a  sincere love of  
virtue4 ,the greater part of those who  
have gone this  latter road1 have to    
commence their journey anew1 at a moment
 when their  education seems finished2  
and after having passed the first years 
of  their entrance into the world1 in   

committing errors which are often       
irreparable1 they are forced to learn   
from experience1 and their own          
reflections1 those maxims1 of which that
 wretched and superficial  education had
 left them in ignorance4 ,it should be  
observed moreover1  that the first      
services demanded in behalf of children1
 and which  inexperienced people regard 
as oppressive and impracticable1 will   
preserve them from troubles much more   
grievous2 and remove obstacles  which   
become insurmountable1 in the course of 
an education less accurate  and skilful4
    ,lastly it should be noticed that in
 order to execute this plan of          
education1 the business does not consist
 so much in doing any thing  which      
requires great talents1 as in avoiding  
the gross errors previously  enumerated4
 ,there will be often nothing more      
wanting than to be calm and  patient    
with children3 to be watchful over them3
 to inspire them with  confidence3 to   
give plain and intelligible answers to  

their little  questions3 to let their   
natural dispositions work in order to   
know them  the better3 and to correct   
them with temper1 when they are         
mistaken1 or  in fault4 ,it is not      
reasonable to expect that a good        
education can be  conducted by a bad    
governess2 it is enough to deliver rules
 which will  give success to one1       
moderately qualified3 of such a person  
it is not  expecting too much that she  
be possessed of good sense1 a mild      
temper1  and the fear of ,god2 such a   
one will find nothing in this treatise  
subtile or abstracted1 and if she should
 not understand the whole of it1  she   
will comprehend the substance at least2 
and that will be sufficient4  ,make her 
read it over many times1 and be at the  
trouble of reading it  with her2 allow  
her the liberty of stopping you at any  
thing she does  not understand1 or of   
the truth of which she is not convinced2
 then let  her put these instructions   
into practice1 and if you should        

observe1  that in talking to the child1 
she loses sight of the rules which she  
had  agreed to follow1 correct her      
privately in as mild a manner as        
possible4  ,this application will be    
wearisome to you at first1 but if you   
are the  father or mother of the child1 
it is your indispensable duty4 ,besides1
  your difficulties will not be of long 
continuance3 your governess1 if  she be 
sensible and well-disposed1 will learn  
more of your method in  a month by      
practice1 than by long arguments2 and   
she will soon be  able to go on in the  
right way by herself4 ,there will be    
this further  circumstance to relieve   
you1 that she will find in this little  
work1 the  principal topics of          
conversation1 with children1 upon the   
most important  subjects already        
detailed for her2 so that she will      
hardly have any  thing to do but to     
follow them2 thus she will possess a    
collection of  the discourses she should
 hold with children1 upon subjects the  

most  difficult for them to understand2 
it is a kind of practical education     
which will be an easy guide to her4     
,you may likewise make excellent use of 
the historical catechism                
before-mentioned4 ,let the person you   
are forming to educate your  children   
read it over so often1 that it may be   
familiar to herself1 and  that she may  
enter into the spirit of this method of 
teaching4 ,it must  be acknowledged1    
however1 that persons of even moderate  
talents for such  services1 are rarely  
to be met with2 and yet nothing is to be
 done in  education1 without a proper   
instrument for the business2 the        
commonest  things cannot be done of     
themselves1 and they are always ill done
 by  improper people4--,choose therefore
 either out of your own family1 or      
among your tenants1 or friends1 or from 
some well-ordered society1 some  young  
woman you think capable of being taught3
 apply yourself early to  the forming of
 her for this employment3 have her near 

you for some time1  to make trial of her
 before you commit to her so important a
 trust4  ,five or six governesses       
trained in this manner1 would soon be   
able to  instruct a great number of     
others2 many of these would probably    
fail1  but out of a great number1 we    
might always repair the loss1 and not be
  so wretchedly compelled1 as we        
continually are1 to be seeking for a    
variety of teachers4    ,but though the 
difficulty of finding governesses is    
great2 it must be  confessed there is   
another yet greater1 which is the       
irregularity of  parents4 ,all the rest 
will signify nothing1 if they do not    
co-operate  in the business3 the        
foundation of every thing is giving     
their children  right notions and       
edifying examples3 and yet this is only 
to be  found in very few families2 in   
most1 one sees nothing but confusion1   
perpetual changes1 a heap of servants1  
who are not only quarreling with  one   
another1 but are the cause of           

disagreement among their masters  and   
mistresses4 ,what a woeful school is    
this for young children6 ,the  mother   
who passes her time in gaming1 at plays1
 and in indiscreet  conversations1 very 
gravely complains that she cannot find a
 governess  capable of bringing up her  
children2 but what good can the best of 
educations confer on children1 with the 
example of such a mother before  them8  
,one frequently sees parents who        
themselves carry their children to      
public diversions1 and other            
amusements1#ai which cannot fail of     
giving  them a disrelish for that       
serious and orderly course of life1 in  
which  these very parents wish to engage
 them3 thus they mix poison with        
wholesome diet3 they talk indeed of     
nothing but discretion1 but at the  same
 time they are agitating the flighty    
imagination of their children1  by the  
violent impressions of music1 and of    
passionate theatrical  representations1 
which indispose them for application1   

give them a taste  for what is          
passionate1 and thereby make them think 
innocent pleasure  insipid2 and after   
all this still expect that the business 
of  education shall go on well1 and     
consider it as an irksome and austere   
thing1 if it will not admit of this     
mixture of good or evil4 ,thus are  they
 fond of the reputation of being anxious
 for the good education of  their       
children1 and yet are unwilling to be at
 the pains of complying  with the most  
indispensable rules of it4     #ai ,i   
recommend the sensible mother1 who has  
really the happiness   of her daughter  
at heart1 to peruse and reperuse the    
excellent   observations on this head1  
which are to be found in a little       
pamphlet1 lately published by the ,rev4 
,mr4 ,owen2 entitled ,the   ,fashionable
 ,world ,displayed4    ,let us conclude 
with the picture which the wise man has 
drawn of a  virtuous woman4             
,who can find a virtuous woman8 for her 
price is far above        rubies4 ,the  

heart of her husband doth safely trust  
in her1        so that he shall have no 
need of spoil4 ,she will do him         
good and not evil all the days of her   
life4 ,she seeketh        wool1 and     
flax1 and worketh willingly with her    
hands4 ,she        is like the merchant 
ships1 she bringeth her food from       
afar4 ,she riseth also while it is yet  
night1 and giveth        meat to her    
household1 and a proportion to her      
maidens4 ,she        considereth a      
field1 and buyeth it2 with the fruit of 
her        hands she planteth a         
vineyard4 ,she girdeth her loins with   
strength1 and strengtheneth her arms4   
,she perceiveth that        her         
merchandize is good3 her candle goeth   
not out by night4        ,she layeth her
 hands to the spindle1 and her hands    
hold the        distaff4 ,she stretcheth
 out her hand to the poor2 yea1 she     
reacheth forth her hands to the needy4  
,she is not afraid        of the snow   
for her household3 for all her household

 are        clothed with scarlet4 ,she  
maketh herself coverings of             
tapestry1 her clothing is silk and      
purple4 ,her husband is        known in 
the gates1 when he sitteth among the    
elders of the        land4 ,she maketh  
fine linen1 and selleth it1 and         
delivereth        girdles unto the      
merchant4 ,strength and honour are her  
clothing1 and she shall rejoice in time 
to come4 ,she        openeth her mouth  
with wisdom1 and in her tongue is the   
law        of kindness4 ,she looketh    
well to the ways of her household1      
and eateth not the bread of idleness4   
,her children arise        up1 and call 
her blessed2 her husband also1 and he   
praiseth        her4          ,many     
daughters have done virtuously1 but thou
 excellest        them all4 ,favour is  
deceitful1 and beauty is vain3 but a    
woman that feareth the ,,lord1 she shall
 be praised4 ,give        her of the    
fruit of her hands1 and let her own     
works praise        her in the gates4   

,though the great difference in manners1
 and the brevity and boldness of  the   
figures1 make this language obscure at  
first1 yet the stile is so  rich and    
animated1 that we are soon charmed with 
it on examination4 ,but  what should be 
further remarked in it1 is1 that it is  
the authority of  ,solomon1 the wisest  
of men2 it is the ,holy ,spirit itself  
speaking in  this lofty manner1 to      
recommend to us1 in the character of a  
woman of  rank and fortune1 ,,simplicity
 ,,of ,,manners1 ,,domestic ,,economy   
and ,,industry4      ,h4 ,ruff1 ,printer
 and ,publisher1 ,cheltenham4--#ahje4   
,,transcriber',s ,,note      ,period    
spellings have generally been retained  
even when obsolete1 though  some obvious
 spelling errors were corrected 7e4g41  
eateth replaced  eatheth1 pleased       
replaced peased1 think replaced thing74 
,occasional  missing punctuation has    
been added4    ,the original lacked a   
cover1 so one has been supplied by the  
transcriber4