er and the pupil.' This, it must be confess- may be done, but there are others which ed, is a most desperate remedy; it is like should not be left undone. Many things are starving to death, to avoid being poisoned. becoming, but one thing is needful." BeAnd who can help trembling for the event sides, as the world seems to be fully appriof that education, from which religion, as sed of the value of whatever tends to embelfar as the governess is concerned, is thus lish life, there is less occasion here to informally and systematically excluded. Sure- sist on its importance. ly it would not be exacting too much, to suggest at least that an attention no less scrupulous should be exerted to insure the character of our children's instructor, for piety and knowledge, than is thought neces-dancers, singers, players, painters, actresssary to ascertain that she has nothing patois in her dialect.

But though a well-bred young lady may lawfully learn most of the fashionable arts; yet, let me ask, does it seem to be the true end of education to make women of fashion

es, sculptors, gilders, varnishers, engravers, and embroiderers? Most men are commonI would rate a correct pronunciation and ly destined to some profession, and their an elegant phraseology at their just price, miuds are consequently turned ́each to its and I would not rate them low; but I would respective object. Would it not be strange not offer up piety and principle as victims to if they were called out to exercise their prosounds and accents. And the matter is now fession, or to set up their trade, with only a made more easy; for whatever disgrace it little general knowledge of the trades and might once have brought on an English lady professions of all other men, and without any to have had it suspected from her accent previous definite application to their own that she had the misfortune not to be born peculiar calling? The profession of ladies, in a neighbouring country; some recent to which the bent of their instruction should events may serve to reconcile her to the be turned. is that of daughters, wives, mosuspicion of having been bred in her own. thers, and mistresses of families. They A country, to which, (with all its sins, which should be therefore trained with a view to are many!) the whole world is looking up these several conditions, and be furnished with envy and admiration, as the seat of true with a stock of ideas, and principles, and glory and of comparative happiness! A qualifications and habits, ready to be applied country, in which the exile, driven out by the crimes of his own, finds a home! A country, to obtain the protection of which it was claim enough to be unfortunate; and no impediment to have been the subject of her direst foe! A country, which, in this respect, humbly imitating the Father of compassion, when it offered mercy to a suppliant enemy, never conditioned for merit, nor insisted on the virtues of the miserable as a preliminary to its own bounty!

England! with all thy faults, I love thee still.'

CHAP. IV.

Comparison of the mode of female education

in the last age with the present.

and appropriated, as occasion may demand,
to each of these respective situations. For
though the arts which merely embellish life
must claim admiration; yet when a man of
sense comes to marry, it is a companion
whom he wants, and not an artist. It is not
merely a creature who can paint, and play,
and sing, and draw, and dress, and dance
it is a being who can comfort and counsel
him; one who can reason, and reflect, and
feel, and judge, and discourse and discrimi-
nate; one who can assist him in his affairs,
lighten his cares, sooth his sorrows, purify
his joys, strengthen his principles, and edu-
cate his children.

Almost any ornamental acquirement is a good thing, when it is not the best thing a woman has; and talents are admirable when not made to stand proxy for virtues. The writer of these pages is intimately acquaintTo return, however, to the subject of ge-ed with several ladies who, excelling most neral education. We admit that a young of their sex in the art of music, but excellady may excel in speaking French and Ita-ling them also in prudence and piety, find lian; may repeat a few passages from a vo- little leisure or temptation amidst the delume of extracts; play like a professor, and lights and duty of a large and lovely family, sing like a syren; have her dressing-room for the exercise of this charming talent; they decorated with her own drawings, tables, regret that so much of their own youth was stands, flower-pots, screens and cabinets; wasted in acquiring an art which can be nay, she may dance like Sempronia* herself, and yet we shall insist that she may have been very badly educated. I am far from meaning to set no value whatever on any or all of these qualifications; they are all of them elegant, and many of them properly tend to the perfecting of a polite education These things in their measure and degree

See Cataline's Conspiracy.

turned to so little account in married life, and are now conscientiously restricting their daughters in the portion of time allotted to its acquisition.

Far be it from me to discourage the cultivation of any existing talent; but may it not be questioned of the fond believing mother, whether talents like the spirits of Owen Glendower, though conjured by parental partiality with ever so loud a voice,

Yet will they come when you do call for them?

sent employed in learning the polite arts, or in acquiring liberal accomplishments; while That injudicious practice, therefore, can- it is insisted that their forlorn predecessors not be too much discouraged of endeavou- wore out their joyless days in adorning the ring to create talents which do not exist in mansion-house with hideous hangings of nature. That their daughters shall learn sorrowful tapestry and disfiguring tentevery thing, is so general a maternal maxim, stitch. Most cheerfully do I allow to the that even unborn daughters, of whose ex- reigning modes their just claim of boasted pected abilities and conjectured faculties, it superiority, for certainly there is no piety in is presumed, no very accurate judgment can bad taste. Still, granting all the deformity previously be formed, are yet predestined to of the exploded ornaments, one advantage this universality of accomplishments. This attended them, the walls and the floors were comprehensive maxim, thus almost univer- not vain of their decorations; and it is to be sally brought into practice, at once weakens feared, that the little person sometimes is. the general powers of the mind, by drawing The flattery bestowed on the obsolete emoff its strength into too great a variety of di- ployments, for probably even they had their rections; and cuts up time into too many flatterers, furnished less aliment to selfishseparate portions, by splitting it into such ness, and less gratification to vanity: and the an endless multiplicity of employments. I occupation itself was less likely to impair the know that I am treading on tender ground; delicacy and modesty of the sex, than the but I cannot help thinking that the restless exquisite cultivation of personal accomplishpains we take to cram up every little vacui-ments or personal decorations; and every ty of life, by crowding one new thing upon mode which keeps down vanity and keeps another, rather creates a thirst for novelty back self, has at least a moral use. For than knowledge; and is but a well disguised while we admire the rapid movement of the contrivance to anticipate the keeping us in elegant fingers of a young lady busied in after-life more effectually from conversing working or painting her ball dress, we canwith ourselves. The care taken to prevent not help suspecting that her alacrity may be ennui is but a creditable plan for promoting a little stimulated by the animating idea how self-ignorance. We run from one occupation very well she shall look in it. Nor was the to another (I speak of those arts to which industrious matron of Ithaca more soothed little intellect is applied) with a view to at her solitary loom with the sweet refleclighten the pressure of time; above all we fly to them to save us from our own thoughts; we fly to them to rescue us from ourselves; whereas were we thrown a little more on our own hands, we might at last be driven, by way of something to do, to try to get acquainted with our own hearts. But it is only Might not this propensity be a little checkone part of the general inconsistency of the ed, and an interesting feeling combined with human character, that with the person of all her industry, were the fair artist habituated others we best love, we least like to converse to exercise, her skill in adorning some one and to form an intimacy; I mean ourselves. else rather than herself? For it will add no But though our being less absorbed by this lightness to the lightest head, nor vanity to busy trifling, which dignifies its inanity with the vainest heart, to solace her labours in rethe imposing name of occupation, might ren- flecting how exceedingly the gown she is der us somewhat more sensible of the tedium working will become her mother. This sugof life; yet might not this very sensation gestion, trifling as it may seem, of habituatend to quicken our pursuit of a better? ting young ladies to exercise their taste and For an awful thought here suggests itself. devote their leisure, not to the decoration of If life be so long that we are driven to set at their own persons, but to the service of those work every engine to pass away the tedious- to whom they are bound by every tender ness of time; how shall we do to get rid of tie of love and duty, would not only help to the tediousness of eternity? an eternity in repress vanity, but by thus associating the which not one of the acquisitions which life idea of industry with that of filial tenderness, has been exhausted in acquiring, will be of would promote, while it gratified some of the least use? Let not then the soul be starved by feeding it on such unsubstantial aliment, for the mind can be no more nourished by these empty husks than the body can be fed with ideas and principles.

tion that by her labour she was gratifying her filial and conjugal feelings, than the industrious but pleasure-loving damsel of Britain is gratified by the anticipated admiration which her ingenuity is procuring for her beauty.

the best affections of the heart. The Ro mans (and it is mortifying on the subject of Christian education to be driven so often to refer to the superiority of pagans) were so well aware of the importance of keeping up Among the boasted improvements of the a sense of family fondness and attachment present age, none affords more frequent mat- by the very same means which promoted ter of peculiar exultation, than the manifest simple and domestic employment, that no superiority in the employment of the young citizen of note ever appeared in public in ladies of our time over those of the good any garb but what was spun by his wife and house-wives of the last century. It is mat- daughter: and this virtuous passion was not ter of general triumph that they are at pre-confined to the early days of republican se

verity, but even in all the pomp and luxury | constant reference in the mind to that public of imperial power. Augustus preserved in performance for which they are sedulously his own family this simplicity of private cultivating this talent, excites the same pas

manners.

sions of envy, vanity, and competition in the dilettanti performers, as might be supposed to stimulate professional candidates for fame and profit at public games and theatrical exhibitions. Is this emulation, is this spirit of rivalry, is this hunger after public praise the temper which prudent parents would wish to excite and foster? Besides, in any event the issue is not favourable if the young performers are timid; they disgrace themselves and distress their friends; if courageous, their boldness offends still more than their bad performance. Shall they then be studiously brought into situations in which failure discredits and success disgusts ?

Let me be allowed to repeat, that I mean not with preposterous praise to descant on the ignorance or the prejudices of past times, nor absurdly to regret the vulgar sy stem of education which rounded the little circle of female acquirements within the limits of the sampler and the receipt book. Yet if a preference almost exclusive was then given to what was merely useful, a preference almost equally exclusive also is now assigned to what is merely ornamental. And it must be owned, that if the life of a young lady, formerly too much resembled the life of a confectioner, it now too much resembles that of an actress: the morning is all rehearsal, May I venture, without being accused of and the evening is all performance. And pedantry, to conclude this chapter with anthose who are trained in this regular routine, other reference to pagan examples? The who are instructed in order to be exhibited, Hebrews, Egyptians, and Greeks, believed soon learn to feel a sort of impatience in that they could more effectually teach their those societies in which their kind of talents youth maxims of virtue, by calling in the are not likely to be brought into play; the aid of music and poetry; these maxims, task of an auditor becomes dull to her who therefore, they put into verses, and these has been used to be a performer. Esteem verses were set to the most popular and simand kindness become but cold substitutes to ple tunes, which the children sang; thus one who has been fed on plaudits and pam-was their love of goodness excited by the pered with acclamations: and the excessive very instrument of their pleasure; and the commendation which the visiter is expected senses, the taste, and the imagination, as it to pay for his entertainment not only keeps were, pressed into the service of religion, alive the flame of vanity in the artist by con- and morals. Dare I appeal to christian pastant fuel, but is not seldom exacted at a rents, if these arts are commonly used by price which a veracity at all strict would them, as subsidiary to religion, and to a sysgrudge. The misfortune is, when a whole tem of morals much more worthy of every circle are obliged to be competitors who ingenious aid and association, which might shali flatter most, it is not easy to be at once tend to recommend them to the youthful very sincere and very civil. And unfortu- mind? Dare I appeal to Christian parents, nately, while the age is become so knowing whether music, which fills up no trifling and so fastidious, that if a young lady does portion of their daughters' time, does not fill not play like a public performer, no one it without any moral end, or even without thinks her worth attending; yet if she does any specific object? Nay, whether some of so excel, some of the soberest of the admi-[the favourite songs of polished societies are ring circle feel a strong alloy to their plea- not amatory, are not Anacreontic, more than sure, on reflecting at what a vast expense of quite become the modest lips of innocent time this perfection must probably have youth and delicate beauty? been acquired.

The study of the fine arts, indeed, is forced on young persons, with or without genius (fashion, as was said before, having swallowed up that distinction) to such excess, as to vex, fatigue, and disgust those who have no talents, and to determine them, as soon as they become free agents, to abandon all such tormenting acquirements. While by this incessant compulsion still more pernícious effects are often produced on those who actually possess genius; for the natural

THERE are many well-disposed parents, who, while they attend to these fashionable That accurate judge of the human heart, madame acquirements, do not neglect to infuse relide Maintenon, was so well aware of the danger resulting gious knowledge into the minds of their chilfrom some kinds of excellence, that after the young dren; and having done this, are but too apt Jadies of the court of Louis Quatorze had distinguished to conclude that they have done all, and themselves by the performance of some dramatic pieces of Racine, when her friends told her how admirably they had played their parts; 'Yes,' answered this wise woman, 'so admirably that they shall never play again. VOL. I.

47

have fully acquitted themselves of the important duties of education. For having, as they think, sufficiently grounded their daughters in religion, they do not scruple to

allow them to spend almost the whole of application! And the promise of doing notheir time exactly like the daughters of thing is held out as the strongest temptation, worldly people. Now, though it be one as well as the best recompence, for having great point gained, to have imbued their done well! young minds with the best knowledge, the work is not therefore by any means accomplished. What do ye more than others?' is a question which in a more extended sense, religious parents must be prepared to

answer.

These, and such like errors of conduct, arise from the latent, but very operative, principle of selfishness. This principle is obviously promoted by many habits and practice seemingly of little importance; and indeed selfishness is so commonly interwoSuch parents should go on to teach chil-ven with vanity and inconsideration that I dren the religious use of time, the duty of have not always thought it necessary to consecrating to God every talent, every fa- mark the distinction. They are alternately culty, every possession, and of devoting their cause and effect; and are produced and rewhole lives to his glory. People of piety produced by reciprocal operation. They should be more peculiarly on their guard are a joint confederacy, who are mutually against a spirit of idleness, and a slovenly promoting each other's strength and intehabitual wasting of time, because this prac-rest; they are united by almost inseparable tice, by not assuming a palpable shape of ties, and the indulgence of either is the graguilt, carries little alarm to the conscience. tification of all. Il-judging tenderness is in Even religious characters are in danger on fact only a concealed self-love, which cannot this side; for not allowing themselves to bear to be a witness to the uncasiness which follow the world in its excesses and diver- a present disappointment, or difficulty, or sions, they have consequently more time vexation, would cause to a darling child; but upon their hands; and instead of dedicating which yet does not scruple by improper grathe time so rescued to its true purposes, tification to store up for it future miseries, they sometimes make as it were compensa- which the child will infallibly suffer, though tion to themselves for their abstinence from it may be at a distant period, which the selfdangerous places of public resort, by an ha-ish mother does not disturb herself by antibitual frivolousness at home; by a supera- cipating, because she thinks she may be bundance of unprofitable small-talk, idle saved the pain of beholding. reading, and a quiet and dull frittering away of time. Their day perhaps has been more free from actual evil: but it will often be discovered to have been as unproductive as that of more worldly characters; and they will be found to have traded to as little purpose with their master's talents. But a Christian must take care to keep his conscience peculiarly alive to the unapparent, though formidable perils of unprofitableness.

Another principle, something different from this, though it may probably fall under the head of selfishness, seems to actuate some parents in their conduct towards their children: I mean, a certain slothfulness of mind, a love of ease, which imposes a voluntary blindness, and makes them not choose to see what will give them the trouble to combat. From the persons in question we frequently hear such expressions as these: To these, and to all, the author would Children will be children.- My children, earnestly recommend to accustom their I suppose, are much like those of other peochildren to pass at once from serious busi-ple, &c. Thus we may observe this danness to active and animated recreation; they gerous and delusive principle frequently should carefully preserve them from those turning off with a smile from the first indicalong and torpid intervals between both, that tions of those tempers, which from their falanguid indolence and spiritless trifling, that tal tendency ought to be very seriously tamerely getting rid of the day without stamp-ken up. I would be understood now as ing on it any characters of active goodness or speaking to conscientious parents, who couof intellectual profit, that inane drowsiness sider it as a general duty to correct the which wears out such large portions of life faults of their children, but who, from this in both young and old. It has, indeed, pass-indolence of mind, are extremely backward ed into an aphorism, that activity is neces- discovering such faults, and are not very sary to virtue, even among those who are not well pleased when they are pointed out by apprised that it is also indispensable to hap-others. Such parents will do well to take piness. So far are many parents from be-notice, that whatever they consider it is a ing sensible of this truth, that vacations from duty to correct, must be equally a duty to school are not merely allowed, but appoint-endeavour to find out. And this indolent ed to pass away in wearisome sauntering love of ease is the more to be guarded and indeterminate idleness, and this is done against, as it not only leads parents into erby erring tenderness, by way of converting roneous conduct towards their children, but the holydays into pleasure! Nay the idle-is peculiarly dangerous to themselves. It ness is specifically made over to the child's is a fault frequently cherished from ignmind, as the strongest expression of the fond-rance of its real character; for not wearing ness of the parent! A dislike to learning is on it the strong features of deformity which thus systematically excited by preposter-mark many other vices, but on the contras ously erecting indolence into a reward for ry bearing some resemblance to virtue, it is

frequently mistaken for Christian graces of instructing, or working for them; and the patience, meekness, and forbearance, than performance of this duty must not be left to which nothing can be more opposite; these the event of contingent circumstances, or proceeding from that Christian principle operation of accidental impressions; but it of self-denial, the other from self-indul- must be established into a principle, and gence. wrought into a habit. A specific portion of In this connexion may I be permitted to the day must be allotted to it, on which no remark on the practice at the tables of many common engagement must be allowed to infamilies when the children are at home for trench. Those periods of time, which are the holydays? Every delicacy is forced not stated, are seldom turned to their proper upon them, with the tempting remark, use; and nothing short of a regular plan that they cannot have this or that dainty at (which must, however, be sometimes made school. They are indulged in irregular to give way to circumstances) insures the hours for the same motive, because they conscientious discharge of any duty. This cannot have that indulgence at school.' will help to furnish a powerful remedy for Thus the natural seeds of idleness, sensu- that selfishness, whose strong holds (the ality, and sloth, are at once cherished, by truth cannot be too often repeated) it is the converting the periodical visit at home into grand business of Christian education pera season of intemperance, late hours, and petually to attack. If we were but aware exemption from learning. So that children how much better it makes ourselves to wish are habituated, at an age when lasting as- to see others better and to assist in making sociations are formed in the mind, to con- them so, we should find that the good done nect the idea of study with that of hardship, would be of as much importance by the haof happiness with gluttony, and of pleasure bit of doing good, which it would induce in with loitering, feasting, or sleeping. Would our own minds, as by its beneficial effects on it not be better, would it not be kinder, to the objects of our kindness. * make them combine the delightful idea of home, with the gratification of the social affections, the fondness of maternal love, the kindness, and warmth, and confidence of the sweet domestic attachments,

-And all the charities
Of father, son and brother?

In what relates to pecuniary bounty, it will be requiring of young persons a very small sacrifice, if you teach them merely to give that money to the poor which properly belongs not to the child but to the parent; this sort of charity commonly subtracts little from their own pleasures, especially when what they have bestowed is immediately made up to them as a reward for their little fit of generosity. They will, on this plan, soon learn to give, not only for praise but for profit. The sacrifice of an orange to a little girl, or feather to a great one, given at the expense of their own gratification, would be a better lesson of charity on its right ground, than a considerable sum of money to be presently replaced by the parent. And it would be habituating them early to combine two ideas, which ought never to be separated, charity and self-denial.

I will venture to say, that those listless and vacant days, when the thoughts have no precise object; when the imagination has nothing to shape; when industry has no definitive pursuit; when the mind and the body have no exercise; and the ingenuity has no accquisition either to anticipate or to enjoy, are the longest, the dullest, and the least happy, which children of spirit and genius ever pass. Yes! it is a few short but keen and lively intervals of animated pleasure, snatched from between the successive labours and duties of a well-ordered, busy day, looked forward to with hope, enjoyed with taste, and recollected without remorse, which, both to men and to children, yield the truest portions of enjoyment. snatch your offspring from adding to the number of those objects of supreme commiseration, who seek their happiness in do- and they have obviously more leisure. There is a cer ing nothing! The animal may be gratified tain religious society, distinguished by simplicity of by it, but the man is degraded. Life is but dress, manners, and language, whose poor are perhaps a short day; but it is a working day. Ac- better taken care of than any other; and one reason may tivity may lead to evil; but inactivity can be, that they are immediately under the inspection of not be led to good.

As an antidote to selfishness, as well as to pride and indolence, they should also very early be taught to perform all the little offi

with domestic wants than the other sex; and in certain instances of sickness and sufferings peculiar to themselves, they should be expected to have more sympathy;

the women.

Young ladies should also be accustomed to set apart a fixed portion of their time, as sacred to the poor, *whether in relieving, and the superintendance of charity schools, ladies might

In addition to the instruction of the individual poor,

be highly useful in assisting the parochial clergy in the It would be a noble employment, and well becoming adoption of that excellent plan for the instruction of the the tenderness of their sex, if ladies were to consider ignorant, suggested by the bishop of Durham in his last the superintendance of the poor as their immediate admirable charge to his clergy. It is with pleasure the office. They are peculiarly fitted for it, for from their author is enabled to add that the scheme has actually own habits of life they are more intimately acquainted been adopted with good effect in that extensive diocese.