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of the human heart, as should be necessary for developing and controlling its most secret and complicated "workings."

Here we see at once a scheme of mysticism, and a proof that Young and Harward would by her be considered as preferable tutors to any professor in the Universities. Now, whether man brings with him into the world a "corrupt nature "and evil dispositions," is a theological question of little use to be inculcated in our earliest years. There are innumerable other subjects to be attended to before the mind is capable of reasoning on so abstruse, sytematic, and scholastic a question as the fall of man or woman. That is but one question; and if our learning is to be confined to it only, we shall be non-descripts indeed. I believe no man or woman, but H. More, on sending for a writing master, would think the following the only question necessary to be asked, instead of a specimen of his writing and his terms, "Dost thou believe the fall of man?" Or of a music or fencing master; "Dost thou believe in original sin?" These are not the questions any person of common sense would ask a tutor for his son, or governess for his daughter. Languages must be learned, and the circle of the sciences described and perambulated, accompanied with religious instruction before any one particular system be adopted. These are the means to prepare him for the recovery from his fall, if he has fallen,* or to become

* See Milton on Education, and an ingenious sermon by the Rev. Dr. Whitfield.

excellent and good, if he shall be considered as a "creature of education." I fear H. More's plan, if she has formed any idea of a scheme of education, is too much calculated to superinduce, by puritanical zeal, a spiritual gloom, with an age of darkness.

The "Phrenzy of Accomplishments" is next attacked and ridiculed. She reprobates the practice of ladies learning French and other languages, unless they were sure, before they began, they should become perfectly skilled in them; and describes the awkwardness of half-gentlewomen, curates, tradesmen, and farmers daughters, who have lost their time at a boarding school, when they ought to be otherwise employed. Whether this knowledge has been attained from what passed at her own and sisters school, I know not; but Mrs. Robinson, for one, certainly improved in dramatic science, for how could she fail under so skilful a mistress as H. More.

If no man is to make a beginning, without a certainty of great progress, learning must soon be banished from the world, and every other laudable work be unattempted. "The epidemical "mania" of Sunday schools, therefore, should be cured, because, as Dr. Johnson said of the Scotch nation, "every one has a smattering, but none a "belly full." Mediocrity, one talent or two, is, according to her opinion, worse than nothing.Pope's advice respecting poetical composition,

"Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring," certainly applies to herself, whose poetry does

scarcely rise to mediocrity: but all ought to attempt at learning, because a little is useful and needful, and a few among the many may distinguish themselves, and be useful to mankind. I would have all men and women taught to read and write, and every thing else they can reach at. It is thus they know themselves, and their duty to God and man. The world has been too much kept in darkness; and as we are blessed with that glorious art printing, let it be the vehicle of knowledge and happiness to the whole world.

Vanity, selfishness, inconsideraton," and affectation, will certainly now and then shew themselves, and render the vain and affected ridiculous. But learning is not to be despised, because a H. More, and such, now and then pretend to write on " female education."

Her observation,

"I do not scruple to assert, that in general, as far as my "little observation has extended, this class of females, in "what relates both to religious knowledge and to practical "industry, falls short both of the very high and the very "low."

The lady's observation is not only " little," but ignorant, and she was foolish in making it; for can all attain at, has she reached excellence? "If all "were head, where were the body and the feet?" There will always be wise and foolish virgins. In this observation, H. is not among the wise ones.

"Hence the abundant multiplication of superficial wives, "and of incompetent and illiterate governesses."

Hear this, ye wives and ye governesses! How comes it that Mrs. More and her four sisters are

not wives? Were not they well prepared and sufficiently educated for that holy and happy state? Is Hannah herself a " widow bewitched, or a non

descript wife." Ye ladies of the middling classes, you are here told that she does not write for : your instruction, "but a more important class of "females ;" and I suppose she, consequently, does not wish you to read her book!

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Dancing is ignorantly ridiculed. I suppose she herself does not like dancing, and is of Cicero's opinion, that "Nemo fere saltat sobrius," because perhaps she never was taught, or if taught, was but a bad proficient. Dancing not only teaches. to sit, stand and walk, but to act gracefully. There are beauties besides those of the face; beauties of form, of action, motion, rest. As she is so fond of inculcating the fall of woman, I wonder she is not more desirous the ladies should recover the graces of the body, as well as of the mind, of the primæval fair. "Grace was in all her steps," &c. I confess, for my own part, I would not like for a wife a person who could not jig, and foot it a little. I would not indeed be ambitious of her dancing on a slack-rope at the opera, or on the stage; but I think it indispensible she should be able to dance a country dance, do the Irish and Scotch steps (p. 84) and by all means " setting," after Mr. Spectator's method. I love a little music too. It adorns a woman's graces and virtues, for it charms; and those who hate it, are fit for all the dark crimes the poet enumerates, as well as for "private accusations." I dislike a timber

tuned wife! Every woman ought assuredly to be drilled, and learn to walk, and march as well as to step and foot it: but I would not bestow on either of these teachers a "stipend that would "make the pious Curate rich and happy." As an ecclesiastic, I thank the benevolent lady; but I recollect, that but lately, she was not so very charitable to the Curate of Blagdon, whom she endeavoured to strip of his whole income. To intimidate the British ladies from cultivating the fine arts, the act is represented as a sure token of the degeneracy, fall, and speedy dissolution of the empire, and any advancement to excellence as incompatable with female virtue, ranking them with the Phrynes (p. 88) Lais's, Aspasias, and Glyceras, all women of easy access in ancient times; courtezans, the most beautiful and accomplished in the world. Ladies! throw away your pencils, and your pens also. The "fa"mous ode of Horace" is quoted, to Mrs. Hannah's shame; for it would lead one to suspect her of being a matron; it ought never to have been metioned by her. I would not, as a man, venture to read it in her hearing, yet she herself is not ashamed to call the attention of men and women to it, to tell the public she can read and talk of what ought not to be spoken of. So gross áre some poems of that great moralist Horace, that a purged edition was a few years ago published for the use of young gentlemen. The woman that would mention such a poem, or its contents, before men, would be considered, not unjustly, as offering herself. Her words are, p. 89,

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