-Economy of Taste. 
tions on female intellect; and, if it be 
said that time is wanting, an hour a 
487 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
The Economy of Tastz.—No. 11. 
day, abstracted from the piano, for five, Taste in the Improvement of Landed Pro« 
out’of the ten years usually devoted to 
that’ instrument, would, under proper 
management, be quite sufficient. The 
only real difficulty would lie in procur- 
ing competent instructors. 
From the above imperfect analysis of 
two points only of ‘female duty, it is 
clear that a considerable portion of in- 
tellectuial exertion is necessary for the 
discharge of them: it would, therefore, 
be superfluous to follow the train of fe- 
male duties any further, though an ana- 
lysis of the whole would be required in 
the formation of a system of female 
education .* 
Many females are or may be obliged 
to earn their own livelihood, or to assist 
in the affairs of their husbands; and, 
on the death of the latter, to be in- 
volved with their families in misery, if 
they are unable to continue their hus- 
bands’ business. It would be advisable 
to make some provision on this head, 
also, in female education. 
Whether, therefore, we consider wo- 
men as wives or mothers—as regulators 
of families, or instructors of youth ; 
whether we regard their happiness or 
our own, as intelligent members of a 
community of which they form an equal 
share, in every case we shall admit that 
their education requires as great atten- 
tion, and embraces as wide a range of 
objects, as our own. This does:not im- 
ply that the sexes should be similarly 
educated. In whatever respect their 
duties differ from our’s, a corresponding 
difference should be made in their in- 
struction. | 
We may oppress and degrade women 
—we may become arbitrary tyrants over 
our enslaved victims; but most amply 
will they be revenged! From equality 
of condition and reciprocal good offices, 
civilization, liberty ang happiness spring; 
and vice, discord and misery have ever 
attended the wretched fate of master 
and slave. We are the strongest, and 
have it in our power to degrade wo- 
men; but history, reason and nature 
cry out, that we shall equally degrade 
ourselves in the attempt. 
G*, 
* To draw up sucha system, which is 
yet a desideratum, would require talent 
and experience that few possess. — Still itis 
neither visionary nor impracticable ; though 
a faint idea of its importance and object is 
all that is here attempted to be given. 
perty. 
ik in my former essay I descended so 
low as to the rural cottage, and 
endeavoured to introduce the supposed 
proud and prodigal lady, Taste, with 
humble Economy by her side, to the 
chimney corner, it is not my intention 
to confine her visits there. We will 
walk abroad for wider observation, and 
ascend to higher objects. The train of 
my reflections, in fact,’ originated from 
observing what appeared to me a grand - 
mistake, in the conduct of some of those 
territorial improvements which are go- 
ing on in a variety of places in the 
neighbourhood of the metropolis; and 
where it appeared to me, as in many 
other instances it has appeared, that a 
better attention to the principles of 
taste might have administered alike to 
the beauty and embellishment of an 
improving property, economized, in 
some degree, the expenditure of the 
proprietor, and contributed to the gra- 
tification of all whom chance or choice 
might lead to reside upon, or wander 
in the neighbourhood of such property. 
That the importance of taste in the 
improvement of any portion ofa landed 
estate, especially such improvements as 
are intended to invite the residence of 
persons of comparative opulence, should 
be obvious te every proprietor, might 
be naturally expected, especially when 
we consider-the expense to which many 
of those proprietors put themselves to 
embellish their own grounds and man- 
sions, and improve the scenery of the 
country by which they are surrounded ; 
and yet how little is that principle at- 
tended to in the planning and conduct 
of those buildings and enclosures by 
which they occasionally seek to im- 
prove their rent-rolls. If they them- 
selves inherit, or have purchased, some 
otherwise convenient dwelling, on a 
naked plot, and are employing gar- 
deners and nurserymen to embower it 
with shrubs and saplings; what would 
they give if it were possible to trans- 
port to the scene a few flourishing trees 
of mature and stately growth, to spread 
their embowering shade between them 
and the mid-day sun, and diversify the 
jejune monotony of their trim planta- 
tions ! Yet when they are planning the 
erection of some little pavillion, which 
they expect to lease out to others, or 
have marked out some roadside slip for 
a series of rentable villas, or ornamental 
cottages, 
