WORKS AND LIFE OF LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU. 
life in all the splendours and frivolities 
‘of the great and busy world, again re- 
tiring to a rural privacy, resembling 
that of her early years, once more re- 
‘curring to the studies which had then 
occu ied/her thoughts and formed her 
ef enjoyment; soothing the pains of 
exile by philosophic reflection, by the 
contemplation of the beauties of nature 
inthe delicious climate of Italy,’ and by 
| the pleasing pursuits of agriculture and 
/@ardening. Not as formerly, amusing 
herself with the dreams of hope and 
‘delusions of fancy, but calmly impart- 
- Img to her posterity the lessons of, grey 
Ri experience, and the results of extensive 
_ Yeading and sober meditation: and 
_ whilst her wit, instead of arming with 
_ its lightnings the uplifted hand of sa- 
tire, now gilds the brow of wisdom 
with bright, but lambent, glories. Her 
' pictures of the world are indeed some- 
what dark and uninviting ;—but when 
we have knowledge and sagacity been em- 
_ ployed in making discoveries entirely to 
_ the advantage of human nature?) From 
_ volumes so rich in striking passages, it 
_ is no robbery to select a few, for the 
_ confirmation of our remarks, and the 
‘ 
cy -*€ T find tar-water has sueceeded to Ward’s 
3 drop: it is possible by this time that some 
_ other quackery has taken place of that ; the 
_ English are easier than any other nation in- 
 fatuated by the prospect of universal medi- 
_ ines; nor is there any country in the 
_ world where the doctors raise such immense 
_ fortunes. I attribute it to the fond credu- 
 dity which is in all mankind. We have no 
ce onger faith in miracles and reliques, and, 
& 1 erefore, with the same fury, run after re- 
_ Ctipts and physicians: the same money 
which, three hundred years ago, was given 
- for the health of the soul, is now given for 
‘i e health of the body, and by the same 
_ sort of people, women and half-witted men: 
~ inthe country, where they have shrines and 
_ images, quacks are despised, and monks and 
Vconfessors find their account in managing 
~ the fear and hope which rule the actions of 
_ the multitude.” gt 
D ee 
_ Among many excellent observations 
on female education, in her ideas on 
which subject Lady Mary anticipated 
_ the present age, we meet with these: 
i ee P Fes, We e 
© T cannot help writing a sort of plea 
for my last letter, foreseving that you will 
ink it wrong, or at least Sord Bute will 
be extremely shocked, at the proposal of a 
dearned education for daughters, which the 
503 
generality of men believe to be as great 2 
profanation, as the clergy would do, if the 
Rity should presume to exercise the func- 
tions of the priesthood. I desire you would 
take notice, I would not have learning en- 
joined them as a task, but permitted as a 
pleasure, if their genius leads them naturally 
to it. I look upon my grand-daughters as a 
sort of lay nuns: destiny may have laid up 
other things for them, but they have no rea- 
son to expect to pass their time otherwise, 
than their aunts do/at present; and I know, 
by experience, it is in the power of study 
not only to make solitude tolerable, but 
agreeable. I have now lived. almost seven 
years in a stricter retirement than yours in 
the isle of Bute, and’can assure you, I have 
never had half an hour heavy on my hands, 
for want of something to do. Whoever 
will cultivate their own mind, will find full 
employment. Every virtue does not only 
require great care in the planting, but as 
much daily solicitude in cherishing, as exotic 
fruits and flowers. The vices and passions 
(which T am afraid are the natural product 
of the soil) demand perpetual weeding. 
Add to this the ach after knowledge 
(every branch of which is entertaining), and 
the longest life is too short for the pursuit 
of it; which, though in some regard con- 
fined to very straight limits, leaves still a 
vast variety of amusements to those capable 
of tasting them, which is utterly impossible 
to be attained by those that are blinded by 
prejudice, the certain effect of an ignorant 
education. My own was one of the worst 
in the world, being exactly the same as Cla- 
rissa Harlow’s: her pious Mrs. Norton. so 
perfectly resembling my governess, who had 
been nurse to my mother, [ could almost 
fancy the author was acquainted with her, 
she took so much pains, from my infancy, 
to fill my head with superstitious tales and 
false notions.. It was none of her fault, 
that Iam not at this day afraid of witches and 
hobgoblins, or atied methodist. Almost 
all girls are bred after this manner. I be- 
lieve you are the only woman (perhaps, I 
-tmight say, fereen) that never was either 
frizhted or cheated into any thing by your 
parents. I can truly affirm, I never deceived 
any body in my life, excepting (which. 1 
confess has often happened uandesigned) ).by 
speaking plainly, as ead Stanhope used to 
say (during his ministry) he always imposed 
on the foreign ministers by telling them. the 
naked truth, which, as they thought im- 
possiltle to come from the mouth of a states- 
man, they never failed to write information 
to their respective courts directly contrary to 
the assurances he gave them. Most people 
confound the ideas of sense and cunning, 
though there are really no two things in na- 
ture more opposite: it is in part, Foie its 
false reasoning, the unjust custom prevails 
of debarring our sex from the advantage of 
learning, the meu fancying the improvement 
of our understandings would only furnish 
