— 
506 - 
us with more art to deceive them, which is 
dircetly contrary to the truth, Fools are al- 
ways enterprising, not seeing the difficulties 
of deceit, or the ill consequences of detection. 
I could give many examples of ladies whose 
conduct has been very notorious, which has 
been owing to. that ignorance, which has 
exposed them to idleness, which is justly 
called the mother of mischief. There is 
nothing so like the education of a woman 
of quality as that of a prince: they are taught 
to dance, and the exterior part of what is 
called good breeding; which, if they attain, 
they are extraordinary creatures in their kind; 
and haye all the accomplishments required 
by their directors. |The same characters aré 
formed by the same lessons, which inclines 
me to think (if I dare say it) that-natare 
has not placed us in.arinferior rankito men, 
no more than the. females of ether aminals, 
where we see no- distinction of capacity ; 
though, I am persuaded, if there was a 
commonwealth of rational horses (as Doctor 
Swift has supposed), it would bean estab- 
lished maxim among them, that a mare could 
not be taught to pace.. I could add a:great 
deal on this subject, but I am not. now-.en- 
deavouring to remove the prejudices of man- 
kind; my only design is to point out to my 
grand-daughters the method of being con- 
tented with that retreat, to which unforeseen 
circumstances may oblige them, and which 
is perhaps preferable to all the show of pub- 
lic life.” 
“© T can't forbear saying something in re- 
Jation to my grand-daughters, who are very 
near my heart. If any of them are fond of 
reading, I would not advise you to hinder 
them (chiefly because it is impossible) sceipg 
poetry, plays, or romances; but accustoin 
them to talk over what they read, and point 
out to them, as you are very capable of do- 
ing, the absurdity often coucealed under fine 
expressions, where the sound is apt to en- 
gage the admiration ef young people. I was 
so much charmed at fourteen, with the dia- 
logue of Henry and Emma, I can say it by 
heart to this day, without reflecting on the 
monstrous folly of the story im plain prose, 
where a young heiress to a fond father, is 
represented falling in love with a fellow she 
had only seen as a huntsman, a falconer, 
and a beggar, and who confesses, without 
any cireumsstance of excuse, that he ts ob 
Jiged to run his country, having newly com- 
mitted a murder. She ought reasonably to 
have supposed him, at best, a highwayman ; 
yet the virtuous virgin resolyes to run away 
with him, -to live among the banditti, and 
wait upon his trollop, if she had no other 
way of enjoying his company. This sense- 
less taleis, however, so well varnished with 
nielody of words, and pomp of sentiments, 
Tam convineed it has hurt more girls than 
ever were injured. by the worst poems extant.” 
_On the authors of the day ber remarks 
\ BIOGRAPHY. * : 
are always shrewd, and often sarcastic. 
For instance, : LOGE 
** T own I have small regard for Lord Bos 
lingbroke as an author, and the highest con- 
tempt for him as aman. He came into the 
world greatly favoured both by nature and 
fortune, blest with a noble birth, heir to a 
large estate, endowed with a strong consti- 
tution, and, as I have heard, a beautiful 
figure, high spirtts, a good memory, and a 
lively apprehension, which was cultivated 
by a learned education; all these glorious 
advantages being left to the direction of a 
judgment stifled by unbounded yanity, he 
dishonoured his birth, lost his estate, ruined 
his reputation, and destroyed his health, by 
a wild pursuit of eminence even in vice and 
Witte. 7” d 
** His confederacy with Swift and Pope 
puts me ih mind of that of Bessus and his 
stvord men, in the King and no King, who 
endeavour to support themselves by giving 
certificates of each other’s merit.. Pope has 
triumphantly declared that they may do and 
say whatever silly things they please, they 
will still be the greatest geniuses nature ever 
exhibited. Iam delighted with the compa- 
rison given of their benevolence, which 1s 
indeed most aptly figured by a cirele in the 
water, which widens till it comes to nothing 
at all.” 
Fielding was her relation and friend : 
she blamed his dissolute manners, but 
pitied the poverty which compelled him 
“to throw into the world what he ought 
to have thrown into the fire.””? She thus 
draws his character : 
«JT am sorry for H. Fielding’s death, not 
only as I shall read no more of his writings, 
but I believe he lost more than others, as no 
man enjoyed life more than he did, though 
few had less reason to do so, the highest of 
his preferment being raking in the lowest 
sinks of vice and misery. I should think it 
a nobler and less nauseous employment to 
be one of the staff-officers' that conduct the 
nocturnal weddings. His happy constitution 
(even when he had, with great pains, half 
demolished it) made him forget every thing 
when ‘he was before a venison pasty, or over 
a flask cf champaigne; and I am persuaded 
he has known more happy moments than. 
any prince upon earth. His natural spirits: 
gave him rapture with his cook-maid, and 
cheerfulness when he was starving in a gar- 
ret. ‘There was a great similitude between 
his character and that of Sir Richard Steele. 
He had the advantage both in Jearning, and,- 
in my opinion, genius; they both. agreed in. 
wanting money inspite of all their fiiends, - 
and would have wanted it, if their hereditary 
lands had been as extensive as their imagi- 
nation ; yet each of them was so formed for | 
happiness, it is pity he was not immortal.” * 
