iSl A LADY, ON THE ART OF IDLENESS. June 8 



I could no longer indulge myfelf, without bankrupt- 

 cy and difgrace, in my former pleafures ; and I had no 

 refources at home, or in my own mind, to fill up the 

 horrible chafm that now appeared, and was foon bit- 

 terly felt in my own exillence. 



The common decencies of widowhood requfred fome 

 degree of feclufion from gay fociety for half a year j 

 and I had no relifh for any other. Driven by this e- 

 vent to the abfolute neceflity of doing fomething to a- 

 mufe myfelf, I had courage enough to begin, sind fol- 

 low, out a plan of female education, and had fix hours 

 a day for inltruftion in the various departments of 

 needle-work, French, ard literature. All was fo new 

 to me in t/je latter, that I became fond of it. I took a 

 courfe of all the bell French and Englifti clalBcs that 

 were within the reach of my capacity. I wrote down 

 my obfervations as I wefit along j and I iliewed tliem to 

 my inftruftors. I found that a knowledge of gram- 

 mar increafed my pleafure in reading ; and not fatis- 

 fied with verbal, I fludied univerfal grammar, which 

 I found perfectly enchanting. Novels, at leaft the 

 trajlj dignified by that name in Britain, gave me no 

 more deliglit. t found real hiflory infinitely more 

 aroufmg ; for, being copious of nature, or rather ori- 

 ginals, they bad an eflFecl upon my talle and percep- 

 tion, which I was quite unable to account for, but 

 which I fenfibly experienced fo inuchy as to prefer 

 them to every other kind of general reading. 



I happened accidentally to meet with a little Englifh 

 compend of Botany ; 1 learnt to diltinguifh the various 

 kinds of plants, according to the modern fyllem, and 

 amufed myfelf, on my field walks, with gathering, ar- 

 ranging, and diftinguifhing the different fpecies of 

 plants ; and having a turn for drawing, a mailer foon 

 taught me to apply my pencil to the copying thefe 

 charming produftions of nature. I did not ftop here j 

 for I ftudied the economy and culture of ufeful trees, 

 flirubs and vegetables ; and having a little garden in 



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