1791' A LADY, ON THE ART OF IDLENESS. 163 



the country on Enfield chace, I fet myfelf to verify 

 my ftudies by a£lual operations, many of which I per- 

 formed with my own hand. The pleafure of garden- 

 ing led mc to inquire concerning the nature of manures, 

 the growth of plants ; and their qualities drawing me 

 gradually on to the knowledge of fofllls ufeful in a- 

 griculture, or of plants ufeful in manufaftures j in 

 fliort, I became rationally curious, and was rationally 

 employed. I was no longer difgufted with my own 

 infigniticancy, and no longer brooded over my difap- 

 pointments. 



Tlie outfides of men became lefs interefting to me 

 than formerly. I wiflied to know if there was any 

 thing within my lovers, before I paid any attention to 

 their external exhibition. 



Having thus recovered my fenfes, and applied them 

 to the recovery of my charaftcr, and the fecuring of 

 my own happinefs, independent of the world, though 

 1 had only a very moderate jointure, I was able to make 

 it fuiTicient for all my defires ; and my prudence ob- 

 tained mc a propofal of marriage from a gentleman of 

 competent eftate in the country, whofe hand I accepted; 

 and I hope 1 may venture to fay, that he is fatisfied 

 with my condu(El as a wife and mother, and my man- 

 tiers as a companion, and affeftionate friend, who, if 

 he ihould deteft my hand in this letter, will, I dare 

 fay, forgive my becoming authorefs anonymoully, for 

 the good of the ladies to whom I recommend, efpeci- 

 ally on their marriage, the reading of Dean Swift's let- 

 ter to a very young one upon that occ-iiion ; which, to 

 fave them the unjujfcrahh fatigue of looking over the 

 indexes of 13 volumes, I beg leave to inform them, is 

 to be found in the beginning of the fourth of the com- 

 mon editions. 



I am, Mr. Editor, your conftant reader and ad- 

 mirer, 



A FORTL'NATE DAUGHTER OF IDLENESS. 



X 2 



