228 SOPHIAOK THE EDUCATION OF YOUNGLADIES. June 22, 



with migration and conqueft has overfpread the reft of 

 world, but which will foon difappear before the light 

 ©f liberty and learning. 



The rights of men begin now to be every where felt, 

 under uood, and vindicated; by and bye, I would fain hope, 

 the rights of our fex will be equally underftood, and clla- 

 bliflied upon the bafis of a new code of education, fuited to 

 the dignity and importance of our fituation in fociety. 

 And it is hard to fay, whether the general welfare of 

 the community will not be as much promoted by this 

 laft revolution as by the firft. Women will then per- 

 haps receive an education no way differing from that of 

 men, in all things relating to the cultivation of the ra- 

 tional powers of the underftanding : women in the high- 

 er or more opulent ranks of fociety, will receive every 

 inftruSion in the faiences and fine arts, that may render 

 them happy in themfelves, agreeable in their families, 

 and ufeful to fociety. A female profeffor in a college, 

 as at Bologna, will be no longer mentioned as a foleciim^ 

 nor Macaulays, Montagues, Carters or Blackburnes 

 be ftared at as wonders, or envied by the ladies, and 

 laughed at by the gentlemen. 



In the middling ranks, women will be educated to 

 trades fuited to their fex, and behaviour in fociety ; of 

 which there are a fufficient number to fliare them with 

 the other fex without encroachment. Haberdalhers, 

 grocers, and every kind of Ihop-keeping, watch- 

 making, and all the nicer operations of the hand in 

 fedentary occupation might be performed by them, 

 whereby the wealth and ftrength of nations would be 

 greatly increafed, and a greater militia kept up (without 

 hurting the community) Xo preferve order at home, and 

 defend the property and honour of nations abroad. 



I fhall be told, perhaps, by fome of your correfpon- 

 4ents, that the education of women, and particularly 

 of gentlewomen, is now quite a different affair from 

 what it was formerly ; that young ladies are now taught 

 to read Englifh, French, and Italian ; to play exquifitCf 



