?3o sorniA ON the education of young ladies. June 2 3, 



This raiferable woman, who looked fo charming, was 

 fo gay and happy, and was fo wonderfully accomplifh. 

 ed ten years ago, is now a troublefome, difcor.teDted, 

 capiicious, dilTipated old car, that cannot be endured 

 even by her moft fervile dependants. In town, Ihe is 

 continually chagrined ; in the country, fbe dies of 

 the vapours, or muft go to Summer races, to Bux'on, 

 Harrogate, or fome place of public refort, or take a 

 jaunt to the Cumberland lakes ; and, in ftii»rt, muft 

 either have recourfe to continual amufemtnt, to opium, 

 or the clofet. 



Is there a family in Europe, Sir, that hath not ex- 

 perienced, or th?t is not at this moment experiencing 

 in fome degree the dreadful truth of my obferva- 

 tions. 



Mothers, it is to you that I ought to addrefs myfelf. 

 Unfortunately it is too late for you to remedy the mif- 

 fortunes ot your own prepofterous education ; but you 

 may, by vour influence, remedy them in your daughters. 

 With refpe£l to yourfelves, if diflipation, and the pre- 

 fent reigning manners of Europe have left any part of 

 jourfelves behind, give me leave to recommend 

 to you the mature confideration of the following advice 

 ©f Dean Swift in the letter above mentioned. 



"If you are in company with men of learning, 

 though they happen to difcourfe of arts and fciences, 

 out of your compafs, yet you will gather more advan- 

 tage by lillening to them, than from all the nonfenfe 

 and frippery of your own fex ; but if they be men of 

 breeding as well as learning, they will feldom engage 

 in any conveifation where you ought not to be a hear- 

 er ; and in time have your part. If they talk of the 

 Jaws, manners, and cuftoms of the feveral kingdoms of 

 Europe, of travels into remoter nations, of the ftate of 

 their own country, or of tlie great men of Greece or 

 Rome ; if they give their judgment upon Engliili and 

 French writers, either in verfe or profe, or ot the na- 

 ture and limits of virtue and vice, it is a ihame for an 



