i66 SOPHIA OJT FEMALE EDUCATION. Jun? 29, 



ing the lovely " young ideas how to flioot" in the mind 

 of my dr.ughter. 



I confidered with the excellent Dr. Beattie, that 

 the mental faculties of children (land as much in need' 

 of improvement, and coiffequently of excercife, 3s their 

 bodily powers : "^hat it is of high importance to de- 

 vife feme mode of difcipline to fix their attention ; and 

 that, when this is not done, they become thoughtlefs and 

 diffipated to a degree, that generally unfits them for the 

 bufincfs of life. 



I adopted the inherent and (Irong principle of curio- 

 fity, a? the bafis of my power, and influence over the 

 iTiind of my pupil. I did not trouhle her with max- 

 ims and leftures, but infufed knowledge in proportion 

 to tlie defire of it, which I took every poffible way to 

 excite. 



The defire I had to keep a genteel good table for my 

 hufl>and at a moderate expence, made me particularly 

 attentive to the garden, dairy, and poultry, and all 

 thofe advantages wliicli are furniflied to a good houfe- 

 wife in the country. Alathea aiul her filler (for the 

 youngell was quite an infant) generally attended me 

 ill thefe occupations, and they produced thoufands of 

 Jittle queftions, all of which I anfwered in a manner 

 fuited to their capacities, drawing from them inferen- 

 ces in the fame manner, that were perfeftly underftood, 

 and afforded infinite pleafure. 



Mamm'i, faid Alathea one day, what is the reafon that 

 my pretty trefted hen has forgotten her chickens that 

 Ihe was fo fond of long ago, and is going along like a 

 fool with the ducklings. My dear, I will tell you how 

 this happens ; the henwife cheated her, and put the 

 duck's eggs into her net!:, and flie thought the eggs were 

 her own, and hatched them ; by and bye the ducks will 

 take the water, and the hen will fbrfake them. A hen 

 would not do this if Ihe were at home and had learnt 

 to Ihift for herfelf in the fields by gathering feeds and 

 corn, but we have brought hens about the.houfe, and 



