130 Education. [CHAt>. XXV. 



the character of female learning hecame materi- 

 ally different. Literary females, during this pe- 

 riod, paid more attention to general knowledge, 

 not omitting some of the practical branches of 

 physical science. In studying languages, they 

 devoted themselves more particularly to modern 

 tongues, especially the French, Italian, and Ger- 

 man*. Literature has descended from females of 

 high rank to those in the middle walks of life, and 

 is perhaps, on the whole, more frequent among 

 the latter than the former. And while learned 

 women of former times wrote and published little, 

 those of thaf^sex who have lately gained literary 

 distinction have been the authors of numerous 

 and valuable publications j-, some of which will 

 doubtless descend with honour to posterit3^ 



* Afew females of the eighteenth century distinguished them- 

 selves by their profound and accurate acquaintance with the 

 Latin and Greek classics. The names of madame Dacier, Mrs. 

 Crierson, Mrs. Carter, and a few others, will be remembered 

 with respect as long as the ancient languages are studied. But 

 there was certainly less disposition among the literary females of 

 the eighteenth century to devote themselves to this pursuit than 

 among those of the two preceding centuries. 



f " In this country," (England) says Mr. Polwhele, in his 

 JJnsex'd Females, " a female author was formerly esteemed a 

 phenomenon in literature; and she was sure of a favourable re- 

 ception among the critics, in consideration of her sex. This 

 soecies of gallantry, however, conveyed no compliment to her 

 understanding. It implied such an inferiority of women in the 

 scale of intellect as was justly humiliating; and critical for- 

 bearance was mortifying to female vanity. At the present day, 

 indeed, our literary women are so Huirrcrous, that their judges, 

 waving all complimentary civilities, decide upon their merits 

 with the same rigid impartiality as it seems right to exercise to- 

 w:ards the men. The tribunal of criticism is ne longer charmed 



