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Thefe amiable decencies are feen in the propriety of con- 
verfation.—To place a juft remark, hazarded by the dif¬ 
fident, in the moft advantageous point of view ; to call 
the attention of the inattentive to the obfervation of one, 
who, though of much worth, is perhaps of little note ; 
are requifites for conversation, lefs brilliant, but far more 
valuable, than the power of exciting burfts of laughter 
by the brighteft wit, or of extorting admiration by the 
moft poignant fillies. For wit is, of all the qualities of 
the female mind, that which requires the fevereft caftiga- 
tion ; yet the temperate exercife of this fafcinating qua¬ 
lity throws an additional luftre round the character of an 
■amiable woman ; for to manage with difcreet modefty a 
dangerous talent, confers a higher praife than can be 
claimed by t’nofe in whom the abfence of the talent takes 
away the temptation to mifemploy it. But to women, 
wit is a peculiarly perilous polfeflion, which nothing ftiort 
of the fober-mindednefs of Chriftianity can keep in order. 
Intemperate wit craves admiration as its natural aliment; 
it lives on flattery as its daily bread. The profeflfed wit 
is a hungry beggar that fubftfts on the extorted alms of 
perpetual panegyric; and, like the vulture in the Gre¬ 
cian fable, its appetite increafes by indulgence. Simple 
truth and fober approbation become taftelefs and inftpid 
to the palate, daily vitiated by the delicious poignancies 
of exaggerated commendation. Women of the brighteft: 
faculties (liould not only bear thofe faculties meekly,' 
but conftder it as no derogation, cheerfully to fulfil thofe 
humbler duties which make up the bufinefs of common 
life, always taking into the account the higher refponfi- 
bility attached to higher gifts. While women of lower 
attainments fliould exert to the utmoft fuch abilities as 
Providence has aflrgned them ; and while they (liould not 
deride excellencies which are above their reach, they 
fliould not defpond at an inferiority which did not depend 
on themfelves; nor, becaufe God has denied them ten 
talents, fhould they forget that they are equally refpon- 
fible for the one he has allotted them, but fet about de¬ 
voting that one with humble diligence to the fervice of. 
focietv, and the glory of the Giver. 
On fallibility, and the feelings of the mind, much has 
been faid and written ; but notwithftanding all the fine 
theories to which this topic lias given birth, it will be 
found that very exquilite fenfibility contributes'fo iittle 
to happinefs, and may yet be made to contribute (o much 
to ufefulnefs, that it may, perhaps, be confidered as be¬ 
llowed for an exercife to the poffeffor’s own virtue, and 
as a keen inftrument with which to work for the good of 
others. Women of this cad of mind are lefs careful to 
avoid the charge of unbounded extremes, than to efcape 
at all events the imputation of infenftbility. They are 
little alarmed at the danger of exceeding, though terrified 
at the fufpicion of coming ftiort, of what they take to be 
the extreme point of feeling. They will even refolve to 
prove the warmth of their fenfibility, though at the ex¬ 
pence of their judgment, and fotnetimes alfo of their juf- 
tice. Even when they earneftly delire to be and to do 
right, they are apt to employ the wrong inftrument to uc- 
complilh the right end. They employ the paflions to do 
the work of the judgment; forgetting, or not knowing, 
that the paflions were not given us to be ufed in the fearch 
and difeovery of truth, which is the office of a cooler 
and more diferiminating faculty ; but that they were 
given to animate us to warmer zeal in the purfuit and 
practice of truth, when the judgment fliall have pointed 
out what is truth. Through this natural warmth, which 
they have been juftly told is fo pleafing, but which, per¬ 
haps, they have not been told will be continually expos¬ 
ing them.to peril and to fuffering, their joys and fon-ows 
are exceflive. Of this extreme irritability, the ill-edu¬ 
cated learn to boaftfas if it were an indication of fupe- 
riority of foul, inftead of labouring to reltrain it as the 
cxcefs of a temper which ceafes to be interefting when it 
is no longer under the control of the governing faculty. 
It is misfortune enough to be born more liable to Suffer 
i 
and' to fin, from this conformation off mind; it is tos- 
much to allcwf its unreftrained indulgence ; it is Hill vvorfe 
to be proud of fo mifleading a qualit.. 
Flippancy, impetuofity, refentment, and violence of 
fpirit, grow out of this difpofition, which will be rather 
promoted than corrected, by the ffyltem of education,, 
which labours to ornament the perfon, rather than the 
mind ; and in which fyltem, emotions are too early 3 nd 
too much excited, and taftes and feelings are confidered 
as too exclufively making up the whole of the female 
character ; in which the judgment is little exercifed, tire 
reafoning powers are feldom brought into aCtion, and felf- 
knowledge and felf-denial fcarcely included. This pro¬ 
pensity of mind, if unchecked, lays its poffeffors open to 
unjuft prepofleffions, and expofes them to all the danger 
of unfounded attachments. In early youth, not only 
love, but friendlhip, at firft light,, grows out of an ill-di- 
reCted fenfibility ; and in afterlife, women, under the pow¬ 
erful influence of this temper, confcious that they have 
much to be borne with, are too readily inclined to feleCb 
for their confidential connections, flexible and flattering 
companions, who will indulge, and perhaps admire, their 
faults, rather than firm and honed friends, who will re¬ 
prove and would aflift in curing them. We may adopt it 
as a general maxim, that an obliging, weak, yielding, 
complaifant friend, full of fmall attentions, with little 
religion, little judgment, and much natural acquiefcence 
and civility, is a molt dangerous, though generally a too 
much defired, confidante : (he fooths the indolence, and 
gratifies the vanity, of her friend, by reconciling her to 
her own faults, while (he neither keeps the underltanding 
nor the virtues of that friend in exercife. Thefe obfe- 
quious qualities are the Joft green, on which the foul loves 
to repofe itfelf. But it is not a refrething or a wholefome 
repofe : we fliould r.o-t fele£t, for the fake of prefent eafe, 
a Soothing flatterer, who will lull us into a pleafing obli¬ 
vion of our failings ; but a friend, who, valuing our foul’s 
health above our immediate comfort, wiil roufe us from 
torpid indulgence to animation, vigilance, and virtue. 
To EDU'CE, v. a. [ educo , Lat.] To bring out; to ex¬ 
tract ; to produce from a (Lite of occultation.—This mat¬ 
ter muff have lain eternally confined to its beds of earth s 
were'there not this, agent to educe it thence. Woodward. 
Th’ eternal art educing good from ill, 
Grafts on this pafiion our belt principle. Pope. 
E D tIC'T I OM,yi T he aCt of bringing any thing into view*. 
EDSJL'COR ANTS,y. [from edulco^L&t. to make fweet. 3 
Medicines which abforb the vicious humours of the body, 
fweeten the fluids, and deprive them of their acrimony. 
To EDUL'CORATE, v. a. [from dulcis, Lat.3 To 
fweeten. 
E DULCOR A'TION, f. The aCt of fweetening. In 
chemiflry, it imports the fame thing as dulcification ; 
namely, the rendering things more mild : but chemilts 
life the terms very differently. Dulcification confilts in 
the obtunding of acids by combination with ardent fpirit. 
Edulcoration conlifts in carrying off Superfluous acid, or 
other faline matter, by one or more walkings with water. 
Metallic calces, and other infoluble precipitates, are nfu- 
ally edulcorated previous to drying them. 
EDU'LIA, in heathen mythology, the goddefs who 
was fuppofed to give nourilhment to infants. 
ED'WARD, [eab, Sax. bleflednefs,; and aerd, Teut„ 
nature.3 A man’s name. 
ED'WARD, a fort of the American States, in Nova- 
Scotia, in the town of Windfor, in Hampfhire county. 
It is fituated on Avon river, which is navigable thus far 
for velffels of 400 tons; thofe of lixty tons can go two 
miles higher. 
ED'WARD, prince of Wales, furnamed, from the 
colour of his armour, the Black Prince ; one of the moft 
truly heroical characters of his age. He was the eldeft 
foil of Edward HI. and Philippa of Hainault, born in 
itto. For his noble exploits, fee the article England, 
ED'WARDS 
