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have no effect on your conduct here, I must yet think, that the more refined principles of generofity and goodness ought to prompt it. Ah! my young friends, what pleasure can be compared to that of conferring felicity? What honour can be enjoyed by your fex, equal to that of fhowing yourselves every way worthy of a virtuous tenderness from ours? What can be conceived fo properly female as the infpiring, improving, and continuing fuch a tenderness, in all its charming extent? Contrafted with this, how unamiable, and how miferable, muft we pronounce the paffion for ungentle command, for petulant dominion, fo fhamefully indulged by fome women as foon as they find a man in their power!

But laftly, let us suppose you Mothers; a character, which, in due time, many of you will fuftain. How does your importance rife! A few years elapfed, and I please myself with the profpect of feeing you, my honoured auditrefs, furrounded with a family of your own, dividing with the partner of your heart the anxious, yet delightful labour, of training your common offsfpring to virtue and fociety, to religion and immortality; while, by thus dividing it, you leave him more at leifure to plan and provide for you all; a task, which he profecutes with tenfold alacrity, when he reflects on the beloved objects of it, and finds all his toils foothed and rewarded at once by the wisdom and sweetness of your deportment to him and to his children.

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"I think I behold you, while he is otherwife neceffarily engaged, cafting your fond maternal regards round and round through the pretty fmiling circle; not barely to fupply their bodily wants, but chiefly to watch the gradual openings of their minds, and to study the turns of their various tempers, that you "teach the young idea how to fhoot," and lead their pas fions by taking hold of their hearts. I admire the happy mixture of affection and skill which you display in affifting Nature, not forcing her; in directing the understanding, not hurrying it; in exercifing without wearying the memory, and in moulding the behaviour without constraint. I obferve you prudently overlooking a thousand childish follies. You forgive any thing but falfehood or obftinacy: you commend as often as you can: you reprove only when you must; and then you do it to purpose, with temper, but with folemnity and firmnefs, till you have carried your point. You are at pains to excite honeft emulation you take care to avoid every appearance of partiality; to convince your dear charge, that they are all dear to you, that fuperior merit alone can entitle to fuperior favour, that you will deny to none of them what is proper, but that the kindest and moft fubmiffive will be always preferred. At times, you even partake in their innocent amusements, as if one of them; that they may love you as their friend, while they revere you as their REV. June, 1766. Hh

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parent. In graver hours, you infinuate knowledge and piety by your converfation and example, rather than by formal lectures and awful admonitions. And finally, to fecure as far as poffible the fuccefs of all, you dedicate them daily to God, with the most fervent fupplications for his bleffing. Thus you fhow yourself a confcientious and a judicious mother at the fame moment; and in that light I view you with veneration. I ho nour you as fuftaining a truly glorious character on the gre theatre of humanity. Of the part you have acted I look forward to the confequences, direct and collateral, future and remote. Thofe lovely 'plants-which you have raifed and cult vated, I fee fpreading, and ftill fpreading, from houfe to houfe, from family to family, with a rich increase of fruit. I fee you diffufing virtue and happiness through the human race; I fee ge nerations yet unborn rifing up to call you Bleffed! I worthy that Providence which has deftined you for fuch usefulness, fa: fuch felicity. I pity the man that is not charmed with the image of fo much excellence; an image which, in one degree or another, has been realized by many women of worth and understanding in every age: I will add, an image which, when realized, cannot fail of being contemplated with peculiar delight by all the benevolent fpirits of heaven, with the Father and Saviour of the world at their head! And are there amongst the fons of men any that will prefumé to depreciate fuch women, or to fpeak of them with an air of fuperiority, or to fuggeft that your fex are not capable of filling up the more important spheres of life?"

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In the fecond fermon, our Author difcourfes from Tim. 8, 9. I will-that women adorn themfelves in modst appard. Figure to yourselves, fays he, a circle compofed only of pro ple who are not afhamed of the gofpel of Chrift, nor in any cit cumftance afraid to act on that great maxim of our Apoftle, "B not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the re newing of your minds." At the fame time, let them have a the candou and charity, which the most charitable religion th was ever known can infpire. And now fuppofe, that a yout lady dreffed up to the height of the prefent fashion, but a ftrang to most of them, drops into their company. In what light you imagine the manner of her drefs would probably appea The laws of Chriftian candour would naturally prevent the from feeing her character in a bad light on that account, a would unquestionably incline them to hope the best. But e you believe that they would approve, or juftify, the extre gaiety and loofenefs of her attire? Suppofe, however, that converfation difcovered a very good understanding, and that behaviour, had not the least tincture of that levity with whi the feemed decked out; that, on the contrary, every part

both was wholly unlike it, (a conjunction by no means impoffible); could they forbear, in that cafe, to lament the tyranny of the mode, or to regret that a daughter of Wisdom fhould, notwithstanding her fuperior descent and noble pretenfions, be decorated like the daughters of Fally? But whofe judgment, I befcech you, would a young woman, ambitious of regulating her appearance, as well as her difpofitions and deportment, on the pureft ftandard, prefer; that of fuch perfons as I have juft defcribed; or of thofe who either never regarded the precepts and fpirit of Chriftianity at all, or who, profeffing fome faint refpect for them, yet fcruple not to fink them in the fpirit and maxims of the world?

Let us put another cafe, and fuppofe a young lady educated by a mother, who to the beft fenfe and trucft breeding joined the utmost reverence for religion, and the tendereft concern for the foul of her child; qualities which, for the honour of your fex, I hope you will not pronounce incompatible. Let this accomplished parent bestow upon her daughter a culture worthy of herself, inftructing her in every thing that can become the Female and the Chriftian character; amongst the reft, recommending an amiable modefty and graceful fimplicity of apparel, and enforcing all by an example equally unexceptionable and pleasing. Suppofe the daughter to improve thefe uncommon advantages (for uncommon I fear they are) with the strictest care and attention. In what light do you conceive the very free mode of drefs, fo generally affected by the fex at prefent, would appear to her? I am far from thinking fhe would affume the airs of fanctimonious prudery, or indulge the ftyle of fupercilious cenfure; things totally different from the form of education we have figured her to receive. But would the admire that mode in others? Would the copy it herfelf? or would fhe with her companions to copy it? Would the chufe to be intimate with thofe young ladies that feize every apportunity of exhibiting their charms to the public, and vie with one another who fhall moft liberally display to every eye what her honoured mother taught her more decently to veil ?

Is the mode then in queftion to be confidered as incenfiftent with the character of a Virtuous Woman? By no means. May not the most unchafte difpofitions often hide under the mask of an attire the most modest ? Who can doubt it? But what follows? Does it follow that fuch attire is not the propereft covering of virtue, and what, if left to purfue undisturbed the dictates of delicacy and prudence, fhe would readily fly to in a ftate of civilized fociety? Will any one fay, that they who decline it do beft confult either their fafety, or their reputation amongst the wife; that they, who indulge to all the latitudes allowed by the wantonnefs of fafhion, may yet be fufficiently

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watchful against temptation themselves, or are fufficiently careful not to throw it in the way of others; that beauty may be as fecure when moft expofed, as when leaft fo; or finally, that instead of "abstaining from all appearance of evil," according to the doctrine of a religion which requires the fevereft vigilance, every appearance of evil may be admitted, in compliance with the practice of a world, where vice fteals upon unwary mortals by perfuading them to part with their out-guards?

Thus far have we argued for modefty of apparel, in oppofition to its contrary, upon the general principles of propriety and reputation, of morality and religion. She, to whom thofe principles are familiar, and in whom the feelings that arise out of them are not blunted by too frequent intercourse with the fashionable and the gay, will on this article carry about with her a kind of living standard, which she will be enabled to apply to particular occafions, with a degree of difcretion which no rules of ours can teach; and fuch a one will perceive in our Apostle's precept a juftness and folidity, of which I do not expect that any ipeculation fhould thoroughly convince you, without the concurrence of a virtuous fenfibility on your part.

To what has been faid in favour of modeft apparel under this head, I must not forget to add, that it is a powerful attractive to honourable love. The male heart is a ftudy, in which your fex are fuppofed to be a good deal converfant. Yet in this study, you muft give ine leave to fay, many of them seem to me but indifferent proficients. To get into mens affections, women in general are naturally defirous. They need not deny, they cannot conceal it. The fexes were made for each other. We wish for a place in your hearts: why should you not wish for one in ours? But how much are you deceived, my fair friends, if you dream of taking that fort by ftorm! When you show a sweet folicitude to please by every decent, gentle, unaffected attraction; we are foothed, we are fubdued, we yield ourselves your willing captives. But if at any time by a forward appearance you betray a confidence in your charms, and by throwing them out upon us all at once you seem refolved, as it were, to force our admiration; that moment we are upon our guard, and your affaults are vain, provided at least we have any fentiment, or any fpirit. In reality, they who have very little of either, I might have faid they who have none, even the fillieft, even the loofeft men shall in a fober mood be pleased, be touched with the bashful air, and reserved dress, of an amiable young woman, infinitely more than they ever were with all the open blaze of laboured beauty, and arrogant claims of undisguised allurement; the human heart, in its better fenfations, being ftill attempered to the love of virtue.

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Let me add, that the human imagination hates to be confined. We are never highly delighted, where fomething is not left us to fancy. This laft obfervation holds true throughout all nature, and all art. But when I speak of thefe, I muft fubjoin, that Art being agreeable no farther than as it is conformed to Nature, the one will not be wanted in the cafe before us, if the other is allowed its full influence. What I mean is this; that if a young lady is deeply poffeffed with a regard for "whatsoever things are pure, venerable, and of a good report," it will lead to decorum fpontaneously, and flow with unftudied propriety through every part of her attire and demeanour. Let it be likewife added, that Simplicity, the infeparable companion both of genuine grace, and of real modefty, if it does not always ftrike at firft (of which I think it feldom fails) is fure however, when it does ftrike, to produce the deepest and most permanent impreffions:

On this article your judgment will be feen in joining fruga. lity and fimplicity together; in being never fond of finery; in carefully diftinguishing between what is glaring, and what is. genteel; in preferving elegance with the plaineft habit; in wearing coftly array but feldom, and always with ease; a point, that may be attained by her who has learnt not to think more highly of herself for the richeft raiment fhe can put on.

Were a fyftem of this kind to prevail, I cannot help thinking, that the effects would be beneficial and happy. What fums would be faved, where they ought to be faved, for more valuable ends! What fums would be kept at home, that now go abroad to enrich our most dangerous rivals! French gewgaws would give place to British manufactures. The ladies of this ifland, inferior to none in beauty, would be the apes of none in dress. They would practise that species of patriotism, which is the most proper for their fex; they would serve their country in their own way. How many evils to the community, to private families, and to individuals, would be prevented! If in some of the most expenfive parts of female decoration fewer hands were employed, a much greater number on the other fide would find exercise in cultivating an elegant propriety, and a beautiful diverfity, in all the reft. The public tafte would be improved in a thoufand articles. And is there not reason to hope, that the appearance, the manners, and the minds of the fair, would gain by the change?

They would be lefs fhowy indeed; but they would be more engaging. Our gay affemblies, for gay affemblies there will always be, would glitter lefs in the gaze of foolish wonder; but they would thine more in the eye of juft difcernment. And then what honour would it reflect on your understandings, when in company, to see you fuperior to your drefs, entirely forgetting

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