them, to which vanity will gladly refort,

and to which foftnefs and indolence can eafly act up, or rather act down, riful mays be allowed the expreffion? we dont le

When ladies are told by the fame misleading, but to them high, authority, // thatfmiles and tears are the irrefiftible 66 arms with which Nature has furnished. "the weak for conquering the ftrong," will they not eagerly fly to this cheap and ready artillery, instead of labouring to furnish themselves with a reasonable mind, an equable temper, and a meek and quiet fpirit? 134 d wa Every animal is endowed by Providence with the peculiar powers adapted too its nature and its wants; while none, excepto: the human, by grafting art on natural o fagacity, injures or mars the gift. Spoile women, who fancy there is fomething more picquant and alluring in the mutual** graces of caprice, than in the monotonous fmoothness of an even temper; and whore alfo having heard much, as was obferved before,

before, about their " amiable weakness," learn to look about them for the best fuc_1 cedaneum to strength, the fuppofed abfence? of which they fometimes endeavour to supply by artifice. By this engine the weakest woman frequently furnishes the converse to the famous reply of the French minister, who, when he was accused of governing the mind of that feeble Queen Mary de Medicis by forcery, replied, " that "the only forcery he had used, was that "influence which strong minds naturally "have over weak ones."

But though it be fair fo to ftudy the tempers, defects, and weakneffes of others, as too convert our knowledge of them to the promotion of their benefit and our own; and though it be making a lawful uferofcour penetration to avail ourfelves i of the faults of others for their good tow "edification;" yet all deviations from the ftraight line of truth and fimplicity every plot infidiously to turn influence to unfair account; all contrivances to extort ;.

from

from a bribed complaifance what reafon and justice would refufe to our wishes these are some of the operationsy of that lowest and most defpicable engine, felfifls cunning, by which little minds fometimes govern great ones.

And unluckily, women from their natural defire to please, and from their fometimes doubting by what means this grand end may be best effected, are in more danger of being led into diffimulation than men; for diffimulation is the refult of weaknefs; it is the refuge of doubt and diftruft, rather than of conscious strength, the dangers of which lie another way. Franknefs, truth, and fimplicity, therefore, as they are inexpreffibly charming, fouare they peculiarly commendable in women, and nobly evince that while the poffeffors of them wish to please, (and why should they not with it?) they difdain to have re courfe to any thing but what is fair, and just, and honourable to effect it; that they fcorn to attain the most defired end by any

but

but the most lawful means. The beauty of fimplicity is indeed fo intimately felt and generally acknowledged by all who have a true taste for perfonal, moral, or intellectual beauty, that women of the deepest diffimulation often find their account in affuming an exterior the most foreign to their character, and exhibiting the most engaging naïveté. It is curious to fee the quantity of art they put in practice in order to appear natural; and the deep design which is fet at work to difplay fimplicity. And indeed this feigned fimplicity is the most mifchievous, because the most engaging of all the Proteus forms which Artifice can put on. For the most free and bold sentiments have been fometimes hazarded with fatal fuccefs under this unfufpected mask. And an innocent, quiet, indolent, artlefs manner, has been adopted as the most refined and fuccefsful accompaniment of fentiments, ideas, and designs, neither artless, quiet, nor innocent.

4

On diffipation, and the modern habits of fashionable life. bus quiɔ

site

PERHAPS the interests of true friendship, elegant converfation, mental improvement, focial pleasure, maternal duty, and conjugal comfort, never received fuch a blow as when Fashion iffued out that arbitrary and univerfal decree, that every body must be acquainted with every body; together with that confequent, authoritative, but rather inconvenient claufe, that every body muft also go every where every night. The implicit and devout obedience paid to this law is incompatible with the very being of friendship; for as the circle of acquaintance expands, and it will be continually expanding, the affections will be beaten out into fuch thin lamina as to leave little · folidity remaining. The heart which is