their all at ftake, cannot forbear now and then adverting for a moment to the object of their grand concern, and dropping, at leaft, an incidental intimation of the fide to which they belong?

Even the news of the day, in fuch an eventful period as the prefent, may lend frequent occafions to a woman of principle to declare, without parade, her faith in a moral Governor of the world; her truft in a particular Providence; her belief in the Divine Omnipotence; her confidence in the power of God, in educing good from evil, in his employing wicked nations, not as favourites but inftruments; her perfuafion that prefent fuccefs is no proof of the divine favour in fhort, fome intimation that she is not ashamed to declare that her mind is under the influence of chriftian faith and principle. A general concurrence in habitually exhibiting this fpirit of decided faith and holy truft, would inconceivably discourage that pert and wakeful infidelity which is ever on the watch to produce itself and,

as we have already obferved, if women, who derive authority from their rank.or talents, did but reflect how their fentiments are repeated, and how their authority quoted, they would be fo on their guard, that general fociety might become a scene of profitable communication and general improvement, and the young, who are looking for models on which to fashion themfelves, would become afhamed and afraid of exhibiting any thing like devity, or fcepticism, or prophanerefs.oris 197)

Let it be understood, that it is not meant to intimate that serious subjectsofhould make up the bulk of converfation; this, as it is impoffible, would also often be improper. It is not intended to fuggeft that they fhould be abruptly introduced, or unfuitably prolonged; but only that they should not be fyftematically fhunned, nor the brand of fanaticifm be fixed on the person who, with whatever propriety, hazards the introduction sof fuch fubjects. It is evident, however, that this general dread of ferious topics

arifes a good deal from an ignorance of the true nature of christianity; people avoid it on the principle expreffed, by the vulgar phrafes of the danger of playing with edge tools. They conceive of religion as fomething which involves controverfy, and difpute, and mischief; fomething of an infiammatory nature, which is to ftir up ill humours and hatred; as of a sort of partybufinefs which fets friends at variance. So much is this notion adopted, that I have seen announced two works of confiderable merit, in which it was ftipulated as an attraction, that the subject of religion, as being likely to excite anger and partydiftinctions, should be carefully excluded. Sucis the worldly idea of the spirit of that religiony whofe direct object it was to bring 154 peace and good will to men men!" 10 bWomen too little live or converse up to the standard of their understandings; and however we have deprecated affectation or pedantry, let it be remembered, that both in ?-reading and converfing, the understanding

gains more by stretching than flooping. If by exerting itself it may not attain to all it defires, yet it will be fure to gain fomething. The mind, by always applying itfelf to objects below its level, contracts its dimenfions, and fhrinks itself to the fize, and lowers itself to the level, of the object about which it is converfant: while the understanding which is active and afpiring, expands and raises itself, grows larger by exercife, abler by diffufion, and richer by communication.

But the tafte of general fociety is not favourable to improvement. The feriouf nefs with which the moft frivolous fubjects are agitated, and the levity with which the moft ferious are difpatched, bear a pretty exact proportion to each other. Society too is a fort of magic lanthorn; the fcene is perpetually fhifting. In this inceffant change

we must

1 Catch, e'er fhe fall, the Cynthia of the minute and the fafhion of the prefent minute, evanefcent probably like its rapid precursors,

while in many it leads to the cultivation of real knowledge, has alfo not unfrequently led even the gay and idle to the affectation of mixing a fprinkling of fcience with the mafs of diffipation. The ambition of appearing to be well-informed breaks out even in thofe triflers who will not fpare time from their pleasurable purfuits fufficient for acquiring that knowledge, of which, however, the reputation is fo defirable. A little fmattering of philofophy often dignifies the purfuits of their day, without refcuing them from the vanities of the night. A course of lectures (that admirable affiftant for enlightening the understanding) is not seldom reforted to as a means to fubftitute the ap✓pearance of knowledge for the fatigue of application; but where this valuable help is attended merely like any other public exhibition, as a fashionable purfuit, and is not furthered by correfpondent reading at home, it often ferves to fet off the reality of ignorance with the affectation of fkill. But instead of producing in converfation a few reigning

E 4