came fo addicted to reading, as at an early period of life, rendered her miftrefs of an extenfive degree of information, But, alas! it is not merely a knowledge of the facts contained in hiftory, nor a relish for the beauties of poetic imagery, nor a fuperficial acquaintance with any branch of fcience, that can effectually expand the powers of the human mind. For that great end, the judgment muft be qualified to apply them to useful purposes, It was this deficiency, which led Miss Ardent, to value her accidental attainments at fo high a rate, as to make her despise not only the weakneffes, but even the domeftic virtues of her own fex. Their occupations and amufements, she treated with the utmoft contempt; and thought that in this contempt, fhe gave the fureft proof of the fuperiority of her own mafculine under ftanding.

From her mind, though the particles of vanity were not expelled, they affumed a new form-inftead of the attention to external beauty, feminine graces, and elegant manners, the vanity of Mifs Ardent appeared in an affectation of originality of fentiment and intrepid fingularity of conduct. In fupport of this character, she altogether lofes fight of her own, which is naturally gentle and benevolent; and enforces her opinion in fo dictatorial a man

ner, as renders her equally the object of dread and dislike to the generofity of her acquaintance. And, indeed, it must be acknowledged, that this accomplished woman, in her eagerness to difplay the ftrength of her mind, too often lays afide that outer robe of delicacy, which is not only the ornament, but the armour of female virtue; and that fhe never attempts to shine, without exciting the alternate emotions of admiration and difguft." Good heavens, exclaimed I, and is this the confequence of female learning? is the mind of women really formed of fuch weak materials, that as foon as it emerges from ignorance, it muft neceffarily become intoxicated with the fumes of vanity and conceit ? "And

did your highness never fee a male pedant ?" replied the philofopher. "Did you never behold a man deftitute of early education, and confined to the fociety of ignorant and illiterate people, who had by fome chance, acquired a knowledge of books; and did he not appear as proud of his fuperior information, as ridiculously vain, as arrogant, as oftentatious, and conceited, as any learned lady that ever lived? or, if a more phlegmatic temper prevented the effervefcence of vanity from difplaying itself in the fame manner, it is ten to VOL. II. - D

one, that he was ftill more infufferable by his dogmatic pedanty and fupercilioufnefs. The reason why fuch characters are not fo frequently to be met with amongst men, is, that (in this country at leaft) the education of boys is, in fome degree, calculated to open, and gradually to prepare the mind for the reception of knowledge; that of girls, on the contrary, is from their very cradles, inimical to the cultivation of any one rational idea.

In the mental as in the material world, fimilar caufes will ever produce fimilar effects; let the combination of ideas be attended to from the earlieft period of life; let the mind be early taught to think; taught, to form a just estimate of the objects, within the reach of its obfervation; and appreciating every thing by its usefulness, led to fee, that genius is lefs valuable than virtue, and that the knowledge of every fcience, and the attainment of every accomplishment, finks into infignificance, when compared to the uniform performance of any known duty. Will the mind, whether it belongs to male or female, that is thus prepared, be elated into arrogance, by learning the opinions of the people of different ages, even though taught to read them in the language in which they were originally written? will it become

lefs modeft, lefs amiable, lefs engaging, for having been enlarged by this extent of information; or will it be lefs qualised for the performance of focial duties, be cause it has been freed from the prejudices of ignorance, and taught to fill its place in the fcale of rational beings? Surely, no; I need only mention the name of Lady Grey to give the fulleft proof of the Ju nefs of my affertion. This younger fifter of the Ardent's, had, under the care of a mother, eminently qualified for the task, the advantage of just such an education as I have described; but though to all the understanding and accomplishments of her fifter, fhe adds that brilliancy of imagination, of which the value is fo apt to be over eftimated by its poffeffors, fhe is neither vain, oftentatious, nor affuming. Accuftomed to compare her actions, not with the triflers around her, but with the pure ftandard of Christian excellence, her virtues are all genuine. For inftance, the quality of gentleness, which, in women, is feldom more than a paffive tameness of spirit, that yields without ftruggling to the encroachments of the turbulent and unworthy, is, in her, the fpontaneous offfpring of true humility; it is the tranfcript of that wisdom which is from above, pure and peaceable, and lovely

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-Modefty is not in her the affectation of fqueamish delicacy-it is the purity of the heart. Maternal fondness (and never was the heart of a mother more tenderly affectionate, is, like every other affection of her foul, put under the controul of reafon. The blind indulgence, which would be prejudicial to the real intereits of its object, is, by her, confidered as a felfish gratification, not to be enjoyed, but at the expence of the future happiness of her child; it is therefore wifely reftrained, though fometimes at the expence of prefent feeling. Such tendernefs, directed by fuch wifdom, is the nearest poffible imitation of the most amiable attributes of the divinity!-And who would put fuch a woman as this, in comparison with the moft beautiful piece of infipid ignorance, that ever opened its eyes upon the world? Is there a man who would prefer the vapid chatter of a pretty ideot, to the converfation of fuch a woman? So good! fo wife! fo beautiful! Yes, my noble Rajah, she is ftill beautiful! though her eyes have loft fomewhat of that luftre, which, but a few years ago, was the admiration of all beholders, they ftill beam with animation and sensibility." Ah! my friend, cried I, you need fay little to perfuade me of her beauty; the accomplishments