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things, but to the heart that is filled with prejudice, Wisdom lifteth up her voice in

vain.

Nothing but experience could have con vinced me, that the cultivation of the rational faculties, should, among the Christian women of England, be so rare, that no sooner can one of them emerge from the depths of ignorance, than she is suspected of assuming the airs of self-importance and conceit. If she has the knowledge of a school-boy, she is thought vain of her learning. Nor are there many men of sense among the Christians, who would not prefer to the conversation of such a woman, the impertinent tattle of the frivolous, the capricious, and the ignorant. Nor is this much to be wondered at, when we consider, that, by the pains taken, from the earliest infancy, to sap the foundation of every solid improvement, the imagi. nation becomes so much stronger than the judgment, that of the small number of females who, under all the disadvantages of custom and prejudice, dare to distinguish

themselves by the cultivation of their talents, few should do more than exchange one folly for another :-substitute the love of theory, for the love of dress-or an admiration of the mental gewgaws of flimsy sentiment, and high sounding declamation, for that of trifles of another kind.

But though I confess my errour, and acknowledge, that I deceived myself in extending my notions of Christianity to every Christian, and of excellence to every female of England, I still see some [who amply justify the expectations that were formed by my sanguine mind. In Lady Grey and her daughters, I find all that I had expected from the females of their country; all that my friend Severan had described.

With them, arrived the two youngest daughters of Sir Caprice Ardent, one of whom has received her education under the care of Lady Grey, while the other has to her Aunt, Miss Ardent, been indebted for her instruction. At first sight,

one is struck with the similarity of their features. They are both beauteous as the opening rose-bud, when the dew of morning trembles on its leaf. The eyes of each, sparkling with vivacity, are dazzling as a bright dagger suddenly unsheathed.

They

are both shaped by the hand of elegance, and both move with the same degree of grace. Yet, notwithstanding this similarity, the opposite characters impressed by education is visible in each.-While over the graces of Miss Caroline, is thrown the bewitching veil of timidity, and her every action is bound in the silken fetters of decorum; the adopted daughter of Miss Ardent speaks her sentiments with an energy that has never known restraint. Though open to conviction, and ready to confess errour with the candour of a noble mind, she yields less to the authority of persons, than to that of reason; and it is easy to perceive, has been early taught, that to be weak, and to be amiable, are two very different things.

An incident which occurred to the three sisters, in the course of their morning's walk, will serve to illustrate these observations upon their characters.

It appears, that having strayed into a narrow lane, they were frightened at the appearance of a horse and cart, coming towards them so quickly, as to leave them no other method of escaping, than to climb a steep bank, and get over the pailing into their father's park. Miss Olivia, with the activity of an Antelope, led the way, and, with some difficulty, assisted her sisters to follow her example. Just as she had prevailed upon the terrified Miss Julia, who long insisted upon the impossibility of her making the attempt, they beheld near them an old man, who, excited by the screams and promised rewards of Miss Julia, attempted to lay hold of the horses. To stop them, his feeble efforts were ineffectual; the animals were too strong, and too spirited, to be managed by his aged arm. After a short struggle, the horses sprung over him, and in 19*

VOL. II.

a moment the mangled and bleeding body was discovered lying, to all appearance, lifeless, in the track which the cart had passed.

Miss Julia redoubled her efforts to es

cape; she succeeded, and flew to the house, which she no sooner reached, than, as is customary with young ladies upon such occasions, she fainted away. When she had fainted for a decent length of time, she screamed, laughed, and cried alternately, and continued long enough in the second stage of fright, called An Hysterick Fit, to draw round her the greatest part of the family. Indeed, there was full employment for them all. One held to her nose a bunch of burnt feathers; another chafed her temples with a drug, called Hartshorn; a third held to her lips drops and cordials, while the rest ran about the room, opening the windows, ringing the bells, and giving directions to the servants.

While we were thus engaged, in flew Miss Olivia. But what a figure! The few tattered remnants of her muslin robe,

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