they fhould threaten to put him to death. The befiegers brought him within her fight; and threatened to maffacre him if fhe did not inftantly open the gates. She offered for his ranfom her children and and all the had in the world- but that the town belonged to the King, and was not at her difpofal. Would one think it poffible, that any man ever did exist fo brutal as to put her husband to death? Yet this was done in cold blood. Let the most profound politician fay, what more efficacious incentive there can be to virtue and manhood, than the behaviour of the Spartan matrons, flocking to the temples, and thanking the gods that their husbands and fons had died gloriously, fighting for their country. In the war between Lacedemon and Thebes, the Lacedemonians having behaved ill, the married men, as Plutarch reports, were fo afhamed of themfelves, that they durft not look their wives in the face. What a glorious prize is here exhibited, to be contended for by the female fex!

By fuch refin'd education, love would take on a new form, that which nature infpires, for making us happy, and for foftening

1

foftening the diftreffes of chance: it would fill deliciously the whole foul with tender amity, and mutual confidence. The union of a worthy man with a frivolous woman, can never, with all the advantages of fortune, be made comfortable: how. different the union of a virtuous pair, who have no aim but to make each other happy! Between fuch a pair emulation is reverfed, by an ardent defire in each to be fürpaffed by the other.

Rouffeau, in his treatife of Education, affirms, that convents are no better than schools of coquettery; and that' among Proteftants, women make better wives and more tender mothers than a→ mong Roman Catholics; for which, fays he, no reafon can be given but conventeducation, which is univerfal among the latter. He then goes on in the following words. "Pour aimer la vie paifible et domeftique il faut la connôitre; il faut en avoir fenti les douceurs dès l'enfance. "Ce n'eft que dans la maifon paternelle

(

66

66

•

qu'on prend du goût pour fa propre

maifon, et toute femme que fa mere "n'a point élevée n'aimera point élever "fes enfans. Malheureufement il n'y a

plus

plus d'education privée dans les grandes "villes. La fociété y eft fi générale et fi " mêlée qu'il ne reste plus d'afile pour la

¢

retraite, et qu'on eft en public jufques "chez foi. A force de vivre avec tout le "monde en n'a plus de famille, à peine " connoît-on fes parens; on les voit en étrangers, et la fimplicité des mœurs domeftiques s'eteint avec la douce fa"miliarité qui en faifoit le charme. C'est “ainsi qu'on fuce avec le lait le goût des plaisirs du fiecle et des maximes qu'on. y voit regner."Rouffeau, Emile.

Cultivation of the female mind, is not of great importance in a republic, where men pafs little of their time with women. Such cultivation where polygamy is indulged, would to them be a deep misfortune, by opening their eyes to their miferable condition. But in an opulent monarchy where polygamy is prohibited, female education is of high importance; not fingly with respect to private happinefs, but with refpect to the fociety in general.

VOL. II.

N

AP

APPENDIX.

Concerning Propagation of Animals, and Care of Progeny.

THE

HE natural hiftory of animals with respect to pairing and care of progeny, is fufceptible of more elucidation than could regularly be introduced into the sketch itfelf, where it makes but a fingle argument. Loth to quit a fubject that eminently difplays the wisdom and benevolence of Providence, I embrace the prefent opportunity, however flight, to' add what further occurs upon it. M. Buffon, in many large volumes, bestows fcarce a thought on that favourite fubject; and the neglect of our countrymen Ray and Derham is ftill lefs excufable, confidering that to difplay the conduct of Providence was their fole purpose in writing natural history.

The inftinct of pairing is bestow'd on every fpecies of animals to which it is neceffary for rearing their young; and on

no

no other fpecies. All wild birds pair: but with a remarkable difference between fuch as place their nefts on trees, and fuch as place them on the ground. The young of the former, being hatched blind and without feathers, require the nursing care of both parents till they be able to fly. The male feeds his mate on the nest, and cheers her with a fong. As foon as the young are hatched, finging yields to a more neceffary occupation, that of providing food for a numerous iffue, a task that requires both parents.

Eagles and other birds of prey build on trees, or on other places difficult of access. They not only pair, but continue in pairs all the year; and the fame pair procreate together, year after year. This at least is the cafe of eagles: the male and female hunt together; and during incubation the female is fed by the male. A greater number than a fingle pair never are seen in company.

Gregarious birds pair, in order probably to prevent difcord, in a fociety confined to a narrow fpace. This is the cafe particularly of pigeons and rooks. The male and female fit on the eggs alternate