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impertinent creature in the conversation to which you refer.

Not so, my dearest love!-Mr Walden, I remember, says, that learning in that assembly was not brought before a fair tribunal. He should have known, that it had not a competent advocate in him.

But, Sir Charles, said Mr Beauchamp, I cannot but observe, that too much stress is laid upon learning, as it is called, by those who have pretensions to it. You will not always find, that a scholar is a more happy man than an unlearned one. He has not generally more prudence, more wisdom, in the management of his affairs. What, my dear Beauchamp, is this but saying, that there is great difference between theory and practice? This observation comes very generously, and, with regard to the ladies, very gallantly, from you, who are a learned man: but as you are also a very prudent man, let me ask you, Do you think you have the less prudence for your learning? If not, Is not learning a valuable addition?

But pray, Sir Charles, said Mrs Selby, let me ask your opinion: Do you think, that if women had the same opportunities, the same education, as men, they would not equal them in their at tainments?

Women, my dear Mrs Selby, are women sooner than men are men. They have not, there fore, generally, the learning-time, that men have, if they had equal geniuses.

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If they had equal geniuses," brother! Very well. My dear sister Harriet, you see you have given your hand to one of the lords of the creation-Vassal! bow to your sovereign.

Sir Ch. My dearest love, take not the advice without the example.

Lady G. Your servant, sir. Well, but let me ask you, Do you think that there is a natural inferiority in the faculties of the one sex? A natural superiority in those of the other?

Sir C. Who will answer this question for me?

Not I, said Lord L. Not I, said Mr Deane. Not I, said Mr Beauchamp.

Then I have fairly taken you in-You would, if you could, answer it in the ladies' favour. This is the same as a confession. I may therefore the more boldly pronounce, that, generally speaking, I have no doubt but there is.

Help me, dear ladies, said I, to fight this battle out. You say, sir, you have no doubt that there is a natural inferiority in the faculties of us, poor women; a natural superiority in you, imperial men.

Generally speaking, Charlotte. Not individually you, ladies, and us, men: I believe all we who are present, shall be ready to subscribe to your superiority, ladies.

I believe, brother, you fib: but let that pass. Thank you, madam. It is for my advantage that it should; and, perhaps, for yours, smiling.

There is a difference,-pardon me, ladies, we are speaking generally, in the constitution, in the temperament, of the two sexes, that gives to the one advantages which it denies to the other: but we may not too closely pursue this subject, though the result, I am apt to believe, would put the matter out of dispute. Let us be more at large: Why has nature made a difference in the beauty, proportion, and symmetry, in the persons of the two sexes? Why gave it delicacy, softness, grace, to that of the woman-as in the ladies before me; strength, firmness, to men; a capacity to bear labour and fatigue; and courage, to protect the other? Why gave it a distinction, both in qualities and plumage, to the different sexes of the feathered race? Why in the courage of the male and female animals? -The surly bull, the meek, the beneficent cow, for one instance ?

We looked upon one another.

There are exceptions to general rules, proceeded he. Mrs Shirley surpasses all the men I ever knew, in wisdom-Mrs Selby and Lady G

What of us, brother! What of us—to the advantage of your argument?

Heroic Charlotte!-You are both very hap pily married-The men the women, the women the men, you can mutually assist and improve each other. But still

Your servant, brother, interrupted I.-Your servant, Sir Charles, said Mrs Selby.-And I say, Your servant, too, said Mr Selby.

Who sees not that my sister Charlotte is ready to disclaim the competition in fact, though not in words? Can there be characters more odious than those of a masculine woman, and an effe minate man? What are the distinguishing characteristics of the two sexes? And whence this odiousness? There are, indeed, men, whose minds, if I may be allowed the expression, seem to be cast in a female mould; whence the fops, foplings, and pretty fellows, who buz about your sex at public places; women, whose minds seem to be cast in a masculine one; whence your Barnevelts, my dear, and most of the women who, at such places, give the men stare for stare, swing their arms, look jolly; and those married women who are so kind as to take the reins out of their husbands' hands, in order to save the honest men trouble.

Your servant, sir-Your servant, sir-And some of them looked as if they had said, You cannot mean me, I hope; and those who spoke not, bowed and smiled thanks for his compli ment to one fourth of the sex.

My lord insultingly rubbed his hands for joy; Mr Selby crowed; the other men slyly smiled; though they were afraid of giving a more open approbation.

O my sister! said I, taking Harriet's hand, we women are mere nothings We are nothing at all!

How, my Charlotte! Make you no difference between being everything and nothing?

Were it not, my dear ladies, proceeded he, for male protectors, to what insults, to what outrages, would not your sex be subject? Pardon me, my dearest love, if I strengthen my argument by your excellencies, bowing to his Harriet. Is not the dear creature, our good Mrs Shirley's own daughter? All the feminine graces are hers. She is, in my notion, what all women should be-But wants she not a protector? Even a dream, a reverie

O sir, spare me, spare me! sweetly blushing said the lovely Harriet. I own I should have made a very silly, a very pusillanimous man! It is not long since, you know, Lady Gthat I brought this very argument in favour of

Hush, Harriet! You will give up the female

cause.

That is not fair, Charlotte, rejoined my brother; you should not intercept the convictions of an ingenuous mind-But I will spare my Harriet, if she will endeavour, for her own sake, to let nothing disturb her for the future but realities, and not any of those long, if they are inevitable ones.

But pray, sir, said I, proceed in your argument, if you have any more to say.

O Charlotte! I have enough to say, to silence all your opposition, were I to give this subject its due weight. But we are only, for pleasantrysake, skimming over the surface of the argument. Weaker powers are given generally for weaker purposes, in the economy of Providence. I, for my part, however, disapprove not of our venerable Mrs Shirley's observation; That we are apt to consider the sex too much as a species apart: yet it is my opinion, that both God and nature have designed a very apparent difference in the minds of both, as well as in the peculiar beauties of their persons. Were it not so, their offices would be confounded, and the women would not, perhaps, so readily submit to those domestic ones in which it is their province to shine; and the men would be allotted the distaff, or the needle; and you yourselves, ladies, would be the first to despise such. I, for my part, would only contend, that we men should have power and right given us to protect and serve your sex; that we should purchase and build for them; travel and toil for them; run through, at the call of Providence, or of our king and country, dangers and difficulties; and, at last, lay all our trophies, all our acquirements, at your feet; enough rewarded in the consciousness of duty done, and your favourable accept

ance.

We were all of us again his humble servants. It was in vain to argue the tyranny of some hus

bands, when he could turn upon us the follies of some wives; and that wives and daughters were never more faulty, more undomestic, than at present; and when we were before a judge, who, though he could not be absolutely unpolite, would not flatter us, nor spare our foibles.

However, it stuck a little with Harriet, that she had given cause to Sir Charles, in the dispute which she formerly bore a part in, relating to learning and languages, to think her more lively than she ought to be, and had spoken too lightly of languages. She, sweetly blushing, like a young wife solicitous for the good opinion of the beloved of her heart, revived that cause.

He spoke very highly in her praise, upon the occasion: owned, that the letters he had been favoured with the sight of, had given him deeper impressions in her favour, than even her beauty: hoped for farther communications; applauded her for her principles, and her inoffensive vivacity-That sweet, that innocent vivacity, and noble frankness of heart, said he, taking her hand, which I hope you will never think of restraining.

As to the conversation you speak of, proceeded he, I repeat, that I was apprehensive, when I read it, that languages were spoken of in it slightly; and yet, perhaps, I am mistaken. You, my Beauchamp, I think, if my dearest life will oblige us both by the communication, and chooses to do so, (for that must be the condition on which all her goodness to us must be expected,) shall be judge between us: you know, better than I, what stores of inexhausted knowledge lie in the works of those great ancients, which suffered in the hands of poor Mr Walden: you know what the past and present ages have owed, and what all future will owe, to Homer, Aristotle, Virgil, Cicero: you can take in the necessity there is of restraining innovation, and preserving old rules and institutions, and of employing the youth of our sex, who would otherwise be much worse employed, (as we see in those who neglect their studies,) in the attainment of languages that can convey to them such lights in every science: though it were to be wished, that morals should take up more of the learner's attention than they generally do. You know, that the truest parts of learning are to be found in the Roman and Greek writers; and you know, that translation were everything worthy our notice translated) cannot convey those beauties which scholars only can relish; and which learned foreigners, if a man travels, will expect should not have escaped his observation. As to the ladies, Mrs Shirley has admirably observed, that there is a degree of knowledge very compatible with their duties, (condescending excellence! bowing to Mrs Shirley,) and highly becoming them; such as will make

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them rejoice, and, I will add, improve a man of sense, sweeten his manners, and render him a much more sociable, a much more amiable creature, and, of consequence, greatly more happy in himself, than otherwise he would be from books and solitude.

Well, but, brother, you said just now, that we were only, for pleasantry-sake, skimming over the surface of the argument; and that you had enough to say to silence all my opposition, were you to give the subject its due weight. I do assure you, that, to silence all my opposition, you must have a vast deal more to say, than you have said hitherto ; and yet you have thrown in some hints which stick with me, though you have concluded with some magnificent intimations of superiority over us-Power and right to protect, travel, toil for us, and lay your trophies at our feet, and so forth-Surely, surely, this is diminishing us, and exalting yourselves, by laying us under high obligations to your generosity. Pray, sir, let us have, if you please, one or two intimations of those weightier arguments, that could, as you fancy, silence your Charlotte's opposition. I say, that we women, were our education the same-You know what I would be at-Your weightier arguments, if you please—or a specimen only en passant.

Supposing, my Charlotte, that all human souls are, in themselves, equal; yet the very design of the different machines in which they are enclosed, is to superinduce a temporary difference on their original equality; a difference adapted to the different purposes for which they are designed by Providence in the present transitory state. When those purposes are at an end, this difference will be at an end too. When sex ceases, inequality of souls will cease; and women will certainly be on a foot with men, as to intellectuals, in heaven. There, indeed, will you no longer have lords over you; neither will you have admirers: which, in your present estimate of things, will, perhaps, balance the account. In the meantime, if you can see any occasions that may call for stronger understandings in male life, than in your own; you, at the same time, see an argument to acquiesce in a persuasion of a present inequality between the two sexes. You know, I have allowed exceptions. Will you, Charlotte, compliment your self with being one?

Now, brother, I feel, methinks, that you are a little hard upon Charlotte; but, ladies, you see how the matter stands.-You are all silent. -But, sir, you graciously allow, that there is a degree of knowledge which is very compatible with the DUTIES of us women, and highly becoming us: Will you have the goodness to point out to us what this compatible learning is, that we may not mistake-and so become eccentric, as I may say, burst our orb, and do more mischief than ever we could do good?

Could I point out the boundaries, Charlotte,

it might not to some spirits be so proper; the limit might be treated as the one prohibited tree in the garden. But let me say, That genius, whether in man or woman, will push itself into light. If it has a laudable tendency, let it, as a ray of the Divinity, be encouraged, as well in the one sex as the other: I would not, by any means, have it limited: a little knowledge leads to vanity and conceit. I would only, methinks, have a parent, a governor, a preceptor, bend his strength to restrain his foibles; but not throw so much cold water upon the sacred flame as should quench it; since, if he did, stupidity, at least dejection, might take place of the emanation, and the person might be miserable for life.

Well, then, we must compromise, I think, said I. But, on recollection, I thought I had enjoined you, Sir Charles, to the observance of a neutrality. Harriet, whispered I, we are only, after all, to be allowed, as far as I can find, in this temporary state, like tame doves, to go about house, and so forth, as Biddy says, in the play.

Harriet, could she have found time, (but, by mutual consent, they are hardly ever asunder,) would have given you a better account of this conversation than I have done; so would Lucy: but take it, as it offers, from

Your ever-affectionate

CHARLOTTE G

LETTER CCLVIII.

MISS LUCY SELBY TO LADY L

Sunday, Nov. 19.

My dear Lady G insists upon my writing to your ladyship an account of the appearance which the loveliest couple in England made this day at church.

We all thought nothing could have added to the charms of our Harriet's person; but yet her dress and jewels did. I sighed, from pride for the honour of female beauty, to think they did. Can my dear Harriet, thought I, exquisitely lovely as she is in any dress, be ornamented by richer silks than common, by costly laces, by jewels? Can dress add grace to that admirable proportion, and those fine features, to which no painter yet has ever done justice, though every family related to her has a picture of her, drawn by a different hand of eminence?

We admired the bridegroom as much as we did her, when (before we could have thought he had been half ready) he joined Mrs Shirley, my aunt Selby, and me, in the great parlour, completely dressed. But what we most admired in him was, that native dignity and ease, and that inattentiveness to his own figure and ap-. pearance, which demonstrate the truly fine gentleman, accustomed, as he is, to be always elegant.

When his lady presented herself to him, and to us, in all her glory, how did the dear creature dazzle us! We involuntarily arose, as if to pay our homage to her. Sir Charles approached her with rather an air of greater freedom than usual, as if he considered not the dress, as having added to the value he has for her: Yet, loveliest of women, he called her; and, taking her hand, presented her to her grandmamma: Receive, and again bless, my angel, said he, best of parents!-How lovely! But what is even all this amazing loveliness, to the graces of her mind! They rise upon me every hour. She hardly opens her lips, but I find reason to bless God, and bless you both, my dear ladies; for God and you have given her goodness-My dearest life, allow me to say, that this sweet person, which will be your first perfection in every stranger's eye, is but a second in mine.

Instruct me, sir, said she, bashfully, bowing her face upon his hand, as he held hers, to deserve your love, by improving the mind you have the goodness to prefer; and no creature was ever on earth so happy as I shall be.

My dear daughter, said her delighted grandmother, you see, can hardly bear your goodness, sir. You must blame her for something, to keep down her pride.

My Harriet, replied he, cannot be proud of what the silkworm can do for her, or of the jeweller's polish: but, now you call upon me, madam, I will tax her with a real fault. I open all my heart to her, as subjects occasionally offer: I want her to have a will, and to let me know it. The frankest of all female hearts will not treat me with that sweet familiarity which banishes distance. You see, my dearest love, that I chide you before your parental friends, and your Lucy.

It is your own fault, sir: indeed it is. You prevent me in all my wishes. Awe will mingle with the love of persons who are under perpetual obligation. My dear two mammas, you must not blame me; you must blame Sir Charles: he takes away, by his goodness, even the power of making suitable acknowledgments, and then complains I do not speak.

My uncle Selby came in. He stood looking upon my cousin, for a few moments, in silence; then broke out, Sir Charles Grandison, you may indeed boast, that you have for a wife the flower of the British world, as you once called her: and, let me tell you, niece, you have for a husband the noblest and gallantest of men. Happy, happy pair! say I. My dear Mr Deane, said he, who just then entered, if you will keep me in countenance, I will venture to salute that charming creature.

Sir Charles presented his bride to them both. With a bent knee she received their salutes. At that moment came in the three lords, who followed the example. Lord W called her

angel-Sir Charles looked delighted with the praises of his bride.

The rest of the company being come, we proceeded to church.

We were early; but the church was crowded. How were the charming couple admired on their alighting, and as they walked to their pew!— Never did my cousin herself look so lovely. How charmingly looked the bridegroom! But he forgot not that humble deportment, full of reverence for the place, and the divine offices, which seemed to make him absent for the time to that splendour and beauty which took every eye out of our own pew. His example was enough to give a proper behaviour, had it been needful, to every one in it.

I should have told your ladyship, that Mr Greville had sent, over-night, a sullenly complaisant request to my aunt, in writing, importing, that, as he heard the bride would make her appearance on the morrow, the bride-men and maids, if it broke not into our ceremonial, would accept of his pew, which is over-against ours, for the look of the thing, he said; though he could not promise but he should all the day curse the occasion. By this we found, that he was not gone to Lady Frampton's, as he had designed. His offer was thankfully accepted.

There was a great concourse of the genteelest people there. Everybody, men and women, looked delighted on the occasion. The humility of the bride was tried, by the respects paid her between the offices, by all who had ever been in her company. They should have reined-in their own pride; for it was to that, as much as to respect to her, I doubt not, that their notice was owing. She looked conscious, bashful; sly, I told her afterwards. She hates the word: but, as I said, she should not have given the idea, that made no other word so proper to express it, and which must be more observable in her generally open, free countenance, than in that of any other. She more than once saw devoirs paid her by a leer, when her sweet face was so disposed, that, had she not returned the compli ment, it might have passed that she had not seen them. But what an insensible must have been my cousin, had she not been proud of being Lady Grandison! She is not quite an angel yet: She has a few femalities, as my uncle whimsically calls our little foibles. So, perhaps, she should. But nobody saw the least defect in your brother. His dress most charmingly became him; and when he looked upon his bride, his eyes were fixed on her eyes, with such a sweet benignity and complaisance, as if he saw her mind through them, and could not spare a glance to her ornaments; yet by his own dress he shewed, that he was no stoical non-conformist to the fashion of the world. But the politeness and respect with which he treated her, did them both credit, and credit (as Lady G

observed) to the whole sex. Such unaffected tenderness in his respect; and known to be so brave, so good a man!-O my dear Lady L——, what an admirable man is your brother! What a happy creature is my Harriet!

When divine service was over, I was afraid our procession, as I may call it, would have been interrupted by the compliments of some of the gentry of our acquaintance, whose opened pewdoors shewed their readiness to address them; but all passed in silent respects from gentlemen and ladies. My cousin, when she came home, rejoiced, that one of her parading times was over: But when, my dearest love! said Sir Charles, will the time be past, that all who see you will admire you ?

The church in the afternoon was still more crowded than before. How were Sir Charles and my uncle blessed by the poor, and people of low degree, for their well-dispensed bounty to them!

My cousin has delighted Mrs Shirley, by telling her, that Sir Charles had said there would be a rite wanting, till he and she had communicated, according to the order of the church, at the altar, on this particular occasion.

Just now is everything settled that Sir Charles wished to be settled. Lady G will acquaint you with particulars, I doubt not.

Permit me to commend myself to your ladyship's favour, as one of the humblest and sincerest of your servants,

LUCY SELBY.

P.S.-Lady G has half broke my heart. On perusal of what I have written, she says, I have not done my best: I have not given half particulars enough.-In short, she finds a multitude of faults with me-Even calls me names; Sorry girl, lazy, and I can't tell what.

But do you, madam, acquit me, and I shall be easy.

I told her, that I thought I had been very minute.

What! to a lying-in woman, she says, who has no variety before her! All one dull chamber-scene, hourly acted over again -The subject so rich!

I answered, It should then have had the richest pen !-Why did she not write herself? If it was not for laziness-sake; it was for self-sake, that she did not. As I knew Lady L would have been a gainer by the change of pen, I had much rather have been in the company for which she quitted the task, than grubbing pens in my closet; and all to get nothing but discommendation.

I have shewn her this my postscript. She raves: but I am hardened. She will soon have

an opportunity to supply all my defects in per

son.

LETTER CCLIX.

MISS LUCY SELBY, TO LADY G————,

Saturday, Nov. 25. You enjoined me, my dear Lady G—, at parting on Monday last, to write to you; and to be very particular in what I wrote. I will, because I love and fear you. Otherwise I would not write at all; first, because I had not the good fortune to please you, in mine to Lady L- -; and next, because I shall so soon have the honour to attend you in town. Well then, I begin.

On Tuesday we women were employed in preparations for the tenants' jubilee, next day. Sir Charles, attended by my brother James, paid a morning visit to Mr Greville, whom he found moody, reserved, and indisposed. My brother James says, that he never saw such a manly, yet tender treatment, from one man to another, as Sir Charles gave him; and that he absolutely subdued him, and left him acknowledging the favour of his visit, and begging a repetition of it, as often as he could, while he staid in these parts; and that, he said, as well for his credit, as for his comfort. But when, Sir Charles, said he, do you carry from us the Siren! I will call her names. I hate her. The sooner the better. Curse me, if I shall be able to creep out of the house, while she is visible on Northamptonshire ground-Though I was a friend to the match-Do you mind that, young man; (to my brother James;) O love, love, added he, of what contradictions art thou the cause! Though I hate her, I almost long to see her. You'll allow me to visit you both, I hope, when I have got over these plaguy megrims.

The same day Sir Charles making a visit to Sir John Holles's family, found Miss Orme there, expecting her brother to call for her in his post-chaise.

Great civilities passed between Sir Charles and Miss Orme. She was doubtful whether her brother had, at that time, best see Sir Charles, as he was weak in health and spirits; but just as Sir Charles was at the gate, going in his chariot, attended by Sir John and the young ladies, poor Mr Orme came.

The liveries would not allow Mr Orme to doubt who it was. He turned pale. Sir Charles addressed himself to him with his usual polite freedom. Knowing, sir, said he, that Mr Orme was expected by one of the best of sisters, I presume to salute you, as the Mr Orme to whom I have been desirous, ever since I have been in Northamptonshire, to pay my compliments. Sir Charles Grandison, sir

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