we have separately added to that common The present war is undoubtedly undertaken stock of abounding iniquity, the description entirely on defensive principles. It is in deof which formed the character of an ancient fence of our king, our constitution, our renation, and is so peculiarly applicable to our ligion, our laws, and consequently our liberown-Pride, fulness of bread, and abundance ty, in the sound, sober, and rational, sense of of idleness. Let every one of us humbly in- that term. It is to defend ourselves from the quire, in the self-suspecting language of the savage violence of a crusade, made against disciples of their Divine Master-Lord, is it all religion, as well as all government. If I? Let us learn to fear the fleets and armies ever therefore a war was undertaken on the of the enemy, much less than those iniquities ground of self-defence and necessity-if ever at home, which this alarming dispensation men might be liberally said to fight pro ARIS may be intended to chastise. et Focis, this seems to be the occasion. The ambition of conquerors has been the gious fanaticism, of still greater. But little as I am disposed to become the apologist of either the one principle or the other, there is no extravagance in asserting, that they have seemed incapable of producing, even in ages, that extent of mischief, that variety of ruin, that comprehensive desolation, which philosophy, falsely so called, has produced in three years. The war which the French had declared against us, is of a kind altogether unexam-source of great and extensive evils: relipled in every respect; insomuch that human wisdom is baffled when it would pretend to conjecture what may be the event. But this at least we may safely say, that it is not so much the force of French bayonets, as the contamination of French principles, that ought to excite our apprehensions. We trust, that through the blessing of God we shall be defended from their open hostilities, by the temperate wisdom of our rulers, and the bravery of our fleets and armies; but the domestic danger arising from licentious and irreligious principles among ourselves, can only be guarded against by the personal care and vigilance of every one of us who values religion and the good order of society in this world, and an eternity of happiness in the next. Christians! it is not a small thing-it is your life! The pestilence of irreligion which you detest, will insinuate itself imperceptibly with those manners, phrases, and principles which you admire and adopt. It is the humble wisdom of a Christian, to shrink from the most distant approaches of sin: to abstain from the very appearance of evil. If we would fly from the deadly contagion of atheism, let us fly from those seemingly remote, but not very indirect paths which lead to it. Let France chuse this day whom she will serve; but as for us and our houses, we will serve the Lord. God grant that those who go forth to fight our battles, instead of being intimidated by the number of their enemies, may bear in mind, that there is no restraint with God to save by many or by few.' And let the meanest among us who remains at home rememAnd, O gracious and long-suffering God! ber also, that even he may contribute to the before that awful period arrives, which shall internal safety of the country, by the integ- exhibit the dreadful effects of such an edurity of his private life, and to the success of cation as the French nation are instituting; her defenders, by following them with his fer- before a race of men can be trained up, not vent prayers. And in what war can the sin-only without the knowledge of Thee, but in cere Christian ever have stronger induce- the contempt of Thy most holy law, do Thou, ments and more reasonable encourage- in great mercy change the heart of this peoment to pray for the success of his coun-ple as the heart of one man. Give them not try, than in this? Without entering far into finally over to their own corrupt imaginaany political principles, the discussion of tions, to their own heart's lusts. But after which would be in a great measure foreign having made them a fearful example to all to the design of this little tract, it may be remarked, that the unchristianed principle of revenge is not our motive to this war; conquest is not our object; nor have we had recourse to hostility in order to effect a change in the internal government of France.* the nations of the earth, what a people can 324 STRICTURES ON THE MODERN SYSTEM OF FEMALE EDUCATION, WITH A VIEW OF THE PRINCIPLES AND CONDUCT PREVALENT AMONG WOMEN OF RANK May you so raise your character that you may help to make the next age a better thing, and leave posterity in your debt, for the advantage it shall receive by your example.-Lord Halifax. Domestic Happiness, thou only bliss Of Paradise that has surviv'd the Fall! COWPER. INTRODUCTION. Ir is a singular injustice which is often exercised towards women, first to give them a very defective education, and then to expect from them the most undeviating purity of conduct-to train them in such a manner as shall lay them open to the most dangerous faults, and then to censure them for not proving faultless. Is it not unreasonable and unjust, to express disappointment if our daughters should, in their subsequent lives, turn out precisely that very kind of character for which it would be evident to an unprejudiced by-stander that the whole scope and tenor of their instruction had been systematically preparing them? Some reflections on the present erroneous system are here with great deference submitted to public consideration. The author is apprehensive that she shall be accused of betraying the interests of her sex by laying open their defects: but surely an earnest wish to turn their attention to objects calculated to promote their true dignity, is not the office of an enemy. So to expose the weakness of the land as to suggest the necessity of internal improvement, and to point out the means of effectual defence, in not treachery, but patriotism. Again, it may be objected to this little work, that many errors are here ascribed to women which by no means belongs to them exclusively, and that it seems to confine to the sex those faults which are common to the species: but this is in some measure unavoidable. In speaking on the qualities of one ses, the moralist is somewhat in the situation of the geographer, who is treating on the nature of one country: the air, soil, and produce of the land which he is describing, cannot fail in many essential points to resemble those of other countries under the same parallel; yet it is his business to descant on the one without adverting to the other; and though in drawing his map he may happen to introduce some of the neighbouring coast, yet his principal attention must be confined to that country which he proposes to describe, without taking into account the resembling circumstances of the adjacent shores. er. It may be also objected that the opinion here suggested on the state of manners among the higher classes of our countrywomen, may seem to controvert the just encomiums of modern travellers, who generally concur in ascribing a decided superiority to the ladies of this country over those of every othBut such is, in general, the state of foreign manners, that the comparitive praise is almost an injury to English women. To be flattered for excelling those whose standard of excellence is very low, is but a degrading kind of commendation; for the value of all praise derived from superiority, depends on the worth of the competitor. The character of British ladies, with all the unparalleled advantages they possess, must never be determined by a comparison with the women of other nations, but by comparing them with what they themselves might be if all their talents and unrivalled opportunities were turned to the best account. Again, it may be said, that the author is less disposed to expatiate on excellence than error: but the office of the historian of human manners is delineation rather than panegyric. Were the end in view enlogium and not improvement, eulogium would have been far more gratifying, nor would just objects for praise have been difficult to find. Even in her own limited sphere of observation, the author is ac quainted with much excellence in the class of which she treats-with women who, possessing learning which would be thought extensive in the other sex, set an example of deep humility to their own-wO men who, distinguished for wit and genius, are eminent for domestic qualities-who, excelling in the fine arts, have carefully enriched their understandings-who, enjoying great influence, devote it to the glory of God-who, possessing elevated rank, think their noblest style and title is that of a Christian. That there is also much worth which is little known, she is persuaded; for it is the modest nature of goodness to exert itself quietly, while a few characters of the opposite cast seem, by the rumour of their exploits, to fill the world; and by their noise to multiply their numbers. It often happens that a very small party of people, by occupying the foreground, by seizing the public attention and monopolising the public talk, contrives to appear to be the great body: a few active spirits, provided their activity take the wrong turn and support the wrong cause, seem to fill the scene; and a few disturbers of order, who have the talent of thus exciting a false idea of their multitudes by their mischiefs, actually gain strength, and swell their numbers, by this fallacious arithmetic. But the present work is no more intended for a panegyric on those purer characters who seek not human praise because they act from a higher motive, than for a satire on the avowedly licentious, who, urged by the impulse of the moment, resist no inclination; and led away by the love of fashion, dislike no censure, so it may serve to rescue them from neglect or oblivion. There are, however, multitudes of the youug and the well disposed, who have as yet taken no decided part, who are just launching on the ocean of life, just about to lose their own right convictions, virtual ly preparing to counteract their better propensities, and unreluctantly yielding themselves to be carried down the tide of popular practices: sanguine, thoughtless, and confident of safety.-To these the author would gently hint, that when once embarked, it will be no longer easy to say to their passions, or even to their principles, Thus far shall ye go and no further.' Their struggles will grow fainter, their resistance will become feebler, till borne down by the confluence of example, temptation, appetite, and habit, resistance and opposition will soon be the only things of which they will learn to be ashamed. Should any reader revolt at what is conceived to be unwarranted strictness in this little book, let it not be thrown by in disgust before the following short consideration be weighed.-If in this christian country we are actually beginning to regard the solemn office of Baptism as merely furnishing an arti cle to the parish register-if we are learning from our indefatigable teachers, to consider this Christian rite as a legal ceremony retained for the sole purpose of recording the age of our children;-then, indeed, the prevailing system of education and manners on which these pages presume to animadvert may be adopted with propriety, and persisted in with safety, without entailing on our children or on ourselves the peril of broken promises or the guilt of violated vows-But, if the obligation which christian Baptism imposes be really binding-if the ordinance have, indeed, a meaning beyond a mere secular transaction, beyond a record of names and dates-if it be an institution by which the child is solemnly devoted to God as his Father, to Jesus Christ as his Saviour, and to the Holy Spirit as his sanctifier; if there be no definite period assigned when the obligation of fulfilling the duties it enjoins shall be superseded-if, having once dedicated our offspring to their Creator, we no longer dare to mock Him by bringing them up in ignorance of His will and neglect of His laws-if, after having enlisted them under the banners of Christ, to fight manfully against the three great enemies of mankind, we are no longer at liberty to let them lay down their arms; much less to lead them to act as if they were in alliance instead of hostility with these enemies-if, after having promised that they shall renounce the vanities of the world, we are not allowed to invalidate the engagement-if, after such a covenant we should tremble to make these renounced vanities, the supreme object of our own pursuit or of their instruction-if all this be really so, then the Strictures on Modern Education, and on the Habits of Polished Life, will not be found so repugnant to truth, and reason, and common sense, as may on a first view be supposed. But if on candidly summing up the evidence, the design and scope of the author be fairly judged, not by the customs or opinions of the worldly (for every English subject has a right to object to a suspected or prejudiced jury) but by an appeal to that divine law which is the only infallible rule of judgment; if on such an appeal her views and principles shall be found censurable for their rigour, absurd in their requisitions, or preposterous in their restrictions, she will have no right to complain of such a verdict, because she will then stand condemned by that court to whose decision she implicitly submits. Let it not be suspected that the author arrogantly conceives herself to be exempt from that natural corruption of the heart which it is one chief object of this slight work to exhibit; that she supercliously erects herself into the impeccable censor of her sex and of the world; as if from the critic's chair she were coldly pointing out the faults and errors of another order of beings, in whose welfare she had not that lively interest which can only flow from the tender and intimate participation of fellow-feeling. With a deep self-abasement, arising from a strong conviction of being indeed a partaker in the same corrupt nature; together with a full persuasion of the many and great defects of these pages, and a sincere consciousness of her inability to do justice to a subject which, however, a sense of duty impelled her to undertake, she commits herself to the candour of that public which has so frequently, in her instance, accepted a right intention as a substitute for a powerful performance. BATH, March 14, 1799. STRICTURES ON THE MODERN SYSTEM OF FEMALE EDUCATION. Address to women of rank and fortune, on instances. pends, more than those are aware who are of human action, on the prevailing sentiments not accustomed to scrutinize into the springs and habits of women, and on the nature and degree of the estimation in which they are held. Even those who admit the power of female elegance on the manners of men, do not always attend to the influence of female principles on their character. In the former case, indeed, women are apt to be sufficiently conscious of their power, and not backward in turning it to account. But there are nobler objects to be effected by the exertion of their powers, and unfortunately, ladies, who are often unreasonably confident where they ought to be diffident, are sometimes capriciously diffident just when they ought to feel where their true_importance lies; and, feeling to exert it. To use their boasted power over mankind to no higher purpose than the gratification of vanity or the The general state of civilized society, de-indulgence of pleasure, is the degrading AMONG the talents for the application of which women of the higher class will be peculiarly accountable, there is one, the importance of which they can scarcely rate too highly This talent is influence. We read of the greatest orator of antiquity, that the wisest plans which it had cost him years to frame, a woman could overturn in a single day; and when we consider the variety of mischiefs which an ill-directed influence has been known to produce, we are led to reflect with the most sanguine hope on the beneficial effects to be expected from the same powerful force when exerted in its true direction. triumph of those fair victims to luxury, ca- is the most disgusting and unnatural charac : price, and depotism, whom the laws and the religion of the voluptuous prophet of Arabia exclude from light, and liberty, and knowledge and it is humbling to reflect, that in those countries in which fondness for the mere persons of women is carried to the highest excess, they are slaves; and that their moral and intellectual degradation increases in direct proportion to the adoration which is paid to mere external charms. ter. Propriety is to a woman what the great Roman critic says action is to an orator, it is the first, the second, the third requisite. A woman may be knowing, active, witty and amusing; but without propriety she cannot be amiable. Propriety is the centre in which all the lines of duty and of agreeableness meet. It is to character what proportion is to figure, and grace to attitude. It does not depend on any one perfection, but it is the result of general excellence. It shows itself by a regular, orderly, undevia ting course; and never starts from its sober orbit into any splendid eccentricities; for But I turn to the bright reverse of this mortifying scene; to a country where our sex enjoys the blessings of liberal instruction, of reasonable laws, of a pure religion, and all the endearing pleasures of an equal, so- it would be ashamed of such praise as it cial, virtuous, and delightful intercourse. might extort by any deviations from its preI turn, with an earnest hope, that women thus per path. It renounces all commendation richly endowed with the bounties of Provi- but what is characteristic; and I would dence, will not content themselves with polish- make it the criterion of true taste, right ing when they are able to reform; with enter- principle, and genuine feeling, in a woman, taining when they may awaken; and with whether she would be less touched with all captivating for a day, when they may bring the flattery of romantic and exaggera into action powers, of which the effects may ted panegyric than with that beautiful picbe commensurate with eternity. ture of correct and elegant propriety which Milton draws of our first mother, when he delineates In this moment of alarm and peril, I would call on them with a warning voice,' which should stir up every latent principle in their Those thousand decencies which daily flow minds, and kindle every slumbering energy From all her words and actions.' in their hearts: I would call on them to Even the influence of religion is to be excome forward, and contribute their full and ercised with discretion. A female Polemic fair proportion towards the saving of their wanders nearly as far from the limits prescricountry. But I would call on them to come bed to her sex, as a female Machiavel or warforward, without departing from the refine- like Thalestris. Fierceness has made almost ment of their character, without derogating as few converts as the sword, and both are from the dignity of their rank, without blem- peculiarly ungraceful in a female. Even ishing the delicacy of their sex: I would religious violence has human tempers of its call them to the best and most appropriate own to indulge, and is gratifying itself when exertion of their power, to raise the depres- it would be thought to be serving God. Let sed tone of public morals, and to awaken the not the bigot place her natural passions to drowsy spirit of religious principle. They the account of Christianity, or imagine she know too well how arbitrarily they give the is pious when she is only passionate. Let law to manners, and with how despotic a her bear in mind that a Christian doctrine is sway they fix the standard of fashion. But always to be defended with a Christian spirit, this is not enough; this is a low mark, a prize and not make herself amends by the stoutness not worthy of their high and holy calling. For, on the use which women of the superior class may now be disposed to make of that power delegated to them by the courtesy of custom, by the honest gallantry of the heart by the imperious control of virtuous affections, by the habits of civilized states, by the usages of polished society; on the use, I But the character of a consistent Christian say, which they shall hereafter make of this is as carefully to be maintained, as that of a influence, will depend, in no low degree, the fiery disputant is to be avoided; and she who well-being of those states, and the virtue and is afraid to avow her principles, or ashamed happiness, nay perhaps the very existence, of that society. of her orthodoxy for the badness of her temper. Many, because they defend a religious opinion with pertinacity, seem to fancy that they thereby acquire a kind of right to withhold the meekness and obedience which should be necessarily involved in the principle. to defend them, has little claim to that honourable title. A profligate who laughs at the At this period, when our country can only most sacred institutions and keeps out of the hope to stand by opposing a bold and noble way of every thing which comes under the unanimity to the most tremendous confedera appearance of formal instruction, may be cies against religion, and order, and govern- disconcerted by the modest, but spirited re ments, which the world ever saw, what an buke of a delicate woman, whose life adorns accession would it bring to the public the doctrines which her conversation de strength, could we prevail on beauty, and fends: but she who administers reproof with rank, and talents, and virtue, confederating ill-breeding, defeats the effect of her remedy their several powers, to exert themselves On the other hand, there is a dishonest way with a patriotism at once firm and feminine, of labouring to conciliate the favour of a for the general good! I am not sounding an whole company, though of characters and alarm to female warriors, or exciting female principles irreconcilably opposite. politicians: I hardly know which of the two words may be so guarded as not to shock the The believer, while the eye and voice may be so side: it is RIDICULE, the most deadly weaaccommodated, as not to discourage the infi- pon in the whole arsenal of impiety, and del. She who, with a half-earnestness, trims which becomes an almost unerring shaft when batween the truth and the fashion; who directed by a fair and fashionable hand. No while she thinks it creditable to defend the maxim has been more readily adopted, or is cause of religion, yet does it in a faint tone, more intrinsically false, than that which the a studied ambiguity of phrase, and a certain fascinating eloquence of a noble sceptic of expression in her countenance, which proves the last age contrived to render so popular, that she is not displeased with what she affects that ridicule is the test of truth."* It is no to censure, or that she is afraid to lose her test of truth itself; but of their firmness who reputation for wit, in proportion as she ad- assert the cause of truth, it is indeed a sevances her credit for piety, injures the cause vere test. This light, keen, missile weapon, more than he who attacked it, for she proves the irresolute, unconfirmed Christian will either that she does not believe what she pro- find it harder to withstand, than the whole fesses, or that she does not reverence what heavy artillery of infidelity united. fear compels her to believe. But this is not all: she is called on, not barely to repress impiety, but to excite, to encourage, and to cherish every tendency to serious religion. Some of the occasions of contributing to the general good which are daily presenting themselves to ladies are almost too minute to be pointed out. Yet of the good which right minded women, anxiously watching these minute occasions, and adroitly seizing them, might accomplish, we may form some idea by the ill effects which we actually see produced, through the mere levity, carelessness, and inattention (to say no worse) of some of those ladies, who are looked up to as standards in the fashionable world. I am persuaded, if many a woman of fashion, who is now disseminating unintended mischief, under the dangerous notion that there is no harm in any thing short of positive vice, and under the false colours of that indolent humility, what good can I do? could be brought to see in its collected force the annual aggregate of the random evil she is daily doing, by constantly throwing a little casual weight into the wrong scale, by a mere inconsiderate and unguarded chat, she would start from her self-complacent dream. If she could conceive how much she may be diminishing the good impressions of young men; and if she could imagine how little amiable levity or irreligion makes her appear in the eyes of those who are older and abler (however loose their own principles may be) she would correct herself in the first instance, from pure good nature; and in the second, from worldly prudence and mere self-love But on how much higher principles would she restrain herself, if she habitually took into account the important doctrine of consequences and if she reflected that the lesser but more habitual corruptions make up by their number, what they may seem to come short of by their weight: then perhaps she would find that, among the higher class of women, inconsideration is adding more to the daily quantity of evil than almost all other causes put together. There is an instrument of inconceivable force, when it is employed against the interest of Christianity: it is not reasoning, for that may be answered; it is not learning, for luckily the infidel is not seldom ignorant; it is not invective, for we leave so coarse an engine to the hands of the vulgar; it is not evidence, for happily we have that all on our A young man of the better sort, has, perhaps, just entered upon the world, with a certain share of good dispositions and right feelings; neither ignorant of the evidences, nor destitute of the principles of Christianity : without parting with his respect for religion, he sets out with the too natural wish of making himself a reputation and of standing well with the fashionable part of the female world. He preserves for a time a horror of vice, which makes it not difficult for him to resist the grosser corruptions of society; he can as yet repel profaneness; nay, he can withstand the banter of a club He has sense enough to see through the miserable fallacies of the new philosophy, and spirit enough to expose its malignity. So far he does well, and you are ready to congratulate him on his security. You are mistaken: the principles of the ardent, and hitherto promising adventurer, are shaken, just in that very society where, while he was looking for pleasure, he doubted not of safety. In the company of certain women of good fashion and no ill fame, he makes shipwreck of his religion. He sees them treat with levity or derision subjects which he has been used to hear named with respect. He could confute an argument, he could unravel a sophistry; but he cannot stand a laugh. A sneer, not at the truth of religion, for that perhaps is by none of the party disbelieved, but at its gravity, its unseasonableness, its dulness, puts all his resolution to flight. He feels his mistake, and struggles to recover his credit in order to which, he adopts the gay affectais; he goes on to say things which he does tions of trying to seem worse than he really not believe, and to deny things which he does believe; and all to efface the first impression, and to recover a reputation which he has committed to their hands, on whose report he knows he shall stand or fall, in those circles in which he is ambitious to shine. ; That cold compound of irony, irreligion, selfishness, and sneer, which make up what the French (from whom we borrow the thing as well as the word) so well express by the term persiflage, has of late years made an incredible progress in blasting the opening buds of piety in young persons of fashion. A cold pleasantry, a temporary cant word. the jargon of the day (for the great vulgar' have their jargon) blights the first promise of * Lord Shaftesbury. |