eagerness of curiofity. Numerous of his benevolence made woman and refpectable were the fpectators of this extraordinary fcene. When I enquired who the individuals were, that compofed the affembly, and why met together, it was replied-Upon yonder plain, fir, are affembled the fair fex, from the middle and higher walks of life. The throne is to be filled by the Goddess of female excellence. We await her defcent. She will addrefs her youthful auditors, and furnish them with directions for the regulation of their future lives." A fecret fatisfaction ftole across my foul, in being prefent on the interesting occafion- But fcarcely was the information communicated, when the acclamations of the multitude announced the appearance of the Goddess. Rapid and magnificent was her defcent from the fky. Her prefence flung a vivid effulgence over 'every adjacent object. Tall and graceful was her perfon. Simple, yet elegant, her habiliments. In her countenance was blended the bloom of youth, with the fedateness of maturer years. Grace was in all her steps; - Heaven in her eye; In every gefture, dignity and love. The celeftial visitant feated herfelf upon the throne. A filence, not unlike the univerfal ftilnefs of a fummer's noon, pervaded the affembly. Every eye fixed itself on the goddefs. Every bofom glowed with fervid expectation. She arofe with a majestic air, and thus addreffed the attentive audience : "Daughters of men, this day ye are affembled for an important purpofe. I fhall impart fentiments, with which you should be intimately acquainted. I have your dearest interefts at heart. I breathe the warmeft wishes for your prefent and future felicity. "The Creator, in the plenitude VOL. XXVI. an help-meet to man. You are, therefore, poffeffed of a fimilar form, endowed with an intelligent foul, and furnifhed with paffions and difpofitions neceffary to accomplith the purpofes of your existence. Upon most of your fex, Na-ture beftows the graceful form-the well-proportioned feature - the engaging mien-and the delicate com. plexion. Thefe exterior charms, though fafcinating, and though many plume themlelves upon them, are of little worth, unaccompanied with the more permanent accomplishments of the mind. To thefe I call your attention. May their enumeration kindle a spirit of emulation. For nobler ends were you defigned, than to flutter about, like gaudy and infignificant infects, enamoured of outward fhow. You are capable of elevated attainments. Seek them with affiduity. Cultivate them with enthusiasm. "Attend carefully to the improvement of the mind. This is of primary importance. I do not mean you should be verfed in the profound parts of literature. I do not require you to be fkilful linguifts, acute philofophers, or expert mathematicians. The abftrufe fciences are unconnected with domeftic life. But, why not rendered companions for the more difcerning of the other fex? From the too common neglect of intellectual accomplifliments flows the falfe and illiberal fuggeftion, that your underftanding is weak, and therefore incapable of any confiderable culture. But are not the diftinguished female writers numerous? Do they not rank high in the annals of literary fame? It may be granted, your minds are formed for relishing works of imagination, rather than for commenting on the productions of a Newton. This conceffion, in its utmost extent, declares only, F that that the delicacy of your frame, joined to exquifite fenfibility, mark you out for the cultivation of one branch of knowledge, in preference to another. The wifdom of Providence is confpicuous in the appointment. You are the better capacitated for the lefs active, though not le's useful fphere, in which you move. By reading and meditation, impro e the faculties of the mind. Biography, voages, travels, and poetry, felected with judgment, repay amply the time confumed upon them. Romance perufe with caution. Most of them inflame the juvenile imagination, irritate the fancy, and exhibiting fallacious views of life, cruelly torture the female heart. The infruttive page, both of facred and profane hiftory, fhould ever lie open before you. The rife, progref, and fall of kingdoms and of individuals, teach admirable leffous, and pour upon you that knowledge of human nature, of which none fhould be deftitute, who pretend to any degree of refinement. Geography, and chronology, the favourite handmaids of hiftory, enable you to perceive fully the beauty and propriety of the hiftoric tale. Aftro my is worthy attention. The per fpicuity, with which its firft prin ciples are laid down, facilitates their attainment. Delightful is it, to trace the fignatures of wifdom and goodness every where impreffed on creation, and to know fomething of the general laws by which your days and your nights, your fummers and your winters, roll round with fuch aftonishing regularity. Nor be unconverfant with period cal effays. They prove an inexhaustible fund of rational entertainment and instruction. Mufic, painting, and occafional vifits, may occupy vacant hours. The informed mind bath been likenend to a piece of polished marble, which exhibits to the eye, ir perfection, those beau i tiful fpots and veins which, on its ruder furface, but faintly appeared. "The cultivation of a good temper merits particular attention. It inclines you to be satisfied with the lot affigned by Providence, to forgive the injuries of enemies, and to be unoffended with the foibles of friends. It is the basis of human blifs. The infirmities of mankind call for its perpetual exercife. With the wifdom of the ferpent, mingle the gentleness of the dove. And may the genius of difcord never hover over your habitations. Is not domeftic felicity, of fublunary enjoyments the moft dear, marred by the obliquities of an irritable temper? "To the nicer fenfibilities of the heart be not inattentive, Graceful is the garb of humanity. Generous is the heart, dilated by the milk of human kindnefs. To melt at another's woe, and to commiferate the unfortunate, are congenial to the female mind. Unfufceptible of humane fenfations, a deep thade is flung over your beft qualities. To raise the dejected--to adminifter the cup of cold water-and to visit the fatherlefs and the widow, are your almost exclufive province. Sympathy avails, when boafted medicine proves inefficacious. Withhold not what is in the power of all to give. Spare no exertion to alleviate human woe. "n your friendships be firm. In your attachments be decidedly fixed. Coquettish frivolity difgraces those who dare indulge it. Give no room for the imputation. Having juft reafon to think favourably of an individual, let not idle report, fordid intereft, or volatile caprice, enfeeble your predilection. Believe not all you hear. The breath of calumny fullies the most uncontaminated reputation. Rafhly ditapprove of none. The human character is complicated. Latent are the excellencies of many. Long ac quaintance me to clofe. Is not even that flowergarden, the hue and fragrance of whofe productions muft powerfully hit the fenfes, injured by the naufeous weed? To the female character alfo adhere blemishes, which tarnish its beauty, and obfcure its glory. Over thefe, charity refutes to fling her veil. To fpecify them, is painful. Excufe me. All I utter is dictated by a concern for your trueft welfare. acquaintance and clofe fcrutiny bring them fully to view. Is not the fickle mind, like the restlefs ocean, a ftranger to tranquillity and peace? "Let modefty prefide over every department of conduct. The reign of modefty is the reign of fimplicity and innocence. She is the queen of virtues. She is the patroneis of every thing excellent and praifeworthy. With incredible charms fhe decorates female beauty. Divefted of her enchanting influence, the sweetest complexion is unattractive, and the fineft features have but a flender power to engage. Mo-tation ridiculous, and extravagance defty is a thin tranfparent veil, hateful. No efteem is conciliated which fhews with fuperior luftre the by the haughty look, the froward graces it would feem to cover, as a gait, or the forbidding mien. Denew-blown rofe is more beautiful, traction indicates unamiableness of when its leaves are a little folded, fpirit, and is incompatible with the than when its glories are fully dif. dignity of the fex. Never counteplayed. nance the obfequious flatterer. His defign is evil. His incenfe is peftilential. The gilded, but empoifoned pill of adulation is adminiftered with "Watch against the intrufion of pride, affectation, and extravagance. Pride renders you difgufting, affec Be virtuous and religious. Ah! of what avail was the confummate beauty of Helen and of Cleopatra, of Rofamond and of Shore? Un-deplorable fuccefs. Thus, the in-✅ enamelled by the excellence of moral goodnef, it entangled them in fatal fnares, and pierced them through with excruciating for ows. But virtue alone, though valua le, is infufficient. Devoid of relig on, the female character is incomplete. The goodly train of charities, unoriginating in a rational and fervent piety, are precariously founded. Mere unaffifted virtue is of too delicate a texture to fuffer long the rude blafts of this inhofpitable clime. It droops its head, and dies away, like the lily, nipped by the frozen gale. As religion confers upon virtue ftrength and permanency-believe firmly its truths, imbibe its fpirit, cbey its precepts, imitate the example of its immaculate Author, and afpire to the tranfcendant honours of a blissful immortality. Such are the prominent features of female excellence- but here, regard for your best interests forbids nocence and reputation of the medeft, but too credulous virgin, are facrificed often at the fhrine of unhallowed paffion. But of all the infelicities of life, is not his the greateft, who enlarges the catalogue of female woes? Be not the votaries of prepofterous fashion. This pernicious turn of mind generates embarrassments, forely felt, deeply · regretted, yet not easily obviated. To the manners of the country where you refide, a temperate regard is due, dictated by good fense and ftrict propriety. Repre's the rage for popular amufements, which characterises the present age. Do they not often encroach on the time claimed by domeftic affairs? Are they not accompanied with enormous expence ? Have they not fometimes annihilated fobriety of mind, and banifhed regularity of conduct, the leading excellencies of moral character ? 66 Upon the eye of the impaffion- ed ed admirer, the ray of female ex-gaging mien-and the delicate comcellence plays with diftinguifhed plexion, may there be added, the brilliancy. Direct into an ufeful improved mind-the mild difpofichannel, whatever afcendancy you tion-and the obliging temper. obtain. In fome cafes your in- May you be diftinguished for intelfluence may be almoft authoritative. ligence, modefty, fenfibility, virtue, Abufe not the entrusted prerogative. and religion. May every avenue Eve abused it, when the plucked the to your heart be guarded against the forbidden fruit, and gave it to wiles of the infidious adulator, and Adam. Helen abused it, when the the lefs difguifed infinuations of the occafioned the Trojan war, which vicious and unprincipled rake May lafted ten long years. Cleopatra the fond hopes of your parents be abused it, when the accelerated the realized. May your partners in ruin of Anthony, in the height and life equal your withes. May your fplendour of his military career. children rife up to call you bleffed. Awed by thefe examples, let your jurifdiction over the other fex be mild and beneficial. Then, you humanize the ferocious, difarm the evil-mindedness of paffion, check the folly of diffipated extravagance. and Quitting this troubled theatre, may you be admitted into the abodes of blifs, and clothed in the robes of immortal beauty!" Here the goddefs ceafed. The exultations of the affembly roused me from my flumbers; and the vifionary fue vanifhed in the twinkling of an eye! Finding the evening far advanced, and the dews of night faft falling, I fprang from the bank on which I reclined, and haftened home-ards, pleased In fine, you poffefs the momentous traft of training up the rifing generation. Under your immediate infp:ction, the individuals of the human race pass the important years of infancy and childhood; important, not indeed in them-with any rural excurfion. felves, but on account of their connection with fubfequent life. When their memories are retentive, and their minds docile, teach them the inestimable leffons of wifdom, virtue, and religion: GRASVILLE ABBEY A ROMANCE. By G. M. CHAP. VIII. (Continued from Vol. XXV p. 708.) ADVENTURES. "Oh, Peace! thou fource and foul Beneath whofe caim-infpiring influence Bleft be the man divine who gives us and difappointment, their feelings fuffer a far greater fhock than can be felt by thofe, who, from their Childhood, have been plunged in irregularities, and are well practifed in meannefs and deceit. The fting of remorse feldom lasts longer than that punishment which they bring upon themfelves through perpetual indifcretion and deliberate fchemes of villainy while the man who has been m rely led away by example, or youthful follies, receives with redoubled force that blow which ftabs at once his character and reputation. Nor can he, though the clouds of defpair, which encompaffed him, may be fucceeded by the funfh ne of profperity, think of difagreeable events, at a former part of life, but with anguish and diftrefs. Of the numberlefs griefs and afflictions to which human nature is fubject, poverty is held up as one of a confiderable magnitude; it generally procures contempt and illtreatment from the haughty fons of wealth; and the opinion of the world in general, are by no means favourable to those who are not poffeilors of riches and affluence. Thefe miaken and fhameful ideas are almost too predominant in every country, and the child of mifery receives great addition to his woes by the fneers and fcandal of his neighbours. Equality, though a word of terror to the great, if taken in its true meaning, implies fentiments of the most noble and generous kind; instead of pulling down laws, and levelling the whole clafs of mankind, it would confirm unity, peace, and good order. The rod of oppreffion too often falls upon that man who is unable, through misfortunes, or peculiar circumftances, to raife himself against the weight; but, crufhed by its power, he finks beneath the force of injuftice, and is lot to his God, his family, and humfelf. Whereas | in the time of his forrows, had he received comfort, fuccour, or affiftance, he might have continued to have proved a valuable member of fociety Alfred Miferini meditated with painful ideas on those diftreffes which had happened, through his ovn mifconduct, during the time they had been in England. He not only beheld himself furrounded with difficulties; but his fifter, who was innocent of the caufe, equally involved, through his errors and vices. Young, beautiful, and accomplished, he was but ill clculated to undergo the hardships of life; yet the fubmitted to them with refignation, and could even teach patience to him, who had brought her to the prefent difquietude. This would cut him to the foul, and the fealding tear of repentance would often start from his eye, in defiance of the many efforts he made to conceal it. He was imptuous, proud, and courageous in his difpofition; yet, in feelings he was a woman nor was his pride of that nature to make him overlook affliction, although concealed in a hut of poverty and mifery. But he laid too great a ftrefs on the punctilios of honour and high birth; he valued the name he bore with fuch ardour as to make him refent the leaft affront offered in the family to which it belonged. Their arrival at Calais was attended with difagreeable and degrad ng circumftances, on account of their giving in their names, (which were feigned ones) and the review of their baggage, which confifted of clothes and a few articles which Matilda had received from Mr. Millverne's va et: that gentleman having procured from fir Peter's what little goods fhe fet a ftore on, and defired his fervant to de liver them at Dover. Their travelling through France was in every refpect |