the branches of literature,which might be taught would be impossible, unless the time of the pupils' continuance at the seminary, and the requisites for entrance were previously fixed. Such an enumeration would be tedious, nor do I conceive that it would be at all promotive of my chject. The difficulty complained of is not that we are at a loss what sciences we ought to learn, but that we have not proper advantages to learn any. Many writers have given us excellent advice with regard to what we should be taught, but no Legislature has provided us the means of instruction. Not, however, to pass lightly over the fundamental part of education, I will mention one or two of the less obvious branches of science, which, I conceive should engage the youthful attention of my sex.

It is highly important that females should be conversant with those stadies which will lead them to understand the operations of the human mind. The chief use to which the philosophy of the mind can be applied, is to regulate education by its rules. The ductile mind of the child is entrusted to the mother; and she ought to obtain every possible assistance, in acquiring a knowledge of this noble material, on which it is her business to operate, that she may best understand how to mould it to its most excellent form.

Natural Philosophy has not often been taught to our sex. Yet why should we be kept in ignorance of the great machinery of nature, and left to the vulgar notion that nothing is curious but what deviates from her common course? If mothers were acquainted with this science they would communicate very many of its principles to its children in early youth.

From the bursting of an egg burried in the fire, I have heard an intelligent mother lead her prattling enquirer to understand the cause of the earthquake. But how often does the mother from ignorance on this subject, give her child the most erroneous and contracted views of the causes of natural phenomena; views, which, though they may afterwards learn to be false, are yet from the laws of association, ever ready to return, unless the active powers of the mind are continually upon the alert to keep them out. A knowledge of natural philosophy is calculated to heighten the moral taste, by bringing to view the majesty and beauty of order and design; and to enliven piety, by enabling the mind more clearly to perceive throughout, the mainfold works of God, that wisdom, in which he hath made them all.

In some of the sciences proper for our sex, the books written for the other would need alteration; because in some they presuppose more knowledge than female pupils would possess; in others, they have parts not particularly interesting to our sex, and omit subjects immediately relating to their pursuits. There would likewise be needed for a female seminary some works, which I believe are no where extant, such as a systematic treatise on housewifery.

3. DOMESTIC INSTRUCTION-Should be considered important in a female seminary. It is the duty of our sex to regulate the internal concerns of every family, and unless they be properly qualified to discharge this duty, whatever may be their literary or ornamental attainments, they cannot be expected to make either good wives, good mothers, or good mistresses of families; and, if they are none of these they must be bad members of society; for it is by promoting or destroying the comfort and prosperity of their own families. that females serve or injure the community.

To superintend the domestic department, there should be a respectable lady, experienced in the best methods of housewifery, and acquainted with propriety of dress and manners. Under her tuition the pupils ought to be placed for a certain length of time every morning. A spirit of neatness and order should here be treated as a virtue, and the contrary if excessive and incorrigible, be punished with expulsion. There might be a gradation of employment in the domestic department, according to the length of time the pupils had remained at the institution. The older scholars might then assist the superintendent in instructing the younger, and the whole be so arranged, that each pupil might have advantages to become a good domestic manager by the time she has completed her studies.

This plan would afford a healthy exercise. It would prevent that estrangement from domestic duties, which would be likely to take place in a length of time devoted to study, with those to whom they were previously familiar; and would accustom those to them, who, from ignorance might otherwise put at hazard their own happiness and the prosperity of their families.

These objects might doubtless be effected by a scheme of domestic instruction; and probably others of no inconsiderable importance. It is believed that housewifery might be greatly improved by being taught not only in practice but in theory. Why may it not be reduced to a system as well as other acts?-There are right ways of performing its various operations; and there are reasons why those ways are right; and why may not rules be formed, their reasons collected; and the whole be digested into a system to guide the learner's practice?

It is obvious that theory alone can never make a good artist; and it is equally obvious, that practice unaided by theory, can never correct errors, but must establish them. If I should perform any thing in a wrong manner all my life, and teach my children to perform it in the same manner, still through my life and theirs it would be wrong. Without alteration there can be no improvement; but how are we to alter so as to improve, if we are ignorant of the principles of our art with which we should compare our practice, and by which we should regulate it?

In the present state of things it is not to be expected, that any material improvements in housewifery should be made. There being no uniformity of method prevailing among different housewives, of course the communications from one to another are not much more likely to improve the art than a communication between two mechanics of different trades, would be to improve each in his respective occupation. But should a system of principles be philosophically arranged, and taught both in theory and by practice, to a large number of females whose minds were expanded and strengthened by a course of literary instruction, those among them of an investigating turn, would, when they commenced house-keepers, consider their domestic operations as a series of experiments, which either proved or refuted the system previously taught. They would then converse together like those who practice a common art, and improve each other by their observations and experiments; and they would also be capable of improving the system by detect ing its errors, and by making additions of new principles and bat. ter modes of practice.

4. The ornamental branches which I should recommend for a famale seminary, are drawing and painting, elegant penmanship, inusic and the grace of motion,-Needlework is not here mentioned. The best style of useful needlework should either be taught in the domestic department or made a qualification for entrance: and I consider that useful which may contribute to the decoration of a ladies person, or the convenience and neatness of her family.But the use of the needle for other purposes than these, as it af fords little to assist in the formation of the character, I should regard as a waste of time.

The grace of motion must be learned chiefly from instruct on in dancing. Other advantages besides that of a graceful carriage, might be derived from such instruction, if the lessons were judiciously timed. Exercise is needful to the health, and recreation to the cheerfulness and contentment of youth. Female youth could not be allowed to range unrestrained to seek amusement for them. selves. If it was entirely prohibited, they would be driven to seek it by stealth, which would lead them to many improprieties of conduct and would have a pernicious effect upon their general character, by inducing a habit of treading forbidden paths, the alternative that remains is to provide them with proper recreation, which, after the confinement of the day, they might enjoy under the eye of their instructers.-Dancing is exactly suited to this purpose as also to that of exercise; for perhaps in no way, can so much healthy exercise be taken in so short a time. It has besides this advantage over other amusements, that it affords nothing to excite the bad passions, but on the contrary its effects are to soften the mind, to banish its animosities, and to open is social impressions.

It may be said that dancing would dissipate the attention and estrange it from study.-Balls would, doubtless, have this effect; but let dancing be practised every day, by youth of the same sex, without change of place, dress, or company, and under the eye of those, whom they are accustomed to obey, and it would excite no more emotion than any other exercise or amusement, but in degree as it is of itself more pleasant.-But it must ever be a grateful exercise to youth, as it is one, to which nature herself prompts them, at the sound of animating music.

It has been doubted whether painting and music should be taught to young ladies, because much time is requisite to bring them to any considerable degree of perfection, and they are not immediately useful. Though these objections have weight, yet they are founded on too limited a view of the objects of education. They leave out the important consideration of forming the character. I should not consider it an essential point that the music of a lady's piano should rival that of her master's; or that her drawing room should be decorated with her own paintings rather than those of others, but it is the intrinsic advantage which she might derive from the refinement of herself that would induce me to recommend to her an attention to these elegant pursuits. Tue harmony of sound, has a tendency to produce a correspondent harmony of soul; and that art which obliges us to study nature, in order to imitate her, often enkindles the latent spark of taste,of sensibility for her beauties, till it glows to adoration for their author, and a refined love of all his works,

5. There would be needed for a female, as well as for a mala seminary a system of laws and regulations so arranged that both the instructers and the pupils would know their duty; aud thus the whole business move with regularity and uniformity.

The laws of the institution would be chiefly directed to regulate the pupil's qualifications for entrance, the kind and order of their studies, their behaviour while at the institution, the term allotted for the completion of their studies, the punishments to be inflicted on offenders, and the rewards or honors to be bestowed on the virtuous and diligent.

The direct rewards or honors used to stimulate the ambition of students in colleges are first, the certificate or diploma, which each receives who passes successfully through the term allotted to his collegiate studies; and secondly the appointments to perform certain parts in public exhibitions, which are bestowed by the faculty, as rewards for superior scholarship. The first of these modes is admissible into a female seminary; the second is not; as public speaking forms no part of female education. The want of this mode might, however, be supplied by examinations judiciously conducted. The leisure and inclination of both instructers and scholars, would combine to produce a thorough preparation for these; for neither would have any other public test of the success of their labors. Persons of both sexes would attend. The less entertaining parts might be enlivened by interludes where the pupils in painting and music would display their several improvements. Such examinations would stimulate the instructers to give their scholars more attention, by which the leading facts and principles of their studies would be more clearly' understood and better remembered. The ambition excited among the pupils would operate without placing the instructers under the necessity of making distinctions among them, which are so apt to be considered as invidious, and which are in our male seminaries, such fruitful sources of disaffection. Perhaps the term allotted for the routine of study at the seminary, might be three years, the pupils probably would not be fitted to enter till about the age of 14. Whether they attended to all or any of the ornamental branches, should be left optional with the parents or guardians. Those who were to be instructed in them, should be entered for a longer term, but if this was a subject of previous calculation no confusion should arise from it. The routine of the exercises being established by the laws of the institution, would be uniform and publicly known, and those who were previously acquainted with the branches first taught, might enter the highest classes; nor would those who entered the lowest be ob liged to remain during the three years. Thus the term of remaining at the institution, might be either one, two, three, four or Inore years; and that without interfering with the regularity and uniformity of its proceedings.

The writer has now given a sketch of her plan. She has by no means expressed all the ideas which occurred to her concerning it; she wished to be as concise as possible, and yet afford conviction that it is practicable to organize a system of Female Education, which shall possess the permanency, uniformity of operation, and respectability of our male institutions; and yet

differ from them, so as to be adapted to that difference of character and duties to which early instruction should form the softer

sex.

It now remains to enquire more particularly what would be the benefits resulting from such a system.

BENIFITS OF FEMALE SEMINARIES.

In enquiring concerning the benefits of the plan proposed, I shall proceed upon the supposition that female seminagies will be presented throughout our country.

Nor is this altogether a visionary supposition if one seminary should be well organized its advantages would be found so great, that others would soon be instituted, aud that sufficient patronage can be found to put one in operation, may be presumed from its reasonableness, and from the public opinion with regard to the present mode of female Education. It is from an intimate acquaintance with those parts of our country, where education is said to flourish inost, that the writer has drawn her picture of the present state of female instruction, and she knows, that she is not alone in perceiving or deploring its faults. Her sentiments are shared by many an enlightened parent of a daughter, who has received a boarding school education. Counting on the promise of her childhood, the Father had anticipated her maturity as coinbining what is excellent in mind with what is elegant in manuers. He spared no expense that education night realize to him, the image of his imagination. His daughter returned from her board. ing school, improved with fashionable airs and expert in mannfacturing fashionable toys; but in her conversation, he sought in ain for that refined and fertile mind, which he had fondly expect

Aware that his disappointment has its source in a defective education he looks with anxiety on his other daughters whose minds, like lovely buds, are beginning to open. Where shall he find a genial soil in which he may place them to expand? Shall he provide thein male instructers? Then the graces of their persons and manners and whatever forms the distinguishing charm of the feminine character, they cannot be expected to acquire. Shall he give them a private Tutoress? She will have been educated at the boarding school, and his daughters will have the faults of its instruction second banded. Such is now the dilemma of many parents; and it is one from which they cannot be extricated by their individual exertions. May not then the only plan which promises to relieve them expect their vigorous support. Let us now proceed to enquire what benefits would result from the establishment of female seminaries.

They would constitute a grade of public education superior to any yet known in the history of our sex; and through them, the lower grades of female instruction might be controlled. The influence of public seminaries over these, would operate in two ways; first by requiring certain qualifications for entrance, and secondly by furnishing instructresses initiated in their modes of teaching and imbued with their maxims,