But, Mrs B- said Lady Towers, may one ask, What particular subject was at this time your employment?

I had been writing, (you must know, Lady G―,) for the sake of suiting Miss Stapylton's flighty vein, a little sketch of the style she is so fond of; and hoped for some such opportunity as this question gave me, to bring it on the carpet; for my only fear, with her and Miss Cope, and Miss Sutton, was, that they would deem me too grave; and so what would fall in the course of conversation, would make the less impression upon them. For even the best instructions in the world, you know, will be ineffectual, if the method of conveying them is not adapted to the taste and temper of the person you would wish to influence. And, moreover, I had a view in it, to make this little sketch the

introduction to a future occasion for some observations on the stiff and affected style of romances, which might put Miss Stapylton out of conceit with them, and make her turn the course of her studies another way; as I shall mention in its place.

I answered, That I had been meditating upon the misfortune of a young lady, who had been seduced and betrayed by a gentleman she loved; and who, notwithstanding, had the grace to stop short, (indeed later than were to be wished,) and to abandon friends, country, lover, in order to avoid any farther intercourse with him; and that God had blessed her penitence and resolution, and she was now very happy in a neighbouring dominion.

A fine subject! said Miss Stapylton.-Was the gentleman a man of wit, madam? Was the lady a woman of taste?

The gentleman, madam, was all that was desirable in man, had he been virtuous; the lady, all that was excellent in woman, had she been more circumspect. But it was a first love on both sides; and little did she think he could have taken advantage of her innocence and her affection for him.

A sad, sad story! said Miss Cope: But, pray, madam, did their friends approve of their visits? For danger sometimes, as I have heard, arises from the cruelty of friends, who force lovers upon private and clandestine meetings; when, perhaps, there can be no material objection why the gentleman and lady may not come together.

Well observed, Miss Cope! thought I. How we are for making every case applicable to our own, when our hearts are fixed upon a point!

It cannot be called cruelty in friends, madam, said I, when their cautions, or even prohibitions, are so well justified by the event, as in this case -and, generally, by the wicked arts and practices of seducers. And how happy is it for a lady, when she suffers herself to be convinced, that those who have lived forty years in the world,

may know twice as much, at least, of that world, as she can possibly know at twenty; ten of which, moreover, are almost a blank! If they do not, the one must be supposed very ignorant; the other, very knowing,

But, madam, the lady, whose hard case I was considering, hoped too much, and feared too little; that was her fault; which made her give opportunities to the gentleman, which neither liberty nor restraint could justify in her. She had not the discretion, poor lady! in this one great point of all, that the ladies I have in my eye, I dare say, would have had in her case.

I beg pardon, said Miss Cope, and blushed; I know not the case, and ought to have been silent.

Ay, thought I, so you would, had not you thought yourself more affected by it, than it

were to be wished

you were.

I think, said Miss Sutton, the lady was the less to be pitied, as she must know what her character required of her; and that men will generally deceive when they are trusted. There are very few of them, who pretend to be virtuous; and it is allowed to be their privilege to ask, as it is the lady's to deny.

So, madam, replied I, you are supposing a continual state of warfare between the two sexes; one offensive, the other defensive; and, indeed, I think the notion not altogether amiss; for a lady will assuredly be in less danger, where she rather fears an enemy in the acquaintance she has of that sex, than hopes a friend; especially as so much depends upon the issue, either of her doubt, or of her confidence.

I don't know neither, madam, returned Miss Sutton, very briskly, whether the men should be set out to us as such bugbears, as our mothers generally represent them. It is making them too considerable; and is a kind of reflection upon the discretion and virtue of our sex, and supposes us weak indeed.

The late czar, I have read, continued she, took a better method with the Swedes, who had often beat him; when, after a great victory, he made his captives march in procession through the streets of his principal city, to familiarize them to the Russes, and shew them that they were but men.

Very well observed, replied I: But then, did you not say, that this was thought necessary to be done, because the Russes had been often defeated by these Swedes, and thought too highly of them; and when the Swedes, taking advantage of that prepossession, had the greater contempt of the Russes?

She looked a little disconcerted; and, being silent, I proceeded.

I am very far, madam, from thinking the generality of men very formidable, if our sex do justice to themselves, and to what their characters require of them. Nevertheless, give me

leave to say, that the men I thought contempt ible, I would not think worthy of my company, nor give it to them, when I could avoid it. And as for those who are more to be regarded, I am afraid, that when they can be assured, that a lady allows it to be their privilege to sue for favours, it will certainly embolden them to solicit, and to think themselves acting in character when they put the lady upon hers, to refuse them. And yet I am humbly of opinion with the poet,

He comes too near, who comes to be deny'd.

For these reasons, madam, I was pleased with your notion, that it would be best to look upon that sex, especially if we allow them the privilege you speak of, in a hostile light.

But permit me to observe, with regard to the most contemptible of the species, fops, coxcombs, and pretty fellows, that many a good general has been defeated, when, trusting to his great strength and skill, he has despised a truly weak enemy.

I believe, madam, returned she, your observation is very just; I have read of such instances. But, dear madam, permit me to ask, Whether we speak not too generally, when we condemn every man who dresses well, and is not a sloven, as a fop or a coxcomb?

No doubt we do, when this is the case. But permit me to observe, that you hardly ever in your life saw a man who was very nice about his person and dress, that had any thing he thought of greater consequence to himself to regard. 'Tis natural it should be so; for should not the man of body take the greatest care to set out and adorn the part for which he thinks himself most valuable? And will not the man of mind bestow his principal care in improving that mind? perhaps to the neglect of dress and outward appearance, which is a fault. But surely, madam, there is a middle way to be observed, in these, as in most other cases ; for a man need not be a sloven, any more than a fop. He need not shew an utter disregard to dress, nor yet think it his first and chief concern; be ready to quarrel with the wind for discomposing his peruque, or fear to put on his hat, lest he should oppress his foretop; more dislike a spot upon his clothes, than in his reputation; be a self-admirer, and always at the glass, which he would, perhaps, never look into, could it shew him the deformity of his mind, as well as the finery of his person; who has a tailor for his tutor, and a milliner for his school-mistress; who laughs at men of sense, (excusably enough, perhaps in revenge, because they laugh at him ;) who calls learning pedantry; and looks upon the knowledge of the fashions, as the only useful science to a fine gentleman.

Pardon me, ladies; I could proceed with the character of this species of men, but I need not; because every lady present, I am sure, would despise such a one, as much as I do, were he to

fall in her way: And the rather, because it is certain, that he who admires himself, will never admire his lady as he ought; and if he maintains his niceness after marriage, it will be with a preference to his own person; if not, will sink very probably into the worst of slovens. For whoever is capable of one extreme, (take almost all the cases in human life through,) when he recedes from that, if he be not a man of prudence, will go over into the other.

But to return to the former subject, (for the general attention encouraged me to proceed,) permit me, Miss Sutton, to add, That a lady must run great risks to her reputation, if not to her virtue, who will admit into her company any gentleman, who shall be of opinion, and know it to be hers, that it is his province to ask a favour, which it will be her duty to deny.

I believe, madam, I spoke these words a little too carelessly; but I meant honourable questions, to be sure.

There can be but one honourable question, replied I; and that is seldom asked, but when the affair is brought near a conclusion, and there is a probability of its being granted ; and which a single lady, while she has parents or guardians, should never think of permitting to be put to herself, much less of approving, nor, perhaps, as the case may be, of denying. But I make no doubt, madam, that you meant honourable questions. A young lady of Miss Sutton's good sense, and worthy character, could not mean otherwise. And I have said, perhaps, more than I needed to say upon this subject, because we all know how ready the presuming of the other sex are, right or wrong, to construe the most innocent meanings in favour of their own views.

Very true, said she; but appeared to be un-. der an agreeable confusion, every lady, by her eye, seeming to think she had met with a deserved rebuke; and which not seeming to expect, it abated her liveliness all the time after.

favour

Lady Towers seasonably relieved us both from a subject too applicable, if I may so express it, saying, But, dear Mrs B- will , you us with the result of your meditation, if you have committed it to writing, on the unhappy case you mentioned ?

I was rather, madam, exercising my fancy than my judgment, such as it is, upon the occasion. I was aiming at a kind of allegorical or metaphorical style, I know not which to call it ; and it is not fit to be read before such judges, I doubt.

O pray, dear madam, said Miss Stapylton, favour us with it to choose; for I am a great admirer of that style.

I have a great curiosity, said Lady Arthur, both from the subject and the style, to hear what you have written; and I beg you will oblige us all.

It is short and unfinished. It was written for the sake of a friend, who is fond of such a style;

and what I shall add to it will be principally some slight observations upon this way of writing. But, let it be ever so censurable, I should be more so, if I made any difficulties, after such an unanimous request. So, taking it out of my letter-case, I read as follows:

"While the banks of discretion keep the proud waves of passion within their natural channel, all calm and serene glides along the silver current, enlivening the adjacent meadows, as it passes, with a brighter and more flowery verdure. But if the torrents of sensual love are permitted to descend from the hills of credulous hope, they may so swell the gentle stream, as to make it difficult, if not impossible, to be retained within its usual bounds. What then will be the consequence?-Why, the trees of resolution, and the shrubs of cautious fear, which grew upon the frail mound, and whose intertwining roots had contributed to support it, being loosened from their hold, they, and all that would swim of the bank itself, will be seen floating on the surface of the triumphant waters.

"But here, a dear lady, having unhappily failed, is enabled to set her foot in the new-made breach, while yet it is possible to stop it, and to say, with little variation, in the language of that power, which could only enable her to say it, Hither, ye proud waves of dissolute love, although you HAVE come, yet no farther SHALL ye come; is such an instance of magnanimous resolution and self-conquest, as is very rarely to be met with."

Miss Stapylton seemed pleased (as I expected) with what I read; and told me, that she should take it for a high favour if I would permit her, if it were not improper, to see the whole letter, when I had finished it.

I said, I would oblige her with all my heart. But you must not expect, madam, that although I have written what I have read to you, I shall approve of it in my observations upon it; for I am convinced, that no style can be proper, which is not plain, simple, easy, natural, and unaffected.

She was sure, she was pleased to say, that whatever my observations were, they would be equally just and instructive.

I too, said the Dean, will answer for that; for I dare say, by what I have already heard, that Mrs B- will distinguish properly between the style, (and the matter too,) which captivates the imagination, and that which informs the judgment.

Our conversation, after this, took a more general turn, as to the air of it, if I may say so; which I thought right, lest the young ladies should imagine it was a designed thing against them; but yet it was such that every one of them found her character and taste, little or much, concerned in it; and all seemed, as Lady

Towers afterwards observed to me, by their silence and attention, to be busied in private applications.

The Dean began it, with a high compliment to me; having a view, no doubt, by his kind praises, to make my observations have the greater weight upon the young ladies. He was pleased to say, that it was matter of great surprise to him, that, my tender years considered, I should be capable of making those reflections, by which persons of twice my age and experience might be instructed. You see, madam, said he, how attentive we all are when your lips begin to open; and I beg we may have nothing to do, but to be attentive.

I have had such advantages, sir, replied I, from the observations and cautions of my late excellent lady, that did you but know half of them, you would rather wonder I had made no greater improvement, than that I have made so much. She used to think me pretty, and not ill-tempered, and, of course, not incredulous, where I conceived a good opinion; and was always arming me on that side, as believing I might be the object of wicked attempts; and the rather, as my low fortunes subjected me to danger. For, had I been born to rank and condition, as these young ladies here, I should have had reason to think of myself as justly, as, no doubt, they do, and, of consequence, beyond the reach of any vile intriguer; as I should have been above the greatest part of that species of mankind, who, for want of understanding, or honour, or through pernicious habits, give themselves up to libertinism.

These were great advantages, no doubt, said Miss Sutton; but in you, they met with a surprising genius, 'tis very plain, madam; and there is not, in my opinion, a lady in England of your years, who would have improved by them, as you have done.

I answered, that I was much obliged to her for her good opinion; and that I had always observed, that the person who admired any good qualities in another, gave a kind of natural demonstration, that she had the same in an eminent degree herself, although, perhaps, her modest diffidence would not permit her to trace the generous principle to its source.

The Dean, in order to bring us back again to the subject of credulity, repeated my remark, that it was safer, in cases where so much depended upon the issue, as a lady's honour and reputation, to fear an enemy than to hope a friend; and praised my observation, that even a weak enemy is not to be too much despised.

I said, I had very high notions of the honour and value of my own sex, and very mean ones of the gay and frothy part of the other; insomuch, that I thought they could have no strength but what was founded in our weakness: That, indeed, the difference of education must give men advantages, even where the genius is natu

rally equal: That, besides, they have generally more hardness of heart, which makes women, where they meet not with men of honour, to engage with that sex upon very unequal terms; for that it is so customary with them to make vows and promises, and to set light by them, when made, that an innocent lady cannot guard too watchfully against them; and, in my opinion, should believe nothing they said, or even vowed, but what carried demonstration with it. I remember, continued I, my lady used often to observe, that there is a time of life in all young persons, which may properly be called The Romantic, which is a very dangerous period, and requires therefore a great guard of prudence: That the risk is not a little augmented by reading novels and romances; and that the poetical tribe have much to answer for on this head, by reason of their heightened and inflaming descriptions, which do much hurt to thoughtless minds and lively imaginations. For to those, she would have it, are principally owing the rashness and indiscretion of soft and tender dispositions, which, in breach of their duty, and even to the disgrace of their sex, too frequently set them upon enterprizes, like those they have read in those pernicious writings, which not seldom make them fall a sacrifice to the base designs of some vile intriguer; and even in cases where their precipitation ends the best, that is to say, in marriage, they too frequently (in direct opposition to the cautions and commands of their tried, their experienced, and unquestionable friends) throw themselves upon an almost stranger, who, had he been worthy of them, would not, nor needed to have taken indirect methods to obtain their fa

vour.

And the misfortune is, continued I, the most innocent are generally the most credulous. Such a lady would do no harm to others herself, and cannot think others would do her any. And with regard to the particular person who has obtained, perhaps, a share in her confidence, he cannot, surely, she thinks, be so ungrateful, as to return irreparable mischief for her good-will to him. Were all the men in the world, besides, to prove false, the beloved person cannot. 'Twould be unjust to her own merit, as well as to his vows, to suppose it; and so design on his side, and credulity and self-opinion on the lady's, at last enrol the unhappy believer in the list of the toolate repenters.

And what, madam, said the Dean, has not that wretch to answer for, who makes sport of destroying a virtuous character, and delights in being the wicked means of throwing, perhaps, upon the town, and into the dregs of prostitution, a poor creature, whose love for him, and confidence in him, was all her crime? And who otherwise might have made a worthy figure at the head of some reputable family, and so have been an useful member of the commonwealth, propagating good examples, instead of ruin and

infamy, to mankind? To say nothing of, what is still worse, the dreadful crime of occasioning the loss of a soul; since final impenitence too generally follows the first sacrifice which the wretch is seduced to make of her honour!

There are several gentlemen in our neighbourhood, said Mrs Brooks, who might be benefited by this touching reflection, if it was represented in the same strong lights from the pulpit. And permit me to say, Mr Dean, that I think you should give us a sermon upon this subject, for the sake of both sexes; one for caution, the other for conviction.

I will think of it, replied he. But I am sorry to say, that we have too many among our younger gentry, who would think themselves pointed at, were I to touch this subject ever so cautiously.

I am sure, said Lady Towers, there cannot well be a more useful one; and the very reason the Dean gives, is a convincing proof of it to me.

When I have had the pleasure of hearing the farther sentiments of such an assembly as this, upon the delicate subject, replied this polite divine, I shall be better enabled to treat it. And pray, ladies, proceed; for it is from your conversation that I must take my hints.

You have nothing to do then, said Lady Towers, but to engage Mrs B- to speak; and you may be sure we will all be as attentive to her as we shall be to you, when we shall have the pleasure to hear so fine a genius improving upon her hints, from the pulpit.

I bowed (as the Dean did) to Lady Towers; and knowing that she praised me, with the Dean's view, in order to induce the young ladies to give the greater attention to what she wished I should speak, I said, it would be a great presumption in me, after so high a compliment, to open my lips; nevertheless, as I was sure, by speaking, I should have the benefit of instruction, whenever it made them speak, I would not be backward to enter upon any subject; for that I should consider myself as a young counsel, in some great cause, who served but to open it, and prepare the way those of greater skill and abilities.

for

I beg, then, madam, said Miss Stapylton, you will open the cause, be the subject what it will. And I could almost wish, that we had as many gentlemen here as ladies, who would have reason to be ashamed of the liberties they take in censuring the conversations of the tea-table; since the pulpit, as the worthy Dean gives us reason to hope, may be beholden to that of Mrs B

Nor is it much wonder, replied I, when the Dean himself is with us, and it is graced by so distinguished a circle.

If many of our young gentlemen were here, said Lady Towers, they might improve themselves in all the graces of polite and sincere complaisance. But, compared to this, I have generally heard such trite and coarse stuff from our race of would-be wits, that what they say may