beauties of the situation ! May I not sure to find it. But there are those, hope, dear madam, to be so indulg-who sit with their eyes shut, and let ed? Is there not in your knowledge it pass unobserved, through wilfulness some young artist, that, on my ac- or negligence. No wonder such do count, could be so employed? Let not find time.

me have in constant view the sweet, O you-you-you worse than illthe "bewitching little cell, which so natured! How could you rip up attaches to it the heart of good lady the old story of traversing the Park! Echlin, which she feels so unwilling How could you delight to tear the to quit; which is, in her deeper me- tender skin off an old wound that ditation, a wonderful recreation to never will be quite healed! I was her, and serves to unbend her mind, hurt more than you could be. My and in which she condescends to pain was in the mind; yours only bowish I could see her."

dily. Did not you forgive me? HowYour ladyship bids me hope for ever (behold the wax I am made of!) the pleasure of seeing you in Eng- the latter end of this paragraph melts land. I should have the more joy and disarms my intended anger: for on such a wished-for occasion, as I the present only; for I shall find farthink the change of scene must be ther matter for quarrel, I foresee. of consolation and diversion to you; The first time my friend saw your and as you must give and receive so picture he asked, "What honest face much delight to and from such near have you got there?" And, without and dear relations as you have here; staying for an answer, "Do you and the rather as you are of opinion know, I durst trust that man with that Villarusa, consolatory as it is at my life, without farther knowledge of times to you, can never be all that it him." I answered, "I do know you once was to you. might do so with safety; and I put

If the land and sea views I am a you down for a judge of physiogpetitioner for, with your sweet hermi-nomy."

tage, cannot be conveniently granted, As I sit at my writing-desk, I cana sketch in Indian ink, or black lead, not look up without viewing your on vellum, would delight me, hang- picture; and I had some hopes the ing before me in view of your dear looking upon it, as I writ, might a sister's and sir Roger's Haigh. Still, little have restrained, or at least kept my dear lady, either way, on my own me within bounds. I have tried the experiment, when I have been upon God bless your young gentleman, the edge of a ranting humour, and your ward! May he answer all your heard myself whisper, "What! with pious cares and wishes. Your, &c. that smiling face?" and found I was

terms.

LETTER LXXII.

Lady Bradshaigh to Mr. Richard

son.

encouraged rather than restrained; so gave you a familiar nod, and ranted on, as I do now, without fear or wit.

If

I only meant to joke a little upon Dr. Young, not to be severe. it has that appearance, pray let him not have it; for he might think me You ask, "How can I find time very impertinent. He pretends to for so much reading," &c.? Those be serious upon this.

Dear sir,

who are not obliged to attend to any Dec. 27. I have, since I wrote particular business, have nothing to to you last, stumbled into Dr. Middledo but to look for time, and they are ton on the Miraculous Powers; and,

in truth, I do not like him. Perhaps | could we, do you think, help showI do not understand him. But to ing a little contempt, finding ourme he appears a caviller at immate-selves superior in what the husband rial points. And I doubt he may do ought to excel in? Very few women more harm by the controversy he has have strength of brain equal to such occasioned, than he can do good by a trial; and as few men would foreendeavouring to prove many pretend-go their lordly prerogative, and subed miracles to be either fabulous or mit to a woman of better understandthe effects of priestcraft. But, seri- ing, either natural or acquired, a ously, I must own he has lessened very uncomfortable life do I see bethese ancients greatly in my opinion; tween an ignorant husband and a for, what can be said in favour of learned wife. Not that I would have their countenancing so many impo- it thought unnecessary for a woman sitions as it plainly appears they did? to read, to spell, or speak English; It is but making a poor compliment which has been pretty much the case, to Christianity to say it wanted such hitherto. I often wonder we can congross abuses to strengthen and pro- verse at all; much more, that we can pagate it. And though, to the ra- write to be understood. Thanks to tional and well-judging, it shines the nature for what we have! We have, clearer for having struggled through there, an advantage over your sex. and shaken off these clogs of absurd- You are in the right to keep us in ities; yet its appearing in its native ignorance. You dare not let us try excellence is not owing to those, what we could do. In that you show through whose hands it was trans- your judgment, which I acknowledge mitted to us. to be much stronger than ours, by

You see, sir, I write upon every nature, and that is all you have to subject to you, without considering boast of, and a little courage, which whether proper or not but I know, is oftener shown upon a principle of if I am wrong, you will inform me. false honour, than from an innate, true Dec. 28.-I should be greatly de- bravery. lighted to see the correspondence be

My employments and amusements tween you and the young lady you at this time of the year are so much mention. Sometime or other I hope the same round, though not disagreeto be favoured with it. able to me, that they are scarce worth I own I do not approve of great committing to paper, except as you learning in women. I believe it desire it. I rise about seven, somerarely turns out to their advantage. times sooner; after my private duties, No farther would I have them to ad- I read or write till nine, then breakvance than to what would enable fast; work, and converse with my them to write and converse with ease company till about twelve; then, if and propriety, and make themselves the weather permit, walk a mile in useful in every stage of life. I hate the garden; dress, and read till dinto hear Latin out of a woman's mouth. ner; after which, sit and chat till There is something in it, to me, mas- four: from that to the hour of teaculine. I could fancy such an one drinking, each day, variety of emweary of the petticoat, and talking ployments. You know what the

over a bottle. You say, "the men men say enters with the tea-table; are hastening apace into dictionary though I will venture to declare, if learning." The less occasion still mine is not an exception, it is as near for the ladies to proceed in theirs. one as you can imagine.

I should be ashamed of having more Here books take place, which I learning than my husband. And often read to the company; and some

LETTER LXXIII.

times we all have our particular stu-| dies (sir Roger always has his), which

we seldom forsake till the bell warns Mr. Richardson to Lady Bradshaigh.

Dear madam,

to supper; after which we have always something to do. We eat fruit, crack nuts, perhaps jokes; now and then You do not approve of great learnmusic takes place. This is our re- ing in women. Learning in women gular scheme, though it is often bro- may be either rightly or wrongly ken into, with company and variety placed, according to the uses made of incidents, some pleasing, some of it by them. And if the sex is to otherwise; domestic affairs, too, call be brought up with a view to make for a share of one's time. I know the individuals of it inferior in knownot what the fine ladies mean, when ledge to the husbands they may hapthey complain of having too much pen to have, not knowing who those time; for, I thank God, Barnaby husbands are, or what, or whether Bright is not too long for me. How sensible or foolish, learned or illiteshould I be despised in the parish of rate, it would be best to keep them St. James's, if they were to know that, from writing and reading, and even at this time, I glory in the humble from the knowledge of the common title of a cow-doctor! But no mat- idioms of speech. Would it not be ter; if I can do good, I can bear very pretty for parents on both sides their contempt, and return it to them to make it the first subject of their with interest. inquiries, whether the girl, as a re

I am afraid, sir, I have given you commendation, were a greater fool, too much trouble about the poor or more ignorant, than the young felMagdalen. She is only qualified to low; and if not, that they should rewait upon an unmarried lady, or one ject her, for the booby's sake?—and who has a house-keeper, for she un- would not your objection stand as derstands nothing of house-keeping; strongly against a preference in mobut, where needle-work, dressing, ther-wit in the girl as against what and getting up fine linen, are re- is called learning; since linguists quired, I believe she would give sa- (I will not call all linguists learned tisfaction. men) do very seldom make the figure

I wish to heaven, with you, sir, in conversation that even girls, from that you could, as I do, make time, sixteen to twenty, make. or that I could give you some of mine. If a woman has genius, let it take I want only power to send you a pre- its course, as well as in men; prosent, which I would allow you to call vided she neglect not any thing that bountiful. It should be another box is more peculiarly her province. If -a contrast to Pandora's. Time, she has good sense, she will not health, and happiness, should it con- make the man she chooses, who wants tain, and these only as leaders to a her knowledge, uneasy, nor despise greater treasure: for in the bottom, him for that want her good sense you should find a plain though dis- will teach her what is her duty: nor tant prospect of eternal bliss. But, will she want reminding of the tenor though I am poor in power, accept of her marriage-vow to him. If she it in sincerest wishes from, good Mr. has not, she will find a thousand ways Richardson, your, &c.

to plague him, though she knew not one word beyond her mother-tongue, nor how to write, read, or speak properly in that. The English, madam, and particularly what we call the

plain English, is a very copious and that the piece before me was but a a very expressive language. picture. In summer, if it please God But, dear madam, does what you to spare me till then, it will be more say in the first part of the paragraph than a picture. I will then throw under my eye, limiting the genius of myself into your morning walks; and women, quite cohere with the advan- sometimes, perhaps, you shall find me tages which, in the last part, you tell perched upon one of your pieces of me they have over us?" Men do ruins, symbolically to make the ruin well," you say, "to keep women in still more complete. In hopes of ignorance:" but this is not general- which, I am, &c.

ly intended to be the case, I believe. Girls, I think you formerly said, were compounded of brittle materials. They are not, they cannot be, trusted

LETTER LXXIV.

to be sent abroad to seminaries of Mr. Richardson to Lady Bradshaigh. learning, as men are. It is necessary that they should be brought up to a BUT what a sad thing, say you, my knowledge of the domestic duties. A dear lady, that these sober men will young man's learning-time is from ten not put on the appearance of rakes! to twenty-five, more or less. At fifteen Silly creatures! when they know or sixteen, a girl starts into woman; what would do !-Can't they learn to and then she throws her purveyingeyes curse and swear in jest? and be good, about her and what is the learning and true, and faithful, just when a she is desirous to obtain? Dear lady, lady wants them to be good, and discourage not the sweet souls from true, and faithful!-But you would acquiring any learning that may keep be content, if the good men would them employed, and out of mischief, dress, only dress, like rakes.—But and that may divert them from attend- hold! On looking back to your ladying to the whisperings within them, ship's letter, I find the words dress and to the flatteries without them, and address: "The good man need till they have taken in a due quantity only to assume the dress and address of ballast, that may hinder them, all of the rake, and you will wager ten to their sails unfurled and streamers fly-four that he will be preferred to him." ing, from being overset at their first Will you be pleased, madam, to give entrance upon the voyage of life. me particulars of the taking dress of

I am charmed with your ladyship's a rake? Will you be pleased to deobliging account of your daily employ- scribe the address with which the laments and amusements. Now do I dies in general shall be taken!—The know at what different parts of the rake is, must be, generally, in dress day to obtrude myself. I was not a coxcomb; in address, a man of very well this morning. My people great assurance; thinking highly of neglected me. I was at Haigh in himself, meanly of the sex; he must half a second, and did myself the ho- be past blushing, and laugh at those nour of breakfasting there; but be- who are not. He must flatter, lie, came the more miserable for it; for laugh, sing, caper, be a monkey, and O, how I missed you, on my re-trans- not a man. And can a good man portation!-yet I the sooner recover- put on these appearances? ed myself when I looked up to you have heard that the devil has transand to your dear sir Roger, in the formed himself into an angel of light, picture. Yet the piercing cold, and to bring about his purposes; but nethe surrounding snow, and my ho- ver that an angel of light borrowed a vered-over fireside, reminded me, coat and waistcoat of the devil, for

We

any purpose whatever. And must objections to the mistress, and she the good man thus debase himself, to was another man's wife too, but ill stand well with the fair sex? used by her husband; and he laugh

"To reform Lovelace for Claris-ed me quite out of countenance!sa's sake!"-Excellent ladies!-Un- And it was but yesterday, in compabounded charity!-Dear souls! How ny, some of which he never was in I love your six forgiving charmers! before, that he was distinguishing But they acknowledge this, I hope, upon a moderate rake (though not only among themselves!-If there one word has he seen or heard of are any Lovelaces of their acquaint- your ladyship's letter or notion), by ance, I hope they give not to them urging, that men might be criminal such an indirect invitation to do their without being censurable !-a docworst, in order to give themselves an trine that he had no doubt about, and opportunity to exercise one of the to which he declared that none but brightest graces of a Christian. divines and prudes would refuse to Well, but, for fear I should be call- subscribe to !-Bless me, thought I! ed scurrilous again, let me see how and is this knowing the world?— your ladyship explains yourself." A What an amiable man man may DESERVE the name of a B- in Pamela, in this light! rake, without being QUITE an aban- But I have this comfort, upon the doned profligate; as a man may whole, that I find the good man's sometimes drink A LITTLE TOO MUCH, character is not impracticable; and without being a sot." I think Mr. Cibber, if I can have

was Mr.

And, were I to attempt to draw a weight with him, shall undertake the good man, are these, madam, the arduous task. He is as gay and as outlines of his character? Must he lively at seventy-nine as he was at be a moderate rake ?-Must he qua- twenty-nine; and he is a sober man, lify himself for the ladies' favour by who has seen a great deal, and altaking any liberties that are crimi- ways dressed well, and was noted for nal? only taking care that he stop his address, and for his success too, at a few; “that he be not quITE an on two hundred and fifty occasions,— abandoned profligate; that though a little too many, I doubt, for a mohe may now and then drink a little derate rake: but then his long life too much, yet that he stop short of must be considered. I wish the soT!"-O, my dear lady Brad- could fix upon the number of times shaigh-and am I scurrilous for say- a man might be allowed to be overing, that there is no such thing, at come with wine, without being thought least that it is very difficult, so to a sot. Once a week? Once a fortdraw a good man, that he may be night? Once a month? How shall thought agreeable to the ladies in ge- we put it? Youth will have its folneral? lies. Why-but I will not ask the

we

Did I ever tell you, madam, of question I was going to ask, lest I the contention I had with Mr. Cib- should provoke your ladyship beyond ber, about the character of a good your strength.

man, which he undertook to draw, Dear, dear madam, let me beg of and to whom, at setting out, he gave you to make your own virtuous sena mistress, in order to show the vir- timents and behaviour in life, which tue of his hero in parting with her, render you equally loved and revered when he had fixed upon a particular by all who have the honour to know lady, to whom he made honourable you, the standard of virtue for all addresses? A male-virgin! said he your sex. When you extend your —ha, ha, ha, hah! when I made my charity too far, and allow for what