impressions of duty are made on the mind, ornamental education commences; and it ever after takes the lead: thus, what should be only the embellishment becomes the main business of life. There is no opportunity of attaining a knowledge of family management at school; and during vacations, all subjects that might interfere with amusement are avoided.
When a girl, whose family moves in the higher ranks of life, returns to reside at her father's house after completing her education, her introduction to the gay world, and a continued course of pleasures, persuade her at once that she was born to be the ornament of fashionable circles, rather than to stoop (as she would conceive it) to undertake the arrangement of a family, though by that means she might in various ways augment the satisfaction and comfort of her parents. On the other hand, persons of an inferior sphere, and especially in the lower order of middling life, are almost always anxious to give their children such advantages of education as themselves did not possess. Whether their indulgence be productive of the happiness so kindly aimed at, must be judged by the effects, which are not very favourable, if what has been taught has not produced humility in herself, and increased gratitude and respect to the authors of her being. Were a young woman brought to relish home society, and the calm delights of agreeable occupation, before she entered into the delusive scenes of pleasure, presented by the theatre and other dissipations, it is probable she would soon make a comparison much in favour of the former; especially if restraint did not give to the latter additional relish.
If we carry on our observations to married life, we shall
