ſhould a more laudable ambition ever gain ground they may be brought nearer to nature and reaſon; and become more virtuous and uſeful as they grow more reſpectable.
But, I will venture to aſſert that their reaſon will never acquire ſufficient ſtrength to enable it to regulate their conduct, whilſt the making an appearance in the world is the firſt wiſh of the majority of mankind. To this weak wiſh the natural affections, and the moſt uſeful virtues are ſacrificed. Girls marry merely to better themſelves, to borrow a ſignificant vulgar phraſe, and have ſuch perfect power over their hearts as not to permit themſelves to fall in love till a man with a ſuperiour fortune offers. On this ſubject I mean to enlarge in a future chapter; it is only neceſſary to drop a hint at preſent, becauſe women are ſo often degraded by ſuffering the ſelfiſh prudence of age to chill the ardour of youth.
From the ſame ſource flows an opinion that young girls ought to dedicate great part of their time to needle-work; yet, this employment contracts their faculties more than any other that could have been choſen for them, by confining their thoughts to their perſons. Men order their clothes to be made, and have done with the ſubject; women make their own clothes, neceſſary or ornamental, and are continually talking about them; and their thoughts follow their hands. It is not indeed the making of neceſſaries that weakens the mind; but the frippery of dreſs. For when a woman in the lower rank of life makes her huſband's and children's clothes, ſhe does her duty, this is a part of her buſineſs;
