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Autumn on the bloom of May. Nature has given to every` age fome peculiar paffions and appetites; to moderate aud refine thefe, not to stifle and deftroy, is the business of common prudence and parental care.

15. I was led into this train of reflections by an acquaintance with the family of Emilius, which is a rare inftance of domestic felicity. Parents indulgent to their children, hofpitable to their friends, and univerfally refpected; their fons equally generous, modeft and manly.

16. Emila, an only daughter, the pride of her parents, poffeffed of every accomplishment that can honor herself, or endear her to her friends; an eafy fortune, and a difpofition

enjoy and improve it for the purposes of humanity; perfect harmony of domeftic life, and unaffected fatisfaction in the pleafures of fociety. Such is the family of Emilius.

17. Such a family is a little paradife on earth; to envy their happiness is almost a virtue. Conjugal refpect, parental tendernefs, filial obedience, and brotherly kindness are fo feldom united, in a family, that when I am honored with the friendship of fuch, I am equally ambitious to participate their happiness, and profit by the example.

18. Emila's fituation must be peculiarly agreeable. Her parents delight to gratify her in innocent amufements: and contented with this, fhe knows no wish beyond the facred bounds of honor. While by their indulgence fhe enjoys every rational pleasure, she rewards their generous care, by a dutiful behavior and unblemished manners,

19. By thus difcharging the reciprocal duties of their respective ftations, the happiness of each is fecured. The foli citude of the parent and the obedience of the child, equally contribute to the blifs of the little fociety; the one calling forth every act of tenderness, and the other difplayed in all

the filial virtues.

20. Few families are destined to be fo happy as that of Emilius. Were I to choose the fituation where I could pafs my life with most fatisfaction, it would be in this domestic circle. My houfe would then be the refidence of delight, unmingled with the anxieties of ambition or the regret of difappointment.

21. Every act would be dictated by love and refpect: every countenance would wear the fmile of complacence; and the

little unavoidable troubles, incident to the happieft fituation, would only ferve to increase our friendship and improve our felicity, by making room for the exercife of virtue.

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I was converfing with Emilia, a few days paft, I afked whether he was contented to live fo remote from the refort of company. She answered in the affirmative, and remarked further, that her fituation enabled her to dif tinguish between real friends and complimentary; For if the lived in a more public place, fhe might be vifited by crowds of people, who were civil indeed, but had no motive for cal ling on her, but to spend an idle hour and gaze on the buf multitude.

2. I was pleased with the remark, and was naturally led to confider fuch a retired fituation as a fortunate circumstance for a young lady of delicacy. Not only the happiness of a family, but the character of young women, both in a moral and focial view, depends on a choice of proper company.

3. A perpetual throng of company, efpecially if it furnishes a variety of new objects, has a pernicious effect on the dif pofitions of female minds. Women are destineft by nature to prefide over domestic affairs. Whatever parade they may

make abroad their real merit and real characters are known only at home.

4. The behavior of fervants, the neatness of furniture, the order of a table, and the regularity of domestic business, are decifive evidences of female worth. Perhaps fweetnefs of temper does not contribute more to the happiness of their ners and their families, than a proper attention to these articles.

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5. For this reafon, whatever has a tendency to divert the mind from these concerns, and give them a turn for empty fhow, endless noife, and taftelefs amufements, ought to be carefully avoided by young ladies who wish for refpect beyond the prefent moment.

6. Miffes, who are perpetually furrounded with idle company, or even live in fight of it, though they may be fortunate enough to preferve their innocence, are still in hazard of contracting fuch a fondness for diffipation and folly, as to unfit them for the fuperintendance of a family.

7. Another danger to which young women poffeffed of perfonal charms are expofed in public places, is the flattery and admiration of men. The good opinion of a fop will hardly flatter a woman of difcernment; much lefs ordinary com pliments which are commonly without meaning.

8. But the heart is often fo difguifed, that it is difficult at first to diftinguish between a coxcomb and a man of worth; or if it is easier for an accurate obferver, yet there is great danger that vanity and inexperience will make young ladies overlook the diftinction.

9. Few minds are effectually fecured against the attacks of flattery. It is a poifon the more fatal,, as it feizes human nature in its weakest part. In youth, when the paffions are in all vigor, and the judgment feeble, female minds are pecul iarly liable to be corrupted by the contagious influente of pret ty civilities and affected admiration.

10. With whatever fcruples they may at first liften to the praifes that are bestowed on their real or pretended charms, a conftant ftrain of flattering addreffes, accompanied with obfequious complafance, feldom fails of giving them too high an opinion of themfelves. They are infenfibly led to believe, that they are poffeffed of virtues to which they are really trangers.

11. This belief fatisfies them without attempting any further improvement; and makes them to depend, for reputation in life, on good qualities, the fancied exiftence of which begins and ends with the falfehood of cuftomary compliments.

12. Such ladies before marriage, are ufually vain, pert, affested and filly; and after marriage, haughty, difappointed and peevish. The molt perfect beauty, mult fade, and ceafe to command admiration; but in moft inftances, the nuptial hour puts a perio 1 to that excefs of flattering attention which is the happiness of giddy females. The longeit term of admiration must be thort: That which depends folely on perfonal attractions is often momentary.

13. The more flattery is beflowed on young ladies, the lefs in general, are they folicitous to acquire virtues which fhall infure refpect when admiration fhall ceafe. The more they are praifed in youth, the more they expect it in advanced life, when they have lefs charms to command it. Thus the exceffive complafance of admirers, which is extremely pleafing at fixteen, proves at forty, a fource of mortification and difcontent.

14. I would by no means infinuate that young ladies, ought to be kept total strangers to company, and to rational profeffions of esteem. It is in company only that they can acquaint themselves with mankind, acquire an eafy addrefs, and learn numberless little decorums, which are effential and cannot be taught by precept. Without these a woman will fometimes deviate from that dignity and propriety of conduct, which in any fituation, will fecure the good will of her friends, and prevent the blushes of her husband.

15. A fondness for company and amufement is blameable only when it is indulged to excefs, and permitted to abforb more important concerns. Nor is fome degree of flattery always dangerous or ufelefs. The good opinion of mankind we are all defirous to obtain; and to know that we poffefs i, often makes us ambitious to deferve it.

16. No paffion is given to us in vain; the best ends are fometimes effected by the worst means; and even female vanity, properly managed, may prompt to the moft meritorious actions. I fhould pay Emilia but a very ill compliment to afcribe her virtues to her local fituation; for no perfon can claim, as a virtue, what fhe has been in no danger of lofing.

17. But there is no retirement beyond the reach of temptation, and the whole tenor of her conduct, proves, that her unblemished morals and uniform delicacy, proceed from better principles than neceffity or accident.

18. She is loved and flattered, but he is not vain ; her company is univerfally coveted, and yet he has no airs of haughtiness and disdain.

19. Her cheerfulness in company fhows that she has a relif for fociety; her contentment at home, and attention to domeftic concerns, are early fpecimens of her happy difpofition ; and her decent unaffected abhorrence of every fpecies of licentious behaviour, evinces, beyond fufpicion, that the innocence of her heart is equal to the charms of her perfon.

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JULIANA A real chara&ter. * JULIANA is one of thofe rare women whofe perfonal attractions have no rivals, but the sweetness of her temper and the delicacy of her fentiments. An elegant perfon, regular features, a fine complexion, a lively, expr five countenance, an eafy addrefs, and thofe blufhes of modefty that foften the

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foul of the beholder; thefe are the native beauties, which render her the object of univerfal admiration.

2. But when we converfe with her, and hear the melting expreffions of unaffected fenfibility and virtue that flow from her tongue, her perfonal charms receive new lufter, and irrefiftibly engage the affections of her acquaintances..

3. Senfible that the great fource of all happiness, is purity of morals and an eafy confcience, Juliana pays conftant and fincere attention to the duties of religion. She abhors the infamous but fafhonable vice of deriding the facred inftitutions of religion.

4. She confiders a lady without virtue as a monfler on earth; and every accomplishment, without morals, as polite deception. She is neither a hypocrit nor an enthufiaft; on the contrary, fhe mingles fuch cheerfulnefs with the religious duties of life, that even her piety carries with it a charm which infenfibly allures the profligate from the arms of vice.

5. Not only the general tenor of her life, but in particular her behavior in church evinces the reality of her religion.She esteems it not only criminal in a high degree, but extremely unpolite, to behave with levity in a place confecrated to the folemn purpose of devotion.

6. She cannot believe that any perfon, who is folicitous to treat all mankind with civility, can laugh in the temple of Jehovah, and treat their great benefactor with heedlefs neglect.

7. In polite life, the manners of Juliana are peculiarly engaging. To her fuperiors, fhe fhows the utmoft deference and refpect. To her equals, the moft modeft complafance and civility; while perfons of every rank experience her kindnefs and affability.

8. By this conduct the fecures the love and friendship of all degrees. No perfon can defpife her, for fhe does nothing that is rediculous; the cannot be hated, for fhe does injury to none; and even the malevolent whispers of envy are filenced, by her modeft deportment and generous condefcenfion..

9. Her converfation is lively and fentimental; free from falfe wit, frivolous minutenefs, and affectation of learning.Altho her difcourfe is always under the direction of prudence, yet it appears unftudied; for her good fenfe always furnishes her with thoughts fuited to the fubject, and the purif her mind renders any caution in expreffing them almoft

fary.

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