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refine thefe, not to flife and destroy, is the bufinels 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 rate inftance of domeftic felicity. Parents indulgent to their children, hofpitable to their friends, and univerfally refpected; their fons equally generous, modeft and manly.

16. Emilia, an only daughter, the pride of her parents, pof felled of every accomplishment that can honor herself, or en dear her to her friends; an easy fortune, and a disposition to enjoy and improve it to the purpose of humanity; perfect harmony of domeftic life, and unaffected fatisfaction in the plea. fures 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 kindnefs are fo feldom uni ted 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. Emilia's fituation must by peculiarly agreeable. Her parents delighted to gratify her in every amufement; and con. tented with this, fhe knows no wish beyond the facred bounds of honor. While by their indulgence the enjoys every rational pleasure, the rewards their generous care, by a dutiful behavior and unblemished manners.

19. By thus difcharging the reciprocal duties of their ref pective ftations, the happinefs of each is fecured. The folicitude 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 tendernefs, and the other difplayed in all the filial

virtues,

20. Few families are deftined to be fo happy as that of Em. ilius. Were I to choofe the fituation where I could pafs my life with most fatisfaction, it would be in this domeftic circle. My houfe would then be the refidence of delight, unmin gled with the axieties of ambition or the regret of difappoint.

ment.

21. Every act would be dictated by love and refpect: every countenance would wear the fmile of complaifance; and the little unavoidable troubles, incident to the happiest fitua tion, would only ferve to increafe our friendship and improve our felicity, by making room for the excrcife of virtue.

1.

EMILIA, or the Happiness of Retirement.

ASI was converting with Emilia, a few days paft, I ask..

ed whether he was contented to live fo remote from the refert of company. She answered in the affirmative, and remarked further, that her fituation enabled her to diftinguish between real friends and complimentary; For if he lived in a more public place, fhe might be vifited by crowds of people, who were civil indeed, but had no motive for calling on her, but to spend an idle hour and gaze on the bufy multitude.

2. I was pleafed with the remark, and was naturally lead to confider fuch a retired fituation, as a fortunate circumitance 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 furnikes a variety of new objects, has a pernicious effect on the difpofi tions of female minds. Women are defigned my nature to prefide over domeftic affairs. Whatever parade they may make abroad, their real merit and real characters are known only at home.

4. The behaviour of fervants, the neatnefs of farniture, the order of a table, and the regularity of domeftic bufinefs, are de. cifive evidences of female worth. Perhaps fweetness of temper does not contribute more to the happinefs of their partners and their families than a proper attention to these articles.

5. For this reafon, whatever has a tendency to divert the mind from thefe concerns and give them a turn for empty fhow, endlefs noife, and tastelefs amufements, ought to be carefully avoided by young ladies who with for refpe&t beyond the pre

fent moment.

6. Miffes, who are perpetually furrounded with idle compa ny, or even live in fight of it, though they may be fortunate enough to preferve their innocence, are ftill in hazard of con. tracting fuch a fond'nefs for diffipation and folly, as to unfit them for the fuperintendance of a family.

7. Another danger to which young women, poffeffed of per. fonal 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 his ordinary compliments, which are commonly without meaning.

;

8. But the heart is often fo difguiled, that it is difficult at

first to distinguish between a coxcomb and a man of worth; or if it is eafy for an accute obferver, yet their is great danger that vanity and inexperience will make young ladies overlook the distinction.

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 full vigor, and the judgement feeble, female minds are peculiarly li able to be corrupted by the cantagious influence of pretty civili ties and affected admiration.

10. With whatever fcruples they may at firft listen to the praifes that are beflowed on their real or pretended charms, a conftant ftrain of flattering addreffes, accompanied with obfe. quious complaifance, 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 ftrangers.

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 customary compliments.

12. Such ladies before marriage, are ufually vain, pert, af. feated and filly; and after marriage, haughty, difappointed and peevish. The most perfect beauty muft fade, and ceafe to command admiration ! but in most inftances the nuptial hour puts a period to that excefs of flattering attention which is the happi. nefs of giddy females. The longeft term of admiration must be fhort: That which depends folely on perfonal attractions is of

ten momentary.

13. The more flattery is bestowed on young ladies, the lefs, in general, are they folicitous to acquire virtues which shall en fure 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 complaifance of admirers which is extremely pleafing at fixteen proves at forty a fource of mertification and difcontent.

14. I would by no means infinuate that young ladies ought to be kept total trangers to company, and to rational protef fions of cfteem. It is in company only that they can acquaint themfelves with mankind, acquire an eafy addrefs, and learn numberless little decorums, which are effential and cannot be taught by precept, Without thefe a woman will fometimes

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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 premitted to abforb more important concerns. Nor is fome degree of flattery always dangerous or ufelefs. The good opinion of mankind we are all delirous to obtain; and to know that we poffefs it, 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 van. ity, properly managed, may prompt to the mott 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 he has been in no danger of lofing.

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

18. She is loved and flattered, but fhe is not vain; her com. pany is univerfally coveted, and yet she has no airs of haughtinefs and disdain.

19. Her cheerfulness in company, fhows that he has a relifh for fociety; her contentment at home, and attention to demeftic concerns, are early fpecimens of her happy difpofition; and her decent unaffected abhorrence of every fpecies of licen tious behavior, evinces beyond fufpicion, that the innocence of her heart is equal to the charms of her person.

JULL

JULIANA. A REAL CHARACTER.

ULIANA is one of thofe rare women whofe perfonal at tractions have no rivals, but the fweetness of her temper and the delicacy of her fentiments. An elegant perfon, regular features, a fine complexion, a lively expreffive countenance, an cafy addrefs, and thofe blushes of modely that foften the foul of the beholder; These 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 luftre, and irresistibly engage the affections of her acquaintance.

3. Senable that the great fource of, all happinefe, is purity

of morals and an eafy confcience, Juliana pays conflant and fincere attention to the duties of religion. She abhors the infamous, but fashionable vice of deriding the facred inflitution of religion.

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

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

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

7. In polite life, the manners of Juliana are peculiarly enga ging. To her fuperiors, the fhows the utmost deference and reSpect. To her equals, the most modeft complaifance and civility; while every rank experience her kindnefs and affability.

8. By this conduct fhe fecures the love and friendship of all degrees. No perfon can defpife her, for fhe does nothing that is ridiculous: he 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. Although 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 purity of her mind ren ders any caution in expreffing them, almoft unneceffaty.

10. She will not lead the converfation; much less can fhe ftun the ears of company with perpetual chat, to interrupt the difcourfe of others. But when occafion offers, fhe acquits herfelf with cafe and grace; without the airs of pertnefs, or the confufion of bashfulness.

11. But if the converfation happens to turn upon the foibles of either fex, Juliana difcovers her goodnefs by filence, or by inventing palliations. She deteft every fpecies of flander.

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