nent impressions: which brings me by an easy transition to

The second part of the present consideration, that of Modest Apparel, as opposed to what may be styled Vain. I can never think of this, without recollecting in general (for who can remember the particulars of) the catalogue given by the prophet Isaiah of the various implements and instruments of dress used by the daughters of Zion in his time. Isaiah is by all acknowledged the Prince of the Prophets, in an evangelical view: yet he did not deem it beneath the dignity of his commission, to descend into the most minute detail on such a subject; a circumstance which, it is hoped, may soften the severity of censure against the preacher of this hour, if the spirit of criticism, or the spirit of scrupulosity, should be disposed to condemn his well meant endeavour. The passage I now refer to is in the third chapter of Isaiah, towards the end, where the prophet having, in the name of God, complained of the pride and wantonness of those eastern females, and threatened them with disease and infamy on that account, goes on to mention "the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their "feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like "the moon; the chains, and the bracelets, and the "mufflers; the bonnets, and the ornaments of the 66 legs; and the head-bands, and the tablets, and "the ear-rings; the rings and nose-jewels; the "changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, "and the wimples, and the crisping pins; the "glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and "the veils." On the first reading of this catalogue, it must be owned one can scarce forbear to smile. But to those unhappy women who gave

iccasion for it, nothing, alas! could be more serious, of you attend to the denunciations which both precede and follow it. I leave you to peruse them at your leisure. They are in the style of the country and age in which they were uttered. I am sure they convey a loud lesson to this. Whether the daughters of our Zion, in the present very polite generation, and especially in this most polite city, do or do not outstrip those Jewish ladies of old, we cannot take upon us to determine. But were we inclined to indulge a vein of ridicule on female folly, here methinks we might have ample scope. We are not inclined to indulge it. We reflect on these things with real concern; and with the utmost seriousness conjure our countrywomen to reform whatever is indecent, and to retrench whatever is exorbitant in their attire.

That there are stations and circumstances, in which splendour of dress is perfectly allowable, nay extremely proper, none, I think, but the narrowest minds, will deny. For my own part, I freely acknowledge that I love to see a woman genteelly habited, if her situation admit of it. In truth, splendour without gentility, as well in this as in every other "article where ornament is concerned, will ever seem poor and insipid to all but untaught and vulgar spirits; whereas, on the other side, it is certain, that the latter may very well subsist without the former; nor is its effect ever felt more strongly, or more happily, than when it receives no assistance from the other, but results solely from our percep tions of elegant simplicity. I say Elegant Simplicity; an object, which appears to me deserving of more attention than is commonly paid it by your

aèx.

In affairs of this kind, it is but just to allow to women a degree of curiosity and care, which the laws of good sense, sound philosophy, and masculine virtue, refuse to men: a distinction so true, so universal, and so palpable, that those of the last, who betray a particular solicitude in adorning their persons beyond cleanliness and a certain graceful ease, seldom fail to make themselves little, in the eyes of every man who is not himself effeminate, and of any woman too who is not a slave to fashion. How contemptible many of our young men must necessarily appear to such, it is not easy to express. But of seeing them become truly Men in this instance, any more than in others that might be named, I despair; while so many of our young women give so visible a preference to embroidery, finery, and foppish manners, above a plain coat, a cultivated understanding, and a manly deportment. It will be always so, till they acquire a taste for plainness, sobriety, and wisdom, in what relates to themselves. But that must begin by restraining, in every possible way, the foolish and pernicious passion I am speaking of; for a foolish and pernicious passion I scruple not to pronounce it.

Is there any probability, that those who are entirely under its power will take delight in domestic, intellectual, or spiritual improvements? Is not a constant pursuit of trivial ornament an indubitable proof of a trivial mind? Will she that is always looking into her glass, be much disposed to look into her character? Is the spending of whole hours every morning at the toilet, a likely method of marking the rest of the day down for wisdom? Is vanity favourable to devotion, or self-conceit the parent of self-correction? Will that young woman who hopes to captivate by dress, or by appearance alone,

be very anxious about any better recommendation? If to sparkle here for a few years be the supreme ambition, hereafter will be hardly thought of. The flattery of every fool will be preferred to the approbation of angels; and a connexion with some wretched creature (wretched indeed must he be who is caught by mere show!) will be ardently sought, while the friendship of God is neglected. What shall I say more? For a mortal and immortal being, who has many an error to correct, many a passion to mortify, many a virtue to practise, and who, if she live, may probably have important service to render society-for such a being to lavish the principal portion of her time and study on the decoration of a body that will soon, that may suddenly, become the prey of creeping things-Gracious God, what folly, what madness!

Al

Are there no allowances then to be made? lowances for what? For the vanity of a young mind. Most certainly, if by this plea you mean to extenuate the guilt of such a conduct. But would you offer to excuse it? Would you pretend to justify a reasonable creature in acting, habitually, and wilfully, a most unreasonable part; in sacrificing her improvement, her salvation, her prospects of usefulness and dignity of life, the best interests of this world, as well as the everlasting concernments of the next, to the idol Dress? For so I state it. I suppose, and would to God it were not too common a case! that this miserable idol is suffered to swallow up the consideration of all that is solid, rational, and praiseworthy: to consume those precious hours that were allotted for the most valuable purposes; and, in place of securing the great ends of existence both present and future, to pervert the capacities of nature, the acquirements of educa

tion, and the bounties of providence-to pervert them to the low design of being admired for embellishments that imply no merit in the wearer, and can confer no honour in the eye of any but the worthless and the vain. Can such a conduct, I say, be thought innocent, or in any respect consist ent with the rules of christianity, or of conscience?

That the idol I speak of renders its votaries unhappy even in this world, is a fact daily experienced. But who can describe the profusion of expense, with the painful and pitiful shifts that are often necessary to support it; the encroachments on health, the hurry of spirits, the travail of fancy; the degradation of being frequently, for whole hours, under the confident hands of the meanest of mankind; together with all the anxieties of heart, the agonies of rivalship, the deep-felt disgrace on being disappointed of conquest, or of fame; the distraction and despair on being outshone by-a Finer Gown; in a word, all the ridiculous and all the deserved distress, to which they are perpetually exposed?

I have just mentioned encroachments on health. These indeed, as well as the rest, are little considered by a young lady keen in the pursuit of show and admiration. But if she be not apprehensive of their consequences, in relation to life, and comfort, and ease, I wonder she is not immediately alarmed at their effects, with regard to that very appearance which is her favourite object. I wonder she does not perceive at once, how much her bloom and sprightliness, the lustre of her eyes, and the freshness of her form, are impaired by such endless, such enormous fatigue, agitation, and irregularity. I am astonished she does not re