habits may corrupt Innocence. When first entered on, it is very possible that no evil is intended. For that very reason none is suspected; and this confidence betrays. When Vice begins to unveil her daring front, Conscience is startled, and shrinks from the monster. But curiosity, opportunity, importunity, the flatteries of self-deceit, the dreams of youthful fancy, the bias of fashion, the fear of banter should they venture to oppose; all these concur with the powers of darkness in misleading the poor unexperienced adventurers: and to courses, of which the bare idea filled them at a distance with horror, familiarity at last reconciles them; if not so far as to procure real or thorough approbation, far enough however to engage perseverance attended with a feeling of remorse that gradually abates, till they are often inextricably entangled in a thicket of guilt and wretchedness. What numbers of miserable beings are now lost there, whose first deviations were occasioned by nothing more than a desire of escaping from inactivity or dulness to something that might divert or employ! But had an early love of books prevented this languor, by furnishing at home a harmless and varied entertaininent, such as was adapted to give play even to the liveliest imagination, there had been evidently much less inducement to seek it abroad; and many a soul that is at this day hurrying on to destruction, might probably, in that case, have been walking with Wisdom and Happiness. Nor would I have you think, that I speak of those only who have broke through all the restraints of decorum. There are a thousand tracks leading to sin and wo, besides that infamous road to which the hand of public censure is pointed. The supposing, indeed, so wide a distance between the extremities of guilt and its intermediate stages, is among the most natural mistakes of a mind destitute of knowledge. Of this internal light one of the great advantages is, to throw such illumination on virtue and vice through all their essential, and even many of their minute distinctions, as to make them to be discerned with clearness, and felt with conviction; while there rise up to view nameless beauties in holiness, and nameless deformities in sin, that pass unheeded by the dim inattentive eye of an understanding uninformed. This delicacy of perception alone, in a breast not jet corrupted by evil custom, will create a salutary dread of many pursuits and connexions that often prove exceedingly hurtful. In general, it seems obvious, that by how much more we are acquainted with our duty, by so much the juster apprehensions we shall have of its importance, and by so much the greater capacity for performing it. But the grand use of an affection for knowledge, as to the point before us, is that of preventing idleness and dissipation, which it certainly does where such affection is properly regulated: and this cannot be repeated too frequently, nor pressed too. powerfully. The human mind was made for action. In virtuous action consists its highest enjoyment. It will not, it cannot, continue long unemployed, especially during the sprightly season of youth. Even feeble age finds its principal delight in recollecting the days of juvenile activity, and rehearsing the enterprises which distinguished that happy period. But now there are many young ladies, whose situation does not supply a sphere for domestic exercise sufficient to fill up that part of their time, which is not necessarily appropriated to female occupations and innocent amusements. What then shall they do with it, or with themselves, if books be not called in to their assistance ? Pursue the inquiry in your own minds. Many of you, alas! are but too well qualified to pursue it, can but too well ima gine the insipid, foolish, and even pernicious expedients, which under those circumstances are daily prac tised for killing time and thought. In truth, it cannot appear surprising to see those who have no notion of internal entertainment, hunting after fashionable diversions. For my part, I am only surprised, when those who from a better education have had opportunities of knowing" what an extent and diversity of ideas and imagery, of information the most grateful to the mind, and of description the most affecting to the heart, may be found in a well chosen library; when such, I say, do yet prefer to all this the hollowness and dulness, which inseparably attend a perpetual train of public amusements, or private visiting. 1 But I am inclined to hope, that a preference so unjust and unwise is seldom made by those last mentioned; that they who have tasted the pleasure of conversing intimately with the best authors living and dead, and from this happy commerce have contracted an intellectual turn, will not be often tempted to mingle with the unthinking crowd. When for the sake of unbending the mind more entirely, and avoiding any unnecessary air of singularity, they do at any time join it; the same turn will contribute to preserve them from the seduction of vice and folly. It is not to be denied, that from the head to the heart, the distance, in a moral reckoning, is often immense; that between sublimity of idea and eleva tion of conduct there is no necessary connexion; that the finest sentiments and the grossest passions have been observed to meet in the same mind: that our First Mother was betrayed by the pride of knowing; and that the height of capacity in Lucifer, only increased the fall of that son of the morning. All this is true. But shall we hence infer, that the desire of knowledge well directed, and wisely applied, is not likely to produce any worthy impressions? Imagine two young ladies, of whom one delights in elegant and virtuous studies, the other in fashionable idleness. Will you say, that the former is equally in danger with the latter, of descending to vulgar, or to vicious pleasures! As familiarity with persons of refined manners may be expected to communicate a corresponding refinement; is it not probable, that intimacy with the most beautiful compositions, will, in the same way, impart a beauty to the soul? And is there not ground to believe, that this will make her who is possessed of it ashamed to allow herself in any thing unhandsome ; éven as it is reasonable to suppose, that she who has been genteelly bred, will disdain the thought of a low behaviour? Or, because the natural tendency of things is sometimes crossed, will ye say that it is therefore destroyed? Have ye not heard, that a rule is not overthrown, but rather confirmed, by exceptions? Young people, we know, are often corrupted by bad books; and have we not likewise known them improved by good ones? She must be depraved and sunk indeed, who from contem plating the majesty and happiness of Virtue in the best examples, together with the meanness and mise. ry of Vice in the worst, that history or poetry holds up to view, can go away, and in her own deportment counteract immediately the feelings of love and admiration for the one, of contempt and abhorrence for the other, which objects of this kind must unavoidably awaken. She again, who should not perceive herself prompted to a prudent and amiable demeanour, or guarded against the contrary, by those pictures of discretion and excellence on one hand, of levity and worthlessness on the other, with which sentimental and moral writers abound, must be absolutely void of decency, or of reflexion. To instance but in one subject more; she must be wholly given up to trifles that can pursue them with the same fondness, after having her imagination raised, and all her faculties expanded by those wonderful representations of the works of God, which are contained in may books of Philosophy and Geography, Voyages and Travels. But now represent to yourself a young lady, whose understanding is utterly uncultivated. What is there to correct her passions, or to govern her practice? What is there to direct her in the choice of companions, and diversions; to guard her against the follies of her own sex, and the arts of ours; in short, to prevent her falling into any or every snare, that is or may be laid for her? Suppose her to have received from nature the seeds of common sense. Do these require no attention to raise them? or is this most useful plant to be reared without the aid of experience? But where, or how, is that to be obtained by a girl? Must she discover the wiles and wickedness of libertines by conversing with them? Must she learn how to defend against danger by having run into it; or how to avoid the blandishments of pleasure by having felt its bitterness? By men the knowledge of the |