women.

Doubtless the formation of the mind must depend in a great degree on the structure of the body. From this cause the strength of mind observable in men is supposed to arise; and the delicacy of the female mind is thought to be in agreement with the bodily frame. But it is impossible to ascer tain how much may depend on early education; nor can we solve our doubts on this head by turning our view to savage countries, where, if the bodily strength be nearly equal in the two sexes, their minds are alike sunk in ignorance and darkness. In our own country, we find that as long as the studies of children of both sexes continue the same, the progress they make is equal. After the rudiments of knowledge have been obtained, in the cultivated ranks of society, (of which alone I mean to speak,) the boy goes on continually increasing his stock of information, it being his only employment to store and exercise his mind for future years; while the girl is probably confined to low pursuits, her aspirings after knowledge are subdued, she is taught to believe that solid information is unbecoming her sex, almost her whole time is expend ed on light accomplishments, and thus before she is sensible of her powers, they are checked in their growth, chained down to mean objects, to rise no more; and when the natural consequences of this mode of treatment arise, all mankind agree that the abili

ties of women are far inferior to those of men. But in the few instances where a contrary mode of treatment has been pursued, where fair play has been given to the faculties, even without much assistance, what has almost invariably been the result? Has it not been evident that the female mind, though in many respects differently constituted from that of man, may be well brought into comparison with his? If she wants his enterprising spirit, the deficiency is made up by perseverance in what she does undertake; for his ambition, she has a thirst for knowledge; and for his ready perception, she has unwearied appli cation.

It is proof sufficient to my mind, that there is no natural deficiency of power, that, unless proper objects are supplied to women to employ their faculties, their energies are exerted improperly. Some aim they must have, and if no good one is presented to them, they must seek for a bad

one..

We may find evidence in abundance of this truth in the condition of women before the introduction of Christianity.

Before the revelation of this blessed religion, (doubly blessed to the female sex,) what was their situation? They were either sunk almost to the level of the brutes in mental darkness, buried in their own homes, the slaves instead of the companions of their husbands, only to be preserved from vice by being excluded from the world, or, not being able to endure these restraints, employing their restless powers and turbulent passions in the pursuit of vicious pleasures and sensual gratifications. And we cannot wonder that this was the case, when they were gifted with faculties which they were not permitted to exercise, and were compelled to vegetate from year to year, with no object in life and no hope in death. Observe what an immediate change was wrought by the introduction of Christianity. Mark the zeal, directed by knowledge, of the female converts, of so many of whom St. Paul makes honourable mention as his friends, on account of their exertions in the great cause. An object was held out for them to obtain, and their powers were bent to the attainment of it, instead of being

engaged in vice and folly. The female character has been observed to improve since that time, in proportion as the treasures of useful knowledge have been placed within the reach of the sex.

I wish to imply by what I have said, not that great stores of information are as necessary to women as to men, but that as much care should be taken of the formation of their minds. Their attainments cannot in general be so great, because they have their own appropriate duties and peculiar employments, the neglect of which nothing can excuse; but I contend that these duties will be better performed if the powers be rationally employed. If the whole mind be exercised and strengthened, it will bring more vigour to the performance of its duties in any particular province.

The first great objection which is made to enlightening the female mind is, that if engaged in the pursuit of knowledge, women neglect their appropriate duties and peculiar employ

ments.

2nd. That the greatest advances that the female mind can make in knowledge, must still fall far short of the attainments of the other sex.

3rd. That the vanity so universally ascribed to the sex is apt to be inflated by any degree of proficiency in knowledge, and that women therefore become forgetful of the subordinate station assigned them by law, natural and divine.

To the first objection I answer, that such a pursuit of knowledge as shall lead women to neglect their peculiar duties, is not that cultivation of mind for the utility of which I am contending. But these duties may be well performed without engaging the whole time and attention. If "great thoughts constitute great minds," what can be expected from a woman whose whole intellect is employed on the trifling cares and comparatively mean occupations, to which the advocates for female ignorance would condemn her? These cares and these occupations were allotted to women to enable them to smooth our way through life; they were designed as a means to this end, and should never be pursued as the end itself. The knowledge of these necessary acts is so easily acquired, and they are so easily performed, that

an active mind will feel a dismal vacuity, a craving after something nobler and better to employ the thoughts in the intervals of idleness which must occur when these calls of duty are answered, and if nothing nobler and better is presented to it, it will waste its energies in the pursuit of folly, if not of vice, and thus continually perpetuate the faults of the sex.

Some will perhaps say, "if household occupations are insufficient to exercise the mind, the wide field of charity is open to the employment of its energies." It is so. But how inefficient is benevolence when not directed by knowledge! And how comparatively faint will be the exertions in the cause, when the views are bounded, the motives narrow and even selfish, (for ignorance is the mother of selfishness,) and charity pursued more as a present employment, than with the desire of doing permanent good to the objects of this shallow benevolence! How different is this from the charity of an enlightened mind, of a mind which, enlarged by knowledge, can comprehend extensive views, can design not only the present relief of misery, but can look forward to the permanent improvement of its kind; which, understanding the workings of the mind, and able to profit by the experience of others, can choose the best means for the attainment of certain ends, and thus by uniting knowledge and judgment with benevolence, can make its efforts doubly efficient ! But even if the calls of charity be answered, and feminine duties performed, yet much leisure remains for other pursuits and what should these pursuits be? Surely, such as will make social intercourse more delightful, such as will furnish innocent recreation at home, such as will cheer the hours of dulness, and furnish pleasant subjects for the thoughts to turn to in times of sickness or of sorrow.

It must be allowed by all, that one of woman's first duties is to qualify herself for being a companion to her husband, or to those with whom her lot in life is cast. She was formed to be a domestic companion, and such an one as shall give to home its charms, as shall furnish such entertainment that her husband need not be driven abroad for amusement. This is one of the first duties required from a wo

man, and no time can be misemployed which is applied to the purpose of making her such a companion, and I contend that a friend like this cannot be found among women of uncultivated minds. If their thoughts are continually occupied by the vanities of the world, if that time which is not required for the fulfilment of household duties, is spent in folly, or even in harmless trifles in which the hus--band has no interest, how are the powers of pleasing to be perpetuated, how is she to find interesting subjects for social converse? Surely these desirable objects are best promoted by the hours of leisure being devoted to the acquirement of useful knowledge, such knowledge as may excite the reflective powers, enlarge and steady the -mind, and raise it, nearly at least, to the level of the other sex. Thus there may be companionship between the sexes, and surely no woman who as-pires to and labours for this end can be accused of neglecting her peculiar duties. But for this object to be completely gained, the work must be begun early. The powers should be cultivated from infancy, and the mind taught to feel pleasure in seeking for information, always in subservience to more important avocations. If the soul be early contracted by too great an attention to trifles, if it be taught that ignorance is to be its portion, no later endeavours will be of any avail to ennoble it.

If we consider woman as the guardian and instructress of infancy, her claims to cultivation of mind become doubly urgent. It is evident that if the soul of the teacher is narrow and contracted, that of the pupil cannot be enlarged. If we consider that the first years of childhood exert an influence over the whole future life, we cannot be too careful to preserve our children from the effects of ignorance and prejudice on their young minds. It has been frequently and justly observed, that almost all men, remarkable for talents or virtue, have had excellent mothers, to the early influence of whose noble qualities, the future superiority of their children was mainly to be ascribed. If this be true, what might not be hoped from the la-bours of a race of enlightened mothers, who would early impress on their 'children's minds lessons of piety and

wisdom, and who would make the first sentiments of their souls noble and enlarged, who would take in at one comprehensive view all that was to be done to render them what they ought to be, and who would render their first instructions subservient to the objects to be afterwards pursued! If such were to be the foundation of character, what might not the superstructure be!

It may be said that many minds have been great, capable of conceiving and executing noble designs, without any advantages of education. It is certainly true, but these minds have been too aspiring to be chained down by the fetters of ignorance; they have become great in spite of disadvantages, and not in consequence of them; and had their powers been cultivated, their efforts would probably have been better directed and doubly successful. But the best proof, that all the usefulness and all the feminine qualities of women may remain unimpaired, notwithstanding the acquisition of knowledge, may be gained by referring to our own observation and experience. I have known young women whose whole time was occupied by the care of a numerous family of brothers and sisters, stealing a few minutes daily from their breakfast hour, to study the Greek tongue, for the purpose of reading the Testament in the original language; and in no degree did this pursuit interfere with their active duties; so little so, that it was even unknown by most of their own family. They attained their object, and enjoyed the satisfaction of settling their religious belief for themselves, without any diminution of their usefulness as women. I do not mean by this that I would have all women instructed in the learned languages. This would be needless, and for those of inferior talents the time would be wasted. I only wish to shew that even such deep knowledge as these ladies possessed, did not lead them to appropriate their time too much to selfish purposes. I have also known a young lady, who, notwithstanding the disadvantages of a defective early education, has made wonderful progress in knowledge of various kinds, especially in the study of the human mind: and yet she superintends a large domestic establishment, has founded a school, which is sup?

ported entirely by her exertions, and she is ever ready with her fund of sensible, unassuming and natural conversation to answer the calls of those who depend much on her for their entertainment in the domestic circle. I have known another lady, blest with affluence, employing the powers of her well-exercised mind in the further ance of projects of extensive benevolence; projects which would often have failed, had they not been executed by one early accustomed to give her time to enlightened industry, to exercise her reason, and to feed her mind with useful knowledge. Benevolent dispositions, regulated by such a judgment, and supported by motives of piety, have been productive of an immense sum of good; and I may men tion in favour of my argument, that her powers of usefulness have been much employed in teaching the poor the arts of household economy, of which this lady is a perfect mistress. Many other instances could I bring, if my limits would permit, but I trust that what I have said will convince others as well as myself, that the acquisition of knowledge does not necessarily lead to the neglect of woman's appropriate duties.

With respect to the second objection, viz., That the greatest advances which the female mind can make in knowledge must fall far short of the attainments of the other sex, I allow that the acquirements of women can seldom equal those of men, and it is not desirable that they should. I do not wish to excite a spirit of rivalry between the sexes; I do not desire that many females should seek for fame as authors. I only wish that their powers should be so employed that they should not be obliged to seek amusements beneath them, and injurious to them. I wish them to be companions to men, instead of playthings or servants, one of which an ignorant woman must commonly be. If they are called to be wives, a sensible mind is an essential qualification for the domestic character; if they remain single, liberal pursuits are absolutely necessary to preserve them from the faults so generally attributed to that state, and so justly and inevitably, while the mind is buried in darkness.

If it be asked what kind and degree of knowledge is necessary to preserve

women from the evils mentioned as following in the train of ignorance, I answer that much must depend on natural talent, fortune and station; but no Englishwoman, above the lower ranks of life, ought to be ignorant of the Evidences and Principles of her religious belief, of Sacred History, of the outline at least of General History, of the Elements of the Philosophy of Nature, and of the Human Mind; and to these should be added the knowledge of such living languages, and the acquirement of such accomplishments, as situation and circumstances may direct.

With respect to the third objection, viz., that the vanity so universally ascribed to the sex is apt to be inflated by any degree of proficiency in knowledge, and that women, therefore, become forgetful of the subordinate sta tion assigned them by law, natural and divine: the most important part of education, the implanting of religious principles must be in part neglected, if the share of knowledge which women may appropriate, should be suffered to inflate their vanity, or excite feelings of pride. Christian humility should be one of the first requisites in female education, and till it is attained every acquirement of every kind will become a cause of self-exaltation, and those accomplishments which are the most rare, will of course be looked upon with the most self-complacency. But if the taste for knowledge were more generally infused, and if proficiency in the attainments I have mentioned were more common, there would be much less pedantry than there is at present; for when acquirements of this kind are no longer remarkable, they cease to afford a subject for pride. I suppose, when knowledge was rare among men, many of those who had made some proficiency were as pedantic as the blue-stockings of the present day. As the spread of information extended there was less cause for conceit, and the case would be the same with the female sex, This is a fact, which is proved from year to year, for female education is rapidly improving, and the odious pedantry to which it at first gave rise is less observable, and will, ere long, I hope, be more a name than a reality.

Let woman then be taught that her

powers of mind were given her to be improved. Let her be taught that she is to be a rational companion to those of the other sex among whom her lot in life is cast, that her proper sphere is home that there she is to provide, not only for the bodily comfort of man, but that she is to enter also into community of mind with him; that she is to strengthen him in the hour of trial; to cheer him in times of despondence; to exert herself for his improvement and her own; to encourage him in rational pursuits, both by her example and sympathy; that she is to be the participator in his happiness, the consoler of his sorrows, the support of his weakness, and his friend under all circumstances. For this purpose she must exert her own faculties, store her mind, strengthen her reason, and so far enrich her na tural powers by cultivation, as to be capable of performing the important duties which fall to her lot. Let her preserve her natural simplicity, her feminine gentleness, her perfect innocence. Let her become mistress of all the little arts, of all the important trides, (if I may so express myself,) which render home a scene of com. fort; but let not these be made the end instead of the means. Like our attendant planet, let her, while she is the constant companion of man, borrow sufficient light from the sun of knowledge to cheer him in his hours of darkness, and he will find that the progress she makes towards this great luminary will not interfere with the companionship she owes to him. When this is done, when woman is allowed to claim her privileges as an intellectual being, the folly, the frivo lity, and all the mean vices and faults which have hitherto been the reproach of the sex, will gradually disappear. As she finds nobler objects presented to her grasp, and that her rank in the scale of being is elevated, she will engraft the vigorous qualities of the mind of man on her own blooming virtues, and insinuate into his mind those softer graces and milder beau ties, which will smooth the ruggedness of his character.

Surely this is the natural state of things, and to this perfection will they arrive, if the improvement of the female mind proceeds with the same rapidity which we have now reason to

anticipate. See what has already been done. In the present age, and in our own country, we can reckon among those who have rendered important services to society at large, as well as to their own circle of friends, the names of More, Barbauld, Hamilton, Edgeworth, Carter, Talbot, Elizabeth Smith, Chapone, Grant, Aikin and Cappe. Most of these ladies have written on the noblest subjects which can exercise the human mind, religion and morality, and have thus proved that the cultivation of the powers of the female mind is favourable instead of injurious to these important interests.

I cannot better conclude than with the hope, that these examples of what may be done may excite a noble emulation in their own sex, and in ours such a conviction of the value of the female mind, as shall overcome our long-cherished prejudices, and induce us to give our earnest endeavours to the promotion of woman's best interests.

SIR,

A

DISCIPULUS.

Feb. 3, 1823. LTHOUGH I have not seen the

edition of the "New Testament," which Cantabrigiensis describes, I flatter myself that I can give him some information as to the editor, "The Rev. Mr. John Lindsay," whose name occurs more than once in a publication abounding with notices of the lives and writings of clergymen.†

The elder Mr. Bowyer's corrector of the press, was usually a nonjuring teacher; to which class of episcopa lians the worthy printer himself be longed. In the Historia Typographorum, &c., we find an allusion to one of the persons so employed by hims "either," says Nichols, "Mr. John Blackburne, or Mr. John Lindsay." Among the papers that issued from the same press, during the year 1725, are enumerated "Proposals for printing by subscription, A Vindication of the Church of England and the lawful Ministry thereof, &c. Written by Francis Mason, B, D., &c., and now

Mon. Repos. XVII. 530. + Nichols' Liter. Anecd., &c. + Maittaire's.