of them, but also would not overlook any inftances of floth or extravagance.

The male and female Sex have each their respective department. It might be humiliating in the former, to fuperintend the economy of the table, to direct the affairs of the kitchen, or to fcrutinize the conduct of female Servants; but it is by no means beneath the dignity of the Ladies. When thus employed, they are acting in the Province for which nature defigned them as being adapted to that domestic way of life, for which their conftitutions are fo delicately framed. Every Man, whatever be his profeffion, is amenable to enquiry, and to reproof, if he be remifs in the difcharge of his duty.. Could you, then, expect to escape cenfure, fhould you be inattentive to thofe offices, which are required of you? To your fex is entrusted the management of household concerns.. If you should neglect this charge, through indolence; or conduct it improperly, through the want of knowledge, instead of being useful to the family over which you are to prefide, you would only create confufion and diforder. Your Servants would treat you with disrespect; and would even difobey your commands. In fuch a fituation how contemptible muft you appear! Reduced to this mortification, you would be degraded indeed. Not fo, by executing the duties which appertain to the character you will

affume;

affume; this will be fo far from demeaning you, that it will procure you both honour and ef

teem.

I fhall conclude this Lecture with an extract from the description of a good Wife, by the Author of the Economy of Human Life.

"She prefideth in the House, and there is peace; fhe commandeth with judgment, and is obeyed."

"She arifeth in the morning, fhe confiders her affairs, and appointeth to every one their proper bufinefs."

"The care of her family is her whole delight; to that alone fhe applieth her study? and elegance with frugality is feen in her manfions."

LECTURE IX.

LECTURE IX.

"That Works of Ingenuity and Elegance are particularly becoming in your Sex, and that the Study of them ought to "enter into Female Education as much as poffible, all, I think, ❝s are agreed.

DR. FORDYCES

I HAVE already explained to you, what are the proper offices and employments of the Female Sex. I fhall now proceed to recommend to you thofe accomplishments, which will be either neceffary or agreeable.

The firft I fhall mention is Needle Work; the knowledge of which, as applying chiefly to domeftic affairs, is abfolutely requifite. This art may be divided into the useful and the ornamental.

The ufeful part is attended with so many advantages, and is at the fame time fo.comprehenfive, that it is needlefs for me to enlarge upon the fubject. Whether you confine it to your own drefs; or whether you extend it to that of a fa

mily, over which you may poffibly prefide, an acquaintance with it forms a very effential part of female education: Because you will not only be able to render great assistance, by your own application, but you will also be skilful Judges of the performance of others.

The knowledge of this branch of Needle Work is alfo requifite on the principle of frugality; for if your circumftances fhould be too confined, to employ either the Seamstress or the Milliner, you will then have it in your power to appear with decency, at a small expence, by your own labour.

Ornamental Needle Work will furnish you with the means of employing your vacant hours innocently and perhaps profitably. Your Anceftors have left behind them lasting monuments of their skill and induftry in this art. But works of Tapestry will be regarded, by our modern Ladies, as tasks which require too much time and attention; or as fit only for thofe, who, in Catholic Countries, have retreated from the World. Though the manners of the prefent age are so much changed from thofe of the last, yet the exercise of the needle, at proper intervals, is graceful in the Female Sex; and is well adapted to their conftitutions and fedentary life.

The Spectator, who devoted feveral of his Papers to the use and instruction of the Female

Sex, has, in one of his Numbers, made fome obfervations on this accomplishment. The subject is introduced by a Letter, addressed to him from an elderly Lady, who complains, that her two Nieces spent much of their time in gadding abroad; that drefs, play and vifits were their chief employment; and that they retired to rest at night, fatigued with doing nothing. She remarks, that thofe hours, which, in this age, are diffipated in the manner already mentioned, were engaged in her time, in working Beds and Chairs for the family. She informs him, that fhe had plied her Needle for fifty years, with equal pleasure and fatisfaction; and that she is grieved to see her young flighty relations fipping their tea for a whole afternoon, in a room hung round by the industry of their Progenitors. She concludes by defiring him to recommend the laudable art of embroidery.-The arguments offered in its favour, by the Spectator, are thefe: "It muft," fays he, "be a delightful entertainment to the fair Sex, to pass their time in imitating fruits and flowers; and transplanting all the Beauties of Nature into their own dress; or raifing a new creation in their closets and apartments. How pleafing is the amufement of walking among the shades and groves planted by themselves; or in furveying Heroes flain by their needle! Here they may indulge their fancy in rural Landscapes,

and