Our Bodies, as well as our Dress, are subject to the tyrannic laws of fashion. How many of its votaries facrifice eafe and convenience for the fake of conformity! How many have tortured their limbs, in order to improve their fhape! Whereas, by restraining nature, they have brought on distortion and deformity. This adherence to fafhion is oftentimes inju rious. to health.. Your Drefs fhould be accommodated to the state of the Atmosphere, and to the climate in which you live. But if, in order to be fafhionable, you should too much expofe the Body to the feverity of the Wea ther, or cover it with garments that are too light, you muft expect, as a natural confequence, thofe Difeafes, which arife from colds, and which have been frequently fatal to your fcx.

Seeing, then, that the decrees of. Fashion are so arbitrary and univerfal, you might incur the cenfure of fingularity, were you wholly to difregard them. You should comply with the general cuftom, as far as will be confiftent with your manner of life, your fortune, your perfon, or your health. Eagerly to grafp at a new fashion as foon as it

has made its appearance; and then to follow it through all its ridiculous fhapes and extremes, is not only a mark of extravagance, but difcovers alfo, how much

the

the mind can be entertained with objects in themselves trifling and infignificant ! :

That mode of Drefs, which will improve the natural charms of your Perfon, and, at the fame time, displays the greatest modesty of deportment, ought to be preferred. Young Women are not apt to be inattentive to the concerns of Drefs; though after a change of condition, they often neglect their attire. The fame moderate attention, which I have recommended before marriage, is neceffary afterwards; otherwife they would pay but an ill compliment to their husbands.

Simplicity of Dress has been a favourite topic of commendation amongst the Poets. In the fine Episode of Thomfon, in his Poem on Autumn, his Lavinia is beautiful; but fimply dreft.

- a native grace

Sat fair proportioned on her polished limbs,
Veil'd in a fimple Robe, their best attire,
Beyond the pomp of Drefs; for loveliness
Needs not the foreign aid of ornament,
But is, when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most.

I fhall only add to what has been faid with respect to the modes of Drefs-That they fhould be adapted to the feveral Periods, as well as the feveral fituations of life. There is

certainly

certainly a proper manner both to the married and to the unmarried Lady; to the old and to the young. As the light and airy habiliments of the Torrid Zone would ill become the inhabitants of the Frigid; fo it would be as inconfiftent for old age to appear in the robes of gayand sprightly youth.

I fhall conclude with a few brief remarks on the importance of Drefs.-Young Persons axe generally elated with a new garb, and affume fome confequence on the occafion. But it is not Drefs, however fplendid, which can make you more worthy of refpect: An extreme fondnefs for it may lay the foundation for Pride; and you will be fubject to a mortification, if you fhould fee another in better garments than your own. But does Drefs alter the character of the Wearer? Do you imagine, that, by divefting yourself of one fet of clothes, and putting on another more elegant, you are intitled to more veneration? Do you think, that if your apparel fhould be finer than your neighbours, you are therefore more excellent than they? Do you believe that you have a right to treat others with neglect, whofe external appearance is inferior to your own? Such an opinion as this must proceed from a falfe idea, that it is in the power of Drefs. to confer merit. But this is fo far from being the cafe, that you will frequently meet with deferving Perfons whose cir

cumftances

cumstances will not permit them to wear a fashionable habit. Mr. Pope has expreffed a fimilar fentiment in the following couplet:

Worth makes the Man, and want of it the Fellow,
The reft is all but Leather and Prunella.

It is much to be apprehended, that thofe of your Sex, who are fo fond of Drefs on themfelves, will alfo prefer it on others, before every useful accomplishment; and that their respect for their acquaintance will rife or fall, in proportion to the plainnefs or finery of their clothes.

Be then affured, my young Audience, that you can derive no merit from the decorations of Drefs-that the embellishment of the Perfon fhould not engrofs fo much of your attention as to induce you to neglect that of the mindand that a uniform neatnefs is more refpected than finery and oftentation

LECTURE XI..

LECTURE XI.

Force-t-on vos Filles à perdre leur Tems en Niaiferies!Vous empêche-t-on de les in£ruire et faire instruire à votre Gré!

HAVING already confidered, what are the principal duties of the female Sex, with refpect to domeftic life; and what fort of education is neceffary for the purpose of adapting them to that fituation; I fhall proceed now to point out those further improvements, which are requifite to form them for fociety; and which have a more particular relation to the mind. But here it may be naturally asked, What is the Mind? In anfwering this question, I fhall be as concife as poffible; fatisfied if my explanation fhould ferve to give you fome idea of its properties; for as we are ignorant of its fubftance, we can only judge of its nature from its effects: And becaufe of the intricacy of the fubject, there have been many curious and complex differtations upon it by Men of learning.

Man