* Serta 1 z woman of fam-fhe has a heart eafly affected, a times gives nera inrightlinefs be controlit. Her understan her temper as, but neverthel extraordinar, but agreeable: L gives earnett of a foul, and to accoft her with difference, == emotion. Chmers are endowe is deficient; others poffeis greater person; but note form a compucat character. fects turn to her advantage: would be much lefs agreeace. "Sophia is not beautif they neglect the handfome tisfied with themselves. but the more you fee her, proves by that which impar oles. Many may boat finer commanding figure; but a fairer complexion, a wate benign afpect, a more sea zing, the "Sophia loves ini. waiting-woman but her felf to advantage, bur her drefs, you aiwan is not fond of what a ftranger to what is ly what fuit her comm beftowed less thougın son apparel is more at random, and yet extremely modef. fhe does not make a but in concealing mm tion. Every one w difcreet girl: but tions wander age 18 them; and yoH WOLL fimple as it fee, WA IT PA As to pieces by the imagination In short, we are told, that Sinha bich and, being conftious of them, hath not acg'ald Deve tion; that he has an understanding which is agreeable, without being brilliant, and folid without being profound; that the is perfectly Miftrefs of the art of pleafing in converfation; that he is poflefled of exquifite fenfibility; that fhe is neat almoft to excefs in her perfon, and is well verfed in all the Occupations proper for her fex. Nor have her perfections only employed the pencil of the Painter, her defects and foibles are as faithfully copied; but it is impoffible for us to trace all the minute and masterly touches which ferve to heighten this highly finished and moft natural portrait. Having defcribed Sophia to be fuch an object as was evidently beft calculated to make Emilius happy in a wife, our Author expatiates on those qualities in women, which are in general most likely to enfure felicity in the marriage ftate. He obferves in particular, with regard to the mental and perfonal qualifications of a woman, that "it is not proper for a man of education to take a woman without any, nor confequently to choose one in a ftation of life which deprives her of that benefit. But I had rather a hundred times have a fimple girl, meanly educated, than a learned and witty Lady, who fhould come into my family to erect a literary tribunal, of which herfelf is prefident. A witty wife is a fcourge to her husband, her children, her friends, her fervants, and to all the world. Her fublime elevation of genius makes her defpife all the duties of a wife; and fhe always affects, like Madam de l'Enclos, to difplay the fenfe and knowlege of a man. Abroad he is always ridiculous, and Juftly cenfured; becaufe it is impoffible to avoid ridicule and centure, when we start from our condition, and are not formed for that which we affume. These women of genius never impofe upon any but fools. We always know what artist, or what friend held the pen or the pencil in all their works. We know what man of letters was the oracle they privately confulted. All this impofture is unbecoming a prudent woman. Even if fhe had real talents, her pretenfions would debafe them. On the contrary, it is her pride to pafs unnoticed; her glory confifts in the esteem of her husband; her pleafure is centered in the happiness of her family. Reader, I appeal to you; be fincere: which is it that gives you the best opinion of a woman, which makes you accoft her with the greatest refpect, the feeing her employed in the occupations of her fex, in the cares of her family, furrounded with her children; or the finding bufy in fcribbling verfes at her toilet, encompaffed with phlets, trifling billets, and meffage-cards? Every leaned would remain a virgin for life, if there were none but feat men in the world. Queris cur nolim te ducere, Galla? Diferta es. "Next to thefe confiderations comes that of perfon. This is the first thing which makes an impreffion, and the laft which we ought to regard; yet it ought not to be entirely overlooked. Extraordinary beauty ought rather, in my opinion, to be avoided, than defired in matrimony. Beauty foon palls by fruition; at the end of fix weeks it is of no value to him who enjoys it, but its inconveniences are as lafting as itfelf. If a beautiful woman is any thing less than an angel, her husband must be the moft unhappy of men; and admitting fhe were an angel, how will the fecure him from being furrounded with Rivals? if extreme deformity were not difguftful, I fhould prefer it to exceffive beauty; for, in a fhort time, either becoming indifferent to the husband, beauty is an inconvenience, and deformity an advantage; but that degree of uglinefs which produces difguft, is the worst of all misfortunes; the idea, inftead of being ef faced by time, continually increafes, till it grows into confirmed antipathy: such a marriage must be truly miferable: even death itself would be preferable. "A medium is defirable in every thing, not excepting beau An agreeable and graceful figure, which does not infpire love, but efteem, is molt to be preferred: it is of no prejudice to the husband, and the advantage turns to the mutual intereft of both husband and wife. Graces do not fade, like beauty; they are lafting, they are continually renewing; and a virtuous woman, who has attractions, will, thirty years after marriage, be as agreeable to her husband as she was on her wedding-day.” Emilius, being introduced to his Sophia, foon fixes his affections on fo worthy an object; and, in return, engages hers by his amiable behaviour. Our fevere Preceptor, however, interrupts him amidst the moft natural and enchanting fcenes of courtship that ever, were defcribed; and hurries him away from the delightful employment of rendering himself agreeable to his Miftrefs, to make the tour of Europe. This unexpected feparation was like a thunder-ftroke to our Lovers; they were obliged, nevertheless, to fubmit; and take a mournful leave of each other, as if an intended abfence of two years, was to part them for ever. On this event our Author takes occafion to introduce a number of judicious obfervations on the fubject of travelling; but we fear we have been tempted to trefpafs too much on our plan, if not on the patience of fome of our Readers, by the numerous extracts already taken from this work; we fhall only add, therefore, that Emilius returns after two years abfence, improved to his Preceptor's wifhes, and is happily united to Sophia: the circumftances of their nuptials, and fome inter efting efting advice on the fubject, and means of enfuring conjugal felicity, concluding this extraordinary treatife :-perhaps the most extraordinary that ever appeared fince the invention of printing. A Paftoral Cordial; or, an Anodyne Sermon*. Preached before their Grace: N. and D. in the Country. By an Independent Teacher of the Truth. 4to. Is. 6d. Hinxman. I T is no new thing for a Poet to compose a Sermon. A venerable Bard of antiquity gave us an excellent one against Adultery; and a comical Bard of our own times has here given us one against -, it is not eafy to fay what-; nevertheless, it is a droll thing, and well pointed at a variety of objects in the political world." But, although it may be fomewhat difficult to define this poetical preachment affirmatively, it is no hard matter to fay what it is not; and, among other negatives which may be safely maintained, we run no hazard in venturing to pronounce, that it is no Anodyne. On the contrary, there are perfons upon whom it cannot fail to operate in a very different manner: Ridiculum acri Fortius&Meliùs The great Perfonages hinted at in the title-page, in particular, would hardly fleep under the word; and the Gentlemen of the Cocoa-tree may alfo probably be kept from napping: for our Independent Teacher seems, indeed, to be no respecter either of perfons or parties. Of the Cocobites he gives his opinion in the following terms; fpeaking of the rivalship and oppofition which their Graces have met with: The men of Cocoa take the lead Not for their enmity to Pit, Nor for the love they bear the Tweed, Which they have very lately flipt on, In fecond fight, and Mother Shipton. * From the following Text. The battle is not to the strong, What What he means by the laft line is thus ludicrously explained in a Note. "Some Refiners pretend, that the pertinacity, with which the Cocobites, like the Jews, are conftantly looking for a fecond Redeemer, or Meffiah, and that their faith in Mother Shipton, means their zealous attachment to the Church, that is, to the old infallible Church, whofe Infallibility is founded upon Anility: a term used by Schoolmen for the most perfect kind of Tradition; for Tradition derived from the most remote age, which is DOTAGE." Among other smart ftrokes * aimed at the D-es N. and D. are the following;-some great things as well as perfons, like wife coming in for a jerk or two, en passant: Your Graces fhould have been inclin'd To move like planets in your places, I mean oblig'd only to plod, Is nothing more than a white stick. Than why a Bishop wears lawn fleeves, The title of Moft Reverend Father, • The principal merit, however, and, indeed, the main fcope of this jocular performance, we apprehend, to confift in the droll balancing of the refpective political weight and influence of the contending parties; that of the two D-'s, and that of Lord B. or, as the Author expresses it, speaking to their Graces, Tho' you are worfted in the battle, There fill arifes a difpute, Which may be difficult to fettle, Who is the weaker, you or Bute? But, as he facetioufly concludes, it is of little confequence which way the question is determined : Taking it either way for granted, Seeing you're out, and he is in, The e's ftill a point to be descarted; REV. Feb. 1763. H Here |