I do not mean to recommend only fuch books as are of an abstracted or grave caft. There are in our language many, in which inftruction and innocent amusement are happily blended; these should be chofen, and may be easily selected. I would have every one try to form an opinion of an author themselves, though modefty may reftrain them from mentioning it. Many are fo anxious to have the reputation of tafte, that they only praise the authors whose merit is indifputable. I am fick of hearing of the fublimity of Milton, the elegance and harmony of Pope, and the original, untaught genius of Shakefpear. These curfory remarks are made by fome who know nothing of nature, and could not enter into the fpirit of thofe authors, or understand them. A florid ftyle moftly paffes with the ignorant for fine 'writing; many fentences are admired that have no meaning in them, though they contain words of thundering found," and others that have nothing to recommend them but sweet and mufical terminations. The bible fhould be read with particular refpect, and young perfons should not be taught reading entirely by fo facred a book; left they might confider that as a task, which ought to be a fource of the most exalted fatisfac tion. It may be obferved, that I recommend the mind's being put into a proper train. Fixed rules cannot be given, it must depend on the nature and ftrength of the understanding; and thofe who obferve it can beft tell what kind of cultivation will improve it. The mind is not, cannot be created by the teacher, though it may be cultivated, and its real powers found out. The active spirits of youth may make time glide away without intellectual enjoyments; but when the novelty of the scene is worn off, the want of them will be felt, and nothing else can fill up the void. The mind is confined to the body, and must fink into fenfuality; for it has nothing to do but to provide for it "how it shall eat and drink, and wherewithal it shall be clothed." All kinds of refinement have been found fault with for encreafing our cares and forrows; yet furely the contrary effect also arises from them. Taste and thought open many fources of pleasure, which do not depend on fortune. No employment of the mind is a fufficient excufe for neglecting domeftic duties, but I cannot conceive that they are incompatible. A woman may fit herself to be the companion and friend of a man of fenfe, and yet know how to take care of his family. A DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT Without attention in reading, it is impoffible to remember, and without remembering, it is time and labour loft, to read, or learn. Reading with reflection is the bafis of true wisdom. Idle or inattentive readers, read without understand – ing what they read. Dull readers fet themselves and their hearers to fleep. Mumbling inarticulate readers will never make other people understand what they read, or be liftened to with pleasure. Senfible judicious readers will read clearly, diftinctly, and with proper pauses, emphafis and cadence; in fhort, with a thorough understanding and feeling of every word they utter.. Whoever reads a perfect or finished compofition, either in poetry or profe, on any subject, should read it even if alone, both audibly, diftinctly and deliberately; with a due attention to every kind of stop or reft, with proper elevations and depreffions of the voice, and whatever elfe constitutes juft and accurate pronunciation. They who defpife, neglect, or know nothing of this, will, in their reading fuch compofition, not only miss many beauties of the ftyle, but (which is worfe) will probably mifs a large portion of the fenfe. Read therefore, mark, learn, and inwardly digest. Every new branch of tafte that we cultivate, affords us a refuge from idleness; and the more noble our employments, the more exalted will be our minds. The highest and most important branch of folitary amufements is reading; much depends on the choice of books: improper ones do an irreparable injury to the mind; but in making a judicious choice, we acquire a ftock of knowledge, a mine which we can occasionally tecur to, independent of outward circumftances. A A fure way to improve by reading is, to write down your opinion of fuch perfons and things which occur to to you in your reading to enquire wherein fuch and fuch authors excel, or are defective, to obferve how they might have been carried on to a greater degree of perfection, and how they excelled or fell fhort of others. By thus digefting what you read, you will infenfibly rife at proper notions of what is truly amiable. REASONS WHICH SHOULD PUT LADIES UPON THEIR GUARD AGAINST REAOF MO DING THE GENERALITY DERN NOVELS. The more extravagant, abfurd and ridiculous, the novel is, the greater is the probability of its pleafing youthful minds. As love is the foundation, fo it is the fuperftructure of most novels. But what is that kind of love which is there taught?—Not that tender sympathy of two mutual hearts, whofe love is founded on reafon, prudence and virtue; but a blind, violent and impetuous paffion which hurries its unhappy victims into endless woes, teaches children difobedience to their parents, inspires them with notions of felf-fufficiency, and encourages them to commenee wanderers at an age in which infant punishments ought to be applied to bring them to their fenfes. Hence it is, perhaps, we may account for the misconduct of many perfons who, even in the laft ftage of their lives, act in conformity to the ideas they they imbibed in their early days from novels and romances. Can it then reasonably be expected, that young ladics who have imbibed such principles, fhould make good wives, prudent mothers, or even agreeable companions? AICHARDSON. ORIGIN OF NOVELS AND ROMANCES. Hither, in days of yore, from Spain or France, High deeds of chivalry their fole delight, At tilts and tournaments, arm'd cap a-pee. Romance |