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and study more the comfort of their homes, and less the unne-cessary adornment of their persons, there would not be fo manycomfortable old batchelors, they would have been comfortablemarried men. A man looks with caution around, and fear todisturb his private repose, prevents him bringing a partner intohishoufe, who would not relish the fruits of his labour, and whowould, without reluctance, hold a fair in his sanctum sanctorum.

Though in general estimation the number of the fair sexgiven to levity, from a wrong bias of early training, by far ex-ceed those of thoughtful steady conduct, it is wrongly imputedto them that they are by nature delighted only with bustle andshow; their mode of education indeed seems directed to formand bend them to no other purpose, and it is matter of admira-tion to observe how frequently they rise superior both to a falseinstruction, and all the allurements of flattery. If the femaleheart were nicely examined it will ever be found to preponderateto domestic enjoyment in rural felicity. Loving and beloved,well-educated women are feelingly alive to the charms of retire-ment, and it is the society of such which makes it most trulygrateful to men. The extreme delight most women take inreading rural poetic writings, and those of Thompson in parti-cular, is proof how feelingly they imbibe and enter into the sen-timents such works contain ; and this not more from the truthsthey divulge, than from sympathy of soul.

How many instances may be given, I will except nunneries,of women even unaided by the strong support of manly counte-nance, retiring from the busy world, to enjoy the calm and tran-quil delights of rural nature ; there to spend their time in virtueand mental acquirements, secure from the intrusions of fashionand folly. And oftener should we witness such wise determination