verfation then? Shall we only talk of Heads and Petticoats? Why really, Ladies, I cannot help thinking these laft the properer Subjects of the two. However frivolous thefe Topicks may appear, they ceafe to be Trifles, when they ferve to keep out others that are more dangerous. Do not be afraid, that, by infifting on thefe, you will give us a mean Opinion of your Senfe. If you have that, it will eafily discover itself, whatever Care you take to conceal it. A fingle Smile difcovered Brutus in the Height of his affected Folly; and perhaps Lucretia had thought lefs of his Judgment, if he had been at more Pains to difplay it.

THERE is nothing more unaccountable than the Caprice of the World. Stupidity fhocks every Body; and yet we are often as much displeased with too much Vivacity. It is no difficult Matter to affign the Caufe of this. The greater Share of Senfe we have, the more carefully we fhould avoid the Affectation of discovering it. Modesty has fomething fo foft and infinuating in it, that it difarms Envy. Self-Conceit has a very different Effect. People regard it as a Tyrant, that would impofe its Laws upon them, and rob them of the Liberty of Opinion. Thus, wherever it appears, it raises fuch a Number of Enemies, as at laft overcome and deftroy it.

You will have here an Opportunity, MADAM, to exert your good Senfe and Judgment; for I . think there are no certain Rules in this Cafe. A Thing may be properly faid at one Time, and in one Company, that would be inexcufable in another. And it may be a Piece of Prudence, at a parti

particular Juncture, to own yourfelf in the wrong, tho you are really confcious you have not been fo, which, at other, Times, would be an Article both of Indifcretion and Hypocrify.

Ir is a wonderful Faculty in the Understanding, that it fecures against the leaft Miftake, by setting. every Object before us in its juft Light. From hence, MADAM, learn its ineftimable Value, and how much it is your Intereft to cultivate and ftrengthen it by Reflection and Thought. Those who neglect making due Obfervations on the Occurrences of Life, are like fome accountable Trayellers we meet with, who, after having made the Tour of Europe, return as ignorant of what they have feen, as those who never were abroad.

THE Want of Leifure, occafioned by the Hurry and Irregularity of a Court Life, MADAM, will be: no Excufe to you. You may keep always one Quarter of an Hour out of the Twenty four to yourfelf, which will be fufficient. If your Sex would but ufefully and rationally employ fo inconfiderable a Portion of their Time, I am of Opinion we should not fee fo many mistaken and unnatural Characters in the World. There would not so many antiquated Beauties put on, too aukwardly, the Air and Livery of Youth; and fo many blooming Charmers affed the Gravity and Wisdom of old Age. It is from hence fuch Numbers of Women appear ridiculous. Characters that are affumed, feldom fucceed, because they are generally either not fupported, or over acted. While Youth lafts, MADAM, let your Behaviour be of a Piece. Enjoy. freely thofe Diverfions and Pleafures that are fuitable to your Age and Quality. Go to Aflemblies,

or Balls, the Theatre, or the Opera; provided you have no Paffion for any of thefe Entertain ments, your Condu& cannot be cenfured.

BUT allow me to fay, MADAM, that, on these and all other publick Occafions, you fhould confider your Virtue as more expofed than at other Times, and confequently maintain a stronger Guard. The Objects you fee are all defigned to please you: Your Appearance in fuch Places is with pretty much the fame Intention. And it is from this fecret and mutual Design in the two Sexes, to be agreeable to each other, that fatal Paffion takes its Source, that disturbs the Heart, and causes fuch innumerable Mischiefs and Diforders in the World.

THE fureft Defence, MADAM, will be to keep up a constant Sufpicion and Guard against an Enemy, who is the more formidable, as he has the Art of pleafing to a very high Degree. Learn to make your Duty an inviolable Law to yourself, and to prefer your Reputation to all other Confiderations. Look on it as an Article you can never be too delicate about; and ftudy, with Attention, the different Dangers it may be expofed to in Life: But alas! how fhall these be known, when we scarce arrive at the Knowledge of our felves?

IF we would but carefully observe the various Characters we meet with, we fhould, at laft, come to find the Refemblance of our own, in the Perfon of another; (for there is scarce one Characer fo extraordinary, or particular, but there will be found fome other fimilar to it) and, by

what

what we hear from others concerning fuch a one it would be no difficult Matter to regulate our own; either by avoiding their Faults, or imitating their Virtues. But the examining our own Imperfections is too uneafy a Task for felf-Love to undergo. We rather indulge the oppofite Extreme. We live divided between Indolence and Pride; or, to speak more properly, we feem to live, fince a Life of this Kind is but a gentler Sort of Lethargy.

WHAT a melancholy Thing is it, MADAM, to fee great Numbers of your Sex trifle away their Lives between the Toilet and the DrawingRoom; and confine their Ambition to the Care of their Dress and Persons, even at a Time when Beauty has forfaken them, without the leaft Hope of Return. I would not have you wait till Time robs you of this Advantage, but rather have the Merit of refigning your Claim to it, while you yet enjoy it. I am fenfible, at prefent, MADAM, this Advice feems unneceffary; and that Time, inftead of being your Enemy, is your Friend (1); but allow me to say, you cannot too foon accufrom yourself to this Reflection. Were you capable of being touched by fuch a Motive, I would add, that, by this Means, you will preserve your Charms the longer; and when you are feen fo little to value yourfelf upon your Beauty, thofe, who otherwife would, if poffible, difpute your Title

to

(1) Mademoiselle de Nantes was fcarce past her Infancy, when thefe Inftructions were written.

to it, will be ready to allow you a greater Share of it than you poffefs. It is not so with regard to Decency and Propriety in your Drefs. No Age. fhould difpenfe with your Care in that..

ABOVE all, MADAM, lofe no Opportunity of doing Good. This is the only Way you can leave a lafting and worthy Character: For it is not fufficient to have a thoufand good Qualities, if they are not exerted for the Benefit of Mankind. Let not the Ingratitude of fome, you may have obliged, prevent your conftant Inclination and Endeavour to do fo, fince, how unworthy foever the Subjects may happen to be, the Pleasure of doing Good is, in the very Action, its own eternal Reward. Believe me, there is not on Earth an. Employment more worthy the Attention of a great Princefs. Conceive a particular Contempt. and Averfion for thefe Creatures, (that too commonly infeft a Court) who, at the Expence of Truth, Honour and Probity, either betray their Friends in Misfortune, or defert them in Difgrace. There is a refpectful Liberty allowable in Defence of our Friends, which Princes, however prejudiced, cannot be offended at; and which, tho they. may feem to diflike, they often fecretly esteem. and approve. There is a Juftice and Generofity in fuch a Behaviour, that carries its own Excufe. with it. To conclude, remember those beautiful Words of Titus, (1) who, because he had paffed a Day, without an Occafion of obliging any one,

(1) See Suetonius, in the Article of his Life.

faid,