eager to gain an idea of scenes on the busy stage of life, from which they are shut out by their sex. It is likewise particularly desirable for women to be able to give spirit and variety to conversation, by topics drawn from the stores of literature; as the broader mirth and more boisterous gayety of the other sex, are, to them, prohibited. As their parties must be innocent, care should be taken that they do not stagnate into insipidity. I will venture to add, that the purity and simplicity of heart which a woman ought never, in her freest commerce with the world, to wear off; her very seclusion from the jarring interests and coarser amusements of society, fit her in a peculiar manner for the worlds of fancy and sentiment, and dispose her to the quickest relish of what is pathetic, sublime, or tender. To her, therefore, the beauties of poetry, of moral painting, and all, in general, that is comprised under the term of polite literature, lie particularly open; and she cannot neglect them without neglecting a very copious source of enjoyment. What particular share any one of the studies I have mentioned, may engage of her attention, will be determined by her peculiar turn and bent of mind. But I shall conclude with observing, that a woman ought to have that general tincture of them all, which marks the cultivated mind. She ought to have enough of them to engage gracefully in general conversation. In no subject is she required to be deep,-of none ought she to be ignorant. If she knows not enough to speak well, she should know enough to keep her from speaking at all; enough to feel her ground, and prevent her from exposing her ignorance; enough to hear with intelligence, to ask questions with propriety, and to receive information where she is not qualified to give it. A woman, who to a cultivated mind joins that quickness of intelligence and delicacy of taste which such a woman often possesses in a superior degree, with that nice sense of propriety which results from the whole, will have a kind of tact by which she will be able, on all occasions, to discern between pretenders to science and men of real merit. On subjects upon which she cannot talk herself, she will know whether a man talks with knowledge of his subject. She will not judge of systems; but by their systems she will be able to judge of men. She will distinguish the modest, the dogmatical, the affected, the over-refined, and give her esteem and confidence accordingly. She will know with whom to confide the edu cation of her children, and how to judge of their progress and the methods used to improve them. From books, from conversation, from learned instructors, she will gather the flower of every science; and her mind, in assimilating every thing to itself, will adorn it with new graces. She will give the tone to the conversation, even when she chooses to bear but an inconsiderable part in it. She will seem to know every thing, by leading every one to speak of what he knows; and when she is with those to whom she can give no real information, she will yet delight them by the original turns and sprightly elegance which will attend her manner of speaking on any subject. Such is the character to whom professed scholars will delight to give information, and from whom others will equally delight to receive it. EXERCISE CXXI. وو "SHOCKING IGNORANCE,' OR RESULTS OF EDUCA TION. Anon. A SHORT time ago, Punch had occasion to horrify his readers by publishing the report of his Select Committee on Education, which revealed the amount of ignorance of domestic matters, prevailing among young men generally. His Commissioners have just sent up to him their second report, which relates to the knowledge of business and the affairs of life, possessed by young ladies; and he has determined, at the risk of creating a fearful panic in the marriage market, to print it. "Miss Mary Anne Watkins examined. Is the daughter of a private gentleman. Has several brothers and sisters. Is engaged to be married to a young surgeon, as soon as he can get into practice. Has an idea that she ought to know something of housekeeping; supposes it comes naturally. Can sing and play; draw and embroider. Cannot say that she ever darned a stocking. The price of brown Windsor soap is from one shilling to one and threepence the packet; cannot tell what yellow comes to; never got any. Circassian cream is half-a-crown a pot; does not know the price of pearlash. Knows how to furnish a house, would go to the upholsterer's and buy furniture. Cannot say how much she would expect to give for an easy-chair, or for a wash-handstand, or a set of tea things; should ask mamma, if necessary; never thought of doing it before. Papa paid for the dress she had on; forgets what he gave for it. Has no notion what his butcher's bill amounts to in a year. "Miss Harriet Somers. - Papa is a clergyman. Is unable to say whether he is a pluralist or not. He is a curate, and has but one curacy. Expects to be married, of course. Would not refuse a young man with three hundred a year. Has no property of her own. Has some skill in needle-work; lately worked a brigand in red, blue, and yellow worsted. Can make several washes for the complexion. Cannot tell how she would set about making an apple dumpling. Loaves should remain in the oven till they are done; the time they would take depends upon circumstances. If she were married, would expect her husband to be ill sometimes: supposing him to be ordered calves' foot jelly, should send for it to the pastry-cook's. It never occurred to her that she might make it herself. If she tried, should buy some calves' feet; what next she should do, cannot say. Has received a fashionable education; knows French and Italian. Likes dancing better than any thing else. "Miss Jane Briggs. Is the daughter of a respectable tradesman, a grocer and tea-dealer. Looks forward to a union with somebody in her own station in life. Was for five years at a boarding school in Clapham. Really cannot say what a leger is: it may be the same as a day-book. Has an album. Has painted flowers in the album. Knows what a receipt-book is it tells you how to dress things. Should suppose that a receipt in full was a receipt that told you all particulars. Never heard of a balance-sheet: it may be a calico sheet, for all she knows. Cannot say whether papa buys or sells at prime cost. Has eaten fowl occasionally. Never trussed one. Does not know how to make stuffing for a duck or a goose. "Miss Elizabeth Atkins. - Resides at Hampstead with her parents. Papa is a solicitor; has an office in Gray's Inn. Will have a little money of her own shortly, when she comes of age. Is not aware whether she is a minor or not. The property was left her by an aunt. Cannot say whether she is a legatee or testatrix. Her property is real property. Is sure of that. It is in the funds. Should say that it was not personal property, as it was not any thing about her person. Knows what consols are; has read about them in history; they were ancient Romans. Mamma keeps house. When she marries, expects to do the same. Is unable to say what the family milk-score is a week. Starch is used to stiffen collars; - has no notion what it is a pound, or what made of, or whether it is used with hot water or cold. Drugget is cheaper than Turkey carpet; but how much, cannot say. Her time is principally occupied in fancy-work, reading novels, and playing quadrilles and waltzes on the piano." Out of sixty other young ladies examined, three only knew how to corn beef, six what a sausage was composed of, and four how to make onion sauce. Not one of the whole number could brew. They mostly could tell what the last new song was; but none of them knew the current price of beef. Every soul of them meant to marry as soon as possible. What is to become of their husbands? Echo answers "" What!"and Punch shudders at the idea. . EXERCISE CXXII. A VISIT TO EDGEWORTHSTOWN. Mrs. S. C. Hall. THE demesne of Edgeworthstown is judiciously and abundantly planted; and the dwelling-house is large and commodious. We drove up the avenue at evening. It was cheering to see the lights sparkle through the windows, and to feel the cold nose of the house-dog thrust into our hand as an earnest of welcome; it was pleasant to receive the warm greetings of Miss Edgeworth; and it was a high privilege to meet Miss Edgeworth in the library, - the very room in which had been written the immortal works that redeemed a character for Ireland, and have so largely promoted the truest welfare of human kind. We had not seen her for some years, except for a few brief moments, - and rejoiced to find her in nothing changed; her voice as light and happy, her laughing as full of gentle mirth, her eyes as bright and truthful, and her countenance as expressive of goodness and loving-kindness, as they had ever been. The library at Edgeworthstown is by no means the reserved and solitary room that libraries are, in general. It is large, and capacious, and lofty; well stored with books, and embellished with the most valuable of all classes of prints, the suggestive; it is also picturesque, having been added to, so as to increase its breadth. The addition is supported by square pillars; and the beautiful lawn, seen through the window, embellished and varied by clumps of trees, judiciously planted, imparts much cheerfulness to the exterior. - An oblong table, in the centre, is a sort of rallying point for the family, who group around it, reading, writing, or working; while Miss Edgeworth, only anxious on one point, that all in the house should do exactly as they like, without reference to her, -sits quietly and abstractedly in her own peculiar corner, on a sofa; her desk, upon which lies. Sir Walter Scott's pen, given to her by him when in Ireland, placed before her upon a little quaint table, as unassuming as possible. Miss Edgeworth's abstractedness would puzzle the philosophers in that same corner, and upon that table, she has written nearly all that enlightened and delighted the world; there she writes as eloquently as ever, wrapped up, to all appearance, in her subject, and knowing, by a sort of instinct, when she is really wanted in dialogue; and, without laying down her pen, hardly looking up from her page, she will, by a judicious sentence, wisely and kindly spoken, explain and elucidate, in a few words, so as to clear up any difficulty, or turn the conversation into a new and more pleasing current. She has the most harmonious way of throwing in explanations, informing, without embarrassing. A very large family party assemble daily in this charming room; young and old, bound alike to the spot by the strong cords of memory and love. Mr. Francis Edgeworth, the youngest son of the present Mrs. Edgeworth, and, of course, Miss Edgeworth's youngest brother, has a family of little ones, who seem to enjoy the freedom of a library as much as their elders. To set these little people right, if they are wrong; to rise from her table to fetch them a toy, or even to save a servant a journey; to mount the steps, and find a volume that escapes all eyes but her own, and done so as to find exactly the passage wanted, are hourly employments of this most unspoiled and admirable woman. She will then resume her pen, and, what is more extraordinary, hardly seem to have even frayed the thread of her ideas. Her mind is so rightly balanced, every thing is so honestly weighed, that she suffers no inconvenience from what would disturb and distract an ordinary writer. The library also contains a piano; and, occupied as it is, by some members of the family, from morning until night, it is the most unstudied, and yet, withal, from its shape and |