I would have it remembered, that I do by no means confine thefe remarks to young perfons of noble birth; the fame errors running through all families, where there is wealth enough to afford, that their fons (at least the eldeft) may be good for nothing. Why should my fon be a fcholar, when it is not intended that he fhould live by his learning? By this rule, if what is commonly faid be true, that ་ money answers all things," why should my fon be honest, temperate, juft, or charitable, fince he has no intention to depend upon any of these qualities for a maintenance?

When all is done, perhaps, upon the whole, the matter is not fo bad as I would make it; and God, who works good out of evil, acting only by the ordinary courfe and rule of nature, permits this continual circulation of human things, for his own unfearchable ends. The father grows rich by avarice, injustice, oppreffion; he is a tyrant in the neighbourhood over flaves and beggars, whom he calls his tenants. Why fhould he defire to have qualities infufed into his fon, which himself never poffeffed, or knew, or found the want of, in the acquifition of his wealth? The fon, bred in floth and idleness, becomes a fpendthrift, a cully, a profligate, and goes out of the world a beggar, as his father * came in thus the former is punished for his own fins, as well as for thofe of the latter. The dunghill, having railed a huge mushroom of fhort duration, is now fpread to enrich other men's lands. It is indeed of worfe confequence,

It should be as his father came into it.'

where

where noble families are gone to decay; because their titles and privileges outlive their eftates: and politicians tell us, that nothing is more dangerous to the publick, than a numerous nobility without merit or fortune. But even here God has likewise prescribed fome remedy in the order of nature; fo many great families coming to an end, by the floth, luxury, and abandoned lufts, which enervated their breed through every fucceffion, producing gradually a more effeminate race wholly unfit for propagation.

A

LETTER

TO A

VERY YOUNG LADY

ON HER

MARRIAGE.

MADAM,

ΤΗ

HE hurry and impertinence of receiving and paying visits on account of your marriage being now over, you are beginning to enter into a course of life, where you will want much advice to divert you from falling into many errors, fopperies, and follies, to which your fex is fubject. I have always borne an entire friendship to your father and mother; and the person they have chofen for your husband, has been for fome years past my particular favourite; I have long wifhed you might come together, because I hoped, that from the goodness of your disposition, and by following the counsel of wife friends, you might in time make yourself worthy of him. Your parents were so far in the right, that they did not produce

you much into the world, whereby you avoided many wrong fteps, which others have taken, and have fewer ill impreffions to oe removed: but they failed, as it is generally the cafe, in too much neglecting to cultivate your mind; without which, it is impoffible to acquire or preferve the friendship and esteem of a wife man, who foon grows weary of acting the lover, and treating his wife like a mistress, but wants a reasonable companion, and a true friend through every stage of his life. It must be therefore your business to qualify yourself for those offices; wherein I will not fail to be your director, as long as I fhall think you deferve it, by letting you know how you are to act, and what you ought to avoid.

And beware of defpifing or neglecting my inftructions, whereon will depend not only your making a good figure in the world, but your own real happiness, as well as that of the perfon, who ought to be dearest to you.

I must therefore defire you, in the first place, to be very flow in changing the modeft behaviour of a virgin it is ufual in young wives, before they have been many weeks married, to affume a bold forward look and manner of talking; as if they intended to fignify in all companies, that they were no longer girls, and confequently that their whole demeanor, before they got a hufband, was all but a countenance and constraint upon their nature; whereas, I fuppofe, if the votes of wife men were gathered, a very great majority would be in favour of thofe ladies, who, after they were entered

into that state, rather chofe to double their portion of modefty and reservedness.

I muft likewife warn you ftrictly against the leaft degree of fondness to your hufband before any wit

nefs whatsoever, even before your nearest relations, or the very maids of maids of your chamber. This pro

ceeding is fo exceeding odious and disgustful to all, who have either good breeding or good fenfe, that they affign two very unamiable reasons for it; the one is grofs hypocrify, and the other has too bad a name to mention. If there is any difference to be made, your husband is the lowest person in company, either at home or abroad, and every gentleman present has a better claim to all marks of civility and diftinction from you. Conceal your esteem and love in your own breast, and reserve your kind looks and language for private hours, which are fo many in the four and twenty, that they will afford time to employ a paffion as exalted as any that was ever defcribed in a French romance. Upon this head I fhould likewise advise differ in practice from thofe ladies, who affe& abundance of uneafinefs, while their hufbands are abroad; ftart with every knock at the door, and ring the bell inceffantly for the fervants to let in their mafter; will not eat a bit at dinner or fupper, if the husband happens to ftay out; and receive him at his return with fuch a medley of chiding and kindness, and catechifing him where he has been, that a threw from Billingfgate would be a more eafy and eligible companion.

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