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There is nothing in which this self-deception is more notorious, than in what regards sentiment and feeling. Let a vain young woman be told, that tenderness and softness is the peculiar charm of the sex; that even their weakness is lovely, and their fears becoming; and you will presently observe her grow so tender as to be ready to weep for a fly; so fearful, that she starts at a feather; and so weakhearted, that the smallest accident quite overpowers her. Her fondness and affection become fulsome and ridiculous; her compassion grows contemptible weakness; and her apprehensiveness the most abject cowardice: for, when once she quits the direction of Nature, she knows not where to stop, and continually exposes herself by the most absurd extremes,

Nothing so effectually defeats its own ends as this kind of affectation: for, though warm affections and tender feelings are beyond measure amiable and charming, when perfectly natural, and kept under the due controul of reason and principle; yet nothing is so truly disgusting as the affectation of them, or even the unbridled indulgence of such as are real.

Remember, my dear, that our feelings were not given us for our ornament, but to spur us on to right actions. Compassion, for instance, was not impressed upon the human heart, only to adorn the fair face with tears, and to give an agreeable languor to the eyes; it was designed to excite our ut most endeavours to relieve the sufferer. Yet, how often have I heard that selfish weakness, which flies from the sight of distress, dignified with the name of tenderness!" My friend is, I hear, in the deepest affliction and misery:-I have not seen "her; for indeed I cannot bear such scenes,they affect me too much!-Those who have less "sensibility, are fitter for this world; but, for my "part, I own, I am not able to support such "things. I shall not attempt to visit her, till I "hear she has recovered her spirits." This have I heard said, with an air of complacence; and the

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poor selfish creature has persuaded herself that she had finer feelings than those generous friends, who are sitting patiently in the house of mourning,watching, in silence, the proper moment to pour the balm of comfort;-who suppressed their own. sensations, and only attended to those of the af flicted person; and whose tears flowed in secret,. whilst their eyes and voice were taught to enliven the sinking heart with the appearance of cheerfulness. That sort of tenderness, which makes us useless, may indeed be pitied and excused, if owing to natural imbecility; but, if it pretends to loveliness and excellence, it becomes truly contemptible.

The same degree of active courage is not to be expected in woman as in man; and not belonging to her nature, it is not agreeable in her: But passive courage, patience and fortitude under sufferings, presence of mind, and calm resignation in danger, are surely desirable in every rational creature; especially in one professing to believe in an over-ruling Providence, in which we may at all times quietly confide, and which we may safely trust with every event that does not depend upon our own will. Whenever you find yourself deficient in these virtues, let it be a subject of shame and humiliation,-not of vanity and, self-complacence: do not fancy yourself the more amiable for that which really makes you despicable;-but content yourself with the faults and weaknesses that belong to you, without putting on more by way of ornament. With regard to tenderness, remember that compassion is best shewn by an ardour to relieve, and affection by assiduity to promote the good and happiness of the persons you love: that tears are unamiable, instead of being ornamental, when voluntarily indulged; and can never be attractive but when they flow irresistibly, and avoid observation as much as possible: The same may be said of every other mark of passion; it attracts our sympathy, if involuntary and not designed for our notice; it offends, if we see that it is purposely in dulged and intruded on our observation.

Another point, on which the heart is apt to deceive itself, is generosity. We cannot bear to suspect ourselves of base and ungenerous feelings; therefore we let them work without attending to them, or we endeavour to find out some better 'motive for those actions, which really flow from envy and malignity. Before you flatter yourself that you are a generous benevolent person, take care to examine whether you are really glad of every advantage and excellence, which your friends and companions possess, though they are such as you are yourself deficient in. If your sister or friend makes a greater proficiency than yourself in any accomplishment, which you are in pursuit of, do you never wish to stop her progress, instead of trying to hasten your own?

The boundaries between virtuous emulation and vicious envy are very nice, and may be easily mistaken. The first will awaken your attention to your own defects, and excite your endeavours to improve; the last will make you repine at the improvements of others, and wish to rob them of the praise they have deserved. Do you sincerely rejoice when your sister is enjoying pleasure or commendation, though you are at the same time in dis agreeable or mortifying circumstances?-Do you delight to see her approved and beloved, even by those who do not pay you equal attention?—Are you afflicted and humbled, when she is found to be in fault, though you yourself are remarkably clear from the same offence?-If your heart assures you of the affirmative to these questions, then may you think yourself a kind sister, and a generous friend: for you must observe, my dear, that scarcely any creature is so depraved as not to be capable of kind affections in some circumstances. We are all naturally benevolent, when no selfish interest interferes, and where no advantage is to be given up: we can all pity distress, when it lies complaining at our feet, and confesses our superiority and happier situation: but I have seen the sufferer himself become the object of envy and ill-will, as soon as

his fortitude and greatness of mind had begun to attract admiration, and to make the envious personfeel the superiority of virtue above good fortune.

To take sincere pleasure in the blessings and excellencies of others, is a much surer mark of benevolence, than to pity their calamities: and you must always acknowledge yourself ungenerous and t selfish, whenever you are less ready to "rejoice with "them that do rejoice," than to" weep with them"that weep." If ever your commendations of others are forced from you, by the fear of betraying your envy, or if ever you feel a secret desire to mention something that may abate the admiration given them, do not try to conceal the base disposi tion from yourself, since that is not the way to cure

it.

IIuman nature is ever liable to corruption, and has in it the seeds of every vice, as well as of every virtue; and, the first will be continually shooting forth and growing up, if not carefully watched and. rooted out as fast as they appear. It is the business of religion to purify and exalt us, from a stateof imperfection and infirmity, to that which is ne cessary and essential to happiness. Envy wouldmake us miserable in Heaven itself, could it be admitted there; for we must, there see beings far more excellent, and consequently more happy than ourselves: and till we can rejoice in seeing virtue rewarded in proportion to its degree, we can never hope to be among the number of the blessed.

Watch then, my dear child, and observe every evil propensity of your heart, that you may in time correct it, with the assistance of that grace which alone can conquer the evils of our nature, and which you must constantly and earnestly implore.

I must add, that even those vices which you would most blush to own, and which most effectually defile and vilify the female heart, may by degrees be introduced into yours,-to the ruin of that virtue, without which, misery and shame must be your portion,-unless the avenues of the heart are guarded by a sincere abhorrence of every thing

that approaches towards evil. Would you be of the number of those blessed, "who are pure in "heart," you must hate and avoid every thing, both in books and in conversation, that conveys impure ideas, however neatly clothed in decent language, or recommended to your taste by pretended refinements, and tender sentiments,-by elegance of style, or force of wit and genius.

1 must not now begin to give you my thoughts on the regulation of the affections, as that is a subject of too much consequence to be soon dismissed: -I shall dedicate to it my next letter: in the mean time, believe me,

Your ever affectionate.

LETTER V.

ON THE REGULATION OF THE
AFFECTIONS.

HE attachments of the heart, on which almost

THE

all the happiness or misery of life depends, are most interesting objects of our consideration. I shall give my dear Niece the observations which experience has enabled me to draw from real life, and not from what others have said or written, however great their authority.

The first attachment of young hearts is friend. ship, the noblest and happiest of affections when real, and built on a solid foundation; but, oftener pernicious than useful to very young people, because the connection itself is ill understood, and the subject of it frequently ill chosen. Their first error is that of supposing equality of age, and exact si

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