culiar beauties in itself.

That's true, indeed,

my dear Mamma, but I never thought of it before I should like to know more about music, for indeed I dote on it exceedingly.

I LOSE no time, now, to give Alathea just notions of melody, but I take care that she shall have nothing to do with counter-point, till her taste is fully formed. She has already acquired the elements of the Italian language, but I keep Italian ballads out of her way, till she has fed sufficiently on the real genius of that beautiful soft tongue, and can clothe the sense with sentiment and expression.

Now-a-days, the performer in music directs his attention more to surprise than to please. Trick and execution have superseded sentiment, and we are oppressed with a roar of unmeaning chorus, or a continuation of instrumental counter-point, for hours together, without any thing Epic to sustain the attention of the audience. In short, we have made music every where, except in Italy, an amusement, like fox-hunting, a noisy, fatiguing, troublesome diversion, calculated only for the honour, glory, and sport of the performers, or for talking about in the evening, without the participation of society at large. A concert ought to treat of something, and have a beginning, a middle, and an end, together with a catastrophe and a moral; otherwise it is no more. than a tiresome medley, or a practising for fiddlers.

Convinced of the truth of these remarks, I took care that Alathea should know and feel that the design of music, as well as of all the polite arts, is to excite pleasing and virtuous sensations in the mind; which object is most effectually obtained by not overcharging the melody with a redundancy of subject. That a general character should overspread and regulate the piece, and that though the movement may be changed frequently, with repeated advantage, the affections and understandings of the audience must not be trified with, to gain credit to the skill and dexterity of the performers.

When she has fed upon the finest of her native airs, and is able to accompany herself upon the harpsichord or piano-forte, I maké her dissatisfied with not understanding the principles of music as a science. Then I chearfully gave her the ablest tuition that the country could afford, in acquiring the radical principles of thorough bass; and as she is possessed of mathematical principles and demonstration, which she is able of herself to apply to every part of music, I introduce her into a boundless region of scientific amusement, while, at the same time, the enjoyment of melody is undiminished.

There will be no risque of Alathea's either giving up the practice of the art, or of associating with performers, because she is too fond of the first, from knowing its philosophical and moral perfections, and must be inca

pable of relishing the company of the latter from the want of these perfections.

There is no danger of music usurping the more essential place of Alathea's engagements, because she has been made practically moral, and, as it were, mechanically virtuous, by a constant association of duty and happiness in the whole course of her education. Her companions were of her own choice, and, you may be sure, girls of her own turn, and with a pretty equal degree of attainment in knowledge, though in different departments; but her sister and Mary held the first place in her confidence, as I may truly say I did in her esteem and affections.

The unfolding of this domestic drama is, 1 confess, very fortunate, but by no means extraordinary; and I will venture to say, that in common cases, though unlucky circumstances may and must intervene to disappoint, yet if my plan is carefully and uniformly carried into execution, it will produce as much satisfaction as can be expected from the imperfection of our situation in the midst of passions, and the caprices of the freewill of human agency.

The greatest difficulty I had to encounter with my daughter was, the dislike she had to the company of the beau monde, where it was proper she should often appear; the rude conversation of racers and fox-hunters, or the frivolous address of our nobility, was certainly much more felt by Alathea than by other

young ladies; and how was it possible she should not blush for the sottish, tiresome, and trifling talk of both sexes in the common circle? But her good sense, improved by extensive knowledge of propriety, made her accommodate herself, in every thing that was allowable, to common life, and to commonplace company. She had about her a maniere and a dignity that was, and always is, the offspring of sensibility and experience; but she was playful and gentle, modest and unassuming, easily pleased, never ennuyé, and would not for the world advance a magisterial opinion in company with her lowest inferiors, nor any opinion any where with a tone of decision,

My second daughter's favourite amusements were botany, natural history, and drawing, in which she had Alathea for her instructress. I took care that these accomplishments should be acquired in the same effectual manner as the music of Alathea; and my youngest daughter, who was decidedly attached to the study of natural philosophy and astronomy, carried her attainments much farther than most of our noblesse, without in the least encroaching on the employments of her sex, or the offices she had to perform as my occasional house-keeper. In short, Sir, I am experimentally convinced, that there can be but one objection to the plan I have done myself the honour to describe; and, for the ease of your readers, have fortunately brought to a final

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conclusion, in this letter, which is the old adage of," Let us hear of no projects, no changes." Why should we know more than our worthy grandmothers and aunts?" The British constitution of government is perfect; it must be perfect, because Mr Burke has shewn the impossibility of altering it. The British constitution of the education of women must therefore be perfect, as a part of the wonderful whole. I am, SIR, with regard,

Your obliged, humble Servant,

SOPHIA.

Thoughts on Female Studies,

FOR THE BEE.

*(January 2, 1793.)

Ingenuas didicesse fideliter artes,

Emollet mores, nec sinet esse feros.

OVID

ONE of my predecessors, in his immortal essays, has entertained the reader with letters from his correspondents on the subject of female education, particularly what relates to the choice of books proper for their studies. I, in my turn, have lately received letters on the same topic; and it is amusing to observe