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I've a friend in reserve, who though slow is yet sure,
And will ease me, says MIND, of these pains I endure;
Will knock down your mud-walls, your fabric destroy,
And leave you depriv'd of all force to annoy;

And, whilst in the dust your dull ruins decay,
I shall snap off my chains, and fly freely away."

No 9. SATURDAY, APRIL 7.

Ορα γε μεν δη, καν γυναιξιν ὡς Αρης
EVESIV.

SOPHOCLES.

Take care, nor rouse the war of female minds.

WHEN I reflect upon the great influence which the characters of women have upon the lives and conduct of men; that our constitutions are determined, in a great measure, at our births; that our infancy is moulded by their methods and maxims; that the first tendencies of our minds depend chiefly upon the direction they give to them; and that it is in a great measure the pride and emulation of our youth to gain their commendation and regard; I cannot think I have chosen my part ill, in determining to dedicate to them a great portion of my labours. The scheme of education is usually first considered in every endeavour to reform the manners of an age: but I look upon this as only watering the root of the tree; while such labours as have in view the improvement of the female world, reach to the very nature and condition of the soil itself, and reader it more kindly and productive.

What led me to this subject, was an account I received, a day or two ago, from a correspondent in town, who is always on the watch for any sudden growth of idle opinions that have novelty enough to seduce, and speciousness enough to betray. He tells me of a claim, just set up by some pretty theorists, about the rights of women. Now the worst of it is, that these rights of women involve a question of competency very difficult to adjust: for suppose they prove ever so plainly, that the order of things has been shamefully reversed, and that nature designed that men should preside at the tea-table, regulate the household, and rule the nursery; while all the offices of state, and business of commerce, should pass into the hands of the ladies; yet it would be impossible for them to make unreasonable men come into these suitable arrangements, till they could acquire strength enough to strip us of our usurpations, confirmed to us by such long prescription, and such ancient prejudices.

As if, however, a violence of this nature was ac- . tually intended us, I find some very spirited lamentations, in a treatise that was handed about at our female society a few days ago, on the pernicious neglect of all muscular exercises at our female boarding-schools; so that it is plain how little the fair author agrees with Mons. Rousseau on that head, who thinks that "the empire of woman is the empire of softness, of address, of complacency: her commands are caresses; her menaces are tears."

In this clamour about rights, my friend the projector has contrived to make himself heard; and is actually on the point of finishing the draught of a new system of female education, on a basis of justice, nature, and truth. He has favoured me with an abridgement of his plan, which I read at the last

meeting of our society, till my neighbour Blunt, and some of our married men of the old school, began to draw in their horns; and Mr. Barnaby, the churchwarden, gave the table such a resolute blow, that the echo was raised, three tumblers were shattered, and a general shock was given, of so unusual a violence in our society, that it seemed like an earthquake, or the return of chaos; and my curate could not close his mouth upon a very fine Colchester oyster, for the space of half a minute.

My friend the projector lays down a regular course of discipline for the week, in which nothing seems neglected, that can fit his fair students to shine in the civil, ecclesiastical, or military depart

ments.

Monday. In the morning, being all equipped in buff jackets for the occasion, they will take their lessons in fencing, to bring their muscles into play after the repose of Sunday. The forenoon will be employed in their different studies, according to their different destinations. Some will be exercised in logic and polemic divinity; some will be lectured in litigation and forensic oratory; and others will be instructed in fortification and gunnery. The evening will be dedicated to athletic exercises and games, among which the Pyrrhic dance must never be omitted; in which, according to ancient custom, the young ladies will be armed with swords of box. Tuesday. This day is to be devoted to polite arts: there will be models in each kind exhibited for the direction of their respective talents and geniuses; care being taken to select such as are calculated to fill their conceptions with the sublime and noble. A Hercules, or Gladiator, are to be preferred to a Venus or a Niobe; and the soft graces of a Titian or a Guido, must give place to the bolder de

So,

signs of a Michael Angelo or a Salvator Rosa. in music, those compositions which inspire grand and lofty ideas, will exclude such as soothe and enervate; and a march, or an Indian war-song, will be esteemed above any pastoral or melting strains whatever. To blow the horn, will be considered as a first-rate accomplishment in this branch.

Wednesday. Mathematics, algebraic questions, and chemistry, shall be the objects of this day. In the prosecution of the first, their ambition shall always be pointed towards the quadrature of the circle, and the discovery of perpetual motion. By the energies of their minds also, we may possibly come at the solution of that question which so puzzled the monks some ages ago; namely, how many square inches, in the regions below, might suffice for all the souls that were there lodged, so as for each ghost to have elbow-room? By their efforts in chemistry, we shall not despair of arriving at the knowledge of the philosopher's stone, and the ingredients of Medea's kettle.

Thursday.-Classical reading will take its turn this day, in which, it must be remembered, the greatest female names of antiquity are to be constantly held up to view; such as Semiramis, Sheba, Thalestris, Penthesilea, and Camilla; the contemplation of which will give them the spirit of ancient hardihood, and teach them their own strength. It is proper also that the young ladies drop their own names of Maria, Dorothea, &c. and adopt those of Sappho, Erinna, Demophila, Cleobulina, Corinna, Telesilla, Aspasia, Lastthemia, Axiothea, Hipparchia, Cornelia, Sempronia, Polla, Argentaria, Cornificia, and Sulpitia.

Friday. This day will be divided between poetry, oratory, and the polite languages. In poetry,

the lyric will be preferred for its fire and irregularity; unless, perhaps, the feminine verse, which consists of thirteen syllables, be judged more favourable to female volubility, which it will be the object of this institution to promote. Thus has Mr. Pope thought proper to make Camilla "fly o'er th' unbending corn" with a longer train of syllables than an ordinary person, to give dignity to her stride, and spring to her activity. Their principal subjects will be chosen in a view to the terrible and sublime; such as the burning of Persepolis, the labours of Hercules, the discovery of Achilles, the murder of Orpheus, the spells of Medea.-In oratory, the vehemence of Demosthenes will be chiefly commendable, into which they may throw as much of the spleen of the Satirist as they please; taking care always to be sufficiently long; for which reason we shall recommend to their imitation those British senators only who can persist for four hours together. The living languages will be eminently useful to our fair disciples, in exercising their organs so variously, that the most rattling and tremendous words will give them no pain in the utterance; and by being thus enabled to multiply sound, and ring changes on the same idea, they may fill up every interval of conversation, to the entire exclusion of male impertinence.

Saturday-must be left whole for political inquiry: the conduct of persons in power will be rigorously canvassed; and such as have brought the nation to the brink of ruin, shall be burned or beheaded in effigy. A rigid discipline shall be maintained to-day; and something will be saved to the institution in the banyan beverage of black broth and

onions.

Sunday.-Devout exercises will constitute the business of to-day: two by two they shall march to

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