and complaint, which, however extorted by oppreffion, or fupported by reason, are detefted by one part of the world as rebellion, cenfured by another as peevifhnefs, by fome heard with an appearance of compaffion, only to betray any of thofe fallies of vehemence and refentment, which are apt to break out upon encouragement, and by others paffed over with indifference and neglect, as matters in which they have no concern, and which, if they should endeavour to examine or regulate, they might draw mifchief upon themfelves.

YET fince it is no lefs natural for those who think themselves injured to complain, than for others to neglect their complaints, I fhall venture to lay my case before you, in hopes that you will enforce my opinion, if you think it juft, or endeavour to rectify my fentiments, if I am miftaken. I expect at least, that you will diveft yourself of partiality, and that whatever your age or folemnity may be, you will not, with the dotard's infolence, pronounce me ignorant and foolish, perverse and refractory, only because you perceive that I am young.

My father dying when I was but ten years old, left me, and a brother two years younger than myself, to the care of my mother, a woman of birth and education, whose prudence or virtue he had no reason to diftruft. She felt, for fome time, all the forrow which nature calls forth, upon the final feparation of persons dear to one another; and as her grief was exhaufted by its own violence, it fubfided into tenderness for me and my brother, and the year of mourning was spent in careffes, confolations, and inftruction, in celebration of my father's virtues, in profeffions of perpetual regard to his memory, and hourly inftances of fuch fondness as gratitude will not easily fuffer me to forget.

BUT when the term of this mournful felicity was expired, and my mother appeared again without the enfigns of forrow, the ladies of her acquaintance began ̈

to tell her, upon whatever motives, that it was time to live like the reft of the world; a powerful argument which is feldom ufed to a woman without effect. Lady Giddy was inceffantly relating the occurrences of the town, and Mrs. Gravely told her privately, with great tenderness, that it began to be publickly observed how much the over-acted her part, and that most of her acquaintance fufpected her hope of procuring another husband to be the true ground of all that appearance of tenderness and piety.

ALL the officioufnefs of kindness and folly was bufied to change her conduct. She was at one time alarmed with cenfure, and at another fired with praise. She was told of balls, where others fhone only because fhe was abfent; of new comedies to which all the town was crouding; and of many ingenious ironies, by which domeftick diligence was made contemptible.

IT is difficult for virtue to ftand alone against fear on one fide, and pleasure on the other; efpecially when no actual crime is propofed, and prudence itself can fuggeft many reafons for relaxation and indulgence. My mamma was at laft perfuaded to accompany Mifs Giddy to a play. She was received with a boundless profufion of compliment, and attended home by a very fine gentleman. Next day fhe was with lefs difficulty prevailed on to play at Mrs. Gravely's, and came home gay and lively; for the diftinctions that had been paid her awakened her vanity, and good luck had kept her principles of frugality from giving her disturbance. She now made her fecond entrance into the world, and her friends were fufficiently industrious to prevent any return to her former life; every morning brought Meffages of invitation, and every evening was paffed in places of diverfion, from which fhe for fome time complained that he had rather be abfent. In a fhort time the began to feel the happiness of acting without controul,

of

of being unaccountable for her hours, her expences, and her company; and learned, by degrees, to drop an expreffion of contempt, or pity, at the mention of ladies whofe hufbands were fufpected of reftraining their pleasures, or their play, and confeffed that The loved to go and come as the pleased.

1 was ftill favoured with fome incidental precepts and tranfient endearments, and was now and then fondly kiffed for fmiling like my papa: but most part. of her morning was fpent in comparing the opinion of her maid and milliner, contriving fome variation in her drefs, visiting fhops, and fending compliments; and the rest of the day was too fhort for vifits, cards, plays, and concerts.

SHE now began to discover that it was impoffible to educate children properly at home. Parents could not have them always in their fight; the fociety of: fervants was contagious; company produced boldnefs and fpirit; emulation excited induftry; and a large fchool was naturally the firft ftep into the open world. A thousand other reafons fhe alleged, fome of little force in themselves, but fo well feconded by pleasure, vanity, and idleness, that they foon overcame all the remaining principles of kindness and piety, and both I and my brother wore difpatched to boarding: fchools.

How my mamma fpent her time when she was thus difburthened I am not able to inform you, but 1. have reafon to believe that trifles and amufements tock ftill fafter hold of her heart. At firft, fhe vifited me at school, and afterwards wrote to me; but in a short time, both her vifits and her letters were at an end, and no other notice was taken of me than to remit money for my fupport.

that

WHEN I came home, at the vacation, I found myfelf coldly received, with an obfervation, this girl will presently be a woman." I was, the ufual ftay, fent to school again, and overheard

B.5.

after

my

my mother fay, as I was a going, "Well, now I fhall recover.'

IN fix months more I came again, and with the ufual childish alacrity, was running to my mother's embrace, when fhe ftopped me with exclamations at the fuddennefs and enormity of my growth, having, fhe faid, never feen any body fhoot up fo much at my age. She was fure no other girls fpread at that rate, and the hated to have children look like women before their time. I was difconcerted, and retired without hearing any thing more than," Nay if you are angry, madam Steeple, you may walk off."

WHEN Once the forms of civility are violated, there remains little hope of return to kindness or decency. My mamma made this appearance of resentment a reafon for continuing her malignity, and poor Mifs Maypole, for that was my appellation, was never mentioned or fpoken to but with fome expreffion of anger or diflike.

SHE had yet the pleasure of dreffing of me like a child, and I know not when I fhould have been thought fit to change my habit, had I not been refcued by a maiden fifter of my father, who could not bear to fee women in hanging fleeves, and therefore prefented me with brocade for a gown, for which I hould have thought myself under great obligations, had fhe not accompanied her favour with fome hints that my mamma might now confider her age, and give me her ear-rings, which fhe had fhewn long enough in publick places.

I NOW left the fchool and came to live with my mamma, who confidered me as an ufurper that had feized the rights of a woman before they were due, and was pushing her down the precipice of age, that I might reign without a fuperior. While I am thus beheld with jealoufy and fufpicion, you will readily believe that it is difficult to please. Every word and

look

look is an offencne. I never speak, but I pretend to fome qualities and excellences, which it is criminal to poffefs; if I am gay, fhe thinks it early enough to coquette; if I am grave, fhe hates a prude in bibs; if I venture into company, I am in haste for a husband; if I retire to my chamber, fuch matron-like ladies are lovers of contemplation. I am on one pretence or other generally excluded from her affemblies, nor am I ever fuffered to vifit at the fame place with my mamma. Every one wonders why she does not bring Mifs more into the world, and when fhe comes home in vapours I am certain that he has heard either of my beauty or my wit, and expect nothing for the enfuing week but taunts and menaces, contradiction and reproaches.

THUS I live in a state of continual perfecution, only because I was born ten years too foon, and cannot ftop the course of nature or of time, but am unhappily a woman before my mother can willingly ceafe to be a girl. I believe you would contribute to the happiness of many families, if, by any arguments or perfuafions, you could make mothers afhamed of rivalling their children; if you could fhew them, that though they may refufe to grow wife, they must inevitably grow old; and that the proper folaces of age are not mufick and compliments, But wisdom and devotion; that those who are fo unwilling to quit the world will foon be driven from it; and that it is therefore their interest to retire while there yet remain a few hours for nobler employments,

1 am &c.

NUMB.