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and many others, have not the same wages, or hire, as a mechanic, shopman, foreman, or clerks! do they not want food and raiment as well as another man? May they not want a wife, and may have a family as well as another? And is not the christian religion

"music, dancing, accomplishments,---every thing but solid knowledge, humility, piety, virtue !" Every common tradesman, now a days, must send their daughters to be accomplished! “Is this an adequate discharge of the parental (that is) the highest of all christian and social duties? Can a mother easily acquit her conscience" (when lying upon her death bed, can she bid her last farewell,) "if a girl thus vitiated from her early years, become the slave of folly, the plaything of fashion, the dupe, as she grows up, of some insidious villain, or at least the insipid poisoner of a connexion, that promised every sweet and every blessing?" (vide essay 1. p. 46.) In short, I might say, needle work, and ability to dress, seem at most to form the perfection of the female character. "Thus the wife of the wisest of grecian, heroes could find nothing better to beguile the moments of her husband's absence than the construction of a silly web; thus Alexander's sisters are handed down to the veneration of posterity, for having manufactured their brother's surtout; and thus the damsels of Phæacia still wash their robes in song!" Vide Christ. Observ. on the effects of female improvement, &c. p. 156. vol. vii.

I do not mean to insinuate that there are no eminent, noble, and virtuous, women; there are, yet these seem to be led too much by the vain customs, and fashions of the day! But where are the modern Lurectias and Cheomaras? It is said of the latter that this lady was more wise than Lucretia, in revenging her injured honour, by the death of her ravisher! (Plutarch's treatise on the virtues and great actions of women.) It certainly is no mark of the wisdom and fear of God, to lay violent hands on ourselves, rather than out live injnred virtue! and both seemed to forget, (if that they knew,) "vengeance belongeth unto God!" he will assuredly repay the wicked.

I do not, my friends, instance these ancient women, as the best and only example of female fortitude and courage, in de

binding upon them, "to provide all things honest and decent, in the sight of all men "-for themselves and their own household," or families?

That these men bear the greatest heat and bur

fence of chastity; but your worthy predecessor, William Penn, mentions them with peculiar approbation, in his “No cross, no crown." This, most of you, I believe, know, and I write these things to put you in mind---to watch against these temptations, if not besetting sins. I am fearful of you lest some of you should not stand clear of this abomination of our land! The world,--the epicureans and libertines have their mouths open against you, as well as their eyes fixed upon you! And surely not one of the gay circle---the fashionable, ought to excel you? If the narration of "the ghost" of R**** St***s be true, in all probability (if a happy interruption had not happened) posterity might have handed down to them a noble example of female fortitude, of the nineteenth century! But prodigies of female courage or talents do not prove at all either the general state of female talents, or condition: I would ask at the same time, whether for one of these instances, and happy few, we have not thonsands of an opposite description ?---unlettered and unlearned !

And here I would turn with pleasure from these disgusting scenes, to a contemplation delightful and encouraging. The intellectual faculties of women, are not inferior to most of those men, needs no question, though it hath often become one at the common debating societies. It is pretty well known that the women have an equal vigour with the men, and an equal ability for honourable actions: Labour, sorrow, and sufferings, if exercised with them, they bear with equal fortitude, resolution, and patience.

to know no more,

Is woman's happiest knowledge and her praise.

MILTON.

But their present state in society, at least one third of them, cannot be warranted by common humanity and decency (not to

then in the community, is most certain. I remember particularly, when I was in London, (not to speak of Liverpool, or any other place in England,) when I was seeking out for a porter's place I could get none; the reason I readily perceived, that they wanted a horse, comparatively speaking, instead of a man! Seriously, I speak by experience, because I could not draw a heavy loaded truck, neither stand under an enormous weight, like a beast of burden, I might have starved, had not the almighty and merciful Disposer of all things, in his mysterious dispensation concerning me, provided something better! But what disgrace this is to an enlightened nation-a nation professing the attributes of Godthe gospel of Jesus Christ! Foreign nations, which we consider as papists, outshine us. The Spaniards, it is said, will not use even a wheel-barrow, (though I may not exactly agree with them in this,) and none of the Portuguese will carry a burthen. person called a gentleman, wanted his servant to carry a small box to the next house, the man said "he was a Portuguese, not a beast." Yet at Lisbon there are an immense number of porters, called galligos; and although they are an industrious and honest race, yet they are despised by both nations. But what is not less remarkable, it is also said such

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say religion!) much less supported for a moment,to be warranted by justice and policy! I must reserve all further remarks on women, for appendix---(on women preaching, &c.) and shall only say here, I trust the time is not far off, when women will no longer be treated as slaves, or pretty toys, but that the maiden, as well as her mistress, and the labourer's and mechanic's wives, as well as the master's and tradesmen's wives, may have time and opportunity to improve their intellectual faculties to the promotion of their domestic and eternal happiness!

is the equality and humanity of this country, that it is not only considered as blessed-"the blessed elysyum," but it is proverbial," he who has not seen Lisbon has seen nothing!" (vide Goldsmith's Geog. p. 251-253.

But such is the nature and order of things-such is the wisdom of the almighty Creator, and order in the creation, that man cannot do without his fellow man-" the head cannot say to the feet, I have no need of thee!" (1 Cor. xii. 21.) Each are equally depending upon the other: though by the way, the man of rank and title, is nothing without his servant -without the tradesman, but the tradesman and farmer may be something without them. Truly, as the author (M. Volney) of " the Ruins; or survey of the revolutions of empires," observes-" Whatever be the active power, the moving cause, that directs the universe, this power has given to all men the same organs, the same sensations, and the same wants; has therefore sufficiently declared that it hath also given him the same rights in the use of its benefits: and that in the order of nature all things are equal:"—of preserving and maintaining his own existence." That the strongest men onght to be engaged in the most laborious occupations, is good

* Alas! this is too much of the kind of proverbs of my own country, and of the metropolis. And here I must notice a species of tyranny of certain employers towards their employed, and of which I have met with: I mean that of not allowing their workmen to sit down (even of a hot summer's day) to do their work, though it may be done equally as well, and in the same or less time! To such, even the Turks set a lesson, if not shame them; for they work sitting, at every art of handicraft where there is a possibility.

policy; but then, they ought to have as much wages, if not more than those who are engaged in the more delicate and lighter branches of trade; or how can it be said that christians render unto their servants or work people, that which is just and equal! "What mortal then" as the above author observes, "shall dare refuse to his fellow-creature, that which is granted to him by nature? O nations! let us banish all tyranny and discord; let us form one society, one vast family; and since mankind are all constituted alike, let there henceforward exist one law, that of nature; one code, that of reason; one throne, that of justice; one altar, that of union!" But I must turn from this modern sage, and his arch “ genius"-this celebrated french reformer, to the testimonies of the holy scriptures, and to the writing of more divinely inspired authors.

I shall observe first, on the numerous and various streams of public and private charity-the unvaried efforts in exploring the present distresses of the poor, and promptness in relieving them-of visiting and administering relief to the miserable abodes of-the wretched cellars, and miserable hovels, worse than pig-styes! Alas, alas! I hear great talk of these things, but I see little of it. I don't say there are no good public institutions, or no good done! verily, we should be sunk below the savage, and not worthy the christian name, if these things were not done: but how is it that there are other things (which I have noticed in the preceding pages) equally obligatory, and left undone. That there are thousands of miserable and distressed creatures, I deny not; and no wonder if their dispositions and tempers

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