imagined, that I was puzzling myself with your philofophy, and often cried out, when fhe faw me look confufed, "If there is any "word that you do not understand, child, I will explain it."

DEAR foul! how old people that think themselves wife may be impofed upon! But it is fit that they should take their turn, for I am fure, while they can keep poor girls close in the nursery, they tyrannife over our underftanding in a very fhameful manner, and fill our imaginations with tales of terror, only to make us live in quiet fubjection, and fanfy that we can never be fafe but by their protection.

I HAVE a mamma and two aunts, who have all been formerly celebrated for wit and beauty, and are still generally admired by those that value themselves upon their understanding, and love to talk of vice and virtue, nature and fimplicity, and beauty, and propriety; but if there was not fome hope of meeting me, fcarcely a creature would come near them that wears a fashionable coat. Thefe ladies, Mr. Rambler, have had me under their go

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vernment fifteen years and a half, and have all that time been endeavouring to deceive me by fuch representations of life as I cannot yet find to be true, but which I knew not whether I ought to impute to ignorance or malice, as it is poffible the world may be much changed fince they mingled in general conversation.

BEING defirous that I fhould love books, they told me, that nothing but knowledge could make me an agreeable companion to men of fenfe, or qualify me to distinguish the fuperficial glitter of vanity from the folid merit of understanding; and that a habit of reading would enable me to fill up the vacuities of life without the help of trivial or dangerous amusements, and preferve me from the fnares of idlenefs and the inroads of temptation.

BUT their principal intention seems to have been to make me afraid of men, in which they fucceeded fo well for a time, that I durft not look in their faces, or be left alone with them in a parlour; for they made me fanfy, that no man ever spoke but to deceive, or looked but to allure; that the

girl who fuffered him that had once squeezed her hand, to approach her a fecond time was on the brink of ruin; and that she who anfwered a billet, without confulting her relations, gave love fuch power over her, that fhe would certainly become either poor or infamous.

FROM the time that my leading-strings were taken off, I fcarce heard any mention of my beauty but from the milliner, the mantua-maker, and my own maid; for my mamma never faid more when fhe heard me commended, but "The girl is very well," and then endeavoured to divert my attention by fome enquiry after my needle, or my book.

Ir is now three months fince I have been fuffered to pay and receive vifits, to dance at publick affemblies, to have a place kept for me in the boxes, and to play at lady Racket's rout; and you may easily imagine what I think of thofe who have fo long cheated me with falfe expectations, disturbed me with fictitious terrors, and concealed from me all that I have found to make the happiness of woman.

I AM fo far from perceiving the usefulness or neceffity of books, that if I had not dropped' all pretenfions to learning I fhould have loft Mr. Trip, whom I once frighted into another box, by retailing fome of Dryden's remarks upon a tragedy; for Mr. Trip declares that he hates nothing like hard words, and I' am fure, there is not a better partner to be found; his very walk is a dance. I have talked once or twice among ladies about principles and ideas, but they put their fans before. their faces, and told me, I was too wife for them, who for their part, never pretended to read any thing but the play-bill, and then afked me the price of my best head.

THOSE Vacancies of time which are to be filled up with books, I have never yet obtained; for, confider, Mr. Rambler, I go to bed late, and therefore cannot rife early; as foon as I am up, I drefs for the gardens; then walk in the park; then always go to fome. fale or fhow, or entertainment at the little theatre; then must be dreffed for dinner; thenmuft pay my vifits; then walk. in the park; then hurry to the play; and from thence to the card-table. This is the general course of

the day when there happens nothing extraor dinary; but fometimes I ramble into the country and come back again to a ball; fometimes; I am engaged for a whole day and part of the night. If, at any time, I can gain an hour by not being at home, I have fo many things to do, fo many orders to give to the milliner, fo many alterations to make in my cloaths, fo. many vifitants names to read over, so many invitations to accept or refuse, so many cards to write, and so many fashions to confider, that I am loft in confufion, forced at last to let in company or ftep into my chair, and leave half my affairs to the direction of my. maid.

THIS is the round of my day; and when fhall I either ftop my course, or so change it as to want a book? I fuppofe it cannot be imagined that any of these diverfions will be foon at an end, There will always be gardens, and a park, and auctions, and shows,. and playhouses, and cards; vifits will always be paid, and cloaths always be worn; and how can I have time unemployed upon my hands.

BUT