rior ornaments; occupations of moment will be proportionally neglected. From the complacency natural to all human beings, when employed in contemplating objects by means of which the flattering hope of fhining is prefented to them; fhe will be in the most imminent danger of contracting a diftafte to serious reflection, and of being at length abforbed in the delufions of vanity and felf-love. It is undoubtedly a matter of indifference, whether a lady's ribbands be green or blue; whether her head be decorated with flowers or with feathers; whether her gown be compofed of muslin or of filk. But it is no matter of indifference, whether the time which she devotes to the determination of one of these points, is to be reckoned by hours or by minutes; nor whether, on discovering the elevation. of her bonnet to be an inch higher or lower, and its tint a fhade lighter or darker, than the model which prevails among her acquaintance, she is overwhelmed with confternation and disappointment, or bears the calamity with the apathy of a ftoic.

Í have ventured in the preceding pages explicitly to inculcate the duty of refraining from compliance with fashions in dress, which would be accompanied with a degree of expence inconfiftent with the present circumftances of the individual. Let not the admonition be conceived as intended to countenance a niggardly difpofition. To prevent the danger of contracting fuch a difpofition, has been one of the principal reasons for offering the advice. Young women who accuftom themselves to be lavish in matters of perfonal decoration, eafily proceed to think, that as long as they restrain their expensiveness within the limits of the resources fupplied by their parents and friends, they are chargeable with no blame on the fubject. If they pay their bills punctually, who is entitled to find fault? Thofe perfons will discern just cause of reprehenfion, who do not confider the honeft payment of bills at the customary times as comprising the whole of human duty with regard to the expenditure of money. The demands

demands of justice may be filenced; but has benevolence no claims to be fatisfied? The fact is, that an unguarded fondness for ornament has been known, in a multitude of examples, to overpower the native tenderness of the female mind. If the purfe is generally kept low by the demands of milliners, of mantua-makers, of jewellers, and of others who bear their part in adorning the perfon, little can be allotted to the applications of charity. But charity requires, in common with other virtues, the foftering influence of habit. If the cuftom of devoting an adequate portion of the income to the relief of distress be long intermitted, the defire of giving relief will gradually be impaired. The heart forgets, by difufe, the emotions in which it once delighted. The ear turns from folicitations now become unwelcome. In proportion as the wants and the griefs of others are difregarded, the fpirit of felfifhnefs ftrikes deeper and stronger roots in the breaft. Let the generous exertions of kindness be tempered with difcretion;

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cretion: but let a difpofition to those exertions be encouraged on principles of duty; and confirmed, in proportion to the ability of the individual, by frequency of practice. Before the world has repreffed, by its interested leffons, the warmth of youthful benevolence, let experience establish a conviction, that the greatest of all pleasures is to do good. She who has accustomed herfelf to this delight, will not easily be induced to forego it. She will feel, that whatever she is able, without penuriousness or improper fingularity, to withdraw from the expence of perfonal ornament, is not only reserved for much higher purposes, but for purposes productive of exquifite and permanent gratification.

Another, and a very important benefit which results from fixed habits of moderation as to drefs, and all points of a fimilar nature, will be clearly discerned by adverting to the irreparable evils into which young women are sometimes plunged by

the contrary practice. The lavish indulgence in which they have learned to feek for happiness, becoming, in their estimation, effential to their comfort, will bias their conduct in every important ftep. Hence, in forming matrimonial connections, it exercises perhaps a fecret, but a very powerful influence. The profpect of wealth and magnificence, of the continuance and of the encrease of pleafures fuppofed to flow from the pomp of dress and equipage, from sumptuous mansions, fhewy furniture, and numerous attendants, dazzles the judgement ; imposes on the affections; conceals many defects in moral character, and compenfates for others. It frequently proves the decifive circumftance which leads the deluded victim to the altar, there to confign herself to splendid misery for life.

There are yet other confequences which attend an immoderate paffion for the embellishments of drefs. When the mind is fixed upon objects which derive their chief