much reafon to believe, that, if candid, it would prove disadvantageous to the female character; and were it not already precluded by the exhibitions of the Theatres and the contents of the public libraries. The causes of the popularity of novels have been ably difcuffed, and at the fame time properly reprehended in this Magazine for January laft, although their dangerous tendency was not fufficiently pointed out. In a future number, the outlines of a few of the molt admired romances may proba bly be taken notice of; but at prefent it is only neceffary to fay, that when fuch as the Life of Boublas, Horrid Myfteries, the Monk, with many-too many, others of the fame defcription, are fought after with avidity, we cannot be astonished that inftances of elopement and of feduc tions should frequently happen.

When we turn our eyes to the Theatre, we obferve crowds of every rank preffing with the impetuofity of competition, to fee pantomimes and puppet shows, too contemptible to be criticifed, too despicable to be defcribed; and the reprefentation of which ought to be confidered as an infult to a civilized and learned nation; were not the Managers excufed by the depraved tafte of the public, and the unbounded applaufe fo univerfally and lavishly beftowed upon thefe miferable performances.

It is a fact which is incontrovertible, that the Ladies are the fupreme directors of fashion, of manners, and of amufements, and that in these af fairs the men yield the most implicit fubmiffion to their orders and wishes; and this circumftance, although at firft it may appear trifling, yet when carefully confidered, will be found to be of the moft ferious confequence; because, the defire of pleafing the fair fex being one of the moft powerful principles implanted in the breaft of man; if it is only to be accomplished by a certain mode of drefs

and of conduct, that mode will undoubtedly be generally adopted, however repugnant to reafon and difagreeable in practice.

The vo

In proportion to the improved ftate of fociety, the feelings are rendered more acute; the paffions lefs fierce; the manners lefs ferocious; yet the refinements of life, (and it is a moft melancholy truth,) corrupt, at the moment that they polifh, the intercourse of the fexes. luptuouínefs of female drefs, by giv. ing additional luftre to beauty, inflames the imagination; while the elegance of motion and the ftudied disorder of fashionable ornaments, roufe the energies of the fenfes, and excite the arts of feduction. Luxu rious entertainments throw virtue off its guard; midnight dances present opportunity to vice or frailty; and the frequency and the effect of licentious fpectacles render that opportu nity highly dangerous. The cele brated Mr Gibbon obferves of the love of pleasure, that if refined by "art and learning, improved by the "charms of focial intercourfe, and

corrected by a just regard to œco"nomy, to health and to reputation; "it is productive of the greatest part "of the happiness of private life." Would lovely women cultivate with a proper degree of affiduity thofe qualifications which are fo eftimable, fo eafily attained, and fo indifpenfible to real blifs, how much would our admiration be encreafed. She poffeffes in her form, all that can please the fenfes, in her character, all that can intereft the heart of man. On her care and tenderness we must rely for our fafety in infancy; in the enjoyment of her love and friendship, we muft ever place our greatest feli city in more mature years. In the hour of forrow, her gentle confolation affords us the most effectual and the moft grateful relief! in the mo ment of melancholy or of weakness, her sportive gaiety reftores the vigour

of

of our minds; while her foothing attention alleviates the pangs of diftress, diffipates the horrors of defpair, and impreffes on our fouls the most delightful fenfations. Since fuch are the comforts to be derived from the union of the fexes, if produced by mutual regard and aided by rational education, how bitter must be the regret of every man who poffeffes the flighteft portion of fenfibility, when he confiders that his hopes of happinefs muft often prove vifionary on account of the prefent fyftem of fafhionable ideas; and when, inftead of the beautiful picture of woman in the zenith of perfection, he beholds the canvas blotted with petulance, ignorance, and levity. They who fuffer anguish by the indifcretion of their daughters are undeferving of compaffion, when their own conduct has been originally the caufe of that indifcretion, and when, by neglecting thofe early moments which are moft precious and moft favourable for improvement, they fecretly nour ish a canker to destroy the beautiful flower, which might otherwife have bloffomed the pride of the parest fem. Examples of depravity of conduct in married women may be at tributed, 1. to the nature of their education, and 2. to the motives at prefent univerfally inductive of marriage. When we fee a young and beautiful girl fcarcely escaped from the boarding-school, devoted to the embraces of fome old but wealthy or noble dotard, can it be conceived that mutual affection and happiness are to refult from fuch an union, promoted by the interested views of political influence, of rank, or of fortune? By reading the romantic and fafcinating accounts of the accomplishments of heroes of novels, the lady will learn to defpife her husband, to depreciate any real merit which he may poffefs, and to figh for fome gallant Lothario to paint his love and his defpair at her feet. She will long

to realife fome of those scenes of happinefs which glow with the warm tints of enthufiafm, and which are descriptive of a felicity placed far beyond her reach; and in a moment of imprudence the may yield to the feductive arts of one of thofe modern knights-errant, who are ever prepared to deftroy domeftic peace, and to deliver diftreffed dames from the uncourtly thraldom, of honour, of morality, and of virtue.

The hiftorian, when delineating the manners and the morals of those ages which are the fubject of his pen, may exprefs a dignified difapprobation of diffolutenefs, and in proportion to his celebrity and abilities, his cenfure will ftamp a difgrace more or lefs indelible. The Biographer, by pointing out particular inftances of depravity, may endeavour to excite general deteftation, and to promote the love of virtue by expofing in genuine colours the hideoutnefs of vice. But the Gleaner, who has often wept over the frailty, and fighed at the forrows of his lovely countrywomen, muft fympathife with them upon the contempt with which they will be treated in the annals of the nation they were intended to bless and to adorn; and should his language appear in any degree harsh, it must be attributed to the warmth of that love and admiration which he cherishes for the female character in its native purity, when uncontaminated by fashion and unfullied by vice.

Were the proudest beauty to peruse the inftructive. pages of history, how completely would her vanity be humbled to perceive that her sex are confidered, by many men, especially thofe of the higheft ranks, merely as an inftrument of fenfuality, the play. thing of the moment; by others as a neceffary evil, or race of inferior beings; that fmall is the proportion of those who would treat her as a valuable companion; and that this proportion is chiefly to be found in

the