It may be answered, that tho’ I don’t pretend to state the _exact degree_ of mischief that is done by it, yet its plain and natural tendency to do harm, is sufficient to justify the most _absolute_ condemnation of it.
9. But how possible it is to bring up daughters in a more excellent way, let the following character declare.
*_Eusebia_ is a pious widow, well born, and well bred, and has a good estate for five daughters, whom she brings up as one entrusted by God, to fit five virgins for the kingdom of heaven. Her family has the same regulation as a _religious house_, and all its orders tend to the support of a constant regular devotion.
She loves them as her spiritual children, and they reverence her as their spiritual mother, with an affection far above that of the fondest friends.
She has divided part of her estate among them, that every one may be charitable out of their own stock, and each of them take it in their turns to provide for the _poor_ and _sick_ of the parish.
_Eusebia_ brings them up to all kinds of labour that are proper for women, as _sewing_, _knitting_, _spinning_, and all other parts of _housewifery_; not for their _amusement_, but that they may be serviceable to themselves and others, and be saved from those temptations which attend an idle life.
She tells them, she had rather see them reduced to the necessity of maintaining themselves by their own work, than to have riches to excuse themselves from labour. For tho’, says she, you may be able to assist the poor without your labour, yet by your labour you will be able to assist them more.
10. If _Eusebia_ has lived as free from sin as it is possible for human nature, it is because she is always watching and guarding against _all instances_ of pride. And if her virtues are stronger and higher than other peoples, ’tis because they are all founded in a deep _humility_.
My children, says she, when your father died, I was much pitied by my friends, as having all the care of a family, and the management of an estate fallen upon me.
But my own grief was founded upon another principle: I was grieved to see myself deprived of so faithful a friend; and that such an eminent example of Christian virtues should be taken from the eyes of his children, before they were of an age to love and follow it.
But as to worldly cares, which my friends thought so heavy upon me, they are most of them of our own making, and fall away as soon as we _know ourselves_.
If a person in a _dream_ is disturbed with strange appearances, his trouble is over as soon as he is _awake_, and sees that it was a dream.
Now, when a right knowledge of ourselves enters into our minds, it makes as great a change in all our thoughts and apprehensions, as when we _awake_ from the _wandrings_ of a dream.
We acknowledge a man to be _mad_ or _melancholy_, who fancies himself to be _glass_, and so is afraid of stirring; or taking himself to be _wax_, dares not let the _sun_ shine upon him.
But, my children, there are things in the world which pass for _wisdom_, _politeness_, _grandeur_, _happiness_, and _fine breeding_, which shew as great _ignorance_ of ourselves, and might as justly pass for _thorough madness_, as when a man fancies himself to be _glass_ or _ice_.
A woman that dares not appear in the world without _fine cloaths_, that thinks it is a happiness to have a face _finely coloured_, to have a skin _delicately fair_, that had rather die than be reduced to poverty, and be forced to work for a maintenance, is as ignorant of herself to the full, as he that fancies himself to be _glass_.
11. For this reason, all my discourse with you, has been to acquaint you with yourselves, and to accustom you to such books, as might best instruct you in this greatest of all knowledge.
You would think it hard, not to know the family into which you was born, what ancestors you were descended from, and what estate was to come to you; but, my children, you may know all this with exactness, and yet be as ignorant of yourselves, as he that takes himself to be _wax_.
For tho’ you were all of you born of my body, and bear your father’s name, yet you are all of you _pure spirits_. I don’t mean that you have not bodies; ♦but that _all_ which deserves to be called _you_, is nothing else but _spirit_. A being spiritual and rational in its nature; that is as contrary to all corporeal beings, as _life_ is contrary to _death_; that is made in the image of God, to live for ever, never to cease any more, but to enjoy _life_, and _reason_, and _knowledge_, and _happiness_ in the presence of God, and the society of angels, and glorious spirits, to all eternity.
♦ ‘hut’ replaced with ‘but’
Every thing that you call yours, besides this spirit, is but like your _cloathing_; something that is only to be used for awhile, and then to end, and die, and wear away, and to signify no more to you than the _cloathing_ and _bodies_ of other people.