here is a pleasure in going on with the work. But
setting aside enthusiasm and habit, the probability that any sensible
person will continue to pursue a given employment, must depend, in a
great measure, upon their own conviction of its utility, or of its
being agreeable to those whom they wish to please. The pleasure which
a lady's friends receive from her drawings, arises chiefly from the
perception of their comparative excellence. Comparative excellence is
all to which gentlewomen artists usually pretend, all to which they
expect to attain; positive excellence is scarcely attained by one in a
hundred. Compared with the performances of other young ladies of their
acquaintance, the drawings of Miss X or Y may be justly considered as
charming! admirable! and astonishing! But there are few drawings by
young ladies which can be compared with those of a professed artist.
The wishes of obliging friends are satisfied with a few drawings in
handsome frames, to be hung up for the young lady's credit; and when
it is allowed amongst their acquaintance, that she draws in a
_superior_ style, the purpose of this part of her education is
satisfactorily answered. We do not here speak of those few individuals
who really _excel_ in drawing, who have learnt something more than the
common routine which is usually learnt from a drawing master, who have
acquired an agreeable, talent, not for the mere purpose of exhibiting
themselves, but for the sake of the occupation it affords, and the
pleasure it may give to their _friends_. We have the pleasure of
knowing some who exactly answer to this description, and who must feel
themselves distinct and honourable exceptions to these general
observations.

From whatever cause it arises, we may observe, that after young women
are settled in life, their taste for drawing and music gradually
declines. For this fact, we can appeal only to the recollection of
individuals. We may hence form some estimate of the real value which
ought to be put upon what are called accomplishments, _considered as
occupations_. Hence we may also conclude, that parents do not form
their judgments from the facts which they see every day in real life;
or else may we not infer, that they deceive themselves as to their own
motives; and that, amongst the reasons which make them so anxious
about the accomplishments of their daughters, there are some secret
motives more powerful than those which are usually openly
acknowledged?