earance of a confused and
perplexed expression; while a sprightly woman will extricate herself
with that lively and "rash dexterity," which will almost always please,
though it is very far from being always right. It is easier to confound
than to convince an opponent; the former may be effected by a turn that
has more happiness than truth in it. Many an excellent reasoner, well
skilled in the theory of the schools, has felt himself discomfited by a
reply, which, though as wide of the mark, and as foreign to the
question as can be conceived, has disconcerted him more than the most
startling proposition, or the most accurate chain of reasoning could
have done; and he has borne the laugh of his fair antagonist, as well as
of the whole company, though he could not but feel, that his own
argument was attended with the fullest demonstration: so true is it,
that it is not always necessary to be right, in order to be applauded.

BUT let not a young lady's vanity be too much elated with this false
applause, which is given, not to her merit, but to her sex: she has not
perhaps gained a victory, though she may be allowed a triumph; and it
should humble her to reflect, that the tribute is paid, not to her
strength but her weakness. It is worth while to discriminate between
that applause, which is given from the complaisance of others, and that
which is paid to our own merit.

WHERE great sprightliness is the natural bent of the temper, girls
should endeavour to habituate themselves to a custom of observing,
thinking, and reasoning. I do not mean, that they should devote
themselves to abstruse speculation, or the study of logic; but she who
is accustomed to give a due arrangement to her thoughts, to reason
justly and pertinently on common affairs, and judiciously to deduce
effects from their causes, will be a better logician than some of those
who claim the name, because they have studied the art: this is being
"learned without the rules;" the best definition, perhaps, of that sort
of literature which is properest for the sex. That species of
knowledge, which appears to be the result of reflection rather than of
science, sits peculiarly well on women. It is not uncommon to find a
lady, who, though she does not know a rule of Syntax, scarcely ever
violates one; and who constructs every sentence she utters, with more
propriety than many a learned dunce, who has every rule of Aristotle by
heart, and who can lace his own thread-bare di