han is allotted to mortals. I
believe there are few heads capable of making Sir I. Newton's
calculations, but the result of them is not difficult to be understood by
a moderate capacity. Do not fear this should make her affect the character
of Lady----, or Lady----, or Mrs.----: those women are ridiculous,
not because they have learning but because they have it not. One thinks
herself a complete historian, after reading Echard's Roman History;
another a profound philosopher, having got by heart some of Pope's
unintelligible essays; and a third an able divine, on the strength of
Whitefield's sermons: thus you hear them screaming politics and
controversy.

"It is a saying of Thucydides, ignorance is bold, and knowledge
reserved. Indeed, it is impossible to be far advanced in it without
being more humbled by a conviction of human ignorance, than elated by
learning. At the same time I recommend books, I neither exclude work nor
drawing. I think it as scandalous for a woman not to know how to use a
needle, as for a man not to know how to use a sword. I was once
extremely fond of my pencil, and it was a great mortification to me when
my father turned off my master, having made a considerable progress for
a short time I learnt. My over-eagerness in the pursuit of it had
brought a weakness on my eyes, that made it necessary to leave it off;
and all the advantage I got was the improvement of my hand. I see, by
hers, that practice will make her a ready writer: she may attain it by
serving you for a secretary, when your health or affairs make it
troublesome to you to write yourself; and custom will make it an
agreeable amusement to her. She cannot have too many for that station of
life which will probably be her fate. The ultimate end of your education
was to make you a good wife (and I have the comfort to hear that you are
one): hers ought to be, to make her happy in a virgin state. I will not
say it is happier; but it is undoubtedly safer than any marriage. In a
lottery, which there are (at the lowest computation) ten thousand blanks
to a prize, it is the most prudent choice not to venture. I have always
been so thoroughly persuaded of this truth, that, notwithstanding the
flattering views I had for you (as I never intended you a sacrifice to
my vanity), I thought I owed you the justice to lay before you all the
hazards attending matrimony: you may recollect I did so in the strongest
manner. Perhaps you may have more success in