ons to their respective courts directly
contrary to the assurances he gave them: most people confounding the
ideas of sense and cunning, though there are really no two things in
nature more opposite: it is, in part, from this false reasoning, the
unjust custom prevails of debarring our sex from the advantages of
learning, the men fancying the improvement of our understandings would
only furnish us with more art to deceive them, which is directly
contrary to the truth. Fools are always enterprising, not seeing the
difficulties of deceit, or the ill consequences of detection. I could
give many examples of ladies whose ill conduct has been very notorious,
which has been owing to that ignorance which has exposed them to
idleness, which is justly called the mother of mischief. There is
nothing so like the education of a woman of quality as that of a prince:
they are taught to dance, and the exterior part of what is called good
breeding, which, if they attain, they are extraordinary creatures in
their kind, and have all the accomplishments required by their
directors. The same characters are formed by the same lessons, which
inclines me to think (if I dare say it) that nature has not placed us in
an inferior rank to men, no more than the females of other animals,
where we see no distinction of capacity; though, I am persuaded, if
there was a commonwealth of rational horses (as Doctor Swift has
supposed), it would be an established maxim among them, that a mare
could not be taught to pace. I could add a great deal on this subject,
but I am not now endeavouring to remove the prejudices of mankind; my
only design is, to point out to my granddaughters the method of being
contented with that retreat, to which probably their circumstances will
oblige them, and which is perhaps preferable to all the show of public
life. It has always been my inclination. Lady Stafford (who knew me
better than anybody else in the world, both from her own just
discernment, and my heart being ever as open to her as myself) used to
tell me, my true vocation was a monastery; and I now find, by
experience, more sincere pleasure with my books and garden, than all the
flutter of a court could give me.

"If you follow my advice in relation to Lady Mary, my correspondence may
be of use to her; and I shall very willingly give her those instructions
that may be necessary in the pursuit of her studies. Before her age I
was in the most regular commerce with my gr