ars are usually the period during which the
young women remain at the establishments, or colleges I may call them
(for in reality they are female colleges.) In the prospectus of the
Albany Female Academy, I find that the classes run through the following
branches:--French, book-keeping, ancient history, ecclesiastical
history, history of literature, composition, political economy, American
constitution, law, natural theology, mental philosophy, geometry,
trigonometry, algebra, natural philosophy, astronomy, chemistry, botany,
mineralogy, geology, natural history, and technology, besides drawing,
penmanship, etcetera, etcetera.

It is almost impossible for the mind to retain, for any length of time,
such a variety of knowledge, forced into it before a female has arrived
to the age of sixteen or seventeen, at which age, the study of these
sciences, as is the case in England, should _commence_ not _finish_. I
have already mentioned that the examinations which I attended were
highly creditable both to preceptors and pupils; but the duties of an
American woman as I shall hereafter explain, soon find her other
occupation, and the _ologies_ are lost in the realities of life.
Diplomas are given at most of these establishments, on the young ladies
completing their course of studies. Indeed, it appears to be almost
necessary that a young lady should produce this diploma as a certificate
of being qualified to bring up young republicans. I observed to an
American gentlemen how youthful his wife appeared to be--"Yes," replied
he, "I married her a month after she had _graduated_." The following
are the terms of a diploma, which was given to a young lady at
Cincinnati, and which she permitted me to copy:--

"In testimony of the zeal and industry with which Miss M---T---has
prosecuted the prescribed course of studies in the Cincinnati Female
Institution, and the honourable proficiency which she has attained in
penmanship, arithmetic, English grammar, rhetoric, belles-lettres,
composition, ancient and modern geography, ancient and modern history,
chemistry, natural philosophy, astronomy, etcetera. etcetera. etcetera,
of which she has given proofs by examination.

"And also as a mark of her amiable deportment, intellectual
acquirements, and our affectionate regard, we have granted her this
letter--the _highest honour_ BESTOWED in this institution."

[Seal.] "Given under our hands at Cincinnati, this 19th day of July,
Anno Domini