both sexes; but I do
not choose presumptuously to fling these opinions in the face of the
world, in the form of essays on morality, and treatises on education. I
have rather chosen to illustrate certain positions by examples, and
leave my readers to deduce the moral themselves, and draw their own
inferences.

MEDON.

And why have you not chosen your examples from real life? you might
easily have done so. You have not been a mere spectator, or a mere
actor, but a lounger behind the scenes of existence--have even assisted
in preparing the puppets for the stage: you might have given us an
epitome of your experience, instead of dreaming over Shakspeare.

ALDA.

I might so, if I had chosen to become a female satirist, which I will
never be.

MEDON.

You would, at least, stand a better chance of being read.

ALDA.

I am not sure of that. The vile taste for satire and personal gossip
will not be eradicated, I suppose, while the elements of curiosity and
malice remain in human nature; but as a fashion of literature, I think
it is passing away;--at all events it is not my _forte_. Long experience
of what is called "the world," of the folly, duplicity, shallowness,
selfishness, which meet us at every turn, too soon unsettles our
youthful creed. If it only led to the knowledge of good and evil, it
were well; if it only taught us to despise the illusions and retire from
the pleasures of the world, it would be better. But it destroys our
belief--it dims our perception of all abstract truth, virtue, and
happiness; it turns life into a jest, and a very dull one too. It makes
us indifferent to beauty, and incredulous of goodness; it teaches us to
consider _self_ as the centre on which all actions turn, and to which
all motives are to be referred.

MEDON.

But this being so, we must either revolve with these earthly natures,
and round the same centre, or seek a sphere for ourselves, and dwell
apart.

ALDA.

I trust it is not necessary to do either. While we are yet young, and
the passions, powers, and feelings, in their full activity, create to us
a world within, we cannot look fairly on the world without:--all things
then are good. When first we throw ourselves forth, and meet burs and
briars on every side, which stick in our very hearts;--and fair tempting
fruits which turn to bitter ashes in the tas