d
disappointment to Men's Vanity, would quickly be judg'd fit to be
ridicul'd out of the World before others were infected by the example.
So that the best Fate which a Lady thus knowing, and singular, could
expect, would be that hardly escaping Calumny, she should be in Town
the Jest of the _Would-be-Witts_; tho wonder of Fools, and a Scarecrow
to keep from her House many honest People who are to be pitty'd for
having no more Wit than they have, because it is not their own Fault
that they have no more. But in the Country she would, probably, fare
still worse; for there her understanding of the Christian Religion
would go near to render her suspected of Heresy even by those who
thought the best of her: Whilst her little Zeal for any Sect or Party
would make the Clergy of all sorts give her out for a _Socinian_ or a
_Deist_: And should but a very little Philosophy be added to her other
Knowledge, even for an Atheist. The Parson of the Parish, for fear of
being ask'd hard Questions, would be shy of coming near her, were his
Reception ever so inviting; and this could not but carry some ill
intimation with it to such as Reverenc'd the Doctor, and who, it is
likely, might be already satisfy'd from the Reports of Nurses, and
Maids, that their Lady was indeed a Woman of very odd Whimsies. Her
prudent Conduct and Management of her affairs would probably secure
her from being thought out of her Wits by her near Neighbours; but the
Country Gentlemen that wish'd her well, could not yet chuse but be
afraid for her, lest too much Learning might in Time make her Mad.

The saving of but one Soul from Destruction, is, it is true, a noble
recompense for ten Thousand such Censurers as these; but it is
wondrous strange that only to be a Christian, with so much other
Knowledge as a Child of Nine or Ten Years Old may, and ought to have,
should expose a Lady to so great Reproaches; And what a shame is this
for Men whose woful Ignorance is the alone Cause thereof? For it is
manifestly true that if the inimitable Author of _Les Caracteres, ou
les Moeurs de ce Siecle_, had demanded in _England, who forbids
Knowledge to Women_? It must have been answer'd him, the Ignorance of
the Men does so; and the same Answer I think he might have receiv'd in
his own Country.

_Monsieur Bruyere_ says indeed, and likely it is, _That Men have made
no Laws, or put out any Edicts whereby Women are prohibited to open
their Eyes; to Read; to Remember what they Re