our existence. No reward was thought too high for the
invention of a new pleasure; no punishment would be thought too severe
for those who would destroy an old one. Women are peculiarly
restrained in their situation, and in their employments, by the
customs of society: to diminish the number of these employments,
therefore, would be cruel; they should rather be encouraged, by all
means, to cultivate those tastes which can attach them to their home,
and which can preserve them from the miseries of dissipation. Every
sedentary occupation must be valuable to those who are to lead
sedentary lives; and every art, however trifling in itself, which
tends to enliven and embellish domestic life, must be advantageous,
not only to the female sex, but to society in general. As far as
accomplishments can contribute to all or any of these excellent
purposes, they must be just objects of attention in early education.

A number of experiments have already been tried; let us examine the
result. Out of the prodigious number of young women who learn music
and drawing, for instance, how many are there, who, after they become
mistresses of their own time, and after they have the choice of their
own amusements, continue to practise these accomplishments for the
pure pleasure of occupation? As soon as a young lady is married, does
she not frequently discover, that "she really has not _leisure_ to
cultivate talents which take up so much time?" Does she not complain
of the labour of practising four or five hours a day to keep up her
musical character? What motive has she for perseverance? She is,
perhaps, already tired of playing to all her acquaintance. She may
really take pleasure in hearing good music; but her own performance
will not then please her ear so much as that of many others. She will
prefer the more indolent pleasure of hearing the best music that can
be heard for money at public concerts. She will then of course leave
off playing, but continue very fond of music. How often is the labour
of years thus lost for ever!

Those who have excelled in drawing, do not appear to abandon the
occupation so suddenly; it does not demand such an inordinate quantity
of time to keep up the talent; the exertion of the imitative powers
with apparent success, is agreeable; the employment is progressive,
and, therefore, the mind is carried on to complete what has been
begun. Independently of all applause, which may be expected for the
performance, t