as to infer from these remarks, that we
desire to see the revival of old tapestry work; or that we condemn the
elegant accomplishments of music and drawing. We condemn only the
abuse of these accomplishments; we only wish that they should be
considered as domestic occupations, not as matters of competition, or
of exhibition, nor yet as the means of attracting temporary
admiration. We are not afraid that any, who are really conscious of
having acquired accomplishments with these prudent and honourable
views, should misapprehend what has been said. Mediocrity may,
perhaps, attempt to misrepresent our remarks, and may endeavour to
make it appear that we have attacked, and that we would discourage,
every effort of female taste and ingenuity in the fine arts; we
cannot, therefore, be too explicit in disclaiming such illiberal
views.

We have not yet spoken of dancing, though it is one of the most
admired of female accomplishments. This evidently is an amusement, not
an occupation; it is an agreeable exercise, useful to the health, and
advantageous, as it confers a certain degree of habitual ease and
grace. Mr. Locke seems to think, that it gives young people confidence
in themselves when they come into company, and that it is, therefore,
expedient to teach children early to dance: but there are so many
other methods of inspiring young people with this confidence in
themselves, that it appears unnecessary to lay much stress upon this
argument. If children live in good company, and see constantly people
with agreeable manners, they will acquire manners which the dancing
master does not always teach; and they will easily vary their forms of
politeness with the fashion of the day. Nobody comes into a room
regularly as their dancing master taught them to make their entrance;
we should think a strict adherence to his lessons ridiculous and
awkward in well bred company; therefore much must be left to the
discretion and taste of the pupil, after the dancing master has made
his last bow. Ease of manners is not always attained by those who have
been strictly disciplined by a Vestris, because the lessons are not
always practised in precisely the same circumstances in which they
were learnt: this confuses and confounds the pupils, and they rather
lose than gain confidence in themselves, from perceiving that they
cannot immediately apply what they have been taught. But we need not
expatiate upon this subject, because there are few paren