hest reverence for a learned
education, the basis of all elegant knowledge: they are only
intended, with all proper deference, to point out to young women
that, however inferior their advantages of acquiring a knowledge
of the belles-lettres are to those of the other sex, yet it depends
on themselves not to be surpassed in this most important of all
studies, for which their abilities are equal, and their
opportunities perhaps greater.

"But the mere exemption from infidelity is so small a part of the
religious character, that I hope no one will attempt to claim any
merit from this negative sort of goodness, or value herself merely
for not being the very worst thing she possibly can be. Let no
mistaken girl fancy she gives a proof of her wit by her want of
piety, or that a contempt of things serious and sacred will exalt
her understanding, or raise her character even in the opinion of the
most avowed male infidels. For one may venture to affirm, that with
all their profligate ideas, both of women and religion, neither
Bolingbroke, Wharton, Buckingham, or even Lord Chesterfield himself,
would have esteemed a woman the more for her being irreligious.

"With whatever ridicule a polite freethinker may affect to treat
religion himself, he will think it necessary his wife should
entertain different notions of it. He may pretend to despise it as
a matter of opinion, depending on creeds and systems; but, if he
is a man of sense, he will know the value of it as a governing
principle, which is to influence her conduct and direct her action.
If he sees her unaffectedly sincere in the practice of her religious
duties, it will be a secret pledge to him that she will be equally
exact in fulfilling the conjugal; for he can have no reasonable
dependence on her attachment to _him_, if he has no opinion of her
fidelity to God; for she who neglects first duties, gives but an
indifferent proof of her disposition to fill up inferior ones; and
how can a man of any understanding (whatever his own religious
professions may be) trust that woman with the cares of his family,
and the education of his children, who wants herself the best
incentive to a virtuous life, the belief that she is an accountable
creature, and the reflection that she has an immortal soul?

"Cicero spoke it as the highest commendation of Cato's character,
that he embraced philosophy, not for the sake of _disputing_ like
a philosopher, but of _living_ like one. The chief