arassed by various causes--by
much thinking--musing almost to madness--and even by a sort of weak
melancholy that hung about my heart at parting with my daughter for the
first time.

You know that, as a female, I am particularly attached to her; I feel
more than a mother's fondness and anxiety when I reflect on the dependent
and oppressed state of her sex. I dread lest she should be forced to
sacrifice her heart to her principles, or principles to her heart. With
trembling hand I shall cultivate sensibility and cherish delicacy of
sentiment, lest, whilst I lend fresh blushes to the rose, I sharpen the
thorns that will wound the breast I would fain guard; I dread to unfold
her mind, lest it should render her unfit for the world she is to
inhabit. Hapless woman! what a fate is thine!

But whither am I wandering? I only meant to tell you that the impression
the kindness of the simple people made visible on my countenance
increased my sensibility to a painful degree. I wished to have had a
room to myself, for their attention, and rather distressing observation,
embarrassed me extremely. Yet, as they would bring me eggs, and make my
coffee, I found I could not leave them without hurting their feelings of
hospitality.

It is customary here for the host and hostess to welcome their guests as
master and mistress of the house.

My clothes, in their turn, attracted the attention of the females, and I
could not help thinking of the foolish vanity which makes many women so
proud of the observation of strangers as to take wonder very gratuitously
for admiration. This error they are very apt to fall into when, arrived
in a foreign country, the populace stare at them as they pass. Yet the
make of a cap or the singularity of a gown is often the cause of the
flattering attention which afterwards supports a fantastic superstructure
of self-conceit.

Not having brought a carriage over with me, expecting to have met a
person where I landed, who was immediately to have procured me one, I was
detained whilst the good people of the inn sent round to all their
acquaintance to search for a vehicle. A rude sort of cabriole was at
last found, and a driver half drunk, who was not less eager to make a
good bargain on that account. I had a Danish captain of a ship and his
mate with me; the former was to ride on horseback, at which he was not
very expert, and the latter to partake of my seat. The driver mounted
behind to guide the ho