The new female instructor; or, Young woman's guide to domestic happiness : containing general rules for the regulation of female conduct, and the formation of moral habits; together with the elements of science, as geography, astronomy, natural history, botany, &c. ... being an epitome of all the acquirements necessary to form the female character, in every class of life.

Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The new female instructor; or, Young woman's guide to domestic happiness : containing general rules for the regulation of female conduct, and the formation of moral habits; together with the elements of science, as geography, astronomy, natural history, botany, &c. ... being an epitome of all the acquirements necessary to form the female character, in every class of life. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    a more equal fooling? If they have not, they may justly com- plain of the partiality of nature, and the severity of their lot But let us attentively consider the matter, and we shall find, that the Author of our being is no such partial parent • To each sex he has given its different qualifications; and these, when properly cultivated and exerted, put both nearly on an equal footing, and the advantages and disadvantages of life are impar- tially shared between them. To bend the haughty stubborn- ness of man, is given to woman beauty; and to beauty is added that inexpressible softness and persuasion, of which but few know the extent, and still fewer have the power of resisting. Thus an insinuating word, a kind look, or even a smile, con- quered Alexander, subdued Caesar, and decided the fate of em- pires and of kingdoms. The intercession of the mother ot Coriolanus saved Rome from impending destruction, and in one hour brought about a happy event, which the senate and people despaired of ever seeing accomplished.—Thus it is evi- dent, that though the power of women, in bending the stronger sex to their will, is no doubt greatly augmented, when they have youth and beauty on their side ; even with the loss of these, it is not altogether extinguished; of which this last cir- cumstance is an indubitable proof. It were easy to multiply instances of the ascendency which women of sense have always gained over men of feeling;— but I shall now proceed, to enumerate all those qualities which will enable you to attain the much desired art of pleasing, which will entitle you to the character of women of sense, and which will bestow on you all that pow'er of which I have just spoken. The charms of person, without the charms of mind will hold but a short and fleeting dominion—united, their reign will be permanent. Those on whom nature has not lavished her choicest gifts, if they cultivate their minds, and improve their understandings, will often supplant beauty itself; and they will always be preferred by men of sense, to those who boast the utmost regularity or harmony of features, and the highest peach-bloom of complexion, when unaccompanied by solid and lasting accomplishments. A young girl, vain of her beauty, and whose chief study and employment is the decoration of her person, is a most contemptible character; and the more a woman is distin- guished for the charms of her face, and the graces of her form, the more she is exposed to censure and to danger. The rose is torn from its parent stem in all its pride of beauty ; the jes- samine is scaicely permitted to blossom before it is plucked; and no sooner are their beauties faded, than the merciless hand which was eager to obtain them throws them away with con-