Anonymous

“ Establish in your own mind a certain rule of decency and modesty, to be attended to in all companies, and at all times, whether at home or abroad.
In all companies, give each one an opportunity for their proper share of conversation. Remember that a talkative, loquacious woman, a young woman more especially, often exposes her weakness, and sickens the ear with her babblings. ”

“ And the maxim may be a good one, so far as we can comply with it, and not break over the rules of decency and propriety; but no farther. For it is no rule, neither will it be any excuse for you, to be loose, vain, or lascivious, even if you should happen to fall in [27] company with persons of this description. But the wiser method is, to avoid all such company; for the characters of persons are often judged by the company they keep. Therefore, if you would wish to avoid the reproaches of every one, you must not only abstain from vice yourself, but you must forsake the company of the vicious. ”

“ But however you may appear in company, and abroad, your real character for lasting reputation and future happiness in the world, must be formed and established at home; even in the kitchen, and in attending to your domestic concerns. ”

“ The most critical time of youth, especially of the female sex, is while they are in their juvenile years. At this age, when they are entering as it were upon the borders of life, to act in some degree for themselves, the greatest care and attention ought to be paid to them. ”

“ But even if you should always do your best, you must expect that you will sometimes do wrong, even for want of knowledge; and you cannot expect that people will always exercise that patience, so but what they will many times chide you, and find fault, even when you have done your best. All this you ought to bear with patience without a murmuring word: for if you are conscious to yourself that you have done as well as you could, even a sharp rebuke need not trouble you ”

“ But if you have reason to believe that any one’s pretended love is nothing more than mere fancy, which will generally shew itself by a vehement fondness; vows, promises, &c. learn to treat it with a silent neglect; for his utmost wishes will never promote your real happiness. ”

“ They then begin to give up all hopes of recovery, their minds become dissipated, and they give themselves over to all the vain delusions and allurements of time and sense. And as they travel on in the paths of folly, they become lost to all sense of virtue and morality, consequently happiness is fled, and they generally become slaves to misery and discontentment. ”

“ Do not expect even from your best endeavors wholly to escape without censure. For the mind of youth is so fickle, it would be very strange if you did not sometimes go astray, and not do so well as you might ”

“ Here is where you are to form your character, not only for happiness, but also for usefulness in the world. By attending to industry, cookery, and all the domestic employments, you will qualify yourself to become the mistress of a family ”

“ Nothing is more dangerous than an absent mind. It is rude to indulge the thoughts to rove upon indifferent objects, even when you are in company; but more especially when attending to your domestic concerns. If your thoughts are not mostly engaged in the business before you, time will steal away faster than you are aware of ”

“ You must not only pay the greatest attention to your domestic concerns, but a proper decorum in all your words and actions must be attended to. Your leisure hours should be employed in reading useful books, which will be most likely to furnish your mind with a store of religious and moral improvements. Read the characters of those ladies who have lived virtuous and pious lives, and endeavour to imitate their examples. ”

“ Never speak of the failings of another to a third person, but with the greatest reluctance, especially those of your own sex. If you can say no good of persons, you had better say nothing about them. For as you would not wish to have your own failings published to the world, so you must be exceeding careful not to publish the failings of others. ”

“ Never allow yourself to be peevish and fretful about your work, food, dress, or any thing of the like nature, even if the business does not go on to suit you; for this will only make the business more irksome and fatiguing, without any kind of benefit to yourself. ”

“ Do not try to outvie all others in dress, &c. but let your dress be modest, and suited to your circumstances. Remember that a real character doth not consist in the outward adornings of the body, but in the inward adornings of the mind and understanding. ”

“ If you mean that your children should learn to govern themselves, you must learn it to them by experience; that is, by giving them a little lenity, together with your good counsel and advice, and according to their improvement, give them more and more, until they learn the art of self-government. ”

“ Young people are apt to be insensible to the danger they are in, [8] until their name is stained with a blot that is very hard to wipe away. The wise man has justly observed, that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” ”

“ Such a life as this would be thought scarcely worth possessing! yet how often do we behold those who appeared to be very promising when they first started in life, and presented to us the most pleasing prospects, land on these shores at last, and drag out a miserable life, with shame and ignominy: while on the other [10] hand, it often happens, that those who make a small appearance, and are thought but a very little of, when they first set out in life ”

“ Do not reveal your secrets to any one, unless it will be as much for their interest to keep, as it will be for yours to have them kept; and never reveal the secrets of others, when it will not injure you to keep them. ”

“ Remember that the taste may be satiated with the sweetest fruit, where there is a full enjoyment; but let a person participate only by anticipation, and the nearer to enjoyment, the more valuable the prize will be. ”

“ You cannot expect to become master of any kind of business, without much care and attention; and this ought to make you more studious in the same, for remember, that there is no business that you will be likely to be called to attend to, now when young, but what (if you should ever have a family of your own) you must attend to the same for yourself, or at least, have it attended to ”

“ And from the age of puberty, until they arrive to maturity, and are settled in the world, they ever ought to be considered as under the care and protecting eye of their parents, guardians, or masters. ”