Love,suchastheglowingpenofgeniushastraced,existsnotonearth,oronlyresidesinthoseexalted,fervidimaginationsthathavesketchedsuchdangerouspictures。Dangerous,becausetheynotonlyaffordaplausibleexcusetothevoluptuary,whodisguisessheersensualityunderasentimentalveil;butastheyspreadaffectation,andtakefromthedignityofvirtue。Virtue,astheverywordimports,shouldhaveanappearanceofseriousness,ifnotausterity;andtoendeavourtotrickheroutinthegarbofpleasure,becausetheepithethasbeenusedasanothernameforbeauty,istoexaltheronaquicksand;amostinsidiousattempttohastenherfallbyapparentrespect。Virtue,andpleasurearenot,infact,sonearlyalliedinthislifeassomeeloquentwritershavelabouredtoprove。Pleasurepreparesthefadingwreath,andmixestheintoxicatingcup;butthefruitwhichvirtuegives,istherecompenceoftoil:and,graduallyseenasitripens,onlyaffordscalmsatisfaction;nay,appearingtobetheresultofthenaturaltendencyofthings,itisscarcelyobserved。Bread,thecommonfoodoflife,seldomthoughtofasablessing,supportstheconstitution,andpreserveshealth;stillfeastsdelighttheheartofman,thoughdiseaseandevendeathlurkinthecupordaintythatelevatesthespiritsorticklesthepalate。Thelivelyheatedimaginationinthesamestyle,drawsthepictureoflove,asitdrawseveryotherpicture,withthoseglowingcolours,whichthedaringhandwillstealfromtherainbowthatisdirectedbyamind,condemned,inaworldlikethis,toproveitsnobleorigin,bypantingafterunattainableperfection;everpursuingwhatitacknowledgestobeafleetingdream。Animaginationofthisvigorouscastcangiveexistencetoinsubstantialforms,andstabilitytotheshadowyreverieswhichthemindnaturallyfallsintowhenrealitiesarefoundvapid。Itcanthendepictlovewithcelestialcharms,anddoteonthegrandidealobject;itcanimagineadegreeofmutualaffectionthatshallrefinethesoul,andnotexpirewhenithasservedasa\"scaletoheavenly;\"and,likedevotion,makeitabsorbeverymeaneraffectionanddesire。
Ineachother\'sarms,asinatemple,withitssummitlostintheclouds,theworldistobeshutout,andeverythoughtandwish,thatdonotnurturepureaffectionandpermanentvirtue。Permanentvirtue！alas！Rousseau,respectablevisionary！thyparadisewouldsoonbeviolatedbytheentranceofsomeunexpectedguest。LikeMilton\'s,itwouldonlycontainangels,ormensunkbelowthedignityofrationalcreatures。Happinessisnotmaterial,itcannotbeseenorfelt！Yettheeagerpursuitofthegoodwhicheveryoneshapestohisownfancy,proclaimsmanthelordofthislowerworld,andtobeanintelligentialcreature,whoisnottoreceive,butacquirehappiness。They,therefore,whocomplainofthedelusionsofpassion,donotrecollectthattheyareexclaimingagainstastrongproofoftheimmortalityofthesoul。
But,leavingsuperiormindstocorrectthemselves,andpaydearlyfortheirexperience,itisnecessarytoobserve,thatitisnotagainststrong,perseveringpassions;butromantic,waveringfeelings,thatIwishtoguardthefemaleheartbyexercisingtheunderstanding;fortheseparadisiacalreveriesareoftenertheeffectofidlenessthanofalivelyfancy。
Womenhaveseldomsufficientseriousemploymenttosilencetheirfeelings;aroundoflittlecares,orvainpursuits,fritteringawayallstrengthofmindandorgans,theybecomenaturallyonlyobjectsofsense。Inshort,thewholetenoroffemaleeducation（theeducationofsociety）tendstorenderthebestdisposed,romanticandinconstant;andtheremaindervainandmean。Inthepresentstateofsociety,thisevilcanscarcelyberemedied,Iamafraid,intheslightestdegree;shouldamorelaudableambitionevergainground,theymaybebroughtnearertonatureandreason,andbecomemorevirtuousandusefulastheygrowmorerespectable。
ButIwillventuretoassert,thattheirreasonwillneveracquiresufficientstrengthtoenableittoregulatetheirconduct,whilstthemakinganappearanceintheworldisthefirstwishofthemajorityofmankind。Tothisweakwishthenaturalaffectionsandthemostusefulvirtuesaresacrificed。GirlsmarrymerelytoBETTERTHEMSELVES,toborrowasignificantvulgarphrase,andhavesuchperfectpowerovertheirheartsasnottopermitthemselvestoFALLINLOVEtillamanwithasuperiorfortuneoffers。OnthissubjectImeantoenlargeinafuturechapter;itisonlynecessarytodropahintatpresent,becausewomenaresooftendegradedbysufferingtheselfishprudenceofagetochilltheardourofyouth。