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The YANKEE--PHILOSOPHER, No. 3.
FEMALE EDUCATION.
WHEN the philosopher views the degeneracy of the
age in moral virtues, with a glowing heart he
flits for refuge to the arms of t’ e fairer sex. Though a
bandoned characters are to be found throughout the world
in each, yet collectively the females arc by far the better
half; indeed society has placed no medium in theii cha
racter, and to be respeCted they must be truly virtuous.
In young men a thousand weaknesses and foibles are over
looked, or miserably changed to some manly virtue,
while, in the other sex, the smallest blemish is magnifies
to the corruption of the whole piece: I bey seem aware of
this, and we generally see.them “possessing few faults or
few virtues. The female who abandons herself to guilt
and infamy is of all characters the most disgusting; soci
ety has reared an insurmountable barrier between her and
the virtuous; oil and vinegar have more sympathy for
each other than the amiable and the abandoned woman.
This idea forcibly struck me, the other day, on observing
one of our most resjte&ed citizens cordially offer his hand,
in the public street, to a man whom I considered the most
despicable in the citv. Why, said I to myself, should
not the amiable female treat the common prostitute with
the same distant politeness? Her crimes cannot be greater
than this man’s. Is it imperiousness in the haughty fair
one that she thus spurns from her her fallen sister? No, it
cannot be, that palpitating heart for others woes never felt
such a sensation. Is it a respeCt she owes herself, and the
danger of being contaminated? Never, it would be
greatest insult to her understanding. Is it the dread of
offending societt|that she withholds her hand of relief, and
voice of admOTtion? I have it—-yes, it assuredly is.
Thus musing for nearly an hour, in tracing this simple
consequence to its cause, I was naturally led to the con
sideration of the effeCt education has on the female cha
racter, together with the unnatural expectations of the
other sex.
’Tis education alone which forms the human mind to
every thing that is noble and praiseworthy, arranges our
thoughts and polishes our manners, brings latent virtues
into aClion. animates the dying genius, and, like the sun
in its meridian, which dispels the noxious vapors accumu
lated through the night in southern- climates, dispels in
the heart of man every evil propensity, puts into motion
qualities unknown before, and welcomes reason to her
glorious throne, converts the vicious, reconciles the good,
destroys contentions, and represents our duty in its pro
per light and character, bids us beware of the specious
paths of effeminacy, and leads the road to Heaven’s pecu
liar attention. If these are the advantages of education,
how much abused is the fair part of our community? They
are expected to be the patterns of virtue and archetypes of
perfection; to them we look for refined sentiments* cor
rectness, propriety of conduCt, and elevation of mind, and
yet we deny them their only proper guide, education.
Strange and inhuman contradiction! Has the Deity, O
man, been partial to thy sex? Say not yes, but, if thou
shoiil Ist, deny at once to the other the rank she at pre
sent holds; write the Turkish creed deep in your breast,
and prove it in your actions.
Should milder opponents admit her nature equal, but to
different laws her moral duty is sublet!; that a mother’s
care, domestic duties, &C. require her whole attention; I
would reply: Ere maternal duties argue at her hands, ere
the fond wife must in her adion move, is the time for
study and improvement. Plain observation will convince
us that the merchant’s apprentice, or the farmer’s son, has
ever had less leisure for recreation and study than any
class of females. Hours idly spent are always spent in
vain, and years of hours are passed by blooming females
at their glasses, unnoticed by themselves or their parents
at the time, yet, when the retrospective eye of riper years
surveys our youth’s light condud, it is with grief we view
our tine mifpent, and sigh to live again.
Thus then we have found that the female can devote to
study as much time as man; of course we have to shew if
her moral charader is or is not bettered by it; y
The present regulations of society, as well as the im
mutable laws of nature, have immediately placed the care
and instruction of children, at least for the first four or
five years, under the direction of their several mothers.
The first ideas with which the young mind is imjjtessed are
almost indelible, and seldom has it been in the power of
riper years, assisted with every advantage, to eradicate
prejudices imprinted on our tenderer minds.
The illiterate mother, though possessed of the same af
fedionate tenderness for her child with the learned one,
from not forming any regular system of condud towards
it, must necessarily fill its young mind with a confused
olio of error, absurdity, and contradiction. The poor
child, after becoming a bad boy, at three or four years
old, is sent to a schoolmistress, with this injunction from
its mother, “ Spare not the rod until the child be broken
of its bad tricks/’ The schoolmistress is generally as ig
norant, and mere influenced by her passions, than even
the mother; the poor little innocent has then only fallen
from the “ fryingpan into the fire”—a hopeless situation
indeed, but, alas, must remain burning there until old en
ough to be sent to a master. The time for his departure
arrives; the master receives him, but with a mind humili
ated and debased, cankered with enmity and revenge for
the treatment it has received. The master may do his
best, he may be a good one, but it is all in vain, the man
is lost! and, though the understanding still be capable of
some improvement, the mind is so perverted that that very
improvement is a misfortune; lie becomes a thief, a liar,
and a villain, and the little learning he may have acquired
only qualifies him the better to deceive and carry into ef
fect |m nefarious purposes! Pity-the ignorant'mo.ther, when
you see her at the foot of the gallows praying to God for
mercy oilhtf Unfortunate child!!
Here let us change the shocking scene, and, on the other
hand, beheld the learned mother convincing her child’s
understanding of the propriety of her conduCt towards it;
conciliating its affection and confidence, from a complete
government of Iter own passions; carefully presenting such
objects, in regular rotation, to its view, as its growing
mind is capable of conceiving; never forcing its asstent even
tp an axiom until it perceives for itself; unprejudiced in
favor of any thing; it than is governed by evidence, and,
from the example before it, is willingly led into the flow
ery path of virtue. As its young mind matures, thus qua
lified, what a spacious field for improvement!"study becomes
pleading, and every new idea but excites farther emulation,
implicit confidence is placed in its fond mother, and, when
the time arrives that its unfortunate coteifiporary is cast over
■rib thfe scljocdfnistress, it still remains with its parents, the h
proper guardians of its infancy, its natural projectors —a
happy circumstance indeed fpr the child, a pleasing task
indeed for its parents. Thus educated", thus brought up,
pure as Heaven’s own influence must be its every thought,
its every action virtuous, and its certain reward an unin
terrupted scene of happiness. Again, where is the husb
and whopwould not in his wife prefer a rational companion,
one whose bosom may be the repository of all his cares and
troubles’, his pleasures and his joys; one in whose opinion •
he can confide, whose good sense may relieve his mind of
many doubts and perplexities, with whom he can Gomrau
nicate, to whom he can open his heart? I say, where is
the man who would not prefer this cbara&er to the menial
whose only abilities extend to the making of a pudding,
the arrangement of flower pots, and a complete knowledge
of the use of brush and broom, whose only topics of con
versation are caps, gowns, and feathers, whose complex
ideas are alone the harmony of ribbons, and whose read
ing, if they read at all, romances and love letters? I pre
sume no enlightened man would hesitate in his choice.
While the rising sun tinges the curtains of their bed with
gold, how exquisitely charmiqg must be the converse of
this enlightened couple? what chaste ideas must they not
possess? if envy harbored breasts above angels might envy
them. I have no words to pursue the delightful climax,
and conclude with seriously offering what I have said to the
consideration of the fair sex of Georgia.
Youth is the time the sciences are taught,
The only time that knowledge can lie sought,
The precious time—and often, to our cost,
If misappli’d, is more than doubly lost—
Lost for the present, for the time to come, •
And years succeeding meet their haoless doom.
A YANKEE PHILOSOPHER,
MILAN, June 12.
WE learn from Medina that a Swedish frigate ar
rived there towards the end of lafl month with a
Tripolitan chebec, which file captured after a defpe/ate
engagement against four vessels of that nation, two of
which were funk. The Swedish frigate, it is laid, had
above 100 killed or wounded.
Naples, July 9. Charles Emanuel the fourth, king
of Sardinia, furring'by an in liniment, dated at P-ome the
4th of this month, resigned his crown and dominions in
favor of his brother the duke De Aoft, his royal higimefs
has acceded to the crown under the name of Victor JE
manuel.
Paris, June 25. Dr. Hager, who is now employed
here in the compilation of a Chintfe dictionary, i v -.s re
ceived, as a present from the emperor of Ruflia, an elegant
diamond ring of the moft exquHite-workm mfliip.
Os 40,000 votes in the Haute Loire 38,000 have voted
for Bonaparte being canful for life; there were only four
votes against the measure.
The firft couful has announced to nearly the whole of
the clergy, that he did not understand any pritft would
refufe to administer the sacrament of marriage to persons
who fhonlJ present themselves for that parpofe after having
been divorced.
July 7. The earthquake which was felt more or
less in different parts of Europe on the 12th of last May
almost destroyed the city of Grema, in Upper Italy; Sen
fino also fuffered very much at the fame time, and has net
as yet recovered from the dreadful effects of the calamity.
The town of Manguin was entirely “fwailoived up, and an
immenle lake instantaneously appeared on the site on
which it flood. Three churches and 12 houses are deino
liflied at Brefcia; the conviilfion, in fine, was severely felt
in many pans of Switzerland, and even in Daimffadt,
near the Nidda.
The epidemic fever which has long raged at and in the
environs of Brussels continues with unabated violence;
feme of the firft members of the faculty are of opinion
that it is attended with peftilentral symptoms, and that it
cannot be clalfed among the diseases hitherto known.
Many hundreds have already been carried off by this
dreadful calamity.
London, June 29.
His Majesty’s mod gracious Speech to both Houses of
Parliament, on Monday the 28th June, 1802.
My Lords and Gentlemen, ,
The public business being concluded I think it proper to
close this session of parliament.
During r long and laborious attendance you have inva
riably manifested the just sense you entertain of the great
trust committed to your charge. The objects of your deli
berations have been unusually numerous and important, and
I derive the utmost satisfaction from the conviction that the
wisdom of your proceedings will be folly proved by their
effefts in promoting the best interests of my people through
out every part of my dominions.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
The ample provision you have made for the various
branches of the public serviefc demands my warmest ac
knowledgments, and my particular thanks are due for the
liberality which you have shewn in exonerating my civil
government and household from the debts with which they
were unavoidably burthened.
Whilst I regret the amount of the supplies which cir
cumstances have rendered necessary it is a relief to me to
contemplate the state of our manufactures, commerce, and
revenue, which afford the most decisive and gratifying
proofs of the abundance of our internal resources, and of
the growing prosperity of the country.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
As I think it expedient that the election of anew par
liament should take place without delay, it is my intention
forthwith to give directions for dissolving the present and
for calling anew parliament.
In communicating to you this intention I cannot sup
press tho.-e sentiments of entire approbation with which I
reflect upon every part of your conduit sjnee I first met
you iit this place. The unexampled difficulties of our si
tuation required the utmost efforts of that wisdom ands
titude which you so- eminently displayed in contend"’
With, them, “and by which they have been so happily
mounted. From your judicious and salutary ‘mri
during the last year myi people derived ali tlie relief whA
could be afforded under one of the severest dispensati^ 1 -
of Providence; and ic was,by the spirit and determinat’**
which uniformly animated your councils, aided by 7
unprecedented exertions of my fleets and j
zealous and cordial co-operation of nlv people, that I •
enabled, to prosecute with success, and terminate v*A
honor, the long and arduous contest in which we hav
been engaged.
The same sense of public duty, the same solicitude f or
the welfare of your country, will now induce you, i n vc
individual characters, to encourage, by all the means ’
your power, the cultivation and improvement of the 7
vantages of peace. \ •
My endeavors will never be wanting to preserve the
bless". igs by which we are so eminently distinguished and
to prove that the prosperity and happiness of all classes of
my faithful subjects are the objects which are always the
nearest to my heart.
Then the Lord Chancellor, by his majesty's command
said, * *
My Lords and Gentlemen,
It is his majesty’s royal will and pleasure that this par
liament be prorogued to Tuesday the 17th day of AuL;
next, to be then holdeu; and this’parliament is according
prorogued to Tuesday the 17th day of August next. 6 ”
BY THE KING.
A Proclamation fgr dissolving the present Parliament
and declaring toe calling of another.
George R.
\V hereas we have thought fit, by and with the advice
of our privy council, to dissolve this present parliament
which now stands prorogued to Tuesday the 17th day of
August next, Wo do, for-that end, publish this our royal
proclamation, aud do hereby dissolve the said parliament
accordingly; and the lords spiritual and temporal, and the
knights, citizens, and burgesses, and the coramissioneo
for shires and burghs, 0! the house of commons, are dis*
charged from their meeting and attendance on Tuesda?
the said 17th day of August next. And we being desir-’
011 sand resolved, as soon as may be, to meet our people,
and to have their advice in parliament, do hereby make
known to all our loving subjects our royal will and pleas
ure to call anew parliament; and do hereby further declare,
that, with the advice of our privy council, we have given
orocr shat our chancellor of that part of our united king
dom called Great Britain, and our chancellor of Irelani,
do respectively , upon notice thereof, forthwith issue on;
writs, m due lorm and according to law, for calling a nw
parliament; and we do hereby also, by this our roval pro
claroauoh, under our great seal of our united kingdom,
require writs forthwith to be issued accordingly, by out
said chancellors respectively, for causing the lords spiritual
anu temporal, and commons, who are to serve in our said
parliament, to be duly returned to and give their attend
ance. in our said parliament; which writs are to be return
able on Tuesday the 31st day of August next.
Given at our court at Windsor, the 29th day of
June, 1802, and in the 42d year of our reign,
GOI) SAVE THE KING.
July 4. The Algerines have font a fleet of 22 fail 0?
fliips of war to lea, amongst which are ieveral large fri
gates.
July 5. Sir John Borlafe Warren, K- B. is appointed
Britilh ambassador to the court of St. Peterlburgh, and
will let off on his embalfy the firft week in Augult.
July 12. Grain is diminilhing in price in several of
the aepartments of France. At Paris, however, it is dill
extremely dear.
Signora Bauti has a Iked the .managers of the opera home
2500!. to ling in breeches; while Ihe lung without breecks
Ihe was fatisfied with r 200!.
The emperor of Rullia and queen of Pruflia left Memel
on the i6tn of June. Nothing has tranipiitd upon the
fubjedt of the conferences between the two monarchs.
Among other reports in Paris it is said an internal ma
chine has been difeovered under a little bridge overvhici
: the chief con, till passes in his way to Mai in ai ion.
Greenock, July 7. The following is an extract cf 1
letter from a merchant in Glasgow to his friends in Edin
burgh: “ Never were our manutaftories i'o flourilhmg as
since the preliminaries were ligned. Upward, of
people have come to fettle here since the beginning of L
tober; the building was never so brilk, yet not an empty
house in town, and many families cooped up in a ling e
room. Our new demands are chiefly from Spain, -al),
&c. The American trade no person chooses to touch nov ,
having scarce any other market left us before it has
quite overflocked. Above three millions worth 01 L'g 1 ■
goods were in the city of New York alone when accounts
of the peace arrived there, and they have been fining j®
I pei cent, below prime coll, which has occalioned a g r£St
number of bankruptcies.”
BOSTON, Augiift i o. . 1
THROUGH the politeness of capt. Wood, arrive
here on Saturday last from Liverpool, we hav
favored with London papers to the 17th of July,
though manv days later tlian previotjflv received ,rom t
quarter, surmise nothing of a very interesting nature-
The election for metnbers.cf parliament has 001 7
in various parts of England and Scotland. Mr. E° x .
all appearances will be returned member for V.
Mr. Windham has left his election at Norwich*
Gai'coyne and Tarleton are chosen for Liverpool “ ir
right lipn. Henry Dundas lor Edinburgh.
The London paper cf July 17th lays, a
more of fine weather only are wanting to endure an -
ant harvefl.
To u IT.unt Lou vert me has arrived at Brefi. _
Our letters from Liverpool furnilh very te'ora
counts of the state of the markets, with a profpeC
continuing tr> appreciate. T his circuinftance la ,
t 0 , . . .. j.
to tire expectation of an immediate treaty 0 1
with France. . ffl r.
Ncvj Tork, Augujl 24. On Sunday r,l y i:l ,
QuackeubolVs big dog got loose; he ran