nour of your Sex. Thefe, I think, you may safely read (for I would not confine you wholly to Books of Morality and Devotion) but I would have you read them rather for Amusement than Inftruction; to quote them feldom ; and, particularly, avoid the Appearance of a Character fo ridiculous as that of a female Pedant. There are other Pieces I would wholly exclude out of your Clofet; and fuch I reckon all Treatifes of Philofophy, and Romances. The firft can only ferve to confufe and disturb your Judgment; and the laft to corrupt the native Goodnefs and Innocence of your Heart. But, if you will believe me, the beft Books in the World will be less serviceable to your Improvement, than the fele&t Converfation of a virtuous and experienced Friend, who can communicate her Reflections to you without Referve, and to whom you can as freely discover your moft fecret and important Affairs.

'Tis fuch a One, MADAM, will inform you, that the two Qualities most valuable in your Sex, are Calmness and Good-Nature; and that, with these (provided she does not want Senfe) a Lady will be always agreeable. I have no Defign, in faying this, to confine the female Genius. I know there are many of your Sex capable of forming the highest Enterprizes, or of attaining the fublimeft Sciences. But, in my Apprehenfion, our Sex, as well as yours, are apt to mistake themselves as to this Point. It is not of fuch Confequence, to have the Genius enterprifing and lively, as to have it rightly turn'd, and thoroughly form'd, fo as to know where our Happinefs lies, and purfue it by fteady and rational Methods.

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Methods. Whereas, but too often, the thining Qualities of the Mind, inftead of affifting us for this Purpose, prejudice or mislead us, and fre quently hurry us into thofe Indifcretions, that may not improperly be call'd the Precipices of a Court.

I WOULD by no Means, MADAM, from hence, be thought to reduce you to Talents unbecoming your Station. All I mean is to convince you, that the moft true, as well as ufeful Knowledge, confifts in the understanding our Duty well, and preferving the Limits Nature has prescribed to us. Whatever carries you beyond thefe is often dangerous, and always unneceffary. Of what Confequence, for Example, is it for you to know the Difference betwixt the Ptolemaick and Copernican Syftems? Or in what Manner Storms and Lightning are produc'd; with a Thousand other Doctrines of equal Infignificancy.

Ir is not fo eafy a Task to direct you, MADAM, what Turn your Genius fhould take. The Temperament of the Mind, in this Cafe, depends very much on the Conftitution. All I can venture to fay, is, that, were I at Liberty to give my Opinion in fo delicate a Point, you would prefer the penfive Difpofition to the gay. Not that I think Vivacity wants its particular Charms, but we live in an Age wherein People are obliged to appear, at leaft prudent, fo early, and confequently the Seafon of Pleasure and Diverfion is to thort, (1) that I think the ferious Manner is the more eligible of the Two. THE

(1) To understand this Paffage, it is neceffary to obferve the Time when it was written. M. de Mainte

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THE grave Ladies, perhaps, MAdam, have no Reafon to overvalue themselves on this Decifi on. The Levity of the Gay, is a Flame that foon evaporates, and feldom leaves any ftrong Im+ preffions on the Mind. It is otherwife with them; as they are fubject to make more lafting Engagements; and, that their Lovers imagine themfelves fafe against Inconftancy, they neceffarily are more expos'd.

"TIS on this Occafion you can never be too much on your Guard. The Beginning of an Amour, between two Perfons of Quality and Merit, has fomething in it fo apparently juft; it is fo natural to like an amiable Object, especially when we know we are ourselves belov'd by it first, and if Virtue did not interpofe, there is fo much of Sincerity and Gratitude in doing fo, that the utmoft Precautions feem requifite against a Paffion, whofe Progrefs is as difficult to ftop, as 'tis easy to fupprefs in its Original.

THE fureft Way, MADAM, is carefully to infpect your own Inclinations, and, by a due Reflection on the Confequences, ftifle the firft Emotions of this Kind in your Breaft. Confider, your Choice and Eftabliftment in the World depend lefs on yourself than on thele to whom you owe

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non had then an abfolute Sway at the Court, and as that Lady was a remarkable Devotee, the whole Court put on fuch extravagant Airs of Hypocrify, that when they came to be expos'd by Moliere, in his Tartuff, the King was obliged to yield to the Party, and forbid the Play.

your illuftrious Birth (1). But beware of carrying this Caution fo far as to give your Virtue a fullen and gloomy Afpect. I would not have you, for this Reafon, look on the other Sex as Monsters and Enemies, or receive their Compliments and Civilities as fo many Injuries and Affronts, provided there be nothing in them extravagant or ridiculous; but that they are attended with good Manners and Refpect, they fhould not be offen-. five to you. But, you will fay, the Question is, how you fhall diftinguifh and return them?

'Tis here, MADAM, you will find Occafion for all the Delicacy of your Understanding. Avoid, above all Things, carrying fuch Converfations to any Length. Let your Anfwers be short and general, attended with an obliging Manner; and endeavour, as foon as poffible, to divert the Difcourfe to fome other Subject. It is only the Talent of your Country-Ladies, to affect an aukward Kind of Ridicule on this Article, and push on the Difpute till they have forced their Admirers to quit the Field.

Ir is a common Miftake, that, by the Vivacity of their Wit, or the Sprightlinefs of their Repartees, your Sex difcover themfelves to moft Advantage.

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(1) The Lady, to whom the Marquis of Chetardye infcribed this Treatife, was Mademoiselle de Nantes, natural Daughter to Lewis XIV. by Frances Athanafia de Roche Chouart, Marchioness of Montefpan, and Daughter to the Prince of Mortemar: She was born in 1373. and married to Lewis Duke of Bourbon in 1685. She was legitimated by the King in 1681.

I would rather, M ADAM, advife you, when Things are faid, which are improper for you to take Notice of, by a seeming Ignorance, to fhew that your Difcernment alone is the Caufe of your Silence. There is more Merit in fuch a Behaviour than is commonly imagin'd: For every one is naturally fond of their own Sentiments: They often rife for fuddenly, it is not eafy to fupprefs them: And, as the Restraint cofts us fome Pain, others will do us the Juftice to place it to our Account.

JEALOUSY is another Paffion very fatal to your Sex. It feldom fails being attended with Malice and Envy, two of the blackest Dispositions can deform the human Soul. There is a great Number of Ladies, to whom it is infupportable to hear the leaft Good fpoken of one who is abfent; and this has so prevailed in the World, that our Sex think themselves obliged to keep great Measures, on this Occafion, when in Company with those whole Refentment they may fear, or whofe Favour they defire to preferve. But, can any Thing be more weak or ridiculous than fuch a Conduct?

Can you believe, Madam, the juft Praifes, given to the Merit or Beauty of another, will dis minish your own? Or can you poffibly imagine, that you are the fole Perfon in the World who poffefs those Qualities in Perfection? If you think yourself intitled to the Applaufes beftow'd on the abfent Lady, fhould you not taste a fecret Satiffaction in finding yourfelf commended in the Perfon of another, without any Expence to your Modefty? And, if you think the Lady is flattered, is not the Cafe equal? Does the undeferved Praise receive, the leaft Injustice or Prejudice to you?

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