Under this head may be ranked all those accomplishments which merely
render the person attractive; and those half-learnt ones which do not
improve the mind. “A little learning of any kind is a dangerous thing;”
and so far from making a person pleasing, it has the contrary effect.
Parents have mostly some weighty business in hand, which they make a
pretext to themselves for neglecting the arduous task of educating their
children; they are therefore sent to school, and the allowance for them
is so low, that the person who undertakes the charge must have more than
she can possibly attend to; of course, the mechanical parts of education
can only be observed. I have known children who could repeat things in
the order they learnt them, that were quite at a loss when put out of
the beaten track. If the understanding is not exercised, the memory will
be employed to little purpose.
Girls learn something of music, drawing, and geography; but they do not
know enough to engage their attention, and render it an employment of
the mind. If they can play over a few tunes to their acquaintance, and
have a drawing or two (half done by the master) to hang up in their
rooms, they imagine themselves artists for the rest of their lives. It
is not the being able to execute a trifling landscape, or any thing of
the kind, that is of consequence—These are at best but trifles, and the
foolish, indiscriminate praises which are bestowed on them only produce
vanity. But what is really of no importance, when considered in this
light, becomes of the utmost, when a girl has a fondness for the art,
and a desire of excellence. Whatever tends to make a person in some
measure independent of the senses, is a prop to virtue. Amusing
employments must first occupy the mind; and as an attention to moral
duties leads to piety, so whoever weighs one subject will turn to
others, and new ideas will rush into the mind. The faculties will be
exercised, and not suffered to sleep, which will give a variety to the
character.
Dancing and elegance of manners are very pleasing, if too great a stress
is not laid on them. These acquirements catch the senses, and open the
way to the heart; but unsupported by solid good qualities, their reign
is short.
The lively thoughtlessness of youth makes every young creature agreeable
for the time; but when those years are flown, and sense is not
substituted in the stead of vivacity, the follies of youth are acted
over, and they never consider, that the things which please in their
proper season, disgust out of it. It is very absurd to see a woman,
whose brow time has marked with wrinkles, aping the manners of a girl in
her teens.
I do not think it foreign to the present subject to mention the trifling
conversations women are mostly fond of. In general, they are prone to
ridicule. As they lay the greatest stress on manners, the most
respectable characters will not escape its lash, if deficient in this
article. Ridicule has been, with some people, the boasted test of
truth—if so, our sex ought to make wonderful improvements; but I am apt
to think, they often exert this talent till they lose all perception of
it themselves. Affectation, and not ignorance, is the fair game for
ridicule; and even affectation some good-natured persons will spare. We
should never give pain without a design to amend.
Exterior accomplishments are not to be despised, if the acquiring of
them does not satisfy the possessors, and prevent their cultivating the
more important ones.