University of Virginia Library

On the delightful margin of the Merrimac,
in one of the most pleasant and beautiful
situations, which that fertile and healthful part
of America affords, lived Mrs. Williams, the virtuous
relict of a respectable clergyman.

She had two daughters, lovely and promising
as ever parent could boast.

Mrs. Williams's circumstances were easy. She
possessed a little patrimony, to which she retired,
after her husband's decease; but a desire of preserving
this for her children, and a wish to promote
their advantage and enlarge their society,
induced her to open a Boarding School.

As she had an eye, no less to the social
pleasure, than to the pecuniary profit of the
undertaking, she admitted only seven, at a time,
to the privilege of her tuition.

These were all young ladies, who had previously
received the first rudiments of learning,
and been initiated into the polite accomplishments,
which embellish virtue and soften the
cares of human life. They had generally lived
in the metropolis, and had acquired the graces
of a fashionable deportment; but they prossessed
different tempers and dispositions, which had
been variously, and, in some respects, erroneously
managed.

To cultivate the expanding flowers, and to
prune the juvenile eccentricities, which were
diffeminated among these tender plants; or, to
speak without a figure, to extend and purify
their ideas, to elevate and refine their affections,
to govern and direct their passions, required an
eye, watchful, and a hand, skilful as those of the
judicious Mrs. Williams.

While her judgment and prudence aided the
useful acquisitions of the mind, a sprightly fancy
and a cheerful disposition, regulated by experience
and discretion, qualified her to enter, at
once, with becoming dignity and condescending
ease, into all their concerns; to participate their
pleasures; while, with candour and mildness,
she reproved their errors, detected their follies,
and facilitated their amendment.

As the young ladies had finished their school
education, before Mrs. Williams received them
to her mansion, her instructions were more

especially designed to polish the mental part, to
call forth the dormant virtues, to unite and arrange
the charms of person and mind, to inspire
a due sense of decorum and propriety, and to
instil such principles of piety, morality, benevolence,
prudence and economy, as might be useful
through life.

Their time was, accordingly, disposed in a
manner most conducive to the attainment of
these objects. Every part of it was employed
to some valuable purpose; “for idleness,” Mrs.
Williams observed, “is the rust of the mind.”

Whatever tended to enlarge, inform, improve,
or amuse, she supposed worthy their attention.

She particularly endeavoured to domesticate
them; to turn their thoughts to the beneficial
and necessary qualifications of private life; often
inculcating, that

and labouring to convince them of the utter insignificance
and uselessness of that part of the
sex, who are

Early rising she recommended, both by precept
and example. This, she said, would not only

promote their health, but render them mistresses
of many hours, which must otherwise be lost in
enervating sloth and inaction. “And should we,”
continued she, “who have so much cause for exertion,
thus sacrifice the best part of our time?”

Another laudable practice of Mrs. Williams,
was perfect regularity in the government of her
pupils, and in the arrangement of their daily
exercises. “When,” said she, “we observe the
order of the natural world, and admire the consistency
and harmony of every part, we may
hence derive a lesson, for the regulation of our
conduct, in the sphere assigned to us.”

Pursuant to this plan of operation, the young
ladies arose at five; from which they had two
hours at their own disposal, till the bell summoned
them at seven, to the hall, where, the

ceremonies of the morning salutation over, they
breakfasted together; their repast being seasoned
with the unrestrained effusions of good humour
and sociability. On these occasions, Mrs. Williams
suspended the authority of the matron,
that, by accustoming her pupils to familiarity in
her presence, they might be free from restraint;
and, feeling perfectly easy and unawed, appear
in their genuine characters. By this mean she
had an opportunity of observing any indecorum
of behaviour, or wrong bias; which she kept in
mind, till a proper time to mention, and remonstrate
against it; a method, the salutary effects
of which were visible in the daily improvement
of her pupils.

The breakfast table removed, each took her
needle-work, except one, who read some amusing
and instructive book, for the benefit and entertainment
of the rest. The subject was selected
by Mrs. Williams, who conferred the
reading upon them in rotation.

At twelve o'clock, they were dismissed till
one, when dinner again called them together,
which was conducted in the same manner as
the morning repast.

Having resumed their occupations, the reader
of the day produced some piece of her own
composition, either in prose, or verse, according
to her inclination, as a specimen of her genius
and improvement. This being submitted to Mrs.

Williams's inspection, and the candid perusal and
criticism of her companions; and the subject
canvassed with great freedom of opinion, they
withdrew from the tasks of the day to seek that
relaxation and amusement, which each preferred.
No innocent gratification was denied them.
The sprightly dance, the sentimental song, and
indeed every species of pastime, consistent with
the decorum of the sex, was encouraged, as
tending to health, cheerfulness, and alacrity.

In these pleasing pursuits and enjoyments, the
present class of happy companions had nearly
completed the term allotted them by their parents,
and were soon to leave the peaceful shades
in which they delighted, when, being assembled
on the Monday morning of their last week, their
revered Preceptress thus accosted them:

“As the period is approaching, my dear pupils,
when I must resign your society, and quit
the important charge of instructor and friend,
which I have sustained with so much pleasure,
and, I trust, with some degree of fidelity, I shall
sum up the counsels, admonitions, and advice,
which I have frequently inculcated, and endeavour
to impress them on your minds, as my valedictory
address. For this purpose, during this
last week of your residence with me, I shall dispense
with your usual exercises, and substitute
a collection of my own sentiments, enforced by
the pathos of the occasion.

“Your docility, and cheerful diligence in attending
to my instructions; your modest, affectionate,
and respectful behaviour, together with
the laudable progress you have made in every
branch, which you have pursued, have well rewarded
my care, and engaged my approbation
and love. To me, therefore, a separation will
be painful. To you the period is important.
It is a period, which, while it relieves you from
the confinement of scholastic rules, introduces
you to new scenes of cares, of pleasures, of trials,
and of temptations, which will call for the
exercise of every virtue, and afford opportunity
for improving the endowments, both natural and
acquired, which you possess. Think not, then,
that your emancipation from schools, gives you
liberty to neglect the advantages which you have
received from them. The obligations under
which you are laid to your parents for the education
they have given you, require a diligent
improvement of every talent committed to your
trust.

“Of needle-work you are complete mistresses,
from the most delicate and highly finished, to
the most ordinary, though perhaps not less useful,
economy of mending and making the coarser
garments of family use. Many, I am aware,
suppose this laft a species of learning, which is
beneath the attention of a lady: but Clara will

tell you how valuable it has proved to her; and
how valuable it may prove to you.

“Nursed in the lap of affluence, and accustomed
to unbounded expense, Clara little thought, at
your age, that she should ever depend on her
needle for the livelihood and decent appearance
of a rising family. A discreet and prudent mother
early inculcated the lessons of industry and
economy, which she now practices; and taught
her that the knowledge could be of no disservice,
though she never had occasion for it. She married
with the brightest prospects. But a series
of unavoidable disasters, such as no human wisdom
could foresee or prevent, reduced her to
narrow circumstances; and, to complete her
misfortune, she was left a widow with four small
children. Her parents were in the grave; her
patrimony was gone! In this exigence, what
was her resource? Not fruitless lamentations,
and unavailing complaints. She immediately
summoned her resolution; and by the use of her
needle has ever since supported herself and family
with decency, and been highly respected for her
prudent exertions and exemplary industry. Directly
the reverse of this amiable character is
that of Belinda. She was educated in the same
way with Clara; the same schools gave them tuition;
and similar prosspects awaited their entrance
into life. Calamities attended the progress of
each; but different as their tempers and disposttions

was their conduct under them. The falling
fortunes of Clara were awhile suspended by
her discretion and frugality; while the ruin of
Belinda was hastened by her extravagance, diffipation,
and idleness. View them, now, in their
reduced state! Neatness, cheerfulness, and activity
preside in the dwelling of Clara; negligence,
peevishness, and sloth are legibly stamped
on that of Belinda. The ear is pained by her
complaints of poverty; the eye is disgusted by
her slatternly appearance, and oftentatious display
of the tattered remnants of finery, which bespeak
the pride and indolence of their owner; who
will neither convert them into more comfortable
garments, nor, by repairing, render them becoming.

“I hope, however, that occasions like these
may never call for your exertions. But there may
be cases, when, to know the use of your needles
will answer important purposes, even in an exalted
station, and amidst the splendor of affluence
and plenty.

“Matilda dignified a princely fortune by the
exercise of every virtue which can adorn a lady.
Among these, charity shone conspicuous. Her
maid said to her, one day, Madam, would you
have me lay aside these cast-clothes for some poor
person? Yes, replied Matilda; but sit down,
and mend them first. Don't you see they need it?
Why, Madam, rejoined the girl, is it not enough

for you to give them away? I should think the
least they can do is to mend them for themselves!
In that case, said Matilda, my bounty
would be greatly diminished. People, who need
charity have not the necessary materials for putting
such articles into repair; and should I furnish
them, perhaps they have never been taught
to use their needles. No more have I, returned
the maid. Have you not? said Matilda. Well
then, sit down, and I will direct your ingenuity
upon these clothes. By this mean you may learn
a very useful lesson, I assure you; a lesson, which
by practising for yourself, will enable you to lay
up part of your wages against the time when
sickness or old age shall take you from your
labours.

“Such examples of condescension and benevolence
to inferiors, are of more real and lasting
use than pounds prodigally bestowed.

“Do you seek higher testimonies of the honor
and utility of this employment? You may collect
many from the histories which you have
read during the last year. Among the Romans,
and several other nations of antiquity, a scarf,
wrought by the needle of a favourite fair, was received
as an honorable token of respect, and improved
as an invincible stimulus to heroic deeds.
Ladies of the first rank and station considered it
as no derogation from the dignity or delicacy
of their character, to make their own apparel,

and that of their families. The virtuous Panthea,
when her husband was going to fight in
the cause of Cyrus, her generous deliverer,
magnificently adorned his person, and decorated
his armour with her own needle-work.

“We ought never to be idle. No moment
should be unoccupied. Some employment, salutary,
either to body or mind, or both, should
be constantly pursued; and the needle is always
at hand to supply the want of other avocations.
The listless vacuity, which some young
ladies indulge, renders them extremely unhappy,
though they are insensible of the cause, and seek
to beguile the time in frivolous amusements.

“A still more endearing motive remains to be
suggested; and that is the pleasure, which your
accomplishments in this ornamental and useful
art must afford your parents; and the pain,
which your neglect of it hereafter must occasion
them.

“But your faithful and affiduous improvement
of time, since you have been with me, is a sure
pledge of your perseverance in the path of duty,
and your progress in every virtue. I trust, therefore,
that what I have said will be engraved on
your memories; and that some useful ideas will
be selected by each of you for your future advantage.

“Your minds are a good soil; and may I not
flatter myself, that the seeds of instruction which

I have sown, “will spring up, and yield fruit
abundantly?”

With one voice, they most affectionately assured
Mrs. Williams, that it should be their daily study
to profit by her lessons; and withdrew.