P.S. Since writing the above letter, an ingenious German friend of mine has informed me, that a curious work has lately appeared in Germany, entitled, “ A ❝ treatise on human misery," written by a Mr. Salzman, an enlightened school-master, in which a striking view is given of the mifery inflicted upon part of the human race, by the prefent abfurd, and cruel modes of conducting education in public fchools. The author concludes this part of his work, my friend informs me, with a dream, in which he beholds with ineffable joy, the avenging angel defcending from heaven, and afterwards confuming in an immense bonfire, certain absurd fchool-books, and all the ferrules in the world.

THOUGHTS UPON FEMALE EDUCATION, ACCOMMODAT ED TO THE PRESENT STATE OF SOCIETY, MANNERS, AND GOVERNMENT, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ADDRESSED TO THE VISITORS OF THE YOUNG LADIES' ACADEMY IN PHILADELPHIA, 28th JULY, 1787, AT THE CLOSE OF THE QUARTERLY EXAMINATION, AND AFTERWARDS PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST OF THE VISITORS.

GENTLEMEN,

IHA

HAVE yielded with diffidence to the folicita tions of the Principal of the Academy, in undertaking to express my regard for the profperity of this seminary of learning, by submitting to your candor, a few Thoughts upon Female Education.

The first remark that I fhall make upon this fubject, is, that female education should be accommodated to the state of fociety, manners, and government of the country, in which it is conducted.

This remark leads me at once to add,,that the education of young ladies, in this country, fhould be conducted upon principles very different from what it is in Great Britain, and in some respects, different from what it was when we were part of a monarchical empire.

There are feveral circumftances in the fituation, employments, and duties of women in America, which require a peculiar mode of education.

I. The early marriages of our women, by contracting the time allowed for education, renders it neceffary to contract its plan, and to confine it chiefly to the more ufetul branches of literature,

II. The state of property in America, renders it neceffary for the greatest part of our citizens to employ themselves, in different occupations, for the advancement of their fortunes. This cannot be done without the affiftance of the female members of the community. They must be the ftewards, and guardians of their husbands' property. That education, therefore, will be most proper for our women, which teaches them to discharge the duties of those offices with the most fuccefs and reputation,

III. From the numerous avocations from their families, to which profeffional life expofes gentlemen in America, a principal fhare of the instruction of children naturally devolves upon the women. It becomes us therefore to prepare them by a suitable education, for the difcharge of this most important duty

of mothers.

IV. The equal share that every citizen has in the liberty, and the poffible fhare he may have in the government of our country, make it neceffary that our ladies fhould be qualified to a certain degree by a pecu

liar and fuitable edueation, to concur in inftructing their fons in the principles of liberty and government.

V. In Great Britain the bufinefs of fervants is a regular occupation; but in America this humble station is the usual retreat of unexpected indigence; hence the servants in this country poffefs lefs knowledge and fubordination than are required from them; and hence, our ladies are obliged to attend more to the private affairs of their families, than ladies generally do, of the fame rank in Great Britain. "They are good servants," faid an American lady of distinguished merit, * in a letter to a favorite daughter, § "who will do well with "good looking after." This circumftance fhould have great influence upon the nature and extent of female education in America.

The branches of literature most effential for a young lady in this country, appear to be,

I. A knowledge of the English language. She fhould not only read, but speak and spell it correctly. And to enable her to do this, fhe fhould be taught the English grammar, and be frequently examined in applying its rules in common conversation.

II. Pleasure and intereft confpire to make the writing of a fair and legible hand, a neceflary branch of a lady's education. For this purpose the should be

* Mrs. Græme.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson,

taught not only to shape every letter properly, but to pay the ftricteft regard to points and capitals.*

I once heard of a man who profeffed to discover the temper and disposition of perfons by looking at their hand writing. Without enquiring into the probability of this story; I fhall only remark, that there is one thing in which all mankind agree upon this fubject, and that is, in confidering writing that is blotted, crooked, or illegible, as a mark of vulgar education. I know of few things more rude or illiberal, than to obtrude a letter upon a person of rank or bufiness, which cannot be eafily read. Peculiar care should be taken to avoid every kind of ambiguity and affectation in writing names. I have now a letter in my poffeffion upon business, from a gentleman of a liberal profeffion in a neighbouring state, which I am unable to anfwer, because I cannot difcover the name which is fubfcribed to it. + For obvious reafons I would recom

*The prefent mode of writing among persons of taste is to use a capital letter only for the first word of a sentence, and for names of perfons, places and months, and for the first word of every line in poetry. The words should be so shaped that a straight line may be drawn between two lines, without touching the extremities of the words in either of them.

Dr. Franklin received many letters while he was in France during the American war, from perfons who wifhed to migrate to America, and who appeared to poffefs knowledge and talents that would have been useful to his country, but their names were fubfcribed to their letters in fo artificial and affected a manner, that he was unable to decypher them, and of courfe, did not answer them.