PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

THE amiable and sensible Fenelon addressed himself to the important subject of the Volume of the Affections; other writers also, who succeeded the Archbishop of Cambray, treated upon the same interesting topic; and perhaps it may not be deemed superfluous if I venture to propose a new work upon the same useful but neglected concernment. This, however, is not the highest object I have in view: the mere authorship of "a fresh volume," to say the least, would ill accord with my sincere desire to confer an enduring benefit upon the present generation of my country-women, or in any degree tend to recompense those labours, which have been unceasing during the last three years, consequent upon an undertaking which, as I ventured to anticipate, The Volume of the Affections will be acknowledged to be, by all dispassionate readers and unprejudiced critics.

My desire has been to present an HISTORICAL PICTURE (rather than a new and enlarged History of Woman), as a result of facts and experiences, drawn from the best possible sources, which may be relied upon, as a foundation to the volume. It is more than probable that, by its well-meant endeavours, and through its unambitious instrumentality, Man may see that "Woman" is susceptible of all the qualities which religion, policy, or government would give her.

I have carefully examined the various sorts of merit which have distinguished the most celebrated of the sex in different periods of history, and on that account have given, almost invariably, the praises which have been bestowed upon them.

B

The female character has not yet obtained much attention: true it is, "woman" has made some advance since the last reign, and since the English nation have been taught to believe that a "Monarch Queen," in the person of her Royal Highness the Princess Victoria, will, in all human likelihood, ascend the throne, when it shall please the Father of light and That true wisdom so to will and order the course of events. Princess, it is well known, bids fair to rise superior to every Royal Predecessor, as regards understanding, religion and virtue. It is to the future Queen Monarch, therefore, as well as to the amiable and excellent consort of William the Fourth, the English females universally look up, not only for a protection of their undoubted rights and privileges, but a vindication of their wrongs, through evil and through good report.

Trained up from her infantile years, as the Princess Victoria has been, under the holy and constitutional influences of the Protestant faith, and our most sacred church, aided by, and enlightened in her education by the Duchess of Northumberland-one of the most competent of our exalted noblesse-and ever accompanied by her Royal Parent Mother, the Duchess of Kent-what may not the British females expect towards the amelioration of their condition, and the advancement of their claims? Answer who will.

The female character, then, as I before observed, has not yet attracted, or seemed to deserve, attention—much more, deliberate consideration; for I am not led to regard the works of those biographers who have recorded the histories of women eminent for their vices, or illustrious merely by birth. Such as have professed to write, have either insulted "woman" with unmeaning eulogies, or, in the most unkind manner, have condemned her for being ignorant of things which she had been strenuously and even solemnly forbidden to learn. Some of these latter have condescended to approach the dust of the ground so nearly, as to display their propinquity to the ridiculous, in so far as they have demonstrated a parity of taste, by attempting to apply the epithets "foolish" and "vicious" to the whole sex, without exemption.

It is evident, to my humble understanding, and as I think it will be to more sensible individuals, that those who have written "advice" to the sex, have been satisfied with merely particularizing the decencies they ought to practise, rather than attempting, in a manly and affectionate spirit, to inculcate the VIRTUES from which those decencies unquestionably emanate, or, in other words, naturally arise; they have built up a sort of intellectual edifice in the absence of any foundation on which to found their superstructure.

For woman's and for virtue's sake, I would fain flatter myself that The Volume of Affections might produce an absolutely necessary reformation in the morals and manners of the age: abler pens than mine might attempt so desirable an object with scarcely any additional success. It will be believed, I hope, that my intention is not only good, but that it will be found deserving of public approbation.

The Roman matrons, we are assured by not only Gibbon, but other eminent writers, were under the strict and undeviating control and guardianship of their fathers, husbands, or the nearest relation of their sex; but as this is not the practice in England, those who boldly and unkindly pretend that woman has no occasion for reflection or knowledge, because she is always under the direction of her parent or husband, I venture to contend, have not looked around them to observe the number who are in the prime of life, and even the bloom of youth, without either parent, husband, or any male relation to whom obedience and the respect naturally paid to consanguinity are due. With most unmarried females who have lost their parents, this will be found to be the case. What, let me be permitted to ask, must be the fate of such, if ignorance be their only guide?

If it be my lot to assist one mother in the task of inspiring her daughter with those sentiments which are the basis of every virtuous and noble action; should I be so happy, and so fortunate, as to prevail upon one woman to examine her own heart, to listen to the dictates of her conscience, and obey its laws; should I be so favoured as to teach one woman to believe what great and good things she is competent to effect, and to raise herself above the "follies" with

which she is surrounded, my labours will be most amply repaid-I shall not have lived an useless member of society.

For my own part, if I were suffered to speak out, I should repeat the opinion expressed by Mr. Holcroft, who says, "What is there amiable but mind?—and when mind, like a diamond, exceeds a certain growth, calculation itself cannot find its value."-If this be true of mind alone, what shall we say of it when tended on by the Virtues and the Graces, and associated with beauty, piety, and benevolence?

I have read in ancient history, that Cornelia, the venerable mother of the GRACCHI, spent the best part of her life in the education of her children, and spared no care, no pains, no attention, no trouble, to render them worthy of herself-the daughters of SCIPIO, and of their name. They add, that she was so justly proud of them, that, to a rich companion lady, her guest, who-with ridiculous complacency and silly ostentation, exhibited the precious caskets which contained her most valuable jewels,—she said, pointing to her children returning from school, "These are my best ornaments." That every mother should be enabled to say thus much of her "" daughter," and that every daughter should strive to become the best jewel of her mother, is a feeling I have had constantly before me, during the progress of The Book of the Affections.

I have said a good deal in this undertaking concerning the attractive grace and powerful charm of MODESTY. Its advantages are self-evident, and I am only surprised that policy alone does not prevent the "sex" from ever rejecting so exalted an appendage. "Cheap exhibitions," says an animated writer on this subject, "soon sink into contempt." Unlimited indulgence in any of the pleasures of sense produces satiety, robs imagination of her power and her charms, and destroys the spring of our enjoyments:

"Learn then, ye fair, to keep the person sacred;

like the pure mind,

Be that array'd in modest dignity:

Nor e'en its beauties flauntingly expose:

Thus may ye keep the heart your charms have won ;"

and continue unrivalled in the virtues of the heart, and the graces of the mind, as you already are in personal loveliness.