Essays on Various Subjects, Principally Designed for Young Ladies

Transcriber's Note: Two small typos have been corrected. The margins have been made very large to approximate the layout of the original.
As for you, I ſhall adviſe you in a few words: aſpire only to thoſe virtues that are peculiar to your sex; follow your natural modeſty, and think it your greateſt commendation not to be talked of one way or the other.
Oration of Pericles to the Athenian Women.
LONDON: Printed for J. Wilkie, in St. Paul's Church-Yard; and T. Cadell, in the Strand. MDCCLXXVII.
MADAM,
If you were only one of the fineſt writers of your time, you would probably have eſcaped the trouble of this addreſs, which is drawn on you, leſs by the luſtre of your underſtanding, than by the amiable qualities of your heart.
As the following pages are written with an humble but earneſt wiſh, to promote the intereſts of virtue, as far as the very limited abilities of the author allow; there is, I flatter myself, a peculiar propriety in inſcribing them to you, Madam, who, while your works convey inſtruction and delight to the beſt-informed of the other ſex, furniſh, by your conduct, an admirable pattern of life and manners to your own. And I can with truth remark, that thoſe graces of converſation, which would be the firſt praiſe of almoſt any other character, conſtitute but an inferior part of yours.
I am, Madam, With the higheſt eſteem, Your moſt obedient Humble Servant,
Briſtol , Hannah More. May 20, 1777.

It is with the utmoſt diffidence that the following pages are ſubmitted to the inſpection of the Public: yet, however the limited abilities of the author may have prevented her from ſucceeding to her wiſh in the execution of her preſent attempt, ſhe humbly truſts that the uprightneſs of her intention will procure it a candid and favourable reception. The following little Eſſays are chiefly calculated for the younger part of her own ſex, who, ſhe flatters herſelf, will not eſteem them the leſs, becauſe they were written immediately for their ſervice. She by no means pretends to have compoſed a regular ſyſtem of morals, or a finiſhed plan of conduct: ſhe has only endeavoured to make a few remarks on ſuch circumſtances as ſeemed to her ſuſceptible of ſome improvement, and on ſuch ſubjects as ſhe imagined were particularly intereſting to young ladies, on their firſt introduction into the world. She hopes they will not be offended if ſhe has occaſionally pointed out certain qualities, and ſuggeſted certain tempers, and diſpoſitions, as peculiarly feminine , and hazarded ſome obſervations which naturally aroſe from the ſubject, on the different characters which mark the ſexes. And here again ſhe takes the liberty to repeat that theſe diſtinctions cannot be too nicely maintained; for beſides thoſe important qualities common to both, each ſex has its reſpective, appropriated qualifications, which would ceaſe to be meritorious, the inſtant they ceaſed to be appropriated. Nature, propriety, and cuſtom have preſcribed certain bounds to each; bounds which the prudent and the candid will never attempt to break down; and indeed it would be highly impolitic to annihilate diſtinctions from which each acquires excellence, and to attempt innovations, by which both would be loſers.