What now remains to be effected, is, the managing of children of high and animated spirit. If care be not taken of this, when they have any vivacity, they intrigue: they wish to speak on every topic: they decide on works the least calculated for their capacity, and affect, through extreme delicacy, to be easily fatigued and overpowered. A girl should never speak but when necessity prompts: and then, with an air of deference and doubt: they should never even discuss subjects above the level of a common understanding, how well soever versed in them. Let a child possess a good memory and vivacity—shew pleasant little turns, and a facility of graceful eloquence—all these qualifications she may have in common with a great number of other stupid and contemptible women. But an exact and uniform conduct—an equal and regulated spirit—when to be silent, and when to speak—these rare qualifications will indeed distinguish her among her sex. As to squeamish delicacy and affectation of ennui, she must be repressed in both—by shewing her that a correct taste and good understanding consist in accommodating oneself to every thing in proportion to its utility.
Good sense and virtue are alone estimable. These will teach her to consider disgust and ennui, not as a commendable delicacy, but as the weakness of a diseased mind.
Since one must sometimes associate with gross characters, and mingle in occupations not altogether congenial—reason, which is the only real delicacy to be indulged, should instruct us to accommodate ourselves according to every emergency. An understanding which knows in what true politeness consists, and practises it, but which aspires to objects beyond it, in the hope of enjoying more solid attainments—is infinitely superior to delicate and merely polite characters, who are subject to be disgusted by their own nicety and refined taste.
[10.] France.
[11.] This is construed in the above manner in preference to "the table of particular persons:" conceiving that Fenelon means "certain rules or laws" to be observed in regard to living and dressing.
T.
[12.] A preceding and subsequent sentence in the original is here omitted; because it has an allusion to antiquated high head dresses; which are now, I believe, banished not only from France, but from Europe. The present simple and unaffected mode of female dress, (with some ridiculous and indelicate exceptions) is in general very conformable to the taste and advice of Fenelon.