My indignation is yet awake, from having seen a few days since at
the Ursulines, an extreme lovely young girl, whose countenance spoke a
soul form'd for the most lively, yet delicate, ties of love and
friendship, led by a momentary enthusiasm, or perhaps by a childish
vanity artfully excited, to the foot of those altars, which she will
probably too soon bathe with the bitter tears of repentance and
remorse.

The ceremony, form'd to strike the imagination, and seduce the heart
of unguarded youth, is extremely solemn and affecting; the procession
of the nuns, the sweetness of their voices in the choir, the dignified
devotion with which the charming enthusiast received the veil, and took
the cruel vow which shut her from the world for ever, struck my heart
in spite of my reason, and I felt myself touch'd even to tears by a
superstition I equally pity and despise.

I am not however certain it was the ceremony which affected me thus
strongly; it was impossible not to feel for this amiable victim; never
was there an object more interesting; her form was elegance itself;
her air and motion animated and graceful; the glow of pleasure was on
her cheek, the fire of enthusiasm in her eyes, which are the finest I
ever saw: never did I see joy so livelily painted on the countenance of
the happiest bride; she seem'd to walk in air; her whole person look'd
more than human.

An enemy to every species of superstition, I must however allow it
to be least destructive to true virtue in your gentle sex, and
therefore to be indulg'd with least danger: the superstition of men is
gloomy and ferocious; it lights the fire, and points the dagger of the
assassin; whilst that of women takes its color from the sex; is soft,