regards their children? Do they weigh, in a balance of God's providing,
this necessary provision of clothing, to separate not only what is
unseemly for the woman professing godly simplicity, but what is
enervating to those physical powers which she is bound to devote to the
Lord, and the weakening of which is actual robbery of him? I fear we
females are more ready to ask counsel one of another in this matter than
of the Lord; or even of our husbands, who, in nine cases out of ten, no
doubt would decide against the foolish and pernicious custom. At least,
in all my arguments with my own sex, I have found the men invariably
siding with me upon this topic.

You will be tired of these digressions, my dear friend, but I set out by
forewarning you that my opinions would be freely stated; and while
touching on a period of mortal life, where the body no less than the
mind usually takes its direction for the rest of our pilgrimage, I
cannot pass by any thing that appears to me of real importance to
either. We will now return to what poets have sung and citizens sighed
for, time out of mind--the delights of rural life.

All cramping is decidedly bad: wholesome restraints there are, which
parents are bound to lay upon their children, and the latter to submit
to; and among other things, I am sure a defined method and regular
habits in education, work, and play, together, with a most strict
attention to scrupulous punctuality, are not only valuable but
indispensable to a right government of the mind and conduct in after-
life. I have daily cause to lament the unavoidable neglect of such a
system in my own case, during three important years; but unavoidable it
was, unless my life had been sacrificed to the maintenance of such
order. Accordingly, mine was the life of a butterfly; and whatever of
the busy bee has since appeared in my proceedings must be ascribed to