Emilius and Sophia (Volume 3); Or, a New System of Education (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1783. Excerpt: ... figure j wherefore, then, should it be esteemed a beauty in one that is dressed? I dare not be too explicit as to those reasons the women have for persisting to gird themselves up in this manner: a falling breast, a riling belly, &c. are, I confess, difagreeable enough in a young woman of twenty; but these are no longer shocking when a woman is turned of thirty.; and, indeed, such defects at any age are less displeasing than the ridiculous affectation of a little miss of forty. Every thing that confines and lays nature under a restraint is an instance of bad taste: this is as true in regard to the ornaments of the body as to the embellishments of the mind. Life, health, reason, and convenience ought to be taken first into consideration: gracefulness cannot subsist without ease; delicacy is not debility, nor must a woman be sick in order to please. Infirmity and sickness may excite our pity: but desire and pleasure require the bloom and vigour of health. Children of both sexes have a great many amusements in common; and so they ought; have they not also many such when they are grown up? Each sex hath also its peculiar taste to distinguish in this particular. Boys love sports of noise and activity; to beat the drum, to whip the top, and to drag about their little carts: girls, on the other hand, are fonder of things of show and ornament; such as mirrours, trinkets, and dolls: the doll is the peculiar amusement of the the semales; from whence we see their taste plainly adapted to their destination. The physical part of the art of pleasing lies in dress; and this is all which children are capacitated to cultivate of that art. You shall fee a little girl spend whole days about her waxen baby; be perpetually changing.its clothes, dress and undress it an hundred...