permitted to learn the languages.  I have heard it lamented that boys lose so many years in mere learning of words:  this is no objection to a girl, whose time is not so precious:  she cannot advance herself in any profession, and has therefore more hours to spare; and as you say her memory is good, she will be very agreeably employed this way.  There are two cautions to be given on this subject:  first, not to think herself learned when she can read Latin, or even Greek.  Languages are more properly to be called vehicles of learning than learning itself, as may be observed in many schoolmasters, who, though perhaps critics in grammar, are the most ignorant fellows upon earth.  True knowledge consists in knowing things, not words.  I would wish her no further a linguist than to enable her to read books in their originals, that are often corrupted, and always injured, by translations.  Two hours’ application every morning will bring this about much sooner than you can imagine, and she will have leisure enough besides to run over the English poetry, which is a more important part of a woman’s education than it is generally supposed.  Many a young damsel has been ruined by a fine copy of verses, which she would have laughed at if she had known it had been stolen from Mr. Waller.  I remember, when I was a girl, I saved one of my companions from destruction, who communicated to me an epistle she was quite charmed with.  As she had a natural good taste, she observed the lines were not so smooth as Prior’s or Pope’s, but had more thought and spirit than any of theirs.  She was wonderfully delighted with such a demonstration of her lover’s sense and passion, and not a little pleased with her own charms, that had force enough to inspire such elegancies.  In the midst of this triumph I showed her that they were taken from Randolph’s poems, and the unfortunate transcriber was dismissed with the scorn he deserved.  To say truth, the poor plagiary was very unlucky to fall into my hands; that author being no longer in fashion, would have escaped any one of less universal reading than myself.  You should encourage your daughter to talk over with you what she reads; and, as you are very capable of distinguishing, take care she does not mistake pert folly for wit and humour, or rhyme for poetry, which are the common errors of young people, and have a train of ill consequences.  The second caution to be given her (and which is most absolutely necessary) is to conceal whatever learning she attains, with as much solicitude as she would hide crookedness or lameness; the parade of it can only serve to draw on her the envy, and consequently the most inveterate hatred, of all he and she fools, which will certainly be at least three parts in four of all her acquaintance.  The use of knowledge in our sex, besides the amusement of solitude, is to moderate the passions, and learn to be contented with a small expense, which are the certain effects of a studious life; and it may be preferable even