As to Religion, by the little which most Gentlemen understand of that, and by the no shame which they ordinarily enough have in avowing this their ignorance, one cannot but suppose that it is pretty commonly thought by them a matter, the understanding whereof does not concern them:  That the Publick has provided others to do this for them:  And that their part herein is but to maintain (so far as by their Authority they can) what those Men assert.

Thus wretchedly destitute of all that Knowledge which they ought to have, are (generally speaking) our English Gentlemen:  And being so, what wonder can it be, if they like not that Women should have Knowledge; for this is a quality that will give some sort of superiority even to those who care not to have it?  But such Men as these would assuredly find their account much better therein, if tenderness of that Prerogative would teach them a more legitimate way of maintaining it, than such a one as is a very great impediment or discouragement, at the least, to others in the doing what God requires of them.  For it is an undeniable Truth that a Lady who is able but to give an account of her Faith, and to defend her Religion against the attaques of the Cavilling Wits of the Age; or the Abuses of the Obtruders of vain Opinions:  That is capable of instructing her Children in the reasonableness of the Christian Religion; and of laying in them the Foundations of a solid Vertue; that a Lady (I say) no more knowing than this does demand, can hardly escape being call’d Learned by the Men of our days; and in consequence thereof, becoming a Subject of Ridicule to one part of them, and of Aversion to the other; with but a few exceptions of some vertuous and rational Persons.  And is not the incuring of general dislike, one of the strongest discouragements that we can have to any thing?

If the assistance of Mothers be, as I have already affirm’d it is, necessary to the right forming of the Minds, and regulating of the Manners of their Children; I am not in the wrong in reckoning (as I do) that this care is indispensibly a Mothers Duty.  Now it cannot, I think, be doubted, but that a Mothers Concurrence and Care is thus necessary, if we consider that this is a work which can never be too soon begun, it being rarely at all well performed, if not betimes undertaken; nothing being so effectual to the making Men vertuous, as to have good Habits and Principles of Vertue establish’d in them before the Mind is tainted with any thing opposite or prejudicial hereunto.  Those therefore must needs much over-look the chief Business of Education, or have little consider’d the Constitution of Humane Nature, that reckon for nothing the first eight or ten Years of a Boys Life; an Age wherein Fathers, who seldom are able to do it at any time, can neither charge themselves with the care of their Children, nor be the watchful inspectors of those that they must be trusted to; who usually and unavoidably by most Parents, are a sort of People