325.  And, with regard to young women, everlasting book-reading is absolutely a vice.  When they once get into the habit, they neglect all other matters, and, in some cases, even their very dress.  Attending to the affairs of the house:  to the washing, the baking, the brewing, the preservation and cooking of victuals, the management of the poultry and the garden; these are their proper occupations.  It is said (with what truth I know not) of the present Queen (wife of William IV), that she was an active, excellent manager of her house.  Impossible to bestow on her greater praise; and I trust that her example will have its due effect on the young women of the present day, who stand, but too generally, in need of that example.

326.  The great fault of the present generation, is, that, in all ranks, the notions of self-importance are too high.  This has arisen from causes not visible to many, out the consequences are felt by all, and that, too, with great severity.  There has been a general sublimating going on for many years.  Not to put the word Esquire before the name of almost any man who is not a mere labourer or artisan, is almost an affront.  Every merchant, every master-manufacturer, every dealer, if at all rich, is an Esquire; squires’ sons must be gentlemen, and squires’ wives and daughters ladies.  If this were all; if it were merely a ridiculous misapplication of words, the evil would not be great; but, unhappily, words lead to acts and produce things; and the ‘young gentleman’ is not easily to be moulded into a tradesman or a working farmer.  And yet the world is too small to hold so many gentlemen and ladies.  How many thousands of young men have, at this moment, cause to lament that they are not carpenters, or masons, or tailors, or shoemakers; and how many thousands of those, that they have been bred up to wish to disguise their honest and useful, and therefore honourable, calling!  ROUSSEAU observes, that men are happy, first, in proportion to their virtue, and next, in proportion to their independence; and that, of all mankind, the artisan, or craftsman, is the most independent; because he carries about, in his own hands and person, the means of gaining his livelihood; and that the more common the use of the articles on which he works, the more perfect his independence.  ‘Where,’ says he, ’there is one man that stands in need of the talents of the dentist, there are a hundred thousand that want those of the people who supply the matter for the teeth to work on; and for one who wants a sonnet to regale his fancy, there are a million clamouring for men to make or mend their shoes.’  Aye, and this is the reason, why shoemakers are proverbially the most independent part of the people, and why they, in general, show more public spirit than any other men.  He who lives by a pursuit, be it what it may, which does not require a considerable degree