We have hitherto consider’d our Retirement only in relation to Religion, which is indeed its _main_, I may say its _only_ design; nor can this be thought too contracting a word, since Religion is the adequate business of our lives, and largely consider’d, takes in all we have to do, nothing being a fit employment for a rational Creature, which has not either a _direct_ or _remote_ tendency to this great and _only_ end. But because, as we have all along observ’d, Religion never appears in its true Beauty, but when it is accompanied with Wisdom and Discretion; and that without a good Understanding, we can scarce be _truly_, but never _eminently_ Good; being liable to a thousand seductions and mistakes (for even the men themselves, if they have not a competent degree of Knowledge, are carried about with every wind of Doctrine) Therefore, one great end of this Institution shall be, to expel that cloud of Ignorance which Custom has involv’d us in, to furnish our minds with a stock of solid and useful Knowledge, that the Souls of Women may no longer be the only unadorn’d and neglected things. It is not intended that our _Religious_ shou’d waste their time, and trouble their heads about such unconcerning matters, as the vogue of the world has turn’d up for Learning, the impertinency of which has been excellently expos’d by an ingenious Pen, but busy themselves in a serious enquiry after _necessary_ and _perfective_ truths, something which it _concerns_ them to know, and which tends to their real interest and perfection, and what that is the excellent Author just now mention’d will sufficiently inform them. Such a course of Study will neither be too troublesome nor out of the reach of a Female Virtuoso; for it is not intended she shou’d spend her hours in learning _words_ but _things_, and therefore no more Languages than are necessary to acquaint her with useful Authors. Nor need she trouble her self in turning over a great number of Books, but take care to understand and digest a few well-chosen and good ones. Let her but obtain right Ideas, and be truly acquainted with the nature of those Objects that present themselves to her mind, and then no matter whether or no she be able to tell what fanciful people have said about them: And throughly to understand Christianity as profess’d by the _Church_ of _England_, will be sufficient to confirm her in the truth, tho’ she have not a Catalogue of those particular errors which oppose it. Indeed a Learned Education of the Women will appear so unfashionable, that I began to startle at the singularity of the proposition, but was extremely pleas’d when I found a late ingenious Author (whose Book I met with since the writing of this) agree with me in my Opinion. For speaking of the Repute that Learning was in about 150 years ago, _It was so very modish_ (says he) _that the fair Sex seem’d to believe that_ Greek _and_ Latin _added to their Charms; and_ Plato _and_