he sent me to the boarding school; there I learned to dance and sing, to play on the bass viol, virginals, spinet, and guitar. I learned to make wax work, japan, paint upon glass, to raise paste, make sweetmeats, sauces, and everything that was genteel and fashionable.' Here we see the best obtainable education of the town-bred lady. What was a girl's education in the country like?[20] [Footnote 18: She was sister of Tutchin, of the _Observator_.] [Footnote 19: _The Levellers_, a dialogue between two young ladies concerning matrimony, &c.] [Footnote 20: _The Scowrers_, by Shadwell.] _Priscilla._ Did she not bestow good breeding upon you there? _Eugenia._ Breeding! what, to learn to feed Ducklings, and cram Chickens? _Clara._ To see Cows milk'd, learn to Churn, and make Cheese? _Eugen._ To make Clouted cream, and whipt Sillabubs? _Clara._ To make a Caraway Cake and raise Py Crust? _Eugen._ And to learn the top of your skill in Syrrup, Sweetmeats, _Aqua mirabilis_, and Snayl water. _Clara._ Or your great Cunning in Cheese cakes, several Creams and Almond butter. _Prisc._ Ay, ay, and 'twere better for all the Gentlemen in England that Wives had no other breeding, but you had Musick and Dancing. _Eugen._ Yes, an ignorant, illiterate, hopping Puppy, that rides his Dancing Circuit thirty Miles about, lights off his tyred Steed, draws his Kit[21] at a poor Country Creature, and gives her a Hich in her Pace, that she shall never recover. [Footnote 21: A pocket violin.] _Clara._ And for Musick an old hoarse singing man riding ten miles from his Cathedral to Quaver out the Glories of our Birth and State, or it may be a Scotch Song more hideous and barbarous than an Irish Cronan. _Eug._ And another Musick Master from the next town to Teach one to twinkle out _Lilly burlero_[22] upon an old pair of Virginals, that sound worse than a Tinker's Kettle that he cries his work on. [Footnote 22: See Appendix. 'Lilli burlero' and 'Bullen a lah' are said to have been the watchwords used by the Irish Papists in their massacre of the Protestants in 1641. The ballad to this tune was written in 1686, when James II. made the Earl of Tyrconnel, a bigoted papist, Lieutenant of Ireland. The words are nonsensical, but the tune is catching, and became very popular. This song is said to have contributed greatly in bringing about the Revolution of 1688.] We saw that even the accomplished town young lady was taught how to raise paste, &c.; indeed that was a regular branch of a girl's education, and all housewifely gifts were thoroughly appreciated. _Niece._ Good madam, don't upbraid me with my Mother _Bridget_, and an excellent housewife.