*The right education of this _sex_ is of the utmost importance. For tho’ _women_ don’t carry on the _trade_ and _business_ of the world; yet as they are _mothers_ and _mistresses_ of families, that have for some time the care of the education of their children, they are entrusted with that which is of the greatest consequence to human life. For this reason, _good_ or _bad_ women are likely to do as much good or harm in the world, as good or bad men in the greatest business. *For as the _health_ and _strength_, or _weakness_ of our bodies, is much owing to _their methods_ of treating us when we were young; so the _soundness_ or _folly_ of our minds is not less owing to these _first tempers_ and ways of thinking, which we eagerly received from the _love_, _tenderness_, _authority_, and constant _conversation_ of our mothers. *As we call our first language our _mother-tongue_, so we may as justly call our first tempers our _mother-tempers_; and perhaps it may be found more easy to forget the _language_, than to part entirely with those _tempers_ which we learnt in the _nursery_. 2. It is therefore much to be lamented, that this _sex_, who have the first forming both of our _bodies_ and _minds_, are not only educated in _pride_, but in the _silliest_ and most _contemptible_ part of it. *They are not indeed suffered to dispute with us the proud _prizes_ of _arts_ and _sciences_; but we turn them over to the study of _beauty_ and _dress_, and the whole world conspires to make them think of nothing else. _Fathers_ and _mothers_, _friends_ and _relations_, seem to have no other wish towards the _little girl_, but that she may have a _fair skin_, _a fine shape_, _dress well_, and _dance_ to admiration. Now if a fondness for our _persons_, a desire of _beauty_, a love of _dress_, be a part of pride (as surely it is a most contemptible part of it) the first step towards a _woman’s humility_, seems to require a _repentance_ of her education. For it must be owned, that, generally speaking, good parents are never more fond of their daughters, than when they see them _too fond_ of themselves, and _dressed_ in such a manner, as is a great reproach to the gravity and sobriety of the Christian life. 3. The _church_ has formerly had _eminent saints_ in that sex; and it may reasonably be thought, that it is purely owing to their _poor_ and _vain_ education, that this honour of their sex is for the _most part_ confined to _former_ ages. *The corruption of the world indulges them in great vanity, and mankind seem to consider them in no other view, than as so many _painted idols_, that are to allure and gratify their passions; so that if many women are _vain_, _light_, _gewgaw_ creatures, they have this to excuse themselves, that they are not only such as their _education_ has made them, but such as the _generality_ the world _allows_ them to be.