Part 1

YOUTHFUL FOLLY DETECTED.

WRITTEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUTH, PARTICULARLY THE FEMALE SEX.

The maid that walks in folly’s path, Thoughtless and heedless as she goes; Will land in misery at last, Beset around with many foes:

But she who minds instruction young, Attentive to her bus’ness stays; In sweetest notes her name is sung, On harps of gold, where virtue plays.

WALPOLE, N. H. PRINTED AT THE OBSERVATORY PRESS, BY DAVID NEWHALL.

1804.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The following hints were originally designed for the benefit of a few individuals, for whom the author had a particular regard, and also felt himself under obligations to give them all that instruction which might be deemed necessary to guide them in the paths of virtue and morality, and to shun those vices which often ruin the female sex, and are too predominant in the world.

But as all young people are in one predicament, and instructions that are suitable for one, may be equally applied to the whole; therefore, for the benefit of the present, and future rising generations, these few lines are made public.

And although the Author would not blush to own this piece of work, yet, for certain reasons, his name is concealed.

TO YOUNG FEMALES, &c.

The most critical time of youth, especially of the female sex, is while they are in their juvenile years. At this age, when they are entering as it were upon the borders of life, to act in some degree for themselves, the greatest care and attention ought to be paid to them. And from the age of puberty, until they arrive to maturity, and are settled in the world, they ever ought to be considered as under the care and protecting eye of their parents, guardians, or masters.

How can parents, guardians, or masters, feel as though they had discharged their duty towards their children, and those under their care, in this respect, when they see them, entering on the wheels of time, exposed to all the temptations of an alluring world, and scarcely or never give them one check or caution!

And as it is to be feared that some parents, &c. are guilty of too much neglect on this hand, so others govern with too much restraint on the other. If you mean that your children should learn to govern themselves, you must learn it to them by experience; that is, by giving them a little lenity, together with your good counsel and advice, and according to their improvement, give them more and more, until they learn the art of self-government. But if you endeavor to keep them wholly under restraint, and never let them learn from experience the different manners and customs of people abroad; if they should happen to break out of your reach (as most likely they will, at certain times) they will (according to the vulgar expression) behave more like hogs let out of the sty; than like ladies; and not knowing the art of self government, they will be likely to break over all rules of decency and decorum.

But although parents, &c. may pay the strictest attention to their children, &c. unless there is the greatest degree of caution and circumspection attended to, on the part of the children, it will avail but very little.

Young people are apt to be insensible to the danger they are in, until their name is stained with a blot that is very hard to wipe away. The wise man has justly observed, that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”

The reputation of youth, a young maiden more especially, may be compared to china ware, or transparent glass, which is very easily broken, but impossible to mend, so but what it will leave a blemish behind.

How often does the thoughtless youth, in some unguarded hour, fall into some trifling folly or other which stamps a blur upon their characters, and fills their minds with shame and remorse. And it is too frequently the case, that in order to prevent the evils of one piece of bad conduct, they run into another, which only sinks them deeper and deeper. They then begin to give up all hopes of recovery, their minds become dissipated, and they give themselves over to all the vain delusions and allurements of time and sense. And as they travel on in the paths of folly, they become lost to all sense of virtue and morality, consequently happiness is fled, and they generally become slaves to misery and discontentment.

Such a life as this would be thought scarcely worth possessing! yet how often do we behold those who appeared to be very promising when they first started in life, and presented to us the most pleasing prospects, land on these shores at last, and drag out a miserable life, with shame and ignominy: while on the other hand, it often happens, that those who make a small appearance, and are thought but a very little of, when they first set out in life; yet by attending to good instruction, and the strictest caution and prudence, they have arisen to honor and dignity in the world, and are loved and esteemed by all virtuous people.

If these are facts, they show the importance of early attending to instruction.

And that you, my young friend, blooming with virgin beauty, unsullied with vice, and unimpaired with age; that you may shun those pernicious practices that will lead you in shame and disgrace, and pursue those paths that will lead you to honor and dignity in the world, and gain you a name that is more valuable than silver or gold, I leave you the following

RULES.

1. Keep a due regard over all your thoughts, and see that they are intent upon the business in which you are employed, that you may pay a proper attention to the same.

Nothing is more dangerous than an absent mind. It is rude to indulge the thoughts to rove upon indifferent objects, even when you are in company; but more especially when attending to your domestic concerns. If your thoughts are not mostly engaged in the business before you, time will steal away faster than you are aware of; night will come on before you are ready for it, many things must go undone that you ought to have attended to, and that which you have done will be apt to be slighted, or done to the halves; and you will thereby get to yourself rebukes and reproaches, which you might have easily prevented, and you will now begin to repent when it is too late to mend a bad day’s work.

By indulging an absent mind, young people are apt to be deaf to all that is said to them, or at least, it does not make an abiding impression on their minds; by which means they are apt to do their work wrong, have it to undo, and do over again, and sometimes spoil it in the end; which will make them feel very much chagrined, and also it will fret, perplex, and weary the patience of those who employ them.

All this might have been easily avoided by care and attention; and not only so, but you would improve in your business, and thereby make it become habitual and easy.

You cannot expect to become master of any kind of business, without much care and attention; and this ought to make you more studious in the same, for remember, that there is no business that you will be likely to be called to attend to, now when young, but what (if you should ever have a family of your own) you must attend to the same for yourself, or at least, have it attended to; and therefore it is highly necessary that you should now become master of it.

This is what ought to excite your mind now when young, that you may be well qualified to be mistress of your own family; and even if you should never have any family, this will do you no harm.