Part 3

10. Do not reveal your secrets to any one, unless it will be as much for their interest to keep, as it will be for yours to have them kept; and never reveal the secrets of others, when it will not injure you to keep them.

Never make any promise that you do not mean to perform; and fulfil all your promises when you have once made them; unless you find that you were deceived when you made them, and therefore ought not to have promised.

Never speak of the failings of another to a third person, but with the greatest reluctance, especially those of your own sex. If you can say no good of persons, you had better say nothing about them. For as you would not wish to have your own failings published to the world, so you must be exceeding careful not to publish the failings of others.

But should you discover a failing in your friend, you may, and ought to remind him or her of it, between you and them alone, but do it with the greatest modesty. And if your friends should tell you of a fault, take it kindly of them and endeavor to reform.

Never appear to slight the company of any one, while in their presence, even if it should be disagreeable; but rather endeavor to find some just occasion of absence, and avoid their company for the future.

Treat every one with civility, but use no flattery nor dissimulation to any one; but let the words of your mouth be the sentiments of your heart.

11. Do not try to outvie all others in dress, &c. but let your dress be modest, and suited to your circumstances. Remember that a real character doth not consist in the outward adornings of the body, but in the inward adornings of the mind and understanding.

Although a fop, or a coxcomb, might be charmed at the sight of fine ribbons, and embroidered apparel; yet the man of understanding will look for the more refined beauties; the adornments of the mind.

12. But however you may appear in company, and abroad, your real character for lasting reputation and future happiness in the world, must be formed and established at home; even in the kitchen, and in attending to your domestic concerns.

Here is where you are to form your character, not only for happiness, but also for usefulness in the world. By attending to industry, cookery, and all the domestic employments, you will qualify yourself to become the mistress of a family; and not only so, but here you will prepare yourself to be a worthy companion for a good and honest farmer, a laborious mechanic, a rich merchant, or even a minister of the gospel, or any other character whatever.

I am willing to own, that was a flaunting beau or a coxcomb, going to choose a partner for an afternoon or an evening, he would be likely to make choice of one that was set out in what they are pleased to call complete bon ton, that would please his fancy for just a moment to pass away an idle hour.

But was a virtuous young man about to make choice of a partner through life; one with whom he expected to participate, not only in the pleasures, but also in the sorrows and afflictions of life; one to be his bosom companion and mistress of his family, and to travel with him thro’ all the chequered scenes of the thorny maze of this wilderness world; he would be likely to choose one who was studious in business, well acquainted with domestic concerns, of an unsullied character, with a soft and easy temper of mind and one to whom the cares of her family would be her chief delight.

Such a companion as this would ever make home agreeable. And whether it should be their fortune to be rich or poor, every thing would go on harmoniously, and the domestic affairs would be attended to in season, and all things kept in proper order. And finally to conclude, we may join with the poet, and say, that

“This man while others roam, Among the sons of strife; Would be always happ’est when at home, In converse with his wife.”

FINIS.

Transcriber’s Notes:

――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (italics).

――Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.

――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.

――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.