These establishments flourished very well, for a while, but the existence of most of them was ephemeral. The education obtained at these institutions was in general superficial, arising from numerous causes. The pupils had not sufficient time allowed them to become learned; they grasped every thing at once, and of course, learned nothing well. A term or two, was thought sufficient for any one to gain great stores of knowledge at these seminaries. They skimmed the surface, essayed to catch the ornamental, and disregarded, or had not time to attend to the solid. After a few years trial, most of these institutions went down. There was too much expected of them. One or two teachers only were engaged to instruct, in all branches; one from plain sewing to embroidery, and one only from chirography to the elements of Euclid; and not much in each branch could be expected of them.

In the new schools which were formed, a better division of labor was made, and they went on better than before. Still there were many evils existing, which yielded, one after another, to experience, and to a more liberal patronage. Better systems were devised, and these were daily improved upon, until we now have many female schools, that are not behind the spirit of the age in general improvement.

A taste for reading and judging of character is as much acquired, as a taste for examining and criticising the pictures of the great artists. Biography should hold a place between geography and history, and should be studied as systematically as either. When countries are known by boundaries, those who lived and acted in them, individually should, if distinguished be known before history takes up the doings of the nation.

The world is busy in raising the standard of science and letters and we are not behind the best of them. Women are sharing with men all the advantages of primary, secondary, and high schools. The sage lecturer finds his room crowded with females, anxious to know what he has to teach. All that is taught in these schools, is brought to the social circle, whether moral, literary, or scientific. Education throws a charm over every hour of life, enters all its duties, pleasures, and hopes, from the cradle to the grave.

The world is one great school, and every one, well grounded in elementary knowledge, is learning some valuable lesson every day. Being well versed in geography, biography, and history, all things seem to come into one vast panorama, and the mind darts a glance over it at will, and selects passages of deep interest for contemplation.

EDITOR.

FEMALE BIOGRAPHY.

HANNAH ADAMS, a name identified with American literature, was born at Medfield, eighteen miles from Boston, in the year 1755. Her father was the son of a wealthy yeoman who had an extensive farm, and gave his only child a good early education, extending so far as the preparing him in the languages, and other branches of knowledge, to enter college: but suddenly he called his boy home to make him a farmer, for which it seems he could have been but indifferently qualified. In addition to his agricultural pursuits, her father opened a country store, and among other varieties sold books, to which he was more attached than to corn-bins and hay-stacks. He was married early and had several children. The subject of this memoir was his second daughter. Miss Hannah Adams always represented her mother as an excellent woman, but one who was very indulgent to her daughter, and made her a pet child; for she was an invalid from her cradle. At the age of ten years, Miss Adams lost this excellent parent, just at the time she most wanted her kind and careful attentions. There were no good schools in the neighbourhood at that time; but such as they were, it does not appear that she ever tried them, learning to read and write at home. She was a most inveterate devourer of all books that came in her way, probably without any particular discrimination; sermons, controversial divinity, novels, history, tales of conversions, of Indian wars, and all that mass of strange medleys, which at that period of our literature, and long since, floated through a country village. Such was her desire for knowledge, that sisterly affection, and parental authority, were often exerted to tear her from her books. Many of the best English authors had at this time been printed in Boston; and she committed to

memory nearly the whole of Milton, Young, Pope, Thomson, Armstrong, and others of this school. Shakspeare had not then come into vogue, being read then only by a few: but the instant she had possession of the work, it riveted her attention, notwithstanding, on this side of the water, the merits of the great child of nature had not been generally known or acknowledged. She, at this time, studied every work on history and geography she could reach, and became a wonderful proficient in these branches of learning.

This was a sad

While engaged in these wanderings, in the general fields of literature, her father failed. It was in those evil times which preceded the revolution, and the family was thrown from abundance, if not from wealth, to penury and want. reverse for Miss Adams, for in her studious reveries, she had never thought of the necessity of doing any thing in the way of earning a living, nor was she bred to the knowledge of household duties. Miss Adams was not then known out of a small reading party; and in fact, there was no literary public at that day for her to rest upon, and from whom to expect succor. Her sister, a less literary woman than herself, knew more of human nature, and made a better guide for her than often falls to the lot of helpless females; she advised with her in all things. At this time her father took into his house some boarders, who had received a classical education; they were either pursuing some profession, or had just entered into some one. From these she learned Latin and Greek; and as she always pursued matters thoroughly, she made herself a good scholar in these branches of knowledge. But at that period there seemed to be no opportunity for her to exercise her talents, or display her acquirements. There was not a female academy in the thirteen states. At this time she acknowledges that she had no strength of constitution, or firmness of purpose. During the revolutionary war she learned to make lace with cushion and bobbins, and for several years this was a lucrative female employment. This manufactory had been in use in old Ipswich, in that commonwealth, ever since the first settlement of the country. The first settlers brought the cushion and bobbin with them from England, and many a

good old dame who had no other, was comfortable by this profession. The art had been brought with them from Ipswich, in the mother country, and the taste for the consumption of the article also. The show of lace generally increased with years of single blessedness. The importation of lace was nearly cut off, and the home-made was used, to a very considerable extent, during the eight years of war. When the peace took place, this business was in a measure destroyed, and she was out of employment again. She could not keep a country school; her nerves would not permit it. She now undertook, and with great success, to prepare a few young gentlemen for college; and when they repaired to Cambridge for examination, they were found to be most admirably fitted to enter the institution. This was a novelty, and gave her great fame thoughout the country, but little pecuniary profit. At this period she accidentally fell upon Broughton's dictionary of religious sects, and reading this work with avidity and pleasure, she began to make remarks upon it. The history of the different sects in religion took entire possession of her mind, and she pushed her inquiries into the wide field of fact and speculation with unrestrained ardor. She read of creeds until her mind grew weary of conjecturing which was right; and she pondered upon what she read until she knew not what to believe: but she was determined to give her lucubrations to the public. She had so exhausted her mind, in making this effort, that she had a severe fit of sickness; and the benevolent Dr. Mann, then at Wrentham, came to her relief, and she was saved from the grave. There is no subject that falls to the lot of man to discuss, that so much disturbs the mind as the contemplation of numerous religious creeds. Happy is he who has some guide and settled opinions, and is not left on the sea of uncertainty in forming his own opinions on religious subjects. With a purity of mind, and an honesty of purpose, seldom, if ever equalled, Miss Adams was lost in doubt, until her corporeal frame sunk under it, and her mental powers were near following. But she was determined to publish, at all hazards; and she was not the first parent who cherished her offspring at the risk of her own life. Her first edition gave her nothing but

fame. The booksellers of that day thought they did well not to involve the author in expense. This edition went off well; so well, that the publisher wrote to her that he was about giving a second to the public. This liberty she peremptorily denied him, and made arrangments herself to bring out a second edition. For this purpose she went to Boston, and consulted with Dr. Freeman, a fine scholar, and also one of the most benevolent of men. He made an advantageous bargain for her, as literary labors were then estimated, but what would be considered a paltry sum at the present day, among the best publishers in any city of the Union. Her next publication was the history of New England. At this time there were but few standard works on the history of any part of New England, except Massachusetts; and she was too honest to take any thing on any single authority. She went back to primitive authorities, and of course found it a laborious task to finish her book. She began to abridge this work for schools, but was forestalled by a book maker: but the dispute has been settled in her favor, and nothing more need be said on the subject. The course then pursued among writers was more honorable than it has been in later times, when men, considered as honest, and men high in public favor, have not hesitated to retard others, that they might figure in, and reap the harvest of glory or profit. The diseases of and avarice infest literary as well as other men.

envy

The next work of Miss Adams was a review of the Christian religion. This is a most satisfactory and candid work: one cannot read it without acknowledging that it is the work of a capacious and an enlightened mind. In the abridgment of her history of New England, one misfortune did not come alone. The publisher of the first edition failed, and she lost the whole. Another was tried, and she was equally unfortunate with him. She was depressed, but not discouraged; and kept on with her pen, although nothing of a permanent advantage had yet accrued from all her labors, excepting an extensive fame.

Her next work was on the history of the Jews. She was read deeply on this subject, and was fired with enthusiasm in the cause of this long persecuted people. The scripture history of