historicalgeogra00psal

13^
A Defeription of
Between the fifth and eighth Years of our Age
our Mothers teach us the Principles of Religion,
and inculcate our Duty to our Parents and Neighbours,
and inftruft us in the Manners and Cufioms
of our Country, and the like, according to
every one's Condition; At eight Years of Age
we are fcnt to the Schools, where the Prielts
(tor fuch generally are our School-Matters) examine
us what we have learn'd at home, and
they fupply our Deficiencies, and perfeft our
Education. You rnuft not fappofe that Children
of mean Parents can have all thefe advantages,
for the Priefts will be extravagantly paid for
inftruQing us, and fo indeed they are for all
they do. This is the way of Educating our
Boys.
But the Girls have no other Tutors but their
Mothers, who teach them to read, write, all
manner of curious Works, modeft Behaviour, and
all moral Virtues •, and laftly, how they fhall
behave themfelves in a married ftate ^ their Fathers
will fomecimes examine what progrefs they
have made. The Daughters being thus bred,
are ftri£t Followers of Virtue and their Mother's
Exhortations, infomuch that they will rather kill
themfelves than condefcend to any afl of Uncleanefs.
I fhall bring an Example which happened
about eight Years paft, and of which I was
a very near witnefs.
Our Ango?7^ or King being dead, the Emperor
appointed another ^ upon his arrival in our Ifland
he vifiied (according to cuftom ) all the remarkable
places of it ^ amongft the reft he went to
the Great Feorko^ where he was nobly enter*
tain'd by the Governour, one of whofe Wives
was juftly reputed one of the moft modeft^ ingenious,
and charming Beauties of our Age 5 the
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