To a young Lady, advising her not to change her Guardians, nor to encourage any clandestine Address.

Dear Miss,

The Friendship which long subsisted between your prudent Mother and me, has always made me attend to your Welfare withmore than a common Concern: And I could not conceal my Surprize at hearing, that you intend to remove the Guardianship of yourself and Fortune, from the Gentlemen to whom your tender Parents committed the Direction of both. I am afraid, my Dear, your Dissatisfaction arises more from sudden Distaste, than from mature Reflection.Mr. Jones and Mr. Pitt were long the intimate Friends and Companions of your Father; for more than Thirty Years, he had experienc’d their Candor and Wisdom; and it was their Fitness for the Trust, that induced him to leave you to their Care; and will you reflect upon his Judgment?

They are not less wise now, than when he made his Will; and if they happen to differ from your Judgment in any thing of Moment, what Room have you to suppose yourself better able to judge of the Consequences of what you desire, than they? I do not undervalue your good Sense, and yet I must tell you, that (the Difference of Years consider’d, and their Knowledge of the World, which yet you can know little of) it would be strange if they did not know better than you, what was proper for you; and their Honesty was never yet disputed. Upon these Considerations, who is most probably to blame, should you happen to disagree? From such Men, you will never meet more Restraints than is necessary for your Happiness and Interest; for nothing that can injure you in any respect, can add to their Advantage or Reputation. I have known several young Ladies of your Age impatient of the least Controul, and think hardly of every little Contradiction; but when, by any unadvised Step, they have released themselves, as they call it, from the Care of their try’d Friends, how often have they had Cause to repent their Rashness? How seldom do you hear those Ladies, who have subjected themselves to what some reckon the greatest Restraints while young, repent the Effects of them when grown up?