If you are charmed with Cecilia, I can assure you, she is no less charmed with you. She has written a very long letter to Madame de Valmont; and your charms, your wit, and your figure, fill up at least three pages of it.

I see with great pleasure, that you continue your English, and above all, my dear friend, that you employ yourself seriously in the education of our dear little Constantia. You ask my advice on your manner of correcting her faults: I will answer you without ceremony, and with my usual freedom. This method of awakening the sensibility of children, as it is called, is of no use when it is abused; or to speak more plainly, ought very seldom to be made use of. In continually repeating to your child by way of correcting her, that she has afflicted you, or made you ill; you familiarize her to an idea, which ought to inspire her with horror; that of making you unhappy: and at last, she will hear you make use of these expressions without feeling the smallest emotions; so that, far from encreasing her sensibility, you will stifle and destroy it for ever, unless you change your method. Inflict on her therefore little punishments proper for her age. Deprive her of a favourite play-thing for a few days, or of something she likes to eat; and for greater faults banish her from your own apartment, if you can be sure that her Governess will not amuse her in her own; for if she is diverted during this disgrace, every thing is lost. As for me, when I give up Adelaide to Miss Bridget, I am sure that she will not speak a word to her; that she will scarcely answer a single question; and in short, will treat her with the greatest disdain. Besides this, Adelaide knows, that though I suffer a great deal, when I punish her in this manner, yet she is convinced I shall always persevere in it; because I regard it as my duty, and because nothing prevents my doing it with the most scrupulous exactness.