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racter that leads us to form a just opinion of ourselves; equally distant from vanity or presumption; though by no means incompatible with a lofty consciousness of our own dignity。  Modesty in the latter signification of the term; is that soberness of mind which teaches a man not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; and should be distinguished from humility; because humility is a kind of self…abasement。  A modest man often conceives a great plan; and tenaciously adheres to it; conscious of his own strength; till success gives it a sanction that determines its character。  Milton was not arrogant when he suffered a suggestion of judgment to escape him that proved a prophesy; nor was General Washington when he accepted of the command of the American forces。  The latter has always been characterized as a modest man; but had he been merely humble; he would probably have shrunk back irresolute; afraid of trusting to himself the direction of an enterprise on which so much depended。 A modest man is steady; an humble man timid; and a vain one presumptuous; this is the judgment; which the observation of many characters; has led me to form。  Jesus Christ was modest; Moses was humble; and Peter vain。 Thus discriminating modesty from humility in one case; I do not mean to confound it with bashfulness in the other。  Bashfulness; in fact; is so distinct from modesty; that the most bashful lass; or raw country lout; often becomes the most impudent; for their bashfulness being merely the instinctive timidity of ignorance; custom soon changes it into assurance。* (*Footnote。  〃Such is the country…maiden's fright; When first a red…coat is in sight; Behind the door she hides her face; Next time at distance eyes the lace: She now can all his terrors stand; Nor from his squeeze withdraws her hand; She plays familiar in his arms; And every soldier hath his charms; 》From tent to tent she spreads her flame; For custom conquers fear and shame。〃) The shameless behaviour of the prostitutes who infest the streets of London; raising alternate emotions of pity and disgust; may serve to illustrate this remark。  They trample on virgin bashfulness with a sort of bravado; and glorying in their shame; become more audaciously lewd than men; however depraved; to whom the sexual quality has not been gratuitously granted; ever appear to be。  But these poor ignorant wretches never had any modesty to lose; when they consigned themselves to infamy; for modesty is a virtue not a quality。  No; they were only bashful; shame…faced innocents; and losing their innocence; their shame…facedness was rudely brushed off; a virtue would have left some vestiges in the mind; had it been sacrificed to passion; to make us respect the grand ruin。 Purity of mind; or that genuine delicacy; which is the only virtuous support of chastity; is near a…kin to that refinement of humanity; which never resides in any but cultivated minds。  It is something nobler than innocence; it is the delicacy of reflection; and not the coyness of ignorance。  The reserve of reason; which like habitual cleanliness; is seldom seen in any great degree; unless the soul is active; may easily be distinguished from rustic shyness or wanton skittishness; and so far from being incompatible with knowledge; it is its fairest fruit。  What a gross idea of modesty had the writer of the following remark!  〃The lady who asked the question whether women may be instructed in the modern system of botany; consistently with female delicacy?〃 was accused of ridiculous prudery:  nevertheless; if she had proposed the question to me; I should certainly have answeredThey cannot。〃 Thus is the fair book of knowledge to be shut with an everlasting seal!  On reading similar passages I have reverentially lifted up my eyes and heart to Him who liveth for ever and ever; and said; O my Father; hast Thou by the very constitution of her nature forbid Thy child to seek Thee in the fair forms of truth?  And; can her soul be sullied by the knowledge that awfully calls her to Thee? I have then philosophically pursued these reflections till I inferred; that those women who have most improved their reason must have the most modesty though a dignified sedateness of deportment may have succeeded the playful; bewitching bashfulness of youth。* (*Footnote。  Modesty; is the graceful calm virtue of maturity; bashfulness; the charm of vivacious youth。) And thus have I argued。  To render chastity the virtue from which unsophisticated modesty will naturally flow; the attention should be called away from employments; which only exercise the sensibility; and the heart made to beat time to humanity; rather than to throb with love。  The woman who has dedicated a considerable portion of her time to pursuits purely intellectual; and whose affections have been exercised by humane plans of usefulness; must have more purity of mind; as a natural consequence; than the ignorant beings whose time and thoughts have been occupied by gay pleasures or schemes to conquer hearts。  The regulation of the behaviour is not modesty; though those who study rules of decorum; are; in general termed modest women。  Make the heart clean; let it expand and feel for all that is human; instead of being narrowed by selfish passions; and let the mind frequently contemplate subjects that exercise the understanding; without heating the imagination; and artless modesty will give the finishing touches to the picture。 She who can discern the dawn of immortality; in the streaks that shoot athwart the misty night of ignorance; promising a clearer day; will respect; as a sacred temple; the body that enshrines such an improvable soul。  True love; likewise; spreads this kind of mysterious sanctity round the beloved object; making the lover most modest when in her presence。  So reserved is affection; that; receiving or returning personal endearments; it wishes; not only to shun the human eye; as a kind of profanation; but to diffuse an encircling cloudy obscurity to shut out even the saucy sparkling sunbeams。  Yet; that affection does not deserve the epithet of chaste which does not receive a sublime gloom of tender melancholy; that allows the mind for a moment to stand still and enjoy the present satisfaction; when a consciousness of the Divine presence is feltfor this must ever be the food of joy! As I have always been fond of tracing to its source in nature any prevailing custom; I have frequently thought that it was a sentiment of affection for whatever had touched the person of an absent or lost friend; which gave birth to that respect for relics; so much abused by selfish priests。  Devotion; or love; may be allowed to hallow the garments as well as the person; for the lover must want fancy; who has not a sort of sacred respect for the glove or slipper of his mistress。  He could not confound them with vulgar things of the same kind。 This fine sentiment; perhaps; would not bear to be analyzed by the experimental philosopherbut of such stuff is human rapture made up! A shadowy phantom glides before us; obscuring every other object; yet when the soft cloud is grasped; the form melts into common air; leaving a solitary void; or sweet perfume; stolen from the violet; that memory long holds dear。  But; I have tripped unawares on fairy ground; feeling the balmy gale of spring stealing on me; though November frowns。 As a sex; women are more chaste than men; and as modesty is the effect of chastity; they may deserve to have this virtue ascribed to them in rather an appropriated sense; yet; I must be allowed to add an hesitating if: for I doubt; whether chastity will produce modesty; though it may propriety of conduct; when it is merely a respect for the opinion of the world; and when coquetry and the lovelorn tales of novelists employ the thoughts。  Nay; from experience; and reason; I should be lead to expect to meet with more modesty amongst men than women; simply because men exercise their understandings more than women。 But; with respect to propriety of behaviour; excepting one class of females; women have evidently the advantage。  What can be more disgusting than that impudent dross of gallantry; thought so manly; which makes many men stare insultingly at every female they meet? Is this respect for the sex?  This loose behaviour shows such habitual depravity; such weakness of mind; that it is vain to expect much public or private virtue; till both men and women grow more modesttill men; curbing a sensual fondness for the sex; or an affectation of manly assurance; more properly speaking; impudence; treat each other with respectunless appetite or passion gives the tone; peculiar to it; to their behaviour。  I mean even personal respectthe modest respect of humanity; and fellow…feeling; not the libidinous mockery of gallantry; nor the insolent condescension of protectorship。 To carry the observation still further; modesty must heartily disclaim; and refuse to dwell with that debauchery of mind; which leads a man coolly to bring forward; without a blush; indecent allusions; or obscene witticisms; in the presence of a fellow creature; women are now out of the question; for then it is brutality。  Respect for man; as man is the foundation of every noble sentiment。  How much more modest is the libertine who 

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