When women are thus perpetually dazzling one
another's imaginations, and filling their heads with nothing but
colours, it is no wonder that they are more attentive to the
superficial parts of life than the solid and substantial blessings
of it. A girl who has been trained up in this kind of conversation
is in danger of every embroidered coat that comes in her way. A
pair of fringed gloves may be her ruin. In a word, lace and
ribands, silver and gold galloons, with the like glittering gewgaws,
are so many lures to women of weak minds or low educations, and,
when artificially displayed, are able to fetch down the most airy
coquette from the wildest of her flights and rambles.
True happiness is of a retired nature, and an enemy to pomp and
noise; it arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one's
self, and, in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a
few select companions; it loves shade and solitude, and naturally
haunts groves and fountains, fields and meadows; in short, it feels
everything it wants within itself, and receives no addition from
multitudes of witnesses and spectators. On the contrary, false
happiness loves to be in a crowd, and to draw the eyes of the world
upon her. She does not receive any satisfaction from the applauses
which she gives herself, but from the admiration she raises in
others.
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