 to last
above an Hour; they are allowed to kiss the Child at Meeting and Parting; but a
Professor, who always standeth by on those Occasions, will not suffer them to
whisper, or use any fondling Expressions, or bring any Presents of Toys,
Sweet-meats, and the like.
    The Pension from each Family for the Education and Entertainment of a Child,
upon Failure of due Payment, is levyed by the Emperor's Officers.
    The Nurseries for Children of ordinary Gentlemen, Merchants, Traders, and
Handicrafts, are managed proportionably after the same Manner; only those
designed for Trades, are put out Apprentices at seven Years old; whereas those
of Persons of Quality continue in their Exercises until Fifteen, which answers
to One and Twenty with us: But the Confinement is gradually lessened for the
last three Years.
    In the Female Nurseries, the young Girls of Quality are educated much like
the Males, only they are dressed by orderly Servants of their own Sex, but
always in the Presence of a Professor or Deputy, until they come to dress
themselves, which is at five Years old. And if it be found that these Nurses
ever presume to entertain the Girls with frightful or foolish Stories, or the
common Follies practised by Chamber-Maids among us; they are publickly whipped
thrice about the City, imprisoned for a Year, and banished for Life to the most
desolate Part of the Country. Thus the young Ladies there are as much ashamed of
being Cowards and Fools, as the Men; and despise all personal Ornaments beyond
Decency and Cleanliness; neither did I perceive any Difference in their
Education, made by their Difference of Sex, only that the Exercises of the
Females were not altogether so robust; and that some Rules were given them
relating to domestick Life, and a smaller Compass of Learning was enjoyned them:
For, their Maxim is, that among People of Quality, a Wife should be always a
reasonable and agreeable Companion, because she cannot always be young. When the
Girls are twelve Years old, which among them is the marriageable Age, their
Parents or Guardians take them home, with great Expressions of Gratitude to the
Professors, and seldom without Tears of the young Lady and her Companions.
    In the Nurseries of Females of the meaner Sort, the Children are instructed
in all Kinds of Works proper for their Sex, and their several Degrees: Those
intended for Apprentices are dismissed at seven Years old, the rest are kept to
eleven.
    The meaner Families who have Children at these Nurseries, are obliged,
besides their annual Pension, which is as low as possible,
