A Father's Legacy to his Daughters

A Father's Legacy to his Daughters is a book, written by John Gregory, an eighteenth-century Scottish physician, medical writer and moralist. Originally Gregory meant only to give the text to his daughters when he died, but his son James published it in 1774; it became a best-seller, going through many editions and translations. The text advises parents and women on religion, moral conduct, friendship and interactions with men, with a focus on marriage. He suggested that women refrain from exposing any learning that they might have, as this would damage their ability to attract a husband.