Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

THE MORAL POWER OF WOMAN.

183

the "lords of creation" in their course of life. We by no means assume the intellectual inferiority of females, or intimate it. We do not believe it, and we pity the cynical "old bachelor" who does, and wish him a speedy riddance of his Turkish notions. But while we admit mental equality between the sexes, we are certain of material difference in mental character. The mind of man, like his body, is masculine, and exactly adapted to his circumstances. But woman's mind, like the "earthly house" in which it dwells, is delicately constructed, possessing a natural polish and beauty of which men cannot boast. It has strength, too, and quickness of perception, and an amount of ingenuity which enables her to make the best of every circumstance. Her temper, also, widely differs from ours. It is generally mild, tender and sympathetic, evincing that the soul is a fountain of kindness and good will. Generally, there is more equanimity to woman's temper than there is to man's; and implacability and revenge seldom enter into its composition. But it is not so with He is proud, irascible, headstrong and stubborn; and by his precipitant disposition, involves himself in a thousand troubles which woman, by her care and patience, avoids.

man.

3. Personal beauty invests woman with great influence, whether she desires it or not. All the ladies are not handsome, it is true, but they are women; and there is something in woman's countenance which never fails to command the homage of gentlemen. The symmetry of her person, her sparkling eyes, rosy cheeks, and ruby lips, possess irresistible charms, particularly so, when these embellishments of nature are blended with the virtues of the heart. In this simple fact of her existence, therefore, lies a large share of the immense influence which she wields over the heart of man.

4. The purity of her affections and the depth of her devotion. The disparity between man and woman, in this respect, borders on the infinite. Man loves, and feels emotions of friendship, but not with that fervid intensity, that enduring attachment which distinguishes woman. He vows fidelity and constancy of affection to the object of his adoration; but time, distance, new scenes, objects, interests and motives, frequently change his purposes, and make him loathe his previous choice; and merely to gratify a principle of unmingled selfishness, he will dissever the most sacred ties, and blight the fondest hopes. Many instances might be recited in which he has re

184

THE MORAL POWER OF WOMAN.

[ocr errors]

morselessly crushed the confiding heart of woman by his false faith and infidelity; and there are wretches, wearing the form of man, who glory in these heartless deeds of unutterable infamy! Nor do we deny that fearful specimens of depravity and guilt may be found among the "softer sex; but these, we confidently submit, are exceptions to woman's general character; and it is of this we are speaking. Look at her in the relation of wife! How strong is her affection; how ardent her love for the husband of her choice and youth! Many waters cannot quench it, nor can floods drown it. If he is intelligent, high-minded, moral, upright, useful and respected, with what inexpressible delight does she regard him! The unintermitting love which she feels for him, is poured forth spontaneously from the deep fountain of her soul. It approximates idolatry! She almost “lives, moves and has her being " in the welfare of her husband. If we reverse the picture, and suppose the husband becomes vicious, and unworthy the confidence and devotion of his wife-we will even suppose he becomes an intolerable sinner, and roams the community an outcast, excluded from the peaceful walks of virtuous society, abandoned by relatives and former friends;-he may even, by debauchery be changed into a brute, and in the delirium of intoxication assault and abuse the gentle creature he adored and loved in his brighter and holier days; he may reduce her to penury; beggar her precious, helpless babes or turn herself and them upon the mercy of the wild winter storm, and scream his maniac curse after them ;-yet she forsakes him not. She loves him still, and she will love him, despite his horrid habits, and accumulated guilt. This is not fancy. The world is full of instances which illustrate these thoughts. There is not a city, town or village in the nation, where we may not find them.

As a mother, her affectionate nature is exhibited in luxuriant fondness for her children, and the keenest solicitude for their welfare. How careful, how watchful, how tender of her infant; and how assiduous to supply its wants, and meet its thousand necessities! And as the swift years pass away, and she sees half-a-dozen images of herself standing around her, full of innocent glee and gaiety, how fervently she prays for their preservation from the numerous evils and contaminations of the world. How carefully she instructs them in

THE MORAL POWER OF WOMAN.

185

their social and moral relations and duties, and with what affectionate adroitness she bends the tender twig so as to incline the future tree.

When others, and even the father grow weary in looking after the interests of the rising progeny, the mother faints not! Her hands are yet ready to labor, and her feet swift to meet the demands of her family. Her children grow up, and perhaps become prodigals— strong and valiant sinners-and by shameful deeds and many crimes, heap untold sorrows upon her weary head, causing her heart to bleed without intermission. Still she clings to her offspring, and weeps, prays and labors for their reformation and salvation. Nor is a sister's love scarcely less ardent and abiding. It will follow a brother to the haunts of infamy, nor leave him until he takes his last leap into destruction. O there is music in that word-SISTER, and the young man who has a virtuous, devoted sister, may easily escape one half this world's calamities.

5. And, finally, the moral power of woman may frequently consist in the mellow and melting tones of her voice, and the persuasive eloquence of her words. We need not expatiate. The sweet voice of woman, without echoing authoritative words, speaks to the passionate storm in man's heart like the mandate of Jesus to the winds which blew upon the waters of Gallilee-" Peace!"-and a calm ensues. The music of the viol and the harp is not half so soothing and satisfying as the rich cadence of woman's voice when she speaks in behalf of virtue, humanity, and religion. But when she is herself, the subject of wrong and suffering, and cries from the depth of sorrows-the place of woes-that heart must be strangely callous which cannot feel, and that arm certainly withered which does not reach forth, if it be possible, abundant help.

In one or all of these facts, it is conceived, may be found the secret of woman's power. If these qualities and abilities are devoted to the service of sin, how dreadful she becomes! A monster in crime, leading thousands to the chambers of death! But if they are consecrated to virtue and religion, they will be equally successful. Woman, through grace which sanctifies and gives fresh loveliness to her abilities, can bless the world, and wipe the tears from millions of weeping eyes! Heaven bless her, while she is blessing others. Saugus, Mass.

[blocks in formation]

The following sprightly and beautiful lines are by Hurdis. "His father, who was a gentleman of small fortune, died when the poet was a boy, and left the charge of his education to his mother. He was worthy of the care she bestowed upon him; she lived to see him admired and beloved, and to find that when worldly honors most crowded on him, he was most mindful of her who had laid the ground work of his distinction."

NATURE'S LESSONS.

But mark with what peculiar grace yon wood,

Which clothes the weary steep, waves in the breeze
Her sea of leaves. Thither we turn our steps,
And as we pass attend the cheerful sound

Of woodland harmony, which ever fills

The merry vale between. How sweet the song
Day's harbinger performs! I have not heard
Such elegant divisions drawn from art.
And what is he who wins our admiration?
A little speck which floats upon the sunbeam.
What vast perfection cannot nature crowd
Into a puny point! The nightingale,
Her solo anthem sung, and all who heard
Content, joins in the chorus of the day.
She, gentle heart, thinks it no pains to please,
Nor, like the moody songsters of the world,
Displays her talent, pleases, takes affront,
And locks it up in envy.

*

*

*

*

I love to see the little goldfinch pluck

The groundsel's feathered seed, and twit and twit,
And soon in bower of apple blossoms perched,
Trim his gay suit and pay us with a song.

I would not hold him prisoner for the world.
The chimney-hunting swallow too, my eye
And ear, well pleases. I delight to see
How suddenly he skims the glassy pool,
How quaintly dips, and with a bullet's speed
Whisks by. I love to be awake, and hear
His morning song twittered to dawning day.
But most of all it wins my admiration,
To view the structure of that little work,
A bird's nest. Mark it well within, without.
No tool had he who wrought; no knife to cut;
No nail to fix; no bodkin to insert;

No glue to join; his little beak was all.

And yet how neatly finished! What nice hand,
With every implement and means of art,
And twenty years apprenticeship to boot,
Could make me such another? Fondly, then,
We boast of excellence, whose noblest skill
Instructive genius foils.

[blocks in formation]

MEMORY OF THE DEAD. Melancholy arising from the loss of those we love, however it may unfit the mind for the public business in the world, will generally be found to fill it with a happy benevolence in private life. There is no time when you could induce a man to do more for a living friend than when his heart is filled with the memory of the dead.

« ZurückWeiter »