they do that women ought to be wiser than to consider themselves degraded by working for their own subsistence; while such is the constitution of society, and such the early bias of the female mind, that it is almost impossible they should do otherwise. The great point to be gained, is to penetrate at once to the root of the matter, and to begin by a different system of education, to render moral courage the courage to do what is right the first principle of female conduct. What a world of misery this single principle of action, thoroughly grafted into the character, would spare the sons and daughters of men! meanness, to support an appearance of respectability before the world, forgetting that the grand foundation of all respectability of character, is an honorable, independent, and upright mind! For want of moral courage, how often do we stoop and cringe, and submit to contumely, and eat the bread of humiliation, and wear the rich garments that ought to cover us with shame, because we are despicable enough to live upon what is not lawfully our own, and what is often granted without good-will, and received without satisfaction! Oh! that the women of England would rouse themselves with one accord, to break these galling chains!-to exemplify in their own conduct, and to teach their daughters, that there is no earthly enjoyment, no personal embellishment, no selfish gratification, worth the sacrifice of just and honorable feeling-that the humblest occupation, undertaken from a sense of duty, becomes ennobled in the motive by which it is prompted, and that the severest self-denial may be blessed and honored by the Father of mer I am inclined to think the foundation of moral courage must be laid in very early life, so as to render it effectual in bearing us up under the trials of maturer age; and it is not only to elevate the general character of my country women, but to spare them at least half the sufferings they now endure, that I would most earnestly recommend them, in cultivating the mind, to cultivate also the inestimable power of exercising moral courage, whenever the claims of duty are set in oppo-cies, if endured in preference to an infringesition to the opinions of the world. For want of moral courage, how many misunderstandings do we leave unsettled among our friends, until "The lightly uttered, careless word," the thoughtless action, or the false report, are allowed to poison the very springs of affection, and to separate the dearest friends! For want of moral courage, how often, and how fatally, do we fail in the sacred duty of reproving what we see amiss, until the evil grows and magnifies, and extends itself, and becomes so obvious to general perception, that we scruple not to join in its condemnation, forgetting that our own want of faithfulness may possibly be chargeable with its existence ! For want of moral courage, how do we sink, and see others sinking every day, under the pressure of those pecuniary difficulties which I have already described, until we are guilty of almost every species of paltry ment upon those laws which he has laid down for the government of the human family. There is another point of view, in which it appears to me that the present character of the women of England is extremely defective. It is as regards a right balance of mind; or, in other words, a just estimate of the rela tive importance of things in general. From the natural construction of the mind of woman, from the quickness of her perceptions, and the intensity of her momentary feelings, she is apt to lay hold of every thing calculated immediately to strike her fancy, or to excite her emotions, with an earnestness that excludes the possibility of her mind being kept alive to other impressions, even more essential to her happiness, and more important in themselves. Hence, we find in society, that women too frequently invest the affairs of the moment, the circumstances occurring around them, and their own personal experience, with a ever upon their capabilities of enhancing social and domestic happiness; and there is an equal demand for the exercise I have already recommended, of the power they possess of investing what is material with the attributes of mind. degree of interest wholly incomprehensible of this life. There is a greater demand than to strangers, and often utterly contemptible to men. I do not-I will not believe-that women are inferior to what is called the noble sex, in the moral world; but I do believe that from this very cause arises more than half the contumely bestowed upon their littleness of character. It is not that they want capacity or understanding to judge of many things as well as men. It is that they are so occupied with what is obvious on the surface of things, that they will not look beyond; and hence their unceasing propensity to trifle, and to render themselves apparently inferior to what they really are. The littleness of character I have just described is one of the chief causes why they are not so estimable as they might be in their homes, or so interesting as they are capable of being in their conversation with men. And thus their husbands and their brothers are becoming increasingly attracted by the political associations, and the public calls now leading them away from those domestic scenes which offer little to excite the attention, or fascinate the mind. It may be said, that English women in the present day are, in this respect at least, su This is the great leading defect in woman's character; and it is the more to be regretted, that it presents to her mind innumerable sources of disquietude, which, with a more correct perception of the relative value of things, she might escape. She is apt, for in-perior to the generation before them. But stance, to attach as much importance, for the time, to the failure of her own musical performance, as to the failure of a bank; and she appears to care little for the invasion of a foreign country, when injury is threatened to her best attire. It is no trifling humiliation to those who mix in society, if they have been accustomed to raise their views a little higher in the contemplation of nature and of human life, to be perpetually persecuted, in the midst of agreeable and intelligent conversation, with questions about the minutia of dress and conduct in some limited and local sphere of observation. I would not speak thus contemptuously of the familiar habits of my sex, if I did not know that they were capable of something better, and if I did not desire-as I desire their good and their happiness-that they would rouse themselves above this paltry littleness, and learn to become, what I am confident they might be, not only equal, but interesting and instructive companions to men. I have before remarked, that there is now, more than ever, a demand for the exercise of their highest powers, and their noblest energies, to counteract the effects of unremitting toil in obtaining the perishing things granting that they are so, the necessity for further improvement remains the same, because the habits of men are progressively involving them more deeply in the interests of public life, so that unless some strenuous efforts are made on the part of women, the far-famed homes of England will lose their boasted happiness, and with their happiness, their value in the scale of our country's moral worth. This is a serious subject, and one which ought to appeal to every mother's bosom throughout our favored land. It ought to be the solemn inquiry of every woman who has the sacred duty of training up the young committed to her trust, in what manner she may best guard against this growing evil, so as to stem the desolating tide which seems to threaten our domestic peace. Let her, then, after this solemn inquiry has been made, endeavor to place herself, in idea, in the situation of a traveller who ascends a mountain, and look upon the varied aspects of human life as he regards the scene presented to his view. At first he will be struck with the magnitude of the rock he is climbing, amused, perhaps, with the plants that creep along its surface, and astonished with the opening out of distant valleys, and broad rivers rolling between other hills, amongst which his eye had never penetrated before. He advances a little higher, and sees other views extending far and wide, and the pinnacle of rock he at first thought so stupendous, diminishing beneath his feet-higher still, and the broad river, with its sweeping tide, has shrunk into a silver thread-still higher, and the pinnacle of rock is imperceptible, and he feels at last that he has gained the actual summit of the highest mountain, where he can compare the real height and distances of objects, and perceive how limited in comparison was the line which formed the original boundary of his vision-how small and low, and comparatively contemptible, the highest eminence to which he had then ascended. It is in this manner that we ought to accustom ourselves to realize those views of human life, and that estimate of sublunary things, that would bring all to the standard of their real worth. Judged of by this process, and tried by this rule, how differently should we appreciate the ordinary and familiar affairs of life! How little should we find to occupy our thoughts, or engage our affections, in the trifles that now constitute the actual business of our lives-how much should we find to admire and value in what we now despise ! It is to mothers, especially, that I would recommend this method of adjusting the bal ance of the infant mind, because the longer the weights are allowed to remain unequal, and the balance untrue, the more extensive must be the evil resulting from the erroneous data upon which the youthful mind will reason. And let them remember, that while the mistakes of their management will probably be exhibited more strikingly in the conduct of their sons, their daughters will extend the evil to a wider range of operation, by instilling it again into the minds of another generation. It is not through a lifetime only, though that were sufficient for our follies-it may be through the endless ages of eternity, that our good or evil influence shall extend. I have pointed out to my country women, as I pursued this work, the high ambition of preserving a nation from the dangers which threaten the destruction of its moral worth; but beyond this view, wide and exalted as it unquestionably is, there opens out a field of glory, upon which to enter might seem blessedness enough. Yet, when we contemplate the possibility of being the means of inducing others to enter with us, and those the most beloved of earth's treasures, surely it is worthy of our best energies-our most fervent zeal our tears-our prayers-that we may so use our influence, and so employ our means, as that those whose happiness has been committed to our care, may partake with us in the enjoyment of the mansions of eternal rest. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. THE WIVES OF ENGLAND, THEIR RELATIVE DUTIES, DOMESTIC INFLUENCE, AND SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS BY MRS. ELLIS, AUTHOR OF "THE WOMEN OF ENGLAND," "THE DAUGHTERS OF ENGLAND," "The greatest difficulty of my task has been the laying bare, as it were, before the public eye, the privacy of married lifeof that life whose sorrows the heart alone can know, and with whose joys it is the universal privilege of all who share them, that no stranger shall intermeddle. "But if the principles it has been my simple aim to advocate, should meet the approbation of my countrywomen, I would fondly hope to be associated with their fireside enjoyments, as one whose highest ambition would have been to render their pleasures more enduring, their hopes more elevated, and their happiness more secure."-From the Author's Preface. AUTHOR'S EDITION, COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME. NEW YORK: J. & H. G. LANGLEY, 57 CHATHAM-STREET. 1843. |