lady despise household duties, and she despises the appointments of the Author of her existence. The laws of God, made known by nature and by Providence, and also by the Bible, enjoin these duties on the sex, and she cannot violate them with impunity. Let her have occasion to preside at the head of her own family and table, and she may despair of enjoying herself, or of giving to others the highest degree of domestic happiness." The Mount Holyoke Seminary was conducted upon the principle of making girls familiar with family work. On the whole, Miss Lyon, in her domestic habits, intelligence, dignity, and goodness, reminds us of Solomon's description of a true lady: "She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hands to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praiseth her." No girl can become a true lady without knowledge of household duties. Whatever may be her literary proficiency, and her social qualities, without the ability to do housework, if necessity demand, her education is defective. A young girl was presented to James I. as a prodigy in literary attainments. The person who introduced her boasted that she understood the ancient languages. "I can assure your Majesty," said he, "that she can both speak and write Latin, Greek, and Hebrew." "These are rare attainments for a damsel," said James; "but, pray tell me, can she spin?" She might be familiar with the lore of ages, but without a knowledge of household duties, she lacked an important acquisition. So we ask of the richly attired and accomplished young woman, who can read French, thumb the piano, and move bewitchingly in fashionable company, can she do housework? If she cannot, she is not a model lady. "There is a spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest; Here woman reigns; the mother, daughter, wife, And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet." Montgomery. LITERARY WOMEN HOMELY - BEAUTIFUL FEMALES VAIN-HYPA- HAD -- MARY LYON had not personal beauty; and it is often the case, we believe, that literary women are not beautiful. For some reason God does not see fit to unite great beauty and extraordinary intellect, except in certain rare instances. Perhaps a beautiful face would render the possessor so vain that the discipline of the mind would be neglected. It is certain that many females of great beauty are light and vain, and consequently have little disposition to attend to the solid parts of an education. Therefore God may be pleased to spare literary women the trying ordeal of beauty, that the intellect may be highly cultivated. Hy patia, the daughter of Pheon, known by her prominent connection with the Alexandrian school, and by her world-wide fame for learning and wisdom, was a brilliant exception to the rule. So also was Anna Comnena, who wrote the Alexiad, and shone conspicuously in Grecian literature. Both were celebrated for their beauty. Madame De Stael and Madame Necker, on the other hand, were destitute of it. Mary Lyon ranked well with the latter in this respect, yet she won the admiration of all sensible people. Like John Wilkes, who was as homely as he was popular, it took her but five minutes to talk away her face. No one could be long in her society without being impressed with the inferiority of beauty to some other qualities. And this fact indicates the relative value of a beautiful face. We would not be so foolish as to pronounce it not worth possessing, for this would be to despise the work of God. If we look around us in the face of nature, we are struck with the beauty that is everywhere displayed. With almost lavish hand, God has added this quality to the countless objects of creation. From the blushing flower that perfumes the lowly vale, to the bright star that sparkles in night's diadem, it appears. It is no valueless thing that God so honors. He who would disparage beauty has not been charmed by it in the works of nature. Female beauty does attract the eye of beholders. By general consent, a beautiful woman is the noblest work of God. It is only when beauty is found in conjunction with pride and vanity, ignorance and boldness, or suspected or known impurity, that it ceases to attract, and becomes an evil. That beauty-worship which is so prevalent among both sexes, leading females to resort to various measures for producing a fair face, and inducing males to choose wives for beauty alone, is highly censurable. It is the occasion of incalculable misery to the human family. A girl who is proud of a pretty face is almost sure to resort to those disgusting vanities of life which disqualify her for anything noble. We have read of a young lady who was attacked by that loathsome disease the small-pox. She had a beautiful face, of which she was extremely proud, as was also her mother. The only regret either of them was heard to utter was, that it would destroy her beauty. Even when the disease had become so violent as to render her recovery doubtful, no anxiety was manifested for the welfare of her soul, but much solicitude was expressed for her personal beauty. Inexorable death put a period to the scene, and her charms perished in the grave. What strange infatuation is this! And yet there are multitudes thus vain of a handsome face. |