Model Women

thropi

I.-ELIZA

cuted, the ignorant, and the wretched of every class, and has left beh

uel

N'S

her modesty, turns her talent to account. Moreover, it is permissible to believe that men have sometimes invaded the province of women. Is the unrolling of ribbons and measuring of tape a suitable employment for young men? Would it not be much more natural for linendrapers and silk-mercers to employ women? The silk would lose nothing in being turned over by their little white hands. True, it requires a tolerably strong frame to be incessantly taking down and putting back in their places, samples of goods. But what prevents the hiring of a small number of men to be specially employed on heavy jobs? Besides, would there be nothing to praise from another point of view? If ladies were forced to be face to face with their own sex, who would treat them on a footing of equality, would presume to be out of temper, and would lose patience with their sauntering through a world of curious things, and then going away without buying anything,-the making of purchases which is now a pleasure would become a business. Might not females labour in the tailoring department with as much credit to themselves, and satisfaction to their employers, as males? The needle is woman's instrument, and if the society of operative tai

he orphan b

he orphan g

hools, Dorcas societies, and prison

GRA

Barclay, the apologist of the Quakers. In natural talent she was quick and penetrating, but her education was rather defective. To the gaieties of the world, in the usual acceptation of the term, she was but little exposed. Music and dancing are not allowed by Friends; though a scrup

vere illness first brought her to serious thought, but it was on the 4th of February, 1798, at the Friend's meeting-house at Norwich, that the word was spoken which was des

ow sectarianism. It is computed that the number of Quakers in all England is now scarcely one in eleven hundred, while in their palmy days they reached one in one hundred and thirty persons. The Society of Friends now contribute much less to the great solid stock of intellectual wealth and spiritual worth which is constantly accumulating in the world, than they did in the days of our heroine. They can boast of no celebrities now such as Fox, and Penn, and Barclay, and Naylor, and Woolman. Their sole orator i

ore than eighteen years of age, those manifold labours of philanthropy, whic

support. It was to me a truly solemn time; I felt every word, and not only felt, but in my manner of speaking expressed how I felt; Joseph also spoke well. Most solemn it truly was. After we sat silent some little time, Sarah Chandler knelt down in prayer; my heart prayed with her. I believe words are inadequate to describe the feelings on such an occasion. I wept a good part of the time, and my beloved father seemed as much overcome as I was. The day passed off well, and I think I was ve

for herself. Nevertheless, for several years her life flowed smoothly on, in a round of domestic and other virtues. But God visits His people with trials, for the very same reason that the refiner casts his silver into the furnace. He tries them, to purify them. Again and again had sickness been permitted to enter her immediate circle, and she was frequently called upon to witness the last moments of dear relatives. In 1808, her

edited by two of her daughters, we read as follows: "One thing is obvious, that it was as a minister of the Society of Friends, and as such only, shielded by its discipline and controlled by its supervision, that she could have carried out her peculiar vocation in the world and the Church." She attended the first meeting of the Norwich Bible Society, and ever after took a de

estly conversing together. It was royal rank paying homage at the shrine of royal worth. In 1831, she had an interview with the Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria; and reminded the young princess of King Josiah, who began to reign when eight years old, and did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. The same year she had some conversation with Queen Adelaide, chiefly on benevolent subjects. In 1840, Lord Normandy presented her to Queen Victo

works of benevolence when her strength was entirely spent. As increasing infirmity prevented her

ding her recovery. On the 10th of October, she appeared better, but shortly after was seized with a paralytic attack, which, though it did not render her speechless, destroyed her capacity for rational communication. The will seemed gone, and the inclination to resist or even desire any

forehead of t

rounds of Plashet House, her once happy home, and those of Plashet Cottage, to the Friends' burying-ground at Barking, Essex, where her grave was prepared. There is no appointed funeral

EMES OF U

er up at a time when it was not only beginning to be whispered, but even loudly asserted, that each individual was bound to spend and be spent in the service of God and humanity. At a very early age Elizabeth Gurney commenced those habits of visiting and relieving the poor, both at Earlham and in Norwich, especially the sick; reading the Bible to them, and instructing their children. She established a school, which gradually increased, from one little boy to so great a number, that the house became inconvenient, and a vacant laundry was appropriated to that purpose. How she managed to control above seventy scholars, without assistance, without

E PRISONE

cters. She then read and expounded a portion of Scripture, and uttered a few words in supplication. Many of the poor creatures wept from a hitherto unfelt motive, and Mrs. Fry left, deeply affected, but without any idea of the importance or ultimate results of the labours she had begun. It was not, however, till about Christmas, 1816, that she commenced her systematic visits to Newgate, being then particularly induced by the reports of those gentlemen who, in 1815, originated the society for "The Improvement of Prison Discipline." Under her influence the Association for the Improvement of the Female Prisoners of Newgate, was formed in 1817. The almost immediate result was order, sobriety, and neatness. This surprising change soon attracted attention, both in and out of Parliament, and in 1818, Elizabeth Fry was called upon to give evidence before a committee of the House of Commons. Arrangements similar to those adopted at Newgate were subsequently introduced into all the metropolitan gaols; and she personally inspected the prisons, lu

BEREA

m. The lovely little Juliana, the second daughter of her son William, one of the sweetest blossoms that ever gladdened parents' hearts, was cut off after thirty hours' illness. But the storm had not blown over; again the thunder-clouds rolled up. Her son, William Storrs Fry, the beloved and honoured head of that happy home, was himself laid low. On the day of the funeral of his little Juliana, he exclaimed, "I shall go to her, but she shall not return to me." His last words were, "God is so good!" Emma followed her father, whom her young heart had loved and desired to o

IVE D

all the domestic life. How blessed is that husband who is the loved one, who is made to feel that the reverence and obedience due to him are not only ungrudged but cheerfully conceded! This lies at the foundation. That wife is not only wicked, but a very fool, who contests with her husband for authority. It is against the law of marriage, and, therefore, it is against nature. Ten thousand times ten thous

passing through the inevitable struggles, and for securing the great ends of life. She knew that they might be fitted for the idols of coteries and the lights of drawing-rooms, and yet be utterly unable to grapple with the first onset

dly treated. She did not look upon domestics as foreigners or as aliens, but as members of the household; not mere living machines, hired to cook well, scrub well, wash well, and attend the table well; but living persons of flesh and blood, with nerves and muscles, l

ER OF M

ble to severe nervous attacks, which often hindered her from joining her sisters in their different pursuits. When young she had a profusion of soft flaxen hair. Finery in dress was always

mental powers. Old Byrom, in one o

oft like house

s are furnishe

id exception-one who was a cedar in the Lebanon of intellect, as well as in that of flesh and blood. In natural talent, she was quick

ever offends, and is, in every sense of the word, truly engaging." As she grew older, what at first seemed obstinacy, became finely tempered decision; and what was not unlike cunning, ripened into uncommon penetration. Enterprise a

TIO

LHELMINA

which pierces like a purifying fire to the conscience, and demands o

Wich

'S RI

he property of his wife, unless secured to her by special settlement, is both cruel and unjust in its practical operation. Anything so injurious to woman ought immediately to be erased from the statute-book. Yet with every disposition to secure for woman all that she can wisely claim, we have no sympathy with those who would draw her into public action in opposition to man to whom she is so closely allied. Some time ago we read that the Aylesbury magistrates had appointed Mrs. Sarah Wooster to the office of overseer of the poor and surveyor of highways for the parish of Illmire, and that during the previous year four women filled similar offices in the Aylesbury district. As surely as a good housewife would give her husband a Caudle curtai

GRA

Madame Sieveking, Miss H?sch, a niece of her husband's, entered the family, and, after their mother's death, carried on the housekeeping, and took charge of Amelia and her four brothers. At an early age she received a succession of dry lessons in writing and arithmetic, French, drawing, music, and when old enough to enter on a more regular course of instruction, Mr. Sieveking gave h

end, and had the happy art of telling Bible stories in such a way as to interest the young. Her dependent position deprived her of all paid tuition, and she had to work at ornamental needlework for her maintenance. About this time, although she had not learnt to know Christ as the Son of God, as her Redeemer, and the only source of happiness, she was nevertheless confirmed. In 1811 she went to live with Madame Brünnemann, an excellent and kind-hearted woman. Her duties consisted in reading aloud to an

. For a whole summer she washed all her own clothes in secret. She also endeavoured to learn dressmaking and cooking, and besides these household accomplishmen

er her return from England, the house next to the one where she lived in the city was burned down, and five persons perished in the flames. This event impressed her deeply. Thomas à Kempis's "Imitation of Christ" now fell into her hands, and its devout and tender teachings shed a balm over her wounded spirit. She sought explanations of the Bible from all the books that came in her way; but unfortunately they were all rationalistic in their tone, and gave no light. At last Francke's "Preface to the Bible" fell into her hands, and there she was taught to compa

at in her early years she was in the habit of casting lots, when in difficulty as to the path of duty; but in after-life she discontinued the practice. Doubtless, like many others, she was led to feel that we have no right to ask for a sign in circumsta

er pupils. They were read in many circles, and met with very different receptions; but they certainly contain a vast amount of

Protestant Church. She had been led to this by the fact, that in hundreds of instances unmarried women are not permitted to do the good to which their hearts impel them, because they have not the settled position which would be given by a definite calling, recognised as

ulse to her aspirations after what now floated before her as the future vocation of her life. Charitable work now engaged so much of her thought and sympathy that her health, usually so strong, began to give way; but the water of Ems proved beneficial, and old strength and fresher looks ret

appeared in Hamburg; and Miss Sieveking felt constrained to take a step which, in the eyes of the world, had something unusual in it, and was judged by that world accordingly. With the full consent of her adopted mother, she offered her gratuitous services as nurse in the Frenc

t to say that her society was attended with the most blessed results. She at first found some difficulty in obtaining coadjutors, although she required nothing

rength began to fail; the physicians were unanimous in advising a journey to some watering-place, and Soden, near Frankfort-on-the-Maine, was recommended. In 1858, her active

d that he found things even worse than he expected; one half of the lungs was entirely gone, and only so much left as that, with entire silence and perfect rest, her life might perhaps be prolonged for a short time. Miss Sieveking thanked him, but remarked that as long as she was alive, she

e churchyard of the parish of Ham and Horn, and set down on the church path. It was soon covered with flowers and garlands, while a vast assembly, composed of all classes, flocked out of the city and the suburbs. Pastor Rautenberg spoke some impressive words, and the minister of t

UR TE

d in the same house into her room, to instruct her in knitting, and when the governess was leaving, she asked permission to educate the second girl. Finding that she could get on better if she had more pupils, and that no one had any objection to make, she took six others from families of her acquaintance, and at the age of eighteen began her little school. With what earnestness she set to work is shown in numerous letters to Miss H?sch. Madame Brünnemann's married daughter had no children, and she had adopted a little girl, whom she was most anxious to place under Miss Sieveking's tuition; and as the child was much younger than her other pupils, she was obliged to

IN THE

n; and as far as this danger is concerned, I can enter the hospital as calmly as my school-room. This absence of all dread is unanimously said by the physicians to be the best preventative against illness, and hence, nurses, comparatively speaking, very rarely die from infection. So you see there is no need for you to feel any painful anxiety on my account." The letters written during the eight weeks she spent in the hospital, given almost entirely by her biographer, present us with a most graphic picture of her life and labours. In the men's ward, her special duty was to observe what diet was prescribed, and to draw up the daily bill of fare for the housekeeper. She had also charge of all the linen belonging to the attendants. She also occasionally took part in nursing the patients; but the general superintendence was of more importance even in the women's ward. Although called to the work of Martha, when the hospital afforded her opportu

ANT SIS

in the hospital her original plan assumed a more attainable form, and was shortly afterwards carried into execution. The first principles of the plan, however, remained the same, and they are those which have been so thoroughly tested, and so nobly advocated by our own Mrs. Sewell, Mrs. Bayly, Miss Marsh and others,-"personal intercourse with the poor, and the exhibition of a love towards them manifested in action and rooted in faith." Miss S

some who formally bound themselves to take part in the work. In May, 1832, the members,-thirteen in number, and all voluntary workers from private families, six married women and seven unmarried,-met for the first time at Miss Sieveking's home. Many perils threatened the young institution. It would be strange not to find a new thing objected to. The medical men were the greatest ba

it would survive her; for it was built upon the only foundation that ensures permanence-faith in Christ. The idea that filled her whole soul, the raising and ennobling of her sex by works of saving, serving love, had become a fact and a reality. There grew out of the parent stem in Hamburg several kindred institutions; and similar associations on the plan of Miss Sieveking's hav

PECTABLE, HAP

th his whole heart, and to give one's self to him in return. I can understand this, and I am not unsusceptible to the happiness of the wife and mother; on the contrary, their joys seem to me among the sweetest and highest on earth." Yet she well knew, that the married state was not essential to the respectability, happiness, and usefulness of woman. In novels and in Campe's book, "A Father's Advice to his Daughters," she found marriage represented as the only proper destiny for a girl; but something within her secretly protested against that view. Yes; to her it constantly grew clearer that an all-bounteous God could not have given His blessing to one state

OF MISS

was easily recognised from a distance, as she hurried along the streets, generally with a heavy basket of books and papers. Never arrogant in her dress, she was always neat and clean; cared little

he was not in any respect a genius; but eminently a matter-of-fact woman. Her knowledge of the human heart was profound, but her insight into individual character was not remarkable. She was, however, right in believing that most wome

followed every good work, her severity towards herself and mildness towards others,-she may serve as a pattern to her sex. The great idea of compassionate and ministering love which was embodied in the life and work of Amelia Sieveking, is an idea which can and will set woman free-not from the restraints of law and custom, not from her vocation of quiet retirement and domestic virtue, but fro