Model Women

of Female

polished as to lead us to act in the manner which the Divine law requires. Some of the evil propensities of our nature may be checked, the force of some passions may be weakened, and that of others guided into a new direction;

. Wylie

NFLUENCE OF

s forming a character which will pursue her through life, and urge her forward in her evil ways, till rushing headlong down the paths of vice, she falls at last into hopeless dishonour here and misery hereafter. When, on the other hand, we see a young woman giving herself to the cultivation of right dispositions and good principles,-when we see her consistently subjecting the inferior principles of her nature to reason, and her lusts and passions to her conscience, and all her powers to the control of religion and the fear of God,-it is not this or that

n the perfection of character. Mental philosophy renders it a matter of certainty that the soul possesses an inherent capacity of receiving happiness or enduring misery to an extent at present wholly inconceivable. Generally speaking, the powers of your inner nature are asleep during life; but no sooner shall death have loosed the fetters that now confine them, than they w

of the human race. Alas! mere genius could have done little in that great work. Her vocation is to shine, and the promulgation of Christianity required suffering. The first Christians were not distinguished for their learning or eloquence, but they were endowed with power from on high to proclaim faithfully and courageously the great facts of which they had been the eye-witnesses. How manifest it is that we owe the spread of Christianity, not to talent, but to character. In the contest which resulted in the glorious Reformation, mere genius would soon have been foiled; heroic hardihood of soul, unbounded homage for truth, and unmeasured contempt for error, were necessary to burst the fetters of superstition. Talent could detect the errors of the Romish system, lash the vices of the clergy, and consign

L CONST

ut of which women as well as men are made, is infinitely varied. As from a few elements the endless forms of matter are built up, so out of different proportions of mental and moral qualities the endless diversities of human character are formed. In the world of matter, an almost infinitesimally small portion of foreign substance may quite alter the chemical character of a compound; and in the world of mind, the smallest excess or defect in any given faculty

edar in Lebanon-and the pine in Norway. Shall not God's resources find their amplest illustration in His last and noblest work-humanity? It is contrary to all analogy to expect uniformity of faculty or temperament among the human species. Be it observed, also, that as in the animal kingdom, structure necessitates function and habit; that as in the mineral kingdom there are fixed laws which we cannot alter; and that as in the vegetable kingdom nature determines her own growths: so in the world of mind, in the formation of

LY C

the democracy; and others inform us that the Church of the country is the proper instructress of the people. Without attempting to expose by facts, or assail in abstractions, the reasoning of these different classes, we would remark, that in the wo

daughter. Whence issues that moral influence which, to the tender mind, is paramount over all formal teaching? Primarily and supremely from the mother. The histories of all who have risen above the level of their compeers, shows that the largest and most potent share of influence lies with the mother. God's plan of reforming communities is to train families. When an architect was asked how he built one of the lofty chimneys which stud

p before our minds unrelenting sternness and stoicism. But the parental character was not despoiled of its nature. It was beheld in the most ardent desire to train offspring for all social duties. While it assiduously prepared them for the state, it resigned

tto: consuefa

uam in speculum

xallis sumere

s set up independently of a popular choice and contro

the way of the law, to do justice and judgment." This was to be the rule of transmission. "Teach them thy sons and thy sons' sons." "Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house." "He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who sho

on. The Christian Church was formed by its Divine Head that all those to whom His words are spirit and life, should impart them to others. Christianity is a propagandist system, and is designed to revolutionize not the opinions so much as the ideas and motives of humanity. When we look at hundreds of girls, in pairs and triads, engaged in incessant and animated conversation; when we think of the influences under which their characters are forming, and remember that these characters, in all probability, will last through life,-we almost shrink back from the reflection, that here are the mothers of the next generation! If there is contamination here, the consequences are more disast

elsh, the volatile French, the phlegmatic Dutch, the artistic Italian, the solemn Spaniard,-all these are crowded into so small a space of the earth's surface as some twenty degrees of latitude and longitude; and having most of the essential circumstances of social influence common to all, yet are each marked with a national stamp, indelible in natives, and still frequently distinguishable for two or three generations in families that have migrated into other countries." But although in each of the great national circles of society, we fin

tion has its own features clearly marked and firmly set. In every province, city, and town, we see the influence of association in th

AND RECEPT

elope its energies and extend its dominion. Minds that burn with the fire of genius, or the nobler fires of zeal and love, cannot repress their energies; but seek to distinguish themselves, and to influence those with whom

of power and strength which are the vital ma

very slow, and their conformity to persons and things around them very slight. With this faculty spontaneously active, how soon they learn to talk, to adopt the peculiarities of others, and copy the mechanical and other inventions! Now, women are but children of larger growth, and are mightily influenced by imitation. Follow, therefore, the example of good women. As the moral virtues constitute the highest order of human excellence and endowment, copy them wherever you find them. Theatricals are the legitimate product of imitation. Shall they be patronized? Undoubtedly they might be so conducted as to become a great pub

ee association, are in full operation. Just as matter has a tendency to conform to the temperature of surrounding matter, so mind has a tendency to cool or kindle with surrounding minds. An effort to benefit others operates beneficially upon those who put it forth; thus proving that people cannot be made a blessing to others without enjoying an enlarged blessing themselves. The great events of life, which stir the deepest feelings of the human heart-birth, marriage, death-occur in every household, lighting up with a common joy, or involving in the shadow of a common gloom, the palace and the cottage alike. "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." How near does our beloved queen seem to be to the poorest widow in th

greater facility and skill in the performance of particular actions. In the lower animals, habits arise from the force of mere instinct, and, properly speaking, are not acquired by repetition. The bee builds its first cell, and gathers honey from the first flower, as easily and as well as at any future period. The bird selects the same material for its first nest that it selects for its last, and constructs it in the same sort of place, and of the same shape; and all as perfectly and easily the first time as ever afterwards. The beaver fells his first tree, and makes his first dam, with as little difficulty and as much skill as in any after period of his life. You have much more of reason than of instinct, and consequently acquire habits by repetition. Having chosen a certain course of action, you find that as you proceed you get on better, and that what was at first difficult, in course of time becomes easy. The pianist, sweeping the keys of her instrument, and emitting melodious notes and melting harmony; the rope-dancer, performing her wondrous feats, and keeping the exact point of equilibrium and graceful attitude, are illustrations-not so much of native talent, as of the degree to which hab

nster of so f

ted, needs b

oft, familiar

e, then pity,

ng into intellectual excellence, and hopes and plans of generous ambition that are never to be fulfilled. But how much more painful is it to behold that equally insidious and far more desolating progress with which guilty passion steals upon the heart, when there is still sufficient virtue to feel remorse

reater crimes, an

s accident, a

ervant sinks

st sad struggli

indness to man, or to new sentiments of gratitude to God. But the temptations to which even virtue might sometimes be in danger of yielding, in the commencement of its delightful progress, become powerless and free from peril when that progress is more advanced. There are spirits which, even on earth, are elevated above that little scene of mortal ambition with which their benevolent wishes for the sufferers there are the single tie that connects them still. All with them is serenity; the darkness and the storm are beneath them. They have only to look down with generous sympathy on those

OPERATIO

upon bodily organization, are not slow to tell us that their characters are formed for them, not by them. But this reasoning completely overlooks the fact that they have got a rational will, armed with complete power to control and regulate these tendencies; therefore it is altogether illogical. Even were we to admit that the mental spontaneity is directly influenced by the bodily organization, the asserted consequence would by no means follow. For just as the farmer can plou

will. This important subject is most admirably discussed in a small pamphlet by Professor Martin, of Aberdeen, entitled, "Creed and Circumstance." To adopt the well-chosen words of the professor: "May the day soon come when it shall be deemed of as great importance to the wellbeing of society that the laws of that chemistry

ipline of your heart, when it is susceptible of the most lively impressions, will mainly depend what you shall henceforth be. This will involve much sacrifice, yea, lifelong struggle; yet we venture to press the demand. Should you never rise higher in society, you have already gained an honoured and holy position. You carry with you

true, and then

beautiful, and

oor, with rock a

arden, rich in

good, and the

beautiful, and

seed, sown in

blossom, and the

glad, and then

sorrowful, and

y-for earth of

et that we w

fight, and th

victory, and t

ight, and then

in the everla