Imatges de pàgina
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fear or intimidation; as the virtuous son of a gracious king, confiding in his father's munificence, participates his liberality with full assurance of his paternal protection and approbation. The case of David, king of Israel, presents itself to prove the assertion. See, with what an amiable simpiicity and divine assurance he epresses his confidence in, and grateful acknowledgments to, his Father and sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth ever. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Is it not of the very first importance, that parents should inculcate the principles of virtuous sensibility and moral obligation upon the juvenile minds of their children, since it is evident, that the good things of this world, cannot be enjoyed without the concurring influence of religion and virtue, much less those of the world to come. True, they may flourish in the eyes of the world, swim in wealth, be intoxicated in vanity, and engrossed with the formalities of life; but all this will not produce an hour's real peace. Sensual gratification they may enjoy, but never true

peace; for if the wretched child of fortune was to appropriate to himself a moment of serious reflection, the fear of death would soon chastise the latent joy, and bid it hence depart. Thus, he is miserable within, but splendid without; rebuked by his conscience; applauded by his sycophants, who hope to gain, by their adulation, pecuniary emoluments: but, when his riches take wings and fly away, his flatterers will fly away with them. Or, when death snatches him away from them, he will be soon forgotten, and on his monumental stone may, with propriety, be written the following epitaph:

"How lov'd, how valu'd, once, avails thee not, To whom related, or by whom begot;

A heap of dust alone remains of thee,

'Tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be."

No doubt many will be ready to conclude, that 1 degrade, instead of exalting and vindicating, the excellency of the female character, and will be ready to reprobate the freedom I use in my animadversions; but the vices and follies of the age call for them. The female character is excellent indeed, when their deportment is consistent with the end and design of their creation, to wit: the glory of God, their own peace, and to be man's help-mate. With respect to the purity and benevolence of my intentions, I can appeal to the Searcher of all hearts to witness my sincerity, and for the truth of my assertions I appeal to the

*Though I have been very careless in the composition of this work, I have, on the other hand, been ve ry careful to suggest no sentiments nor give any advice, but what will promote the best interests of the human

conscience of the most hardened libertine, or the most imprudent votary of female fashion, to deeide, whether they are not consistent with truth

family. This is not the case with many ingenious works on education, their authors take much pains to embellish their composition, but pay little regard to the accuracy of the sentiments they develope. The "Rights of Woman" in particular, 1 acknowledge, is an elegant written work as it respects its composition, but the sentiments too often tend, in my humble opinion, to consolidate the errings instead of vindicating the rights of Women. The author, no doubt, took very great pains in composing that work, and very little, to appearance, in correcting the sentiments therein.

However, as she was masculine herself, she perhaps thought all women like her in this respect. One of her sentiments, relative to boys and girls being instructed and kept in each others company as much as possible, I think is calculated to be very injurious. Indeed, I am entirely of a different opinion. Boys and girls, I think, should be kept apart as much as possible, es pecially when advanced in years. By neglecting this precaution, many parents and teachers have given the children under their care an opportunity to lay the foundation of a life of dissipation and debauchery. I could mention young apprentice boys and girls, as well as juvenile school-mates, who have been ruined by the neglect of their masters, teachers, and parents. I will go farther and affirm, that boys and girls should not be sent to the same school together, and parents should be very cautious how they send their daughters even to boarding schools, could they see the infinite injury children have met with from these quarters, they would weep and tremble by turns for the safety of their offspring, as well as for the unutterable evils to be seen in society, which eventually had their primary origin in the neglect of parents and teachers.

and propriety. I do, indeed, exalt the female character higher than the male, in those qualifications which ennoble human nature, and make it almost angelic; and those are benevolence, sympathy, commisseration; and, as it respects every other acquirement which men have, or ever will attain, I contend that the natural genius of women can, if improved, make, on an equal par, the same attainments. My object is to show women themselves what noble, exalted, glorious, (and I almost said) heavenly beings they are, while they act conformably to their high vocation; and, to reverse the idea, what poor, helpless, and despicable beings they are, when, instead of answering the noble end for which they were created, namely, to act a reasonable, judicious, and charitable part in this world; to be a benefit to mankind, and the glory of their Creator, and to enjoy his beatific presence and glory in eternity; they prostitute their talents in the service of Satan, and their persons mentally, and, alas! too often corporeally, to the promiscuous lust of the votaries of sensuality and libertinism. For, certainly, the fashionable female, who exposes publicly what prudence should conceal, not only entices the male of ardent passions to perpetrate, but also commits the crime of sentimental fornication herself; for, surely, if he who looks upon such a woman to lust after her, is guilty of adultery in his heart, according to our dear Redeemer's observation; the woman who entices him is equally guilty. These are serious considerations, which the day of judgment will abundantly develope. In order to prove, that I am not alone in reprobating the vices of men, I will close this chapter with a quotation from the writing of Thomas Ellwood, a pious and holy man, who was imprisoned, in

Great Britain, for bearing an honest and unaffected testimony to the truth, as it is in Jesus, our dear and precious Redeemer. The following lines were written while he was in prison:

Why should my modest muse forbidden be,
To speak of that which but too many see?
Why should she, by conniving, seem t' uphold
Men's wickedness, and thereby make them bold
Still to persist in't? Why should she be shy
To call them beasts, who want humanity?
Why should she any longer silence keep,
And lie secure as one that's fast asleep?
Or, how indeed can it expected be,

That she should hold her tongue, and daily see
Those wicked and enormous crimes committed,
Which she in modesty has pretermitted?

Which but to name, would with their filth defile
Chaste ears, and cast a blemish on her style:

Yet, of so many, she cannot forbear

To mention some, which here detected are.

Loud were the cries, which long had piere'd my ear Foul the reports, which I did daily hear. Unheard of, new-invented crimes were brought, By fame, unto my knowledge, which I thought Too foul and loathsome to have found a place In any heart, though ne'er so void of grace. This made me take a more observant view, Whether report spake what of men is true.

But as the celebrated southern QUEEN,
When she the court of Solomon had seen,
And had, with more than usual diligence,
Observ'd his splendor and magnificence,
Gonsider'd well his pomp, his port, his state,
The great retinue that on him did wait;
As one with admiration fill'd (no doubt
Not able longer to contain) burst out.

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