The ladies' garland. [volume], June 07, 1828, Page 207, Image 3

About The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828

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M an's fickleness in love concerns, has become
a proverb; and it is a matter of deep regret
that there is too much troth in the charge which
taints with selfishness the endurance of his af
lection. But let us hear what a gifted poet has
said of “Woman's Love:”
“ Woman, that fair and fond deceiver,
Mow prompt are striplings to hcl’eve her ;
How throbs the pmlse, when we lust view
The eye that rolls in glossy blue :
Or sparkles black, or mildly throws
A beam from under hazle brows :
How quick we credit ev’ry oath,
And hear her plight the willing troth ;
fondly we hope ’twill Lst for aye,
When !o ! she changes in u day :
Tins record will forever stand,
* Woman, thy vows are trac’d in sand.’ ’’
A Tf.ap. has been prettily styled the mirror of
the heart, and the “ test of affection.” The
hardest bosoms have been softened by its talis
manic influence; battles and empires have
been lost and won ; and the boldest enterprises j
prompted or baffled by its power. We all re- j
collect the consequences imputed to the “ timid ;
tear in Cleopatra’s eye;” and those shed by
■ he mother of Coriolanus were not less effectual.
They arrested the uplifted arm of the daunt
less Roman, (he “who would not flatter Neptune
for his trident,”) as he was about to let its ven
geance fall upon his ungrateful countrymen.—
The tear of a repentant child has oft soothed a
parent's anger—the tear of a wife has opened
the prison door of a captive husband—a mother
has often reclaimed a wayward son by her ten
dernesss and her teais—and most of us have
known, in our hours of affliction, the soothing
intluence of a sympathetic tear. Byron, in
some lines written on leaving his home, has
‘ouched the subject beautifully. We extract a
dv stanzas:
w lien lpiendstnp or t.ove
Our sympathies move ;
'' lien Truth, in a glance, should appear ;
The lips may beguile.
With a dimple or smile,
'Hit the test of affection’s a Tear.
Too oft is a smile
But the hypocrite’s wile.
To mask detestation or fear ;
(Vive me the soft sigh,
Whilst the soul telling eve
:s dimniM, fora time, with a Tear.
Mdd Charity’s glow,
To us mortals below,
Shows the soul from barbarity clear ;
Compassion will melt.
Where this virtue is felt,
And its dew is diffused in a Tear.
**«»»* «
May no marble bestow
The splendor of wo,
Which the children of vanity rear ;
No fiction of fame,
Stull blazon my name,
All 1 ass, all 1 wish, i, a Ttaa,
Anger.—Females should practice gentleness,
and be early taught to repress the first risings
of rebellious anger. They should ever bear in
mind that Wrath
“ Blots beauty as frosts bite the meads.”
tf^-This number, it will be perceived, com
pletes the 1th volume. The editor reiterates
his sense of thankfulness to his patrons, and
wishes them " lengthened days and days of joy."
Proposals will be issued shortly, bv a lady,
for the publication of a new series of the (J*k
lanp, with some improvements.
FEMALE EDUCATION-.
1110)1 OAtLATJIETT’s AlUmUiS.
COMPOSITION.
Again, I have recommended strongly, that origi
nal •imposition should be attended to, at a very ear
ly period i:i the course of education, and I have lis
tens 1 to productions of ties kind, especially, permit
nie to say, in the Hartford female Seminary, with a
mixture of astonishment and delight;—and I have
thought that 1 have seen in them the buddings of a
youthful genius, which if cherished, and unfolded,
and matured, would present blossoms as sweet, and
fruits as fair, as were ever found adorning the
walks of Female Literature. And yet are sufficient
pains taken to make this valuable attainment sub
serve an useful purpose in the actual concerns of
life ' Many a young lady who has completed her
education, much to her ow n honor and the reputa
tion of her teacher, and who can write poetry that
much olders bards need not be ashamed of, and an
essay as elegant as one of Addison’s—and many a
student, too, (for I cannot forego the opportunity
of referring to my own sex also,) who has taken
his degree at college, and ranked among the first in
hisclass, and written compositions, and disputes, and
orations, and poems—many such, if called upon an
emergency, to write a plain business-letter on some
of the common transactions of life, are at a loss ;—
hardly know how to set about itand produce one,
at last, vastly interior to thousands which are writ
ten by those who have had, compared with theirs,
but very few advantages of education.
Now is there not something wrong in all this ?
Does it not show a defect somewhere, and one
which ought to he remedied ' Does it not go to
prove, most forcibly, the position which I have laid
down, that females are not sufficiently taught the
practical uses to be made of the knowledge which
they aetjuire ? Is not the ability to write promptly,
a perspicuous, concise, judicious, and neat letter
on the practical business concerns of life, a most
valuable attainment for a female > How often, how
very often, are ladies, both single and married,
placed in situations where they cannot avoid the
performance of such a task, without either extreme
inconvenience or embarrassment ! 1 would give
such an attainment a very high rank among those
to which a young lady, in the course of her educa
tion, should aspiie, let the sphere in which she may
afterwards move, be ever so humble, or ever so ele
vated.
But how is this important kind of composition—
this practical letter-writing,—to be taught in our
schools? Without any difficulty. An instructress,
taking a class of her pupils, could easily lead each
of them to imagine herself placed in such and such
circumstances; taking rare to describe them with j
minuteness and accuracy ; and then slate for w hat
purpose '.he letter should be written ; and, even at !
first, point out tlie particular topics of which
should consist. At the outset, th* pupils shouiu
have some considerable time allowed them for wr it
■:'g such letters. Rut, after some practice, thej
should frequently be required to do it on the spot,
in order to train them to despatch in cases which
might demand it.
It is interesting to see, how soon young persons,
while the imagination is quick and lively, will enter
into the spirit of such fictitious exercise ; and it is
easy to conceive, how an ingenious teacher couf
multiply them, so as to adapt them to a great varie
ty of emergencies and occasions of real life. The
letters thus composed, should be minutely critic:-'
cd and corrected, and then copied into a booh u
be kept by the pupil.
THOU CUTS UPON 1T.M.U.K EDUCATION
The branches of literature most essential for a
young lady in this countty, appear to be,
1. a knowledge of the English language. She
should not only read, but speak and spell it cor
rectly ; and, to enable her to do this, she should
be taught the English grammar, and be freouently
examined in applying its rule in common converse
tion.
2. Pleasure and interest conspire to make the
writing of a fair and legible hand, a necessary
blanch ot a lady’s education—on this head, I have
only to add, that the Italian and inverted hands,
w inch are read with difficulty, are by no means ac
commodated to the active state of business in Ame
rica, or to the simplicity of a republican.
3. Some knowledge of figures and book keep
ing is absolutely necessary to qualify a young lady
for the duties which await her in this country.
There are certain occupations, in which she may
assist her husband with this knowledge, and should
she survive him, and agreeably to the custom of
our country, be the executrix of bis will, she call’
not fail of deriving immense advantage from it.
| 4. An acquaintance with geography, and some
instruction in chronology, will enable a young lady
to read history, biography and travels, with advan
tage, and thereby qualify her, not only fora gene
ral intercourse with the world, but to be an agreca
ble companion for a sensible man. To these
branches of knowledge, may be added, in some in
stances, a general acquaintance w ith the first prin
cipies of astronomy, natural philosophy, and chem
ishy, paiticularly with such parts of them asare cal
culated to prevent superstition, by explaining the
causes, or obviating the effects of natural evil, and
such as are capable of being applied to domestic or
culinary purposes.
ADVICE TO MOTHERS.
The following letter from the late l.nrd Colling
wood to Mrs. llall, contains some valuable advice
to mothers:—
1 bad great pleasure (writes bis lordship.) in the
receipt ot y our very kind letier a few dais since,
and give you joy, my dear SI iria, on the increase
ot your family —You have now mice boys, and I
nope they will live to make you happy w hen you
are an old woman. 1 atn truly sensible of the kind
regard which you have shown to me in giving my
name to your infant : he will bring me to tour re
meiiibrance often ; and then you will think of a
friend who loves you and ail your fannlv very
much. With a kind and affectionate husband,
and the three small children, all hoys, you a>e hap
py, and 1 hope will cv< r be so lint three boy.- ! —
let me tell you, the chance is very much against
you unless you are forever on your guard. I he
temper and disposition of most people ate formed
before they are seven years old i ami tiie common
cause of bad ones Is tire great indulgence arid mis
taken fondness w liich the affection of a parent finds
it difficult to veil, though the happiness of the
c.idd depends upon it. Y'our measures must hr