The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-10-21 00:00:00

Somerottobtre

MRS. BESSIE INGLIS ON THE INFLUENCE

WOMEN.

The second of the series of lectures in connexion with
the Yeovil Mutual Improvement Society, was delivered
at the ball of the institution on' Thursday evening, by
Mrs. Bessie Inglis, from London, the subject being
" The Influence of Women." The lecture was of a
highly interesting character, and the able manner in
which the fair lecturer gave sound advice, drew forth
much applause from the audience, the majority
whom were composed of ladies. Robert Tucker,
~
occupied the chair, and in a few appropriate remarks
introduced

Mrs. Inglis, who on rising was warmly received.
After making a few remarks on the power of influence,
she asked what was influence! and how could they
define the word! Influence was a'atrong, subtle power,
unseen except in its effects, and unlimited in its actions.
Where was the boundary of influence? To what spot
In the remote future could they point, and say beyond
this point their influence ahonld not pass. They all
knew there was no limit, no bound to their influence ;
it reached to eternity, and was either used for good or
evil. Influence was universal ; all possessed it. All
did not possess rank, nor honour ; all could not dire

deep into the mines of knowledge and research ; but all
bad influence, rich or poor, high or low—the prowl
and rich, all possessed this gift, And not only did all
possess it, but all used it, too, some rightly and
some wrongly, unwillingly and willingly, all used
the power, and those who used it well did a great and
glorious a ork, but when misapplied it was as the
unseen tempest which could only be traced by the
ravages it left behind. Many people said there was
such a variety of influences, but the variety of in-
fluences was only limited by the human heart. This
word " influence" was very much misunderstood, and
Doctor Johnson defined the word as being placed in a
high situation Which commanded power. How often
did they hear this word made use of when some one
wanted a high office, and some one's influence was
needed to obtain the post. But it had another mean•
lug, and everyone of them had a peculiar influence in
the position in which they were placed. It was true
that the rich and the great had peculiar influences
attached to their positions, fin i well would
it be for them if they remembered and used
them rightly ; so also have the poor, and the
lowly, and the humble, It did not matter if they lived
in a solitary garret, if they rightly used their influence
for all that was good and holy their exertions would
be as acceptable in the sight of. God as that of the
Queen upon her throne. Mrs. Inglis then said that the
lecture that night was upon woman's influence, and then
proceeded to point out some of the characters which
history furnished who had used their influence either
for good or for evil, and said if they looked eround they
saw many in this world who used their influence for
good. The Queen used rightly and well the influence
of her position, and so did also the late Prince Consort.
In a little town in Sussex, Mrs. Inglis said she knew a
lady who was an example to every woman. She had
lived in the 'lace for many years, and was looked up
to as a mother She was not rich, nor had the advan-
tages of birth or education, but Wad an active mind
and a good store of knowledge. She went about from
family to family giving good counsel or reproof as the
case might be. She bad, by her own endeavours,
raised £lO5O out of £ll,OOO for the erection of (whoa's,
de. and this showed What a woman eould accomplish.
If they did all they could in the position in which they
were placed they would find much good result from
their efforts. Referring to the influence of education.
Mrs. Inglis said it gave them peculiar advantages and
influences. It was a glorious thing to pursue the path
of knowledge, and a beautiful thing to cultivate the
higher faculties ; but it wag all useless, unless it was
used as a means for an end, and one great effect of
education we. to strive away the influence of ignorance.
It was the effect of ignorance that was filling their
gaols, and the terrible reports of the policeeourts,which
made them almost afraid to walk the streets. Their
was another kind of influence—that of individuality or
peculiar character. If they looked at each other
they saw that there WOO at great a difference in the
cheracter as in the face. They were not all formed
alike. In Nature's garden they found every variety of
colours, and could they think that the Great Gardener
had made them less equal than the flowers? Some
lived on other peoples lives and works, but the work of
the world would never he finished until each did their
own individual part. Some loved work for work's take,
and found it the hardest possible work to be doing
nothing, whilst others would do anything to be out of
its way. What would the world be if everybody
wanted to be at work, why there would be no peace to
be found anywhere. Again there were the prudent
and the imprudent, and one would do what the other
could not think of doing. Then there was the influence
of peculiar circumstances, and this gave them an in-
flnence which they were bound to seize wean and use.
Woman was sent into the world to use her influence,
and was fitted to do no. Her anger was gnick, and she
was gifted with a quickness of observation, she had
id,omitable will, great endurance, keen eensibility,strong
affection, and almost inexhaustible love,and these things
were a woman's glory if she used them aright. They
made her powerful for good or for evil, for it had been
said that there was no wickedness worse than that of
women. But it was in the social relations of life that
her influence was to be felt. How great was the in-
fluence of a mother ! How great was the honour and
dignity of womanhood I A child was given a woman to
sanctify her, and a mother exerted her influence
over her son in the earliest state of childhood. Mothers
influenced their chidren by their looks and tone of
voice, by the order of their household, and by the tone
of conversation at the dinner table. Mothers might
send their children to school, but they educated them
at home. Oh, that mothers would remember these
things ! They influenced their children by the friends
and companions that visited them, and this was very
important. Mothers were too anxious with respect to
their sons sometimes. They would only have them to
be acquainted with those who could advance them in
life, and were high in position, but it was 1111101 MOTO
important that their sons should find friends in the
humble and poor than in the haughty and rich. If
they would do this there would not fie so much diffi-
culty in obtaining members of Parlianient, and
there would be no trouble to get right men for
right places ; and with respect to their daughters,
Mrs. Inglis entreated them to be educated to
be self-helping: Let them be trained, so that
when the time came for their mothers to take
their rest, they might to be able to take their places,and
rank among the honourable matrons of old. Women exer-
cised great influence as wives,and every woman desired to
be influenced by their husband, and she (Mrs. Inglis)
believed that every husband desired to be infinenced by
his Wife, But there appeared several tbings to be taken
into consideration here. The wife should study her
own temper, her own patience, and more especially that
of her own tongue. After having studied herself she
shoul I endeavour to study her husband, his whims and
weaknesses, how much he could bear— but by-the-bye
she should never put them to the test. She should take
especial care to study her husband's temper. Sometimes
the wife was phased in great difficulties, bet if she Was
Out catitioue of her tongue, *lie (Mrs. Inglis) would
' advise her to ritn early And glint hefself tip fat a little
, time, and endeavour to regain the command of that
organ of which she could not refrain (ruin using. and
then by a few words of kindness she would be able to
turn away the remainder of his wrath. Women exer-
cised great influence as sisters. The influence of dieters
over their brothers was more than they thought fur.
Their love came next to a mother's. If sisters would
use their influence properly over their brothers, there
would be more bright young men in the world than
there were at the present time. Daughters also exer-
cieed a great influence. Sometimes a daughter ruled a
household entirely, but mere especially did elderly ones
exercise mind' influence. They were doing a great work
either for good or evil. They influenced their parents,
and how great was their influence when their mother
was taken from their household I Mrs. Inglis, after
touching upon the influence of mothers-in-law,niistresses,
and servants, adverted to the influence of single women,
and said she did not know how time world would get
on without them. They were nobody's women, and
yet they were everybody's, and alluded to the good
whit!' giss,Mareh, Mies ,Creswell; and Mist F'aithful
had achieved and Were still achieving, and last, though
not least, of the heroic doings of the soldiers' friend,
Miss Nightineale. After remarking upon the influence
of Sunday school teachers, and visitors to the houses of
the poor, Mrs. Inglis said that women exercised a great
influence in themeelves. and that when they met
for social enjoyment their conversation was not what it
ought to be. She did not mean to say that gentlemen
did not gossip quite as mach as the ladies, but let
women's eonversstion be not of so light a nature.
Women exercised a gtept Witmer.° by their drps.
Sonia of them would think that this was • very trifling
thing to talk about, but it was not; for she (Mrs.
Inglis) believed it exercised great influence. She pro-
tested against the absurd fashions of the present day,
and believed that they were exercising great evil, and
if the fashion did not make old age ridiculous, at least
it made it undignified. She felt ashamed that the
women should have given much just cause for being so
caricatured in the shop windows by the gentlemen,
who, if they would look at hoine, would find plenty
to do without looking at the ladies, but this they would
not do. She would have every man to respect a woman,
and not to hold her up to ridicule. She liked a woman
to be well dressed, but some would ask what it was to
be well dressed? A woman was well dressed when in
accordance with her position in life, character, and per-
sonal appearfinee, and lint in the eipensiveness or
"expansiveness" of her attire. After alluding to the
influence of women as members of a christian church,
and of the spirit of "caste" which prevailed amongst
them, of their influence in assisting working men's
institutions, Mil. Inglis especially asked the influence
of women in helping to better the condition of the poor
needlewomen, and if for one cause more than another
why she asked them to do so, it was because the evil
came in the shape of ,dress; and wits consequently
through them. Thus they saw that women etercised
a great influence over all society, and in doing as let
them never forget that the spirit of an age did not pass
away in the generation in which they were living, but
existed for generations yet to come. They were reaping
the fruits of the past, and pa them take heed for the
future, and if they loved their country they would
desire to leave a name worthy of it. England stood
amongst the foremost of all nations, Ti3t how far she
fell short of what she should be. As God had given
them such great privilege., let them seek to repay it by
doing good to others. Mrs. Inglis, at the conclusion of
the lecture was heartily and deservedly applauded.
After a few remarks from the chairinan,a cordiel vote
of thanks VMS given for Mrs. Inglis for her highly
interesting and instructive lecture.