The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-08-18

l may remark, mat nfGinfSS All
taste are peculiarly ornamental IL
the female character.
In female, parli,ularly,thcy we'll
deserve the name OF virtues for
without them, whatever may be her
; exccllcnrirs, she has nolR that viii
be honored on acknowledged. A
woman may be Industrious aud eco
uomical she mayposScss we'll cul-
'ivated mind bot destitute of neat
ness and taste, she dcpreSscs rather
than eleyates the character Of her
sex. and poisons, instead Of partly
ing. the fountain of domestic and
public happiness.
Whatever n misinrormed pitty
may jndgr, true piety,well informed,
is the nurse of every social virtue
Religion has not unfrcquentIy lost
her pure aud benignant influence. by
necdlcssIy arrayiug herself against
all those personal accomplishments,
which. though not the first, consti-
tnte one of the appropriate and i'm
portant duties Of the female SEX
You may discover a ncatness and
taste in the very mind of praise
worthy woman, he her condition in
life ever So humble. You shall see
] them interviewer with her thoughts,
expressions and conduct, and giving
a cast To every thing she is, aud CIV
cry thing she does. Her manners
will partake largely Of those excel
lent qualities, and in every respect
be the emanation Of neat and p0-
lished mind, aud we'll cultivated and
polished heart. Equally removed
! from that ahcCtatlon of s0ttncss,
which is disgustIul and nauscous. and
that intrepIdity which sets at def
ance the maXims of ordinary discre-
ton, they will be modest, Leasing
and dignified and their natural and
nnstndied expression, of that eau
tious dclicacy.Which is the best guar
dian OF female reputation. Her dress
should obviously accord with the
same mental cultivation and refine
ment. Comfort, ueatness and taste,
ought always to distinguish il. Nor
is there any reason why christian
! females should be iuattcutiye TO their
apparel. Let it ever be remcm-
bered, that we live under a dispersal
ton which grants considerable liner
y, in respect to many external cir
| cumstances that an cXCCssi, L strict
ness about tiitles, leads to the neg
lsct of substantial things and tlrat
as the kingdom of God ls not meat
and drink, so neither does it consist
in any pccnliaritcs of apparel, but
in righteousness and peace, Joy, and
in the Holy Ghost" | am by no
means prepared to subscribe to the
sentiment that woman should mark
her christian principles by any sin
gularity in her dress. There are
r." things more prcpostcrous, on an
ti-chrjstIan, or that have led to more
censurable results. A christian W.
man ought to be distinguislable by
her simplicity, her ncatncss, her e
economy, her hcalthful and becoming
attire, but ncycrby her stiffness and
precision. Nor does the gospel pro-
scribe all ornament in the article Of
clothing. IL does, indeed, prohibit
that proiusion Of ornament which
consists in STUDIED display OF per
sonal decorations and costly array.
But where does il intcrdict that de-
cent regard to external appearance
which gives responsibility to the Ie-
male character A woman without
responsibility, is without influence ;
and without influence, she is without
the power of doing good. Nor do
hesitate to say, that it is no part OF
the religion OF the gospel fora female
to be very scrupuIous IN avoiding the
common modes Of apparel. l believe
there is much more anxiety, and
much more attention to dress, and
much more sin in studiously avoid
ing them, than in naturally falling IN
with them. Fashions, which char
acterize gay and worldly circles, a
christian woman will avoid. But
how ridiculous would she appear, to
disregard the spirit OF the age, and
cleave to the hablment Of her an
cestors, Whilc the prevalent modes
of dress among persons OF her own
class. are not inconsistent with
modesty and dtCorum. And let il
not BIO forgotten, that there is no in
tslnsic evil IN mere dress Of any kind.
SO long as the heart Is not corrupted,
mar tie best interests Of man injured
L. tic o.nImenls We McAr lAeY arc