Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-01-16
f.male patrons, az a work teeming with

female patrons, ~ a "o'A ssS'A""6 VIZ"
historical entertainment.
ain reviewing the civil and intellectual
aist ~ oil woman we find that irom the
earliest times, her course has been al
most uniformly marked with degradation
and oppression. This must ever excite
the aston hmcnt and regret, and should
awaken also the deepest hu.n,liaiion and
remorse of man, as such oppression has
been mostly owing to his ignorance,
oyerbearing pride, and RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The more recent periods OF the history
Of woman, exhibit a cheerful brightness,
that promises to her n meridian glory al
no very distant era. 1t has been feser-
we'd to these modern days to render iul'
Justice to her Character, to ackno"l.
edge her righteous claims, aud to yieid
10 her, her high preroga IVES.
In looking back Ia those rciho,s days,
when vice aud in!idei,ty and corruption
began to lastcn OH the huMan family, we
find woman among tho human family,
we find woman among the scverest SUI
! ferers, and early doomed to a cruel sub
Lection. Long did tho habits and oPin-
ions OF the world hold her III the bascsI
yassalase. Pagarism has ever ruled he'
wsh IN iron despotism, and all tho orr
entail nations have fastened upon her
neck a calling yoke. IIthcre were any
ofthc. ancient government, OF earih,'ioai
! whom she might reasonably have expect
ed q becoming treatment, they were those
! of the d%ivlncly favored Judea, and the
refined republics Of Greece and Rome
1t is true that the daughters OF Israel
enjoyed, comparatively with The state OF
society in their days, high rank and ad-
vantages; blu! for these were they IN
| dcbted to the power oftheif relleIon;-
and they, alone of all females OF the
world seemed to have Eight IN their
dwellings, When We come to the age
of Homer.
But VIC fear that snch descriptions were
| colored only by passion or fancy; as IN
the succeeding classic ages OF Greece,
| we see no indications of a proper respect
!or woman. She scarcely knew more
than her slave. "iier mind" says
Xenophon, in his treatise on Domestic
Ecoaomy, was uninsiructed, and her
manners uuinrormed" Such females, as
possessed any distinguished mental
charms, were those, who were lost to all
real delicacy ofreputation. While Soc
rates was learning eloQuenco at the
shrine Of AspaSia, it was an e~loquence,
! deeply affected with moral pollution
Every virtuous woman was condemned
to a state of seclnsion; and she, who
wanted fame, could procure it only at
the sacrifice Of her innocence. In the
days of Roman ~splendor, WOMAN scarce
ly knew more freedom, than was allow
| ed to her in Greece. She was traminell-
| ed by the severest restraints OF the civil
code, was treated as a THING, and not as
a person Of the household, and was con
! stantly thrown into the deepest misery
BY the enormiiies of %polygamy and d.
vorce. Nothing like giving her an IN
~tcllectual and moral education, was ev-
er dreant of in Roman or Greclan phi-
losophy. Such were her sorrows even
among the most refined people; and such
they would probably have ever been,
had not miraculous rays of divine mercy
visited her condition.
The bright era Of Christianity, the
glorious birth ofthe Messiah, Introduced
into the world n new system OF opinions,
relative to woman. The inlnte kind
ness and tenderness, which were mani
tested towards her by the Son of God,
not only by his language, but by his life,
and he gracious dispcn~ation of his Cos
pei, effected an entirely new order OF
llhiags. Clolhcd. with the attributes o'
divine majesty and love, he uttered these
Tcleering tones. Daughter, be of goot
comfort, thou art looscd from thine in
trinity, the period of thy civil and IN
tc'lec,ual degradation shall soon be ter
! minated. Wherever the Gospel has
been received il has been followed by
the civil and moral elevation of women
wherever it has not been received, the,
still move in chains and grope their wa,
in .rkness.