Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-09
FEMALE lNTEILECT.

An arlcir IN me iast numhrr OF the rd,
burgh Review, ascribed 10 the p-h AZ Nv
Jeffrey, contains the following ingenious w
.erva,ions on the powers Of female in,e,l.,, y"
{" Women, we fear cannot do every thin,
every thing they attempt. But wha, ,hry ~
do, they do, for the most part, excrilenlv ,.a
much mare irequenty with an ah.olu,, -.
perfect SUI cess han the aspiranls Of our ror,%
er ADD more ambitious sex They. Came,
think. represen, naturally The fierce and su,ss
passions of men nor the cosrser ,icrs-,o'
even scenes Of actual business and con,pn,;",
and the mixed motives, and strong aud Euh'
character,, by which affairs Of momen, -,
u.u ally conducted on the ,healr. Of the yo,n
For much Of this they are disqualified BY IA.
delicacy OF their raining and habit, and IN.
still more disabling delicsey which pery,d,,
their concr ptious aud feelings; and from m.,h
they are excluded by their actual experi.nr.
Of the realizes they might wish TO drscub.
by their substantial and incurable ienorape, n
business, Of he way OF which erious af.l,
are actually managed, and The true nature
the agents and impulses that give moy.m,,,
and direction to the stronger current. Of o.,
dinary life. Perhaps they are also incsu,b.
of long mos al or political investigations. wb,,.
many complex and interminste elsmsn Ar
to be taken into account, and variety OF On.
posi,e probabilities TO be weighed before rom,
inc 10 a conclusion. They are general, IN
impaiien, 70 get o, the ultimate r1sul,, 70 A
well through with such discussion, and ii h,
stop short al some imperf fec, view Of he ,rv,b
or turn a, ice TO repose 10 the shadow olson.
| pl,usibls error. This, however, we are psnv,.
ded, arises entirely from their hsing seldom a.
on SUE h tedious tasks. Their proper and aaunl
business is the practical regulation Of prn,.
life, in all It's bearings, affections, and Concerns
| sad the questions with which hey have to
deal in tina; most important department, thsusb
often Of The utmost difae ulty and nicely. il,
voIye, for tile most port, but few element
and may generally be better described as t,h,
cate than inuics,p, requiring for their sSIllin
rather . quick tact and fine perception han,
ps,ient and laborious examination. For h.
same reason they rarely succeed in long work,
even on subjects the best suited 10 heir s,nt
| US, their natural training rtndSr them equal.
lv averse 10 long doub' and long lsbour. For
all other intellectual efforts, however, eihr Of
the understanding or the fancy, and rrquinn,
thorough knowledge either ofmap's Strength |
or his weakness, we appiehend Them be, 10 al |
respects as well qualified as their treltrnd
the stronger sex; while, in their PERCEPTION
OF grace, propri,ty, ridieuls their power Of DE-.
teCling srlifics, hypocrisy, and afec ion %. |
| force and prompti'ude OF thsir sympathy ard
their csra ci,y Of noble and devoted auaehmsu, |
and of the efforts and sacrifices il may require,
they are, beyond all doubt, our sup,ror.-
Their business being, as we have said, viii
&C usl or social li!c, and the colors it rrcsi'a
from the copduci and dispositions iniirts
ais, they une onsciously acquire, ala very"
ly age. the fuesi perception Of character ,ri
m anuers, and are almost as soon ipstiurlluI
sc h"o;ed in the deep and dangerous learning
feeling and emotion while he very mirvt
ness with which they make and mediate 0,
these iDteresting observations, and The GOr
shades and variatioas Of sentiment which an
| thus treasured sud recorded, train their whole
faculties to a nicely and precision Of operation,
which often discIoses itself to adrsntsgen
their apple alion to studies Of very different
character. When women, accordingly, lave
turned their minds, as they have done but 100
srldom,to The exposition or arrangement oiaV
branch Of knowledge, they have commonly"
| hibited, We think, . more b autiful seeU!f'
and more uniform and complete juslO'" Of
| thinking, than their less discriminating Sr''-
rem. There is finish and compl,'rre" about
every thing they pu' out OF their bands. ""'N
| indicates not only an inheren, Taste for el'yna
| and neatness, bu, a habit Of nice ob"r'"I
aud singola1 "xa ness u irjudgmen'"