Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1839-12-07
G4g G lg5s ogaso
MORAL INFLUENCE ois.THE
WIFE ON til e HUSBAND = /

i ~ Iss .sa.~
Every wife l,asii in her power to make
her husband either better or worse. This
resa'tsis accomplished not merely by xiv.
Ing advice aud instruction alone. potlrof
ItheseAhave theft influence; and, MS. means
~ Improvement, should not be NEGLECTED.
But,itis by the geueral. tone aud tenor of
her CONVERSATION, as manliiesting temper
and disposition Of the heart, that she makes
the tres. abiding impressions. These are
modifying his Character daily and hourly,
sometimes even when absent.
n Ii has been sli1 dffhc wife Of Jonathan
Jiawards. thai, by cndaairg Iihato ,pni iorIh
4 his powers. unembnrasscd, she conferred d
greater benefit oa-inanbiad llian AN the
iensla characters that ever lived or ever
Ewill~'iye.F 4 simiiarrcmarIl might be up-
I piled 10 the observation-disclosures every great,
aud good nlbn. -Womai's true greatness
consists, so il seems tonne, 10 rendering,
others tlseln rather lhan being directly.
useful herself; or in other werfs, ii is
Hess her Office 70 be secnand known in so.
l.ciety than II make others seeaund Known.
aud lheiripfuence felts
Knight give numerous examples and it.
1usirations.oftIie principle ] am eDdcav-
,sigig 20 susiain. both in'lhis country and
clsephercsss lrn1gh spetl; ofihe mother
hnd wife oi Washington, oit the molher of
Dwight, Franlllin, Wilbcrlorce, Wlhlefeld,
Tnnpthv, and hundreds Of others; fer II
was hy The. exercise Of the duties rot only
|of tie mother, sbutof The e,that these.
|jlluslrors charac teis were Lrooght lofill
10 tie world but will continesmyself 10
alsiogle Instance; and that one 10 which.
The Influence nppr the husband was direct
1 HE case 10 vllich refer, is that Of
Sir James Mackioiosh, whose fulno lis n
jufisi, a staiesman, aud writer, istwcls
Known moi only in Europe aud America,
batin india ;and whoseeilirtsin the cause
ofasclence and humanity, have rarely hoeu
eqnaled.. Few men have done nnoie.
through ihe progress Of long life, than-I
he; aud few lave, at any tate, been more |
Distinguished for extensive learning, large
views, and literal principles, IN hw, poIi-
Tics, and moral philosophy; but especially
IN his iavoHie department OF The law. Ii |
was he Of whom Sir Waller Scott said, on |
a certain occasion, that g Inc made the
most brilliant speech ever made nj bar OF |
iolum." Yctlhis great man, if we may /
believe his own story, owed no small share |
of his greatness to The assistance and in
Thence Of his wife. Of<tllis, the follow
ing extracts kBm a letter Of his to "a friend |
describing her character, after her decease,
will be most abundant proof. The last
clause includes, il viii be seen, a passing
tribute 70 another person probably his
mother, which doubles the value df the T
extract have made ii exhibiting the in.,l
fluence oftwo females. in the formation oil
character, instead ollnt one.
" Allow me, -ii justice 10 her memory
to tell what she sand what owedhcr.l
] vas, guided in my choice only bv the
bliud affection Of my youth. found an !
jntelligeptcompauion and atender friend, /
a prudent monitless, HE sn4st flitltfnl OIL
wives, and a mother as tender VS. children I
ever had the misfortune toose. | met a
woman, who, BY the tender management
#. my weakness, gradually corrected the
most rerpiclous Of ihcm. She becamc4
prudent from affection; and though Of the,
most generous nature, Size was taught fri
gality and ecoaeln. by her love for me.
during the mos, critical period of my
life, she preserved order 10 my affairs, /.
from the cares 81 Which she relieved me.
She gently reclaimed me from dissipation;
she prepped my weak ana irresolufe ma
lure; she urged my Incidence 10 All The
pxertions tina! have been useful or credit /,
ablesto PIE, and she was perpetualIy. at
hand. to admonish my eheedlessnessS and1
ToherI owc.whatover +,
am; 20 her whatever shall be. In her
solicitude for my interest, she never.for d
my feelings Or my charac. ,
IeE Even in her occasional resen,men,s, =
for which ! too often gave her cause, (would
% God i-copId recall these moments,) she !,
nad no sallenness snr acri,nony.-- Her Il;
ceilings swcre warm and impetuous, hut !,
he waspfcable, tender. and constant. :
"Sirh was she whom l have. LOST; and h
have lost her whenher excellent natural n
ense was rapidly improving, after eight q
'cars Of .struggleNnd distress had bound Hi
is fastfo each other, when knowledge Of a
lrr worth had refined my youthful love Ii
aioftiendship, before age. deprived It OILS
much Of its original .ardour lost her /,
las, Che choice Of my youth and the. 6
- u. = \ r.