The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-03-28
OF THE CONTEMPT OF WOMAN
HOOD.

gloomiest of bigots and the most ruthless
of prosecutors, it is storied, that she ne
yer looked into the face of woman, or
spoke to one"
In like manner,
"Aside the Devil turned,p
when the first of female forms presented
itself before him.
Woman was the last best gift" to man:
and what though she was first in the trans
gression? Was she not principal, too, in
the restoration? When the Divine Restorer,
born Of q acoman, was in poverty and
need, who were they that ministered to
him? Women. When the disciples had
fled through fear, who stood by, and so
deeply sympathised in his last agonies, un-
dismayed by the ferocious countenances
of the murderous thong! Women. Who
so afectionately prepared the embalming
spicery, and were the first to visit the sa-
cred tomb? Women. To whom have all
the after generations been most indebted
for the pious culture of infancy and child
hood? To Women.
The Eternal Wisdom has, if may
use the expression, cast the minds of the
two sexes In different moulds, each being
destined to act in sphere peculiarly its
own.
"For contemplation he, and valour formed,
For softness she, and sweet attractive grace"
The one is destined and fitted for the
more active and perilous scenes; the other
for the duties and trials of domestic life;
the one to protect, the other to lean on
the arm of her protector: the one to ex-
hibit the sterner virtues; the other, the
milder: the one possessing more OF active
courage; and the other, more of fortitude,
of resignation, and of unweariable pa
tience, and more of the benevolent affec-
tions.
This is natures distinctive line, which,
on the part of female character, can ne
yer be overleaped without producing dis.
gust or ridicule. Hence it is, that, of all
afectation, none is more displeasing than
a woman's affecting spirit and manner of
the other sex. We have sort of admi-
ration of the heroic intrepidity Of Spartan
ladies; of their contempt of danger; Of
the stoical apathy, or rather ex with
which they received the news of their
sons and husbands dying bravely in battle.
We admire them as prodigies, but neither
love nor esteem them as women. And
why is it that the atheistical fair is regar-
ded with such singular horror? Why is
the foul oath, the heaven-daring blasphe-
my, doubly horrible in the ear of decen-
cy, when proceeding from the lips of wo-
man? 1t is because we contrast the out
rage with the attributes of timidity, gen.
tleness, delicacy and sensibility, belong
ing more particularly to the sex.
One of the most deplorable wants in
woman, is the want of cart; the want
of genuine senssi4sIEiry; senssi4hsiIdEiar ii the radical al:
ffecGon Of sympathy and benevolcnce. 1t
is a want, for which neither beauty, nor
wit, nor the rarest accomplishments Of
person or mind can by any means COM
pensate. On the other hand, the most at
tractive graces of the female character are
not the artificial and snowy, but those of
a meek and quiet spirit; and of beneficcnt
dispositions, gnided by moral principles
and discretion of sound sense;-in word,
graces the same that our holy religion In
cuIcates and inspires.
In the fair daughters Of Eve, domestic
excellence is the predominatng excellence;
in comparison with which all the orna-
ments that literature or manners can be
stow, are as tinsil compared with fine
gold. How much soever yet still more
doth she contribute, when she acts the
woman, to alleviate the pains of adversi-
ty. In our sickness and sorrows she is
indeed as ga ministering angel" What
heart is so sympathetic? What hand is so
soothing? Who awaits the sick bed with
most care, with most assiduity, with the
most inexhaustable patience? Who, in
spite of feebleness of frame, foregoes
sleep, aid patiently endures course of
remitless watchings of incredible length!
Woman contributes to refining and am
plifying the innocent pleasures of health
and prosperity. Who, SO often, devotes
life, and the pleasures Of life, to the needs
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