The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-03-01

ics' Institute.
This lecture was attended BY a very large and
respectable body ofladies and gentle men, and went
Oft with great eelat. We have only space to-day
to give the concluding part of it, which is most ad
mirable.
"A good edueation is young mans capital; an
OF equal value is 1t also to young lady. see ia
the distance dahlis, snowy, magnificent flower,
though without large in its volume, splen-
did in colorng BY its side Is the mess rose, equal
In coloring and beauty As gaze At hem In the
distance, scarcely know which to admire most.
But ladies, suppose am permitted to 90 and pluc
The rose for its fragrance. l look upon the igno
rant lady and the educated lady, and, they pass
me in the street, scarcely know which is the more
beautiful. But, suppose ! am privileged to 20 and
pluck one Of them, partner Tor life, which do
But, ladies, what is fashionable female eduea-
tionl Does it not aim more at the gliding than the
gold? More at the accomplishmcnts than the ac-
qnirements! Perhaps II 10 rightly termed accom-
plishment- Il is Intended to accom- psh certain
thing-matrmony. (Laughter.) Do we not value
afemae's education more for its show than its use
more for w hat cests than for what il is worth
In educating females, we load the fingers with Jew
els, but cut of the muscles sfthe wrist (Applause,
and strong feeling through the audience.) She
has learned to make rugs for tea-urns pretty otto
mans; and is decately prep AIRED with all the plans,
designs and materials, oflace hand kerehes, muslin
garment, nor does she know how to mend pair
Of stockings. (Applause) She can make card
racks, fower-stands, and chimney ornaments; ;
can knit beautiful silk purses, knows something Of
bead work, and can make wax howers; but she
does not know when a meal is well cooked. And
yet she is to be the mistress of family and TO rem
der her home the place of order, beauty and peace.
Wedo not, however, contend that woman should
be merely the "notable wife" and great only in
pickles nd preserves, making good bargains, in
shopping. No, she must unite with this much Of
the ideal. She must not be without Q large share
Of sensibliy and Imagination. She must be able to
own soul! (Applause) To exalt by her CONVEX
sation, even her husband from the r-of. fact
turmoil Of worldly business to the purer atmos phere
Of christian sympathy and love-
Man, in his various struggles with the world sees
on every hand enough to disgust him, and make
him sick Of all mankind. As he proceeds he is
Liable TO become the same hard man with those that
surround him. He, 100, lives by cireumspection
and eircumventien; singeness ofpurpose, sincerity
Of heart, become with him names only. Surrounded
on all sides by those who would impose upon him
at every turn, he finds it necessary to work, if not
OH the same at least on similar principle. In the
world, he finds little of real honor, of genuine in
tegrity, or OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES should he find
them? At home-in the wife of his bosom. Should
all the good and belly virtues grow round the altar
Of his own hearth, he will never become a villain
though abroad he may be surrounded by villany.
(ApPlause) How much then here depends upon
the woman!
Tongue cannot express the importance of woman
in relation to this part Of her social dutie and how
indispensable il 10 that she should have mind SO
ennobled, that nothing can shake it; so enlarged,
that 1t cannot be circumscribed by anything she 1T
of her husbands love; SO exalted, that il reaches
to heaven, and from those "Subline heights" hold
the balm for every wound Of the spirit. II 10 for
her to keep man within the sphere Of duty Of cha.
rity, of virtue, religion, and peace; and shall she
not be educated for this?
Aad why, gentlemen, is she not SO educated I?
Because, with us, gentlemen, whose most momen.
tous thought is, to determine in our minds whether
the locks of our heads shall hang lower before or
behind (laug liter whether they shall curl or
hang straisht-( renewed laughter) -whether the
whiskers shall come down under the chin, or stop
half way-cheers Of lAughter and applause -the
most perfect character for a woman is, to be cha.
racteress-.fne by defect, beautifully weak
(Laughter.)
Madame de Stael, woman of more talents, more
20 Mus, more learning, than any other woman of
her age, was often heard to say,-disgracefula as
tae sentiment to herself but ten thousand times
more disgracefult to us, gentlemen,--she was often
heard to say, 81 wsud give all the beauty off the
men, why did she say thisl Because she saw YOU
and ready, at all times, to futter around some
little animated vacuum, provided it be pretty and
TO leave her sitting in the corner alone( Long and
repeated applauso.)
Said mother to her daughter the other day.
"Mary, am afraid you will never get any time Tor
reflection" "Why, ms" said she, al stand before
the glass three hours every day ."-(threc roands
Of aPplau'e') Mary understood what pleased us,
friends it 10 to afford little relief and to make you
hear out; Tor the subject is of vital Importance
and demands our most serious attention.
But why is there this great mass of uutaught
feeling and muscle Why are there so many chill.
den in the United States without the means even
Of common education Why are the schools SO
low in character The great cause, gentlemen,
lies in the views and practice OF eur wealthy, intel
Ii gent, and prominent citizens. These, except a
few, more noble. minded and patriotic, send their
children TO private schools, and academies and Sc.
minaries. The Common School 10 left in the hands
Of the uncducatea, or with those whose business is
so pressing, that no time can be given to its inn
provement The Common School thus becomes a
low, dsreputable school-deserted by all who feel
an interest in their children's education, and pa
tronzed only by those who look upon IT as good
prison to keep Their children out Of the way, till
they are able to work We are aware that in Inauy
places, Improvements and sacrifices have been
made and that this not the condition of things
But IN the majority OF the places have visited,
the citizen of wealth and influence has said 10 me
can't send my ehIldren to the public school TO
sit on the bench by the side of the unwashed." |
say, then, you had better &c and wash the children
they are young and easily
handled for they will grow up and soil your
children much more hereafter. For these un-
washed, (and your children will have to partake
with them) will obscene, vulgar speeches be made:
for them will fostering, polluted papers and books
be published and for them will dishonest, ignorant
rulers be elected. OF all these heavy curses will
your children, however separate You may keep
them while young, be equal p irtakers. Had you
not better sweeten the fountain at its source than
let the bitter waters swell and increase unit thew
overflow and enter yoar dwellings !-(rhree
rounds Of applause)-Look at that child in the gut
ter-hatless, coatless, shoelesshc is part of our
king-one Of our sovereiens--and a part of the So
vereignty Should he not have sovereign's edu-
cation9 There is gem, too, under that soilsd
face let the diamond be polished. and the ravs Of
truth and greatness will reveal the brilliant There
is ga beam ethereal y though sullied and dIshon.
ored, still divine. Men of wealth. men of learning,
pour instruction upon the heads Of the people; you
owe!them that baptism
But, says the rich old bachelor, what interest
nave ,ntne schoo,and complains that he is taxed
of schools, 'does he Why, taxes for the diffusion