Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-07-05
THE FIR Il Il NJ A N .
Written for the Green Mountain Fireman.
TO Young Ladies.
BY MRS. SOPHIA AspENwALL.


+" The remembrance of Youth is sigh, Words Of .aH
How true, in majority of instances is the a.
bove sentiment. And how much blest the wife
and mother who may regard the past with com
placency and thankfulness, and, almost as natur-
al consequence, the future with confidence and
hope. What an amount Of influence do few
years of childhood and youth hold over the whole
term of after life. And yet, the very reiteration
of this truth, which we hear again and again from
the pulpit and press, shows how little it is regard
ed by the young. True majority treat it not as
an idle tale. They hear it with credence and, we
are happy to say it of our sex, especially, they
think of it. But, Judging from the general aspect
of society, from the standard of attainment and ell
ovation generally aimed at by young females, we
are led 10 doubt the correctness of their conclu-
sions upon this subject In the circle of our ac-
quantance, while there are happy exceptions, how
many do we see who seem to regard the cuVa-
ton of the heart and intellect belonging only to
the prosy student or the stad and prudlsh ones of
the earth. By an outdoor appearance, an obse-
uuious attention to fashion, an elevation Of the
heNd instead of the heart, they court dame Fortunes
seeming to expert thar, having once crossed the
Rubcon of young lady'S life, the necessary quail
iicaons with all their ct ceteras, will certainly
follow Alas! alas to them, if reflection ever
comes " the remembrance Of youth will be but Il
sigh" The bright visions, romantic hopes, and
sicky fances of the past, bring no gleam OF sun
shine to enliven the dull routine Of actual existence
Faithful memory, our friend and teacher, instructs
A,,,1 tbo nm.
trasted image rises to our minis eye, in all its no.
bility, virtue and loneliness, we rejoice in the re-
Election of its beauty, and thank God for the pros
pect of the redemption of our SEX There are
those-and it gladens our hearts to know It-wh'
feel as they should the responsibilities attendah
upon the holy duties of woman, III whatever spher
she NAV move. And who can contemplate thes
living examples without feeling a kindng desI
10 become such ourselves! Who, that sees til
power thoroughly cducated-and we may we
add Christian woman wields, but feels the amb
ton of her nature stirred up to be able to excrclS
such sway herself? A sway which, though S
lent and gentle in itself, as the refreshing breeze
sutry summers day, plays around the hearts
the lords of creation, and guides in the path
virtue, and to impershable honor the future pr
tectors of our rights and rulers of our land. Ma
we not hope that there is a spirit of emulation
Weakened by the example and appeals of some {
the gifted writer's of the present day which, In
leaven, is accomplishing an overthrow of the dee
rooted and long established prejudices and habi
of our sex? Moral reform, in its slow but dete
mined advance is aiming blow at the false sy
tenn of female education hitherto prevalent amor
us: and we seem, in imagination, almost to W.
come the day when the genial influence of woma
as she should be, not as she is, shall be felt, II
only around her own blissful fresde, but in t
field, the shop, the councils Of the wise and t
halls of legislation. Men judge, it has been tru
said, of the gem by the casket Woman, on Il
very principle alone, has been wronged, Fro
her physical weakness, her mental nlerorlty b
been considered fairly deducbe. Her sphere
duty has been contracted, and she has been TAU
that to please the eye and administer to the o
ward comfort and tastes of her superiors, was
summum bonun of her existence. This she
believed; and, supiney neglecting to inquire il
the subject, has made herself incapable of co
mandng the real respect of the other sex. A
shall we sit STILL young ladies, clinglng to our o
degradation, and wait for man-selfsh man
raise us to his weIl-earned height? No! Let
shake off the lassitude which our habual in
ness of mind has given us, exercise the nal
powers of our souls, and become competitors
man himself in the enobling pursuits which
given him such pre-eminence. Let us begin
be what our Maker designed us to be-a hepn
"a companion-a counsellor--a beacon TO
on whose arm, as the weaker veSSeI, we lea
Let us morally compel him to regard us, not
as the necessary contributors TO his wants bn