American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-29
[From the Cincinnati Gazette


LOOKING GLASS FOR LADIES.
The Rev. Mr.. Halves, of Hartford, Conn,
delivered, recently, sermon on female educa-
ton, which gave SO much satisfaction to his
hearers, as to cause a demand for its publica-
ton. Extracts are given from it in the Jour
mails of the East. "ohe girdeh her loins with
strength, aud strengtheneth her arms" was
the good mans text, and Judging from what
we have seen of the sermon, we should say
that he had spoken well and truly to woman.
We quote one portion Of it. 1t contains sug-
gestiOns certainly worthy the attention Of our
females: ioI they do neglect most sadly the
hardening and strengthening of the body. If
one should talk to a woman Of being in robust
health, ten TO one if she would not feel offend
ed; the word Is vulgar, and the suggestion not
refined; and she would be thought Of and
spoken 10, and treated as a delicate flower
which the rude winds Of heaven may not visit
too roughly.
IT'S false notion, and injurious as false
The body-tne temple OF the soul--was given
to her to be strong-and duty, as we'll as true
refinement, requires her to Impart 20 ii firm
health, the strength to meet the viclsstudes of
the season, aud 10 endure The labors of life
and the poor sickiy creature, who, for want Of
exercise aud out door action, dares not venture
out when the cold winds blow, or who keeps
shut up like hot house plant, when the SKI
is Clouded or winter comes, neither knows tie
happiness which belongs to animal vlgor, nor
can perform the moral and spiritual obligations
which rest upon her. sound mind requires
sound body. The worship Of the sprn can
not be aLtuncd III pure and molly accord If the
temple 30 rent, Or tom, or leit a thing Of
shreds and patches, without the cement OF
beauty, order, and strength. Mr.. Halves says:
.
she girdeth her loins with strength, and strenlh-
eneth her aims. A due attention to health Is
here indicated, and if this be not in itself Il
virtue, it is very essential 10 the cultivation Of
all the virtues. A feeble, sickly, delicate body
is but poor tenement to be occupied by an
immortal mind, and when it is doomed to in
-, habit such body, lis n0blest energies are de-
pressed, add the highest grLces OF a virLuous
character, unable TO deveOpe themselves, arc
crushed in the bud.
H0to the vIrtuous woman strengtheneth her
Joins and her arms, or how she acquired and
maintained firm and vigorous health, we can
be at no loss to know after reading what is SAID
of her occupations and habits. Though evil
IDENTIFY Of high rank in society, she did not
think it beneath her station, nor inconsistent
with her views of delicacy and refinement, to
occupy herself in domestic afIrs. From the
whole description given of her, we are war
ranted to say, that she was what IS sometimes
called a stirring body; one who had always
something to do, and was always doing it--not
wasting her time and strength III ease, in indo-
lence, and inefficieHcy, but busy, active, indus
trious; rising early, and seeing that all the con-
Germs of the household were attended to at the
right time and in the right manner; and not
unwilling, when there was need, to put help
ing band to whatever work demanded to be
done. This secured her health, kept her from
eanui, and the dismal train of ills included in
nervous affections-made her strong, vigorous
and cheerful, and qualified her to fill with USE
fulness and honor, the station assigned her by
Providence.
The vlrtue--for such / must call there
referred to, is sadly neglected in the training OF
our daughters at the present day. At least,
one would think so, from seeing the puny forms
and feeble frames, and sckly faces of great
numbers of our younger females, especially OF
the higher classes Account for it as we may,
the fact must be admitted, that the muscular
vigor and strength of our fait country women
have, for long time past, been undergoing a
melancholy change. Our grand-motherss should
they appear among US, would scarcely recog-
Mise many Of their descendants as belonging to
the same race with themselves, SO diminished
are they in size, vigor, and portly gait. But a
small proportion Of our adult females enjoy
complete health; and 1t has been said, that full
half of the wives of our missionaries have been
found on trial, not to have had sufficient health
for the stations they were called to occupy
The evil here complained Of is, no doubt, to
be traced chiefly to bad training in the nursery
and in the family; to an ignorance or disregard
of the laws of our physical system in respect to
health.
But the mischief, commencing here is often
aggravated in schools and higher seminares of
learning, and receives its finish in the inter
course and habits of fashionable life. The
mind, or brain, as the Psychologist would say,
is too severely tasked, is overwerked in its ten
der age; due attention is not paid to air and
exercise; and in the eagerness to have the pu-
pills compass the whole curriculum of know
ledge in given time, it is often forgotten by
parents and Teachers how easily the health
may be impaired by such process, and so inl-
paired that the mind, the heart, the whole cha
racter shall shrink and dwindle into feebeness
and ineflicency, and the life become vapid,
useless and miserable. The evil here suggested
is an appalling one. 1t deserves the most Sc
tieus attention of all who wish well 10 the ris-