Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-01
From the New York Tribune
A WORD TO A YOUNG WOMAN,
LECTURE BY HON. HORACE MANN.

LECTURE BY HON. HORACE MANN.
The Tabernacle was denscly fllct
last night to hear the "People's Lecture
on tho above subject, by Hon. Horace
Mann. We have room only to notice
some Of the chief points Of his remarks
After brief view ofthe condition ofwo
man, he said he was not one who would
aatter her, he would summon her al
once to the highest duties and response.
bilities. He said that in this day, q
new theory of equality Of the sexcs-or
woman's rights-had spread abroad. The
leader Of this sect in Europe is Helen
Maria Weber, Of Hamburger, who dresses
and behaves like man, and claims an
equality with the sterner sex. But the
design and the very works Of God have
forbidden this commingling. To elace
OF modify the great distinguishing fea.
ture which separate the sexes would be
to defy the Maker himself. The human
soul and tho human feeling, was Great.
ed male and female, as much so as their
bodies were. The Hon. gentleman went
on to speak with considerable sarcasm
Of the various similarities and dissimi'
laritics which exist between the sexes.
As general law, man is superior in
strength and reason; but woman is su.
perior in beauty, faith, love, and purity.
This parallel was pursued with many
eloquent and quaint illu trations. As
specimen Of woman's moral power, he
cited the labors Of the philanthropic
Miss Dix, who has won more Legisla.
lures than ever Napoleon did kingdoms.
The lecturer next drew vivid picture of
the affections Of woman as o mother,
marking the most notable instances on
record. Woman has less of animal pas.
sion, and more Of religious devotion and
faith than man. The capacities Of wo.
man for virtue unsurpassed or for vice
unimaginable were the same. Do not
all these facts, said he, prove that there
is no equality between the sexes? Knives
and forks and hooks and eyes might as
we'll quarrel about equality as man and
woman. Equality in numbers is the
point where the sexes are nearest alike,
and almost the only point. But what
have been the rank and influence Of wo.
man for 5000 years! She might have
conquered more nations for virtue than
man has for aggrandizement; but man
has immensely degraded her; she has
been little more than the mother Of the
race, and such a race that it may be
doubted If its increase will be benefit
to the world. If all things are to 60 on
as they have done, it may. be questioned
if hydropathy be not the only cure for
the maladies Of such planet If wo.
man had played the part for which she
was designed, the earth would have been
relieved from most Of its bes:ialities and
Satanisms. For 1000 years, the Jew.
ish women did nothing but give birth to
a race Of unmerciful, stiff.necked men.
The speaker noted the extreme rarity Of
worthy and notable women in tho his
tory Of the Jewish people. So bad in
deed were they, that the wife of the one
righteous man Of Sodom, could only be
preserved by being turned into salt.
Where are the Grecian women Of re.
nown? Why was there hut one Asp.
asia for oratory, but one Sappho for
song--and these Of moral character
that we hesitate to mention. In Rome
there was no ono worthily notable wo.
men for each hundred years Of its his.
tory. He proceeded to depict the do.
graded condition Of womaa during the
Dark Ages. 1t was wonder that the
last spark Of virtue was not crushed out
ofthe female race during that long night
Of oppression, when she was indeed the
ssrf Of serfs. But this dreadful age pass.
ed away; Protestantism and Civil Ii.
berty rose in strength, and man and wo.
man began to assume better and more
appropriate stations, He referred at
considerable length to the long contind.
ID expressions which woman has sndur.
ID, asinj some degree an excuse for any
rebellion or any absurd assertion Of wo.
mans rights. Mr.. M. then proceeded. TO
speak of the condition Of women who
labof. for a livelihood in cities, athome
and abroad. and Of the degrading pur.
suits oftwomen in, our outdoor work In