Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-04-23
Woman.

ferior to man. This inferiority is in direct q
ratio with the civilization of the nation OF {
which she forms a part. TIL savage regards
her as his slave, compelling her to perform
the tasks that should be his, d~isregards her
weakness, and often tears from her bosom
her offspring and offers it a sacrifice to his
worshipped idol. If we turn to nation more
advanced in civilization, as the Turk, we
still find her dependant and inferior to man,
and her sex degraded, as in the unnatural
system of polygamy.
1t is only in nations the most advanced in
religion and civilization that she is suffered
to occupy a social position, equal with the
sterner sex. tits only among them that she
receives the homage and honor to which her
virtues entitle her as the wife, the mother,
the sister; and where sheis exempted from the
arduous duties of the field in consideration
Of her physical weakness, and honored with
the highest seat in the sanctuary of home,
where, from the depths of her affection and
the excellence of her social qualities, she is
peculiarly qualified to render her little king
dom one of peace and happiness. An emf
nent writer and tourist has said, tha.e@z@e-
Tnoass AhfrseaEe n9AQmes; for those genial
manifested only when woman is not degraded
in her social relations, are entirely wanting
in the rude hut, where the female slave bows
before the imperious will of her lord and
master
Yet even among civilized nations laying
oIairo To vtroord;nor raGpamAnt 1rhara tbe
equality of men and women in their social
relations are duly acknowledged, the opinion
is entertained that woman is intellectual,
inferior to man, and it is even argued tina
this is wisely ordained for the complete hap
piness of both sexes! But we are of tn
opinion that, though the intellectual deueloI
! ment of woman, like her physical develop
ment, is unlike that of man, yet it is nc
inferior. True she is not gifted with thos
gross qualities of mind, if we may so teri
J it, which constitute the ma a lawyer, q fal
: mer, an architect, the philosopher, the state
: man, or the warrior, yet she is blest wit
those rare qualities, affection, tenderness ar
n a proper appreciation of the noble and bear
tiful, which constitute the acoman a PoET.
l. The high mark that woman has made
1t the annals of Literature, within the last fe
IS years, is a sufficient refutation of her ment
inferiority. In the first place she had
3 overcome a national prejudice as to her rig
e to WELD the pen at all, and then she had
f. produce something above the ordinary sta
at dard to secure q respectable hearing. Ill
n songs are now sung in every home whispt
e ing the ennobling strains of love and aft
tion-her pure pages are read at every fiji
in side pointing the listener to higher and me
en- worthy walks in life. Our home literatu
is fast becoming peculiarly woman-like, a
e, is it to be wondered at? Who can paint t
en- loneliness and attraction of home so trut
fully as woman, who is the reigning spirit
ere home herself? Who can portray love a
ed tenderness so we'll as woman, who has
ear perienced and sounded them to their wond
ng fuldepths. The constellation of female writ
he grow brighter and brighter every year,
ld- the goodly influence Of their productions
lal being realized upon every hand. Some
Pc the most popular works of the day are Fl
IN female pens-works that have realized
greatest sales and the greatest profits to
the writer's. Of course we do not allude to S
works as 'Uncle Toms Cabin" by
Stowe +; for the sales of such works are Al
ted by a morbid fanaticism on the one h
eri- and prurient curiosity upon the other, to
Ter, what has been said upon an agitated q
ing ton of the times but we allude to
of works as "ALoNE," by Marion Harland,
ton many others that might be mentioned, W
nat that carry a high moral tone and wro,
out with more than ordinary artistic e,
lence.
&c We are by no means an advocate of
the mans Rights, in the common c~ccupatic
lent the term, but we hope that the evide
Vice before us of female intellectual power is
the beginning, and that the triumphs ofgel
,lat- everywhere honorable, and in this case,
neil minated as they are by the softening i
last. ences that spring from the pure founta
sted the heart of woman, willcontinue to incl
,ono until the world becomes more enlight
y IF by their truths and made better by the N
Is to Of its power.