Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-03
Written for the Spirit of the Age.
Woman's Mission.

scure the view, and exhibits all nature in an
its unmarried beauty SO the dark clouds of -
superstition and anarchy which long low -
cred SO heavily over the peace and happi- !,
ness of the world, have been partially cha =
sed away by the genial rays of int lligence q
and truth. Already has the wide waste of !,
water been crossed, the invading foe met !!
and conquered, and the badge of freedom !
been purchased for every American citi- "
zen. Already has female influence, under
the halcyor folds of liberty and peace, ad-
vanced with mighty impetus toward the
meridian of its glory, and all things tend to
Justify the conclusion that this influence
will soon flow unmolcsted in its proper chan i
mel, and receive its due appreciation from {
every intelligent mind. I
Look abroad over the land. See what
m has accomplished, even under the
most unfavorable circumstances. When
direful war, like a mighty rushing tempest,
has spread ruin and desolation over the land,
she has found her way through the blood
stained portals Of its Notifications to minis
ter to its wounded and dying victims
When under peculiar circumstances the
good of her country has called for an exhi-
bition of her patriotism, her courage has
not failed her. Can the worlds history
furnish evidence of a more truly patriotic
spirit than that of the maid of Arc, who
rescued her country from the gaping jaws
Of the enemy, and placed the diadem, the
purchase of her daring hand, upon her SOW
ereign's brow? Was Cleopatra, around
whose sceptre the ambassadors Of seven diff
ferent. nations were arranged at will, destl-
tute of this attribute !? Under whose hand
has England been more prosperous than
that of the firm and vigilant Queen Eliza
beth? While woman was regarded as an
imbecile creature, incapable OF any high de-
gree of improvement, she has in some IN
stances risen superior to prevalent preju-
dices, and exhibited by her intellectual en-
ergy and requirements, the possession OF
talents Of no inferior order. Do the pro-
auctions Of Hannah More, whose mental
eaulgence even Milton with all his heaven.
taught sublimity has not eclipsed, bear evi
q. dence of a weak mind? Why did man
n boosted hero, Bonaparte, tremblc in thu
presence of a Madame de Stal? Why diC
! he incur the disgrace of banishing her from
A her home in Paris? He feared the fore
: of her intellect. Like a ministering angel
E woman has entered the gloomy prisons eel
e and pointed the chained culprit to the wa
6 Of life. As the trusty dove, having foun
after its weary search the looked for lane
bears back the token to him who sent he
forth on her tour, SO woman obcdient to til
Is great command, has borne the illuminatir
ts and soul-saving truth across the angry ocea
ID to the dark b~enighted mind.
e. Woman is not now looked Upon by Il
is intclli GENT portion OF the community as
1t, inferior being, destined to spend her gold
IS, moments in trivial pursuits. Neither
is she appreciated for mere external appc;
en- aace, us is the lovely flower that raises
frail head most beautifully in the morni
no dew, but droops its delicate petals at t
In approach Of the midday sun; Or as I
AN fitting bird 1 5Aqt PlG fhs thinner th4aa- IIcez
but wings h9 night far away a. the retu
lr- of Autumn's chilling blasts. A brigh
nth sta, is dawning on her horizon. Her hi
ose cndowmonts arc beginning to be duly
ear kn0Wlcdged.
me And as her prospects for usefulness &
pa improvement daily brighten, 50 do the &C
the prehension and extension Of her miss
not increase. 1t is true, that woman's sph
m of action is in some respects still limited
en- Her hand is too feeble to raise the hG
Ing ax, lay low the lofty forest tree, and till
rue stubborn soil. She has not the phys
'os, strength to guide the proud ship across
ital raging surge, nor the fiery energy to mo
lch the warriors steed and meet the oppos
SCu foo Sln 1nos mot ,, 4o +ho l,lIot L..
IN vote, nor to the Senate hall to frame |;
uty \ due sense of propriety excludes an
'uo hibltion of her attainments and talents
the public stand. But there is a sphere
'uid signed her in which she can, and doe,
'use much that is as necessary and more b
win fetal to society than these. Why is
leiu stately mansion, fitted up with the /
artS costly cquipage, lonely and ~uninvitin
CYL woman Is not there! 1t is her presc
pun that lends the peculiar attraction to tn
tlon cial circle. Who, when all around is
Joylng the rcpoSe of night, tolls cheerI
hlng and ~assiduously to promote the interest
c 10 comfort of her household? Who but
fray man watches over the slumbers of infa
Is and imparts the instruction necessary
the development of the youthful mi
,,onn No other hand can smooth so nicely
amp sufferers couch, or raise so gently tn
fceP, freshing draught to the parchcd lip
. OF hers.
Shall we attach no Importance to
dry acts. because thew arc If : nr;roto oh
reelr ter? The electric fluid which bears
y Vi ligencc from nation to nation with inc
uoes bic velocity, and rends asunder the p
ouno gious rock with irresistible force, is invi
" 1t is obligatory on woman to devel
81 uo the utmost extent her intellectual facu
MS Why should she not master the abs
ltn a sciences, and be able to conduct a pr
'nuy of mathematical reasoning with pre-
Gus and accuracy? Why should she not
o. to a thorough knowledge of the natur,
l.lnS tellectual aud moral sciences? Can
'vlicuiy not appreciate those attainmcnts whic
l TOT fold SO many beautiful phenomena
'hore' view; raise her thoughts to the co
ar plation of the moral and sublime, a
stnesS her to exert a powerful and s~alutary
ence on society? Through the medi
VA these attainments she sees in every
leaflet that quiyers in the breeze, a
letter tiful and skilful adaptation to the re
saws it sustains to its parent tree; reco,
Law at in the most minute grain of sand
II ---l,oa4o1 ii