Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-04
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Love-the Beautiful-the Good.

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WOMAN was made to %love-it Is her nature
land sire must be something less, who does
NOT acknowledge its potent influence on her
heart, and feel its deep gurglings in her in
most soul. From the merry, t~houghtless
maiden Of a dozen summers to the silver hair
cd matron of three score and ten-Love is her
guiding star-her ruling principle in life. In
youth she loves the kind, the good, the beau
tifal, the noble, the manly. She loves to let
her fancy run out into the world in search oil
one worthy 10 receive the homage Of her low
ing, trusting heart. She loves to picture be-
fore her imagination one pure, and noble,
around whom she may allow the tendrils of
her young hearts affections to cling and clus-
ter, and on whom she can lean for protection
and support, ms the frail and graceful ivy
clings to the sturdy oak. And when the
morning dream Of youth is realized, with
what tender affection does she recline on him,
her hearts own chosen one, and lavish upon
him the rich treasure Of a true and trusting
heart.
And when time has sobered down that
laughing, romping girl, and gleeful wife, to the
not less happy but more sedate and thought
full mother, o. who but she can know of the
pure fountain Of love that wells up deep in
her heart Of hearts for the dear little cherub
whom God has given them, and of the joy
with which she traces the miniature Inca
ments Of his dearly loved features, whom she
proudly calls-"miRe."
And so on through life, she loves to live to
love, the true, the beautiful and good. Eve
ry day attaches her to something precious in
her eyes. New pledges Of affections come
new and dear friendships are formed-her
heart and soul is charmed and tenderly at
tached TO kindred sisters-sisters in unison
Of thought-sisters in unity of action to do
good-sisters in sympathy, and in kindliest
emotions and she thanks God he has made
her capable Of loving and being loved.
And when her sun begins to turn towards
the western hills, when age, and care and
decrcpitude all remind her that the sands Of
life are running low, who has not revealed in
the patient, indulgent love of a good old
granddame, whose stores Of good things from
her well filled dairy, as well as the stores of
her love, are so kindly lavished upon the
younger ones who cluster fondly around her
Truly has Byron said Of Love
""Tis Woman's whole existence"
And Scott, in his Lay of the Last Minstrel
fully compasscd the thought, when we apply
the following language to woman's Love:
1t Is not fantasy's hot fire,
nose wishes, soon as granted, Nv:
" liveth not in fierce desire,
With dead desire it doth not die
It is the secret sympathy,
The silver link, the silken tie,
Which heart to heart, andmind to mind,
A portion Of n letter from a dearly loved
friend, just received, is so appropos to my
subject, that | cannot refrain giving a beauti
ful extract from it. She says-"H there il
any thing on earth which | do prize, ant
place next to my hope in God, it is the true and
aiectionate breathings of a loving heart for
myself Wealth is glittering, but cold; beauty
enhancing but vain Fame loud-tongued but
vascilating all frail, nay, worse than frail
for the shadow of their ~splendors but mock
when the heavy hand Of sorrow BOWS tn,
shirt. or the hour Of pain and death come
alike to the Threshold Of each mortal crea
turc. Above all give me LovE-strong, eal
nest, christian, human love love that strive
TO lift the burdens from my life, drive tn
shadows from my sky, aidmy faith in HEAVIER
and wipe with kind though trembling han
lovingly in the quiet grave. Heavens to n
n place Of unchanging love; here til a bea
tiful problem, which disordered passions hi
der us from solving there, purified fro
earthly dross, we shall know and be know
by every seraph that wanders in snowy VI
turc amid its golden streets.
your journey during ~thesummer, amor
the glens and mountains of our dear Sta
must indeed have been fraught with mu
pleasure. If Providence in His f~ar-seei
goodness had not decreed other scenes a
duties for my humble performance, such
tour would have been to me a weli-spring
pleasure and inspiration. To go amid
grandcr scenes which Jehovah hath wrong
gaze upon mountain, and crag, and tower
peak list to the harmonious gush of ma
waters, until your very soul has expan,
and you forget this life, with its narrow |
its and sore trials, in a fervent longing to n
away the mortal veil, and see our Father,
Creator and Redeemer of the world. ] h
been reading Hugh Miller's "Testimon,
the Rocks y that massive production Q
which he toiled until his nerves failed,
his ovortasked brain grew disordered ever
his own death; but still his theme was G
his charter the Bible, until he fell in it's
Tense. We can recognize a gracious Gre
in the harmony that breathes through
natural world around us His pencil in
flower His voice in the winds but v
science peals off the outer cover, and rev
His agency since that grand far off B,
ming" which had its origin no one kl
where or how, in the lap of ages that
dare not fathom, we muse, and think in
dering awe, overwhelmed, astounded,
lowed up in adoring lore. | grow strC
every day that | live, Dear Mollie, be-