Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-07-31
VARIETY,
w oman.

The following eloquent tribute to Wo
man was spontaneously given, at the semi
centennial celebration of the New York
Historical Society, in 1854, by Theodore
f.. Tomlinson, Esq. 1t was delivered at
the close of the feast, and after Mr.. Ban
croft and the most celebrated orators had
spoken i'll reference to the most imposing
regular toasts. 1t was then that the Prcsi-
dent, Hon. Luther Bradish, announced the
last one, thus "Woman: although last
III our toasts, yet ever first in our affections"
y smile passed over the faces ofthe grave
Swans, and with what might have been
deemed sort of patronizing sncor, they
looked towards Mr.. Tomlnson, who was the
youngest member of them all by many years
and called on him to respond Mr.. Tom
linSon at once sprang to his feet, and it
would seem, by the impassioncd yindication
he made of the grandeur of his text, that
he intended to administer rebuke to the
sentiment which had waived the response
to him as sort of Joke:
"Woman !" if first in our affections,
should not be last in our toasts. She has
fallen into my arms, and | will uphold her
with all the chivalry of the feudal ages
Woman is theme worthy of the poet or
orator. Did not Homer, the blind bard,
sing of woman; and when we read of Hcc-
tor, bearing thick battle on his sounding
shield, or holding aloft young Astyanax,
trembling at his nodding plume, do we not
revert to the bcauteous Hclcn-sad An
dromache?
Did not our orator historian to-day,
from whose hand centuries seemed to fly
did he not pause to play celestial music to
woman-did he not say that of all things
beautiful of earth, the veil of her spirit was
most beautiful that in our briery life, she
was the lily, or-I forget, for the flowers
were all emulous the gentle daisy lifted
up its head, the violet breathcd newer
fragrance, and the rose angrily bllshed wo-
mans pride, and woman's lovcliness. She
is greater than the historian; he but records
the past, she makes history; her gentle
hand bends the twig that gives inclination
to the oak on the infant brow she stamps
the character of the nation. 1t was only
when luxury crept into the domestic circle
and stained the firesidc, when there were
no Spartan mothers, no Roman natrons,
that Rome and Sparta fell
"Woman is the type of civilization in
savage life, slave; in rcfned,a queen
What distinguishes this nation most, what
impresscs the noble of other lands that the
3" American" is the more delicate, the
higher refinement, is our vcneraton for
woman. She can go, unframed all through
our vast country-her guardian angel the
spirit of the people.
q" | cannot read the future, the horizon
is obscured, the armament is not clear
Who can tell what will grow out of the
conflicts of the Old World, and the ankle
ties of the New? This / believe, that as
long as the American People preserve their
respect for woman, and respect follows
worth, the American Republic will live
This J. know, that if the mothers of the ma
tion are good and pure, the sons of the ma
tion will be strong and free.
woman Empire is in thy hand
Lead forth from beyond the mountains,
from the far Pacific out Of the virgin bos-
ON of the peerless West, the young States,
and they will come to our union az mighty
as our own, without cankcr to consume
their youth, without cloud TO darken
their destiny.
"Power in arms, or song, or eloquence,
has made man immortal. His very origin
enshrined She muse of Milton. Woman's g
is greater than his Man is mnde of tho
dust of the earth, woman out of the image
Of God, She is supreme in good or evil.
Did not Cleopatra lead captive conquerors /?
Who but Eve could have destroyed Para