Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-09-14

~%ENI o. l.
NAL celebration Of the New York Historical J
Society, in 1854, by Theodore f. Tomlinson, !
ESQ. Il was delivered at the close ofthe
feast. and after Mr.. Bancroft and the most
celebrated orators had spoken in reference to !
the most imposing regular tcests. IL was
then that the President Hon. Luther Brad /
isb, announced the last one, thus; "Woman:
although last in our toasts, yet ever FIRST in
our affections"
A smile passed over the faces Of the grave
savans, and with what might have been deem
ed a sort Of patronizing sneer, they looked
towards Mr.. Tomlinson, who was the young
est member Of them all by many years, and
called on him to respond. Mr.. Tomlinson
at once sprang 70 his feet and it would
seem by the impasnoned vindication he made
Of the grandeur Of his text, that he inten-f
ded 70 administer a rebuke to the sentiment
which had waived the response to him as a
sort Of joke; 81
woman" first in our affections, should
mot BE- last in our toasts. She has fallen
into.my arms, and ! viii uphold her with all
the chiyalry OF the feudal agesl Woman is
n theme worthy Of the poet or orator Did
not Homer, the blind bard, sing Of woman:
and when We read Of Hector, bearing thick
battle on his sounding shield, or holding
aloft young Astyanax, trembling at his nod
ding plume, do we not revert TO the beaute-
GUS Helen-sad Andromachef
Did not our orator historian to-day, from
whose hands centuries seemed to fy-did ne
not pause to play celestial music to woman
ata IT, r. III tk:-cc Laantic11 0f
earth, the veil Of her spirit was most beauti-
ful; that in our briery life she was the lily, or
Il forget, for the flowers were all emulous;
the gentle daisy lifted up its head, the violet
breathed a newer fragrance, and the rose an
grily Flushed woman's pride and woman's
loneliness. She is greater than the historian;
nc but records the past, she makes history
her gentle hand bends the twig that gives in
c~lination to the oak on the infant brow she
stamps the character OF the nation. 1t was
only " hen luxury cTept into the domestic
circle, stained the fireside, when there were
no Spartan mothers, no Roman matrons, that
Rome and Sparta fell.
''Woman Is the type Of civilization: in saw
age life, a slave; in refined, a queenl What
distinguishes this nation most, what impress
es the noble Of other lands Of the 'Ameri-
can is our veneration for woman. She can
20 unharmed, all through our vast country
her guardian angel the spirit of the people.
81 cannot read the future, the horizon is
obscured, the armament IL not clear. Who
can tell what will grow out of the conflicts
of the Old World and the anxieties of the
New This ! believe, that as long as the
American People preserve their respect for
WOMB, and respect follows worth, the
American Republic will live. This know,
that il the mott. ers Of the nation are good and
pure, the sons OF the nation will be strong
and free.
Woman Empirs il. in thy hand, Lead
1920 west, tho young States, and they will come
to our union as mighty as our own, without
n canker TO consume their youth, without 0
cloud to darken their destiny.
Power in arms, or song, or eloquence
has made man immortal. His very origin
enshrined the muse Of Milton. Woman's is
greater than his. Man is made Of the dus
Of the earth, woman out of the image of God
She is supreme in good or evil. Did not Gle
opatra lead captive conquerers? Who bu
Eve could have destroyed Paradise, wher
day was ~ccstatic Joy, and night came as thu
approach Of gentle music where her coucl
was the fragrant embrace Of flowers wher,
the rich luscious grapefel without the woo
ing-where the very mountains arose in thei
sublimity TO extend their shade over man
repose ? Though the chosen angel of tn
destroyer" still her name is stamped on tn
decalogue, "Honor, thy father and thy moth
er."
"what eloquence so exquisite as Ruth's
''Thy people shah be my people, and thy Coz
my Godr'
I'm song, who more impassioned than Sap
pho? in prophecy, who more inspiring thai
MIRIAM, with harp and timbrel, by tn,
shores Of the sounding sea2
'Her destiny overshadows man's-his fat
trembles in hers. Napoleon tore from his hea
ven his morning star, Josephine and 81
Helena, in retribution arose in the ocean.
ibid not Mary, the mother ofW Washington
fashion his great mind, and breathe her stair
less purity into his greater heart?
More eloquent than tongue can tell, NOR
glorious than pen can write, are the simpl
words Observation-Disclosures
"Mother"-How sweet from the lips of til
gleeful girl ? how holy from the tremblin
voice Of age ! To the dying captive, to ii
bleeding soldier, to the great man, to the ma
efactor on the scaffold, thy name "Mother
comes radiant with the light of young EIDE
days -.
peer ; Daughter, sunshine dancing on Il
knee.
''In heather mythology Jove was the p
rent oC wisdom, that sprang q goddess, I
created, from his immortal mind. In Christi;
religion, the Virgin was the mother of OF
Inrdi - $50
woman has ever been divine. With I
~ancients, the symbol Of plenty, of beauty,
purity and wisdom. Minerva all perfe
Ceres with her sheaf Of wheat, Diana wi
her hended bow, Venus arising from t
GROWING foam Of the great sea. With us
the New Testament, she has been chosen
wife and daughter for the expression of mi
cle-at the marriage feast, when the wat
blushed to wine; and when he babe t
daughter of Jairus arise and walk. "Fai
Hope, and Charity, abideth" most in her "
touched but the hem of His garment and v
made whole and in the widow who, with
mite, gave most TO her Lord.
'Yes Woman is divine. How many
IONS ascend to the Virgin Mary ? Won
is divine even in her fall. Do you not
member that our holy Lord bowed to
Garth, wrote upon the sand, and would
look upon her shame, her degradation, or
punishment"
A NOBLE But UNFoRTUNArE AcT.-A brak
mN of the Galena Railway, named Timo'
kag~, risked his own life and suffered
loss olOue of his hands, day before yesterd