Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-02-02
Eabirs' 9rpartmsnt.
For the Spirit of the Age.
W MAN.

- JW~AN Wv" - IA
For every goeaTs woman's lovely form, |
A gemleaANAsket Gtte; tUt to claim
The evG~deyoiion ? Perish such a thought.
Here learn her worth and prize her as 20 ought,
Though she permits your rougher hand to bear
The rod Of power, your loftior brow TO wear
The glittering badge Of sovereignty, she still
Directs unseen the sceptrc at her will.
Wisdom may not determine or approve,
Still the prime mover is and must be love.
WORDSWORTH.
Ever since our primal mother, in the beau
tiC1l garden Of Paradise, plucked the tempt
ing fruit FROM the tree Of Life, all, nearly, of
those who have welded tho pen from that
epoch. have written Of that short, though not
insignificant word, Woman her true dignity,
hcrinluencc and her proper sphere; and tho TO
many this may seem a hackneyed theme, yet
much more will be written on the same sub
iect. In all ages and at all times the question
has been repeatedly asked, in what does the
true dignity Of woman consist? Many and
various have been the opinions promulgated
in reply TO thisimportant query. Some with
thoughtless leyity have responded thus that
woman's true dignity consists in being fash
ionably educated. This leads us however, to
PROFOUND another question in what does a
fashionable education consist Is it in speak
ing ia belle Franchise with precision, and
to be able to roll our RS as the beau monde
caunl To any Frenchman ? to converse with
rapidity in the musical tones Of the Italian,
20 play the harp, guitar and piano with the
touch Of n connoisseur? This may be consider
cd the true dignity Of woman by those but
terfies of fashion who are blown hither and
thither on the gusty winds of dissipation but
for us whom they sarcastically dcnominate as
old "~fogics,n it is our opinion that the true
nobility and dignity Of woman does not con-
sist merely in the attainment of these
l.n.,Ins .nc instruction Other higher and no.
licr duties are to be performed, ere her true
dignity and sphere is known. Far be it from
NJ however, TO speak in terms Of disparage-
ment of these branches Of instruction and
we candidly confess we like to hear our fair
linruist converse in ia belle Franchise" pro-
vidcd she understands the construction Of her
own language nor are we indifferent to the
mcliiluous Italian measures, nor do we lnvelgh
against the wild mysticism of the German,
but only enquire If the fair linguiSt can spell
correctly and tho our ears may eagerly drink
In the syrcnlike notes Of Lucia di Lammer-
moor. Ernani, Norma and IL Travatorc, yet
we candidly confess our preference for Bonny
Doom, Coming through the Rye, and others of
the same stamp, and in our simplicity ask if
the fair musician can sing that s~oul-stir-
RING hymn, Old Hundred. Spell-bound we
have listened to the musical measures Of
Strackoh and Gottschalk, but wondered in our
own minds il the skilful musician can make
bread, or is sufficiently conversant with Bible
History TO tell us who was the father OF
Moses. Oh no, she would not be fashionably
educated, were she Eau fait' in such matters,
Others ina yauntingmanner place the true dig
nityo Of woman to consist in the possession OF
wealth and the position she maintains in so
cicty, or rather it is implied in the question
is she one Of the aristocracyY Now in beint
the mistress Of wealth, woman can do an in
calculable amount of good, provided the ser
sibilitics Of her nature have not been scare
by the conventionalities Of fashionable sociC
ty; if not so, by the exercising of those gen
tie promptings and warm feelings of beneyC
lencc that ever spring up spontaneously i
woman's heart, the good she can perform
incalculabic, and the seed sown Will be PEI
fected and the fruit ripcned for eternity. Nc
only by ameliorating the condition of thoS
around her will she add to their Happiness
but to her own but if she possesses trca
ures like the golden grains of Pactolus, al
its use be perverted, her life will be an ar
field in which few flowers grow, and those
a bitter aroma.
As to the opinion advanced intimating tn
the proper sphere of woman consists in
ing a leader Of the 'ton," and an ~aristocr;
they who have advanced such an opinion ha
cast n base libel upon the female sex. Nc
we WOlilu SlNlI1N d~h bilN ollSlililOl vi ohNl
preposterous idea, If they have forgotten tt
in America, the pillars of h national streng
are prosperity and equality; and that no al
tocracy is acknowledged save that of moral
and intellect, and they only are the true al
tocrats who by their genius and energy h;
achieved some great work to benefit their
publican country. And if we were only to t
the trouble to trace back the pedigree of SO
of the would-be aristocrats, we would !
them stained with many a deep-hued cri
and they themselves unfit for the post
they occupy. And again, to those who m;
tain the opinion that woman's sphere
dignity consists in the holding of Mammt
box, and the following Of all those absu
ties and ~vagaries Of that potent goddess f
ion, we would in the last place ask ii
wherein consists the sphere and dignit,
those who possess not the almighty doll
and for the benefit of those who set forth
~contemptuous idea, we will quote that
old quotation
fHonor and shame from no condition rise,
Act we'll your part, there all the honor lie
Nor does the dignity of woman consis
cndeavoring to direct and guide the affai
State; such is not her proper sphere, thu
her influence is felt in moulding the CHI
ter Of those who, perhaps some day or o
may have to pilot the old Ship of
through the turbulent waters Of politica
ton and through the shoals Of popular
cord; and the influence she threw aroun
helmsman will either tend to elevate the
moral standard Of our country, or to its
subversion yet she will never en-
guide it's motion. Nor is it woman's 81
to thunder forth from the forum, or rails
voice in forensic disputation. At the pr
day, however, / am sorry to say, we (
few female fanatics, who, neglecting tn
ties of domestic life, traverse the col
occurring aud holding their oman's
Conventions, and who endeavcr to &c
dress by repeating their grievances, il
OF trying to reform themselves and
households. And We even hear of v
horse-whipping editors and fighting
Now | would like to know where thei
nifty is left? At home, [ presume, to
sumei after the adjustment of these S
lous affairs. Now if the majority wer
the Lola Montez and Lucy Stone ordc
arrogate to themselves certain whims
they denominate as rights, what VIC
the consequence? Why, every heart
in this highly blessed land would be