Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-10-04
WOman's Library---Beecher's Words Of
fheer.

CneeFs
A Woman's Library has been established
in New York-said to be the first institution
of the kind in the world. Some two years
ago meeting was held and a Committee ap-
pointed to report upon the expediency of es-
tablishing Library for Women. The Com
mitee did nothing, but noble woman, Miss
z. NJ. Powell, donated $4,000 to found the
institution, and toiled for its establishment
with an energy, an enthusiasm, and faith
which has been crowned with success. The
Woman's Library was formally inaugurated
few evenings ago, the Hon. H. J. Raymond,
of the Times, presiding. The meeting was
in DR.. Chapins Church, and fttingly was
largely composed of women. Addresses
were made by Mr.. Raymond, Hon. james T.
Brady, and Rev. Henry Ward Beecher.
Mr.. Brady recounted some of the most no.
bic achievements Of women in the present
age, instancing Miss Hosmer, the sculptor;
Rosa Bonheur, the painter; Miss Stebbins,
another sculptor; Mrs Taylor, just appoint
ed Entomologist of Georgia, and others.
Mr.. Beecher's talk was so much to the point
and SO genial withal, that we append the
Tribune report:
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher after some
playful illusions to "Ex-Gov." Raymond
and Governor" Brady, whom he severely
rallied upon his neglect of woman, Mr.. B. is
bachelorl said no one could describe mans
obligations to woman. Referring to his
mother and sisters, he said that in the pre-
sence of a true woman he felt an emotion al
most akin to worship, and could truly appre-
ciate the sentiment of devout Catholic in
the presence of the representation of the Holy
Virgin. And he never saw, in the street or
elsewhere, any woman, however poor or fall
en-, but his heart associated her at once with
that noble sex of which his beloved mother
was one. Tell me, said he, that she belongs
to womanhood, and in that word you utter
every appeal to all the generous sympathies
of our nature. Mr.. B. spoke at length of the
condition of women in New York He said
the leading American idea was "Home;"
word which came nearer to his heart than
heaven, for heaven was thing yet to be re-
allied. 1t was sad for man, hardy and rough
as block of granite, and as little likely to be
! injured by rolling about the world, to want
the refEge of home to be homeless was bad
| for him; it was halt fatal for boy-and for
a woman, wretched indeed. Every move
ment for the benefit of woman challenged the
sympathy of every true man; but this one
| for her mental and moral amelioratiOn, Wrs
particularly worthy. There was no danger
| of doing too much; we could not have too
many Libraries; there ought to be one in
every house. Books are the best mems souls,
re-incarnated. A book has no prejudices no
responsiveness; it is an unsoliciting friend
that you may take up or put down
at will. John Milton alive was for but
one man at time, and then, perhaps, ex-
acting and disagreeable; but John Milton
dead asks nothing-he sits at my table, but
asks no goods; travels with me, but costs nc
ticket; lies on my bed, but needs no covering.
Men who could not live on earth together,
dwell sweetly side by side upon the library
shelves. Books are the best or the worst OF
men, as they belong to celestial or internal
literature. They have no passions, no sick
ness, no old age, are never weary, never
troublesome BE felt a pang of regret, some
times, in going into a richly-furnished house
I MlGIG EOlA0Af anu nDOA anu slim anu EQlQt
and precious woods conspired to minister to
luxury, to see only a few poor books, the bare
shelves of the " library" sticking out like the
ribs of a skeleton. An American's 8 first duty
was to found himself; the second, to found 8
nursery and thirdly, to found his library
and men let his children aud his books grow
up together, with every child adding a new
shelf to his bookcase. But for those womer
who cannot have homes, we establish thil
Library as the best substitute we can offer
And it cannot be too large or too good 1t
patrons will never read too much. Wher
, men hunger, we put food before them;
they are invalids, we do not withdraw food
t but cook it in the daintiest forms to tempt ar
) appetite palled by indulgence. Let womeI
! read, and read everything; novels, if the,
9 come in their way. Novels may or may no
4 be trash. If written by Walter Scott, the,
are decidedly not. From the days whel
: Christ spoke in novelties or parallels, dow
d to our year, much of the best philosophy ant
!. history has been written in what are con
d temptuously called novels. Mr.. B. said tha
It twas good to give people some opportunit
/ to feel as if they belonged TO soeiety-as
. somebody cared for them-to bring them i
IS contact with the living world around them
J. By this recognition hope is inspired, and th