The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-05-16
THE INFLUENCE OF WO WEN.
DY IAN A L r..

Man is the image and glory of God, but
the woman is the glory of mal.'-PAUL
Women have more strength in their looks,
than we have in our laws and more power by
their tears, than we have by our arguments"
-SAvILLE.
"Discretion and good nature have been al
ways looked upon as the Distinguishing orna-
ucuts Of female conversation. The woman
whose price is above rubirs, has no particular
in the character given Of her by the wise man,
more cndraring than that she oprneth her
mouth witt! wisdom, and in her tongue is the
law of kindness "-FHEEnuLDEE.
The Influence of woman has ever been a
popular and %lavnrite theme with all clVilIz-
ed nations and the culogies evoked IN TIL
butte to that name, both by poets and prose.
writer's, hav. left us specimens OF the hnest
and most glowing elrQuenre to be found IN
the "-tudl,d Diamond crown" of genius, or
in the '.iquil of pearl and gold' which
flows sto:l tie sacred urn" of the human
heart. The writer senSiblv feels the power
,,v Of ,IIe "inine" from which he has to pro-
| d,cv The gem of his offering, and that Its
'lr>>cr r.\' will lale in the eifnlgence al
ready corru>cating around the brow OF our
NItttttlcSS hti hp'i 1 iN "t''f'uSA>
with an homage Of honest sacrifice. and a
testimonial of ardent and sincere devotion.
The Influence Of woman was coeval with
her creation. We ind tins i'll >tr"ted IN
! the ease OF Mother Eve. VIII, n she persuad-
cd Father Adam t" partaNe OF the forbidden
fruit and although a fem lie writer has very
wittilv said 'thAt the original tenpter (the
>erpcnt} was a u'ale." yet has our tlrst
mother had to bear the rnrSc o. our prlml-
tive downfall. and 1T the :anle time to be
made the in uumrut by which her progeny
were to be restored to their first estatr-ln
favor with their Creator. barhalouSnatlonS
have renerallv held their females in a sub
ordinate reIalion-ln fact, in almost a con-
diion Of S~crlitule; but notwithstanding
these badges snf ignorance, Superstition
and brutality, we still find that innate mes
,neric power Of woman, threading LIS way
through the devious rocky shoals OF memo
ate society, and gradually widening It's
channel into a deep and placid stream, as 1t
flows into the ~alluvial valley country OF en-
liyhlcnmcnt, religion and civilization. No-
men have been denominatcd the weaker
sex, as being to man what the clinSing vine
is to the sturdy oak. Physically and men
tally this comparison may in most cases
hold true; but in this very delicacy, aSsocl-
a,ed with the talislnanic affections OF ter
nature, she wielus a sccpter more potent
and arbitrary than the greatest monarch
on earth.
She has truly been said ito be the glory
of sman :" and around her name cluster the
fondest and most sterling elements of his
nature. As clay in the hands of the potter,
she moulds his plastic shape, either 10 be
an ornament to society or to degenerate in
to the deformity of renegade from honor
and morality. Anthony fell under the Cir
cean spells of a Cleopatra but Collatlnus
enjoyed the %virtuous confidence and geDer-
Gus encouragement of a Lucretla.
Mum rous examples might be invoked
from history and from the annals of local
society, tol~how the effect of woman's infu-
ence upon man, for veal or woe. True
woman!' With that word LIES dearest
hopes and memories come. Truth, beauty,
love: gentleneSS. in her adored, and earth'r
lost paradise restored, in the green bower
Of bone
80 woman. lovely woman Nature made thee,
To to temper mau; we had been brutes without
thee"
Then if woman Yields such an omnipo-
tent authority over the destiny of man, how
great also is her corresponding respo"slblll-
ty to cultivate those virtues of suavlty OF
disposition, amiability If temperament, pie
ty of character ani. contentment of mind, by
which she may successfully work olt the
grave duties of her mission and normal sta
ton in life.
As a mother, the nasccnt mind of the
child draws its nouri>hing vitality and de-
velopement from her system of training and
education aud according as her example
and precept> have been of solid worth, de-
ponds the future character of her offspring
for stability of honorable purpose and use
fitness to society. Bonaparte has said "that
the future destiny of a child is the work Of
the mother" and if this assertion of his be
accepted as a true criterion of Judgment, he
could have paid no higher compliment of
tribute to his mother or her sex. As a
modest retiring maiden, blushing in the in
Qocence of blooming w~omanhood and of
Gcntle beauty, she commands the a weird
influence over the affections, character, and
natures of the opposite sex. If her deport-
ment be that of a true woman if she cult
Yates her interior self to comport with the
angelic assimilation of beauty given her by
the Deity if her lovely face, which some
writer has felicitously styled Goods mirror
Of the masterpiece of his creation" should
truly reflect the lustre of the hidden "jew-
els of the soul" she may 'chisel' the minds
and characters of our youn, men into Gre
clan models" of purity and worth, and make
them shining m of society. But
as the successful sculptor handles delicately
the 'chisel and mallel" to bring his statua-
ry to "breathing Perfection" so must she
summon all of those feminine touches Of
amiability, modest persuasion, and gentle
correction, by which to achieve a sure and
permanent triumph. AD1d glance of con
lemnation, Or a cal F2 voice Of reproach a.
pinst another's faflt', will be much more
ectual and appreciated, than the flashing
tggere1eye" Of ae kazon. or the "artil-
2 hthpiece" Penunciation of a ra-
Pehu." If 81 ybreaks the charm Of
orrelease6 e spell Of her ls6h-
= :: : ;! !! ;! :! : / ! ! /! !!
y n:mcntle bcc9as but goss
And
NSoNW lelncts Of e /,