The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-10-05
Female Influence.

Domestic life is woman's spheres it
is there that she is most usefully as most
appropriately employed. But society,
too, feels her influence, and owes to her,
in great measure, its balance and its
tone. She may be here corrective OF
what is wrong, moderator OF what is
unruly, o restraint on what is indecor-
GUS. Her presence may be pledge
against impropriety and excess, check
on vice, and protection to virtue. And
it is her delicscy which will secure to
her such an influence, and enable her to
maintain it.
Delicscy is, indeed, the point of hon
or in woman. Aud her purity of man
ner insures to her Difference, and re-
presses more effectually than any other
influence, impropriety of every kind.
A delicate woman, too, will be more
loved, as we'll as more respected, than
any other; for affection can scarcely be
excited, and certainly cannot long sub
sist, unless 1t is founded on esteem.
| Yet such delicacy is neither prudish nor
insipid. Conversation, for instance, is
one great source OF woman's influence,
and 1t is her province, and her peculiar
talent, to give zest to it. She is, and
ought to be, the enlivener of society; if
she restraints impropriety she may pro-
mote cheerfulness and 1T is not because
her conversation is innocent that 1t
need therefore be dull. The charm OF
conversation is feeling; forgetting ones
self, and sympathizlng with others. Ii
is not to shine, but to please, that wo-
man should desire.
A woman should be elegant, not only
in manner but in mind. Manner is, III
deed, generally symptomatic; but, as II
may be artificial, 1t is no sure criterion
OF mental grace. 1t is the latter which
is essential to true beauty. Without II
the fairest form disappoints and wearies
1t is the radiance that sets off every
other charm, and sheds on each Its ap
propriate hue. 1t Is tint and proper
tion. Yet it is more easily understood
than defined, and better felt than ex
pressed. 1t is a great mistake to sup
pose that fashion is criterion OF ele
sance. The modes of fashion are entire
ly conventional, and are often as un
graceful as they are capricious. Bu
breeding is quite different thing.
is unobtrusive and unpretending. 1t
, always self-possessed and at ease for
knows its own place and Its own reis
tions. Its courtesy is not oticious, nc
, are its attentions ever troublesome. "
this quiet and lady-like deportmen
: though it seems to employ no effort,
by nomesns an easy or q common a.
tainment. On the contrary, we ofte
see women who have lived much
society very deficient in this criterion
grace. And we can quite understar
the remark of really well-bred woma
: on a candidate for fashionable celebrlt!
. Y Yes she is very pretty, and very plea
} ing but she wants repose.
) Elegance is nature, but not rude N
:, ture 1t is unaffected but not unpolishe
u 1t copies natural grace, and corrects II
. tural defects. Yet it is no servlle init
! tor for 1T studies suitability rs we'll
= simplicity. 1t does not, tor instan'
- ina gine that what IL very pretty al
y play iul Ill IL girl of fourteen Is equai
&c becoming at thirty. Least OF all does
&c indulge III that ralllery, which
= p,quant only because 1t Is personal. al
~ which amuses III propoi tion as 1t ammo
W Ii has respect tor the feelings, and
y tenderness even tor the faults, OF othel
~ and Us 1t never wounds, 80 does 1T neN
10 invite aggression. 1t implies, too, fe
:. ing and here again does 1T differ fr'
" the polish of the world. Selhshness
~ the bane of fashionable life. Every G
" is there cold, TOR every one Is selfish.