The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-12-17
"WIvEs OF GREAT MEN,.
Lecture Of George Dawson, the
RnG1lGA Orator, NJ Philadel.
Dh60.

were curious enough to enquire into
the opinions of the great men of the
world touching women, you would
End, running down the course of his
tory, one consistent course of abuse oi
them. One great man said that fops,
in Tie next world, would be degraded
into women, and another said it was
better that one man should be born
than thousand women. And they
have been Just as wicked on the sub
ject of marriage rs they have con-
cerning one of the parties toit. And
sll this would be very sad for women
If it were said by the angels, but, con.
sidering that it Is only said by men, |
don't think it much matters, and es-
pecially if you remember that on the
other side Of the page there is q
stream of praise of women such as ]
hope 10 more true. One Of the best
love passages occurs very early. 1t
10 iu the Book Of Genesis, where it
i said that one Of the patriarchs serv-
Cd several years for Rachael, but for
tho love he bore her the seven years
seemed but as one day. No love poet
hAs sver said anything fairer than
tn.
Il may have occurred to you that
You would find out what women
ought to be by looking at the wives
II grsat men, ,inasmuch as they would
be sure to make admirable choices,
and collection of their wives would
ceasequently be . collection of an
gsls. / an sorry to tel! you that
great men have behaved just as small
non in this matter. Many of their
marriages have been very noble, and
many others very miserable. What
sssr inspirations they have had in
OTHER matters, they have been left to
thsir own devices in this and,
- Ne are going to look into the sub
iect . little, let us first ask if there is
any principle which has operated to
make those marriages what they have
been. For . collection of marriages
without principle is like a collection
Of beads without string. The prin-
eiple seems to me to consist in the
understanding Of the word friendship
in ito grand old sense, in the sense of
the man We read Of as saying that
at passed the love Of woman
Friendship, rightly understood, is
the grandest prerogative, the noblest
privilege, and the most blessed gift
Of mankind. You may say to me
that I ought to love my relatives.
But don't.
A woman comes to me and says,
.Ds you love me?" Isay, 81 don't" /"
.Well, l am your aunt" she says.
81 can't help it." l reply. l had
nothing to do with elacting my aunt,
or grandfather; and as to my cousins,
distance lends enchantment to the
visw," oftentimes. Laughter. You
cannot love people because Of their
relationship. The true friendship OF
two people is that friendship which
draws them together without any
compulsion. There is no social tyra-
nv 70 make friends in the old sense.
Take what in old countries we call
loyalty; it is very often mean and
miserable, but occasionally noble
enough. When . prince has wry
neck, and courtiers carry their heads
aside, because the prince has crook
ed neck, that is simply absurd. When
the queen ties her veil under her
chin on . windy day, and other ladies
tie their miserable wells under their
ridiculous chins on other days that
are not windy laughter], then it is
sinply lsughable. But when princes
are wise and valiant, and lead their
people nobly, then loyalty and love
Of them becomes something noble
There is passage in DeQuincy in
which be says that he wonders how
any honorable Roman could keep
from wishing to kick Jupiter. You
remember that Jupiter was an omni.
potent god, but an omnipotent rascal
fLaughter.l Why did they worship
these gods? Not because they loved
them, but because they feared them
becsuse they were great, big, strong
gods, Who could hurt them. In such
: religion there was no nobility anG
no friendship. But with religion il
which men speak of God as thei
father and friend and leader, and wher
they call Him the Good Shepherd
the Redeemer and the Savior, thel
there springs up between the wor
shipers and the God they worship
| this sublime friendship, this mutua
regard, this drawing together; reli
xioa becomes nobleness, and wor
shipping ) sublimity. [Applause.
Nov this friendship is necessary il
marriage. But some of you will say
svsfy man 10 . friend to his wife
Do yoa really think %, soberly2
tsad In tho newspapers some yer.
lslrikiag methods which some mel
snploy to show their friendship 70
their wives. Women are alway
Ithrowing themselves away upon men
Iesd nen upon women, with whou
1Shey never would have spent an hou
IL thav could net have married them