The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-06-04
----- ILLINOIS SUNDAY. JUNE d. 1876
g."
Whe Bulletin.
Historical Character Pictures for the
touBg
tFrom the 81. Loui- Republican,
ny EMILY u. >TfNBsTTL.

AHIA-It
This celebrated woman flashed like a
, brilliant meteor upon the Atbenians, from a
town IN Asia Minor. She was the very op.
&c in mind and manners TO the Grecian
- II that period, who were reared in
,ao nd when they had arrived at a
...,,.,,. ,b.>v were married 10 some
nan collected bv III. 'ir parents, and thus
disnosea Of without the trouble Of court
ship. or the possibility OF forming an at
tschment for sn undesirable party OF
social intercourse they knew little beyond
that found in the company OF their ehiiT
rem and slaves. 70 their husbands they
we're faithful wives, while performing the
duties of 10 upper housekeeper, and this
was all that was expected or eXactad OF
them. Prescribed by this very mode OF
treatment from the benefit of intellectual
readily imagine that domestic life had
little Of the charming home element that
beauties aud eleystc- our nature and
cbaracterizes tbs progress Of civilization.
ton, happy at their spindle and " cayiEg,
the men meanwhile following their own
pursiIits abroad, until the clover Aspasia
daWned upon them with her subtle femi-
nine accomplishments aud winning arts,
her flashes Of wit and above all, her reiined
beauty, that wa enhanced by the absence
Of cosmetics, or, perhap. Ivy the science OF
applying them 10 improve, instead Of dis
torting the face, q, the women OF Athens
were in the habit of doing with their toilet
appliances. II Aspasia was not coquette
he certainly wa the innocent cause ot
arousins spirit OF comparison between
herself and the wives OF the public func-
tionaries with whom she came in contact,
and history says al the statesmen and
philosophers and scholars in the country
came to see her. Surely we cannot blame
them for turning from the painted, stupid
creatures st home 10 listen and worship
at the shrine Of being who presented
all the qualities that distinguish true
woman, combined with An energy that di.
played rare mind 10 tho best advantage
by adapting herself comprehen-iyely TO
the masculine mental standard of that day,
Isiag the intuitive faculties with which
our sex Is So Literally endowed to
arrive n the conclusion of any
subject long before the moro phleg!Gatic
conception Of the masculine mind had
grasped tie situation. She handled par!ia.
meptary ideas with All ease that astonished
while II commanded their respect, and her
magnificent form and face excited q most
extIayasant admiration. \ beautiful, in
teliigent. well-drcsscd woman was both a
novelty and prodigy then. Probably
she was neither more handsome nor cley-
CT than the score Of cunning "wire.rul,.
ers' who handle the legislative reins of our
own country, only She had no competition.
Husbands and fathers appealcd to her
in behalf Of their wiye. and daughters. heg-
ging her TO instruct them in the art Of pleas
ing. AspaSia was soon surrounded by
young women ana maidcnS. who hardened
eagerly to her teachings, and if this was
not the beginning OF time Of discomfort
ed and petty jeslousics, then our sex must
nave Deen more uiaelnNh ana decidedly
nobler than we are to-day.
Aspa>ia told them how TO dress, how to
act and how to talk, hut ii is questionable
whether she would communicate the mag
netism Of intelligence thai httracts-or the
soul beauty that never repels, even after
time has worn away the novelty If physical
allurements.
A,pasia never lost her power over Peri
cle., her husband, the most talented and
influential inan of his time, who frequently
deigned TO advise with her on the important
affairs of state. she ia the frstwomen who
moulded her fortunes by her tact and abil-
ity, or who became celebrated tor her con-
ycrsationai powers, and ranks in history
second only To the Babylonian Queen
Semiramis of suspen sion bridge renown.