The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-01-18

Female influence.

Man, vleEea as an Intellectual end
immortal being. has furnished thc theme
for many beautiful and very interesting
compositions. When he is the subject
and discanted upon by any adequate
comlroser, we hear or read with the most
prOfiuhd attention.
Not less interesting aud important is
woInan. She has 4 separate and dist;uct
influence upon society. Her sphere Of
action IL different from that Of man, still
hers AZ well as his exhibits the woful
effects Of our first parents disobedience
in the garden Of Eden Hence we find
her influence sometime, injurious and
sometimes beneficial. Poets, in the
flights Of their Imagination, hav. often
represented woman aB model Of NIL eX-
celience, yet il must be admitted that
they haSe rather shown Us what she
ought 10 be, than what she really is, for
no woman has ever yet attained to that
aupcrlativc degree Of excellence which
poets have painted. But whether her
character be good or evil, it does not en-
feeble her influence on society; for they
over whom it is exerted are capable Of
being either the ministers Of peace or OF
destruction. In all stages Of human life,
society has felt the influence Of the "gcn-
tie sex" Mars earliest associations arc
derived from the Influence of his mother,
who supplied his wants, Yllcyiatcd his
woes, cheertd his hopes, and removed
his fears; but whose worth too often is
not sufficiently appreciated by him until
she is forever removed from him.
These rare sweets are not ephcmeral in
their effects; but make deep and last
Ing impression OH society, and influence
most Of their actions. The individual
whose heart is capable Of fine feeling can
be placed in no situation in which
woman may not be welcome companion.
Il he in prosperity? None can be 30 fit
and acceptable partaker with him as
woman. IL he almost overwhelmed by
the waves Of adversely? None can con
sole him and 80 cllectually assuage his
sorrows % woman. Is he tossed OH the
stormy tide OF ambition, and his soul III
most swallowed up hy the foaming waves
OF passions? Then comes to his assist
ance soothing woman, and under her in
fluencc the winds and waves soon cease
their conflicts and all is calm.
But time would fail were we 10 emu
meratc all, or even good part, Of the
situations in which woman proves n
blessing 10 society. Happy would we be
if we could stop with this view of the
subject. Thus far have We looked ut the
fair side Of this fair subject. Look now
to the blood-written catalogue Of evils.
And here, also, you will find woman n
conspicuous actress. If you, at one time,
see an Egyptian princess drawing from
the flag covered ark the smiling though
devoted Moses, who was afterwards to be
the valiant leader of IsrcaI, yet by exam
lining little farther down the table of
time you will find Miriam equally zeal
GUS to bring the destructive frown. of
Heaven upon her own people. II you
point TO the praisew0rthy queen of Sheba,
on her long and difficult journey to hear
the wisdom of Solomon, YOU must mt the
same time examine the character and
conduct of that most execrable Of women,
Jezebel. DO you extol the mildness
and salutary influence of the genial
Octavia over the bold, war.Iike Antho-
ny: you must ut the same time execrate
tue conduct of queen Cleopatra. Do you
with vcneration mention the name of
Elizabeth, queen of England, us the bull
wark of Protestant faith, and free insti-
tutionns.: yet, you must acknowledge that
she had queen sister, who WAS ns foul
as Elizabeth was fair. But time would
full to follow down the contrast.
Suffer word of advice to be given to
our female friends Let ns strive every
succeeding day to exhibit some new ex-
cellence of character, either in the per-
fectien of our requirements, the amiable-
ness of our dispositions, the elegance of
our manners, or the ardor of our piety ;
no that society may in all ages, with pro-
priety, acknowledge the happy influence
Of woman.