The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-11-02
POTENT WoMEN's WlLEs.


An Interesting Reproduction from Eiri5
American Literature.
Among the rareand quaint examrlesot
our early literature. rescued from the ob
liyion of dusty library shelves, IS Edward
Holyoke's s.Doc;riGe OF Life orot Mans
Redemption" QG55). which, we venture to
saw. viii be new even to a%ntiquarians. i
is the vorld-old story over again Of wo-
mans wiles and mans easy subsection,
Tfrzana, Princess Of Moab, and one of
Solomon's wives, hcgliles the KING into
granting her the ri-lt to build u chapel
on Mount Olivet for the prac*ice OF her
idolatrous rites, to the ruin of his King
dome and posterity," and very cleVer!y
the mink does it.
Choosing u specially favorable occasion
for the granting OF u request, she re-
minded him that she Wa3 not brought up
in his religion, which, she says, lis very
cross to mans nature, and IS urged with
great terrorand strictness." llerowh re-
ligion was more ancient, and she had o
most devout opinion of it, and therefore,,
with an humble department OF body
with her face to the ground" she asked
the favor of building n chapel.
Solomon was greatly shocked, and pro-
ceeded to give her Il sermon ia live heads
upon the wickedness and perversity of
her conduct, as well as setting her right,
with some asperity, in her claims as to
the wonderful achievements OF her god
Chemosh, and convicting her of sundry
grave historical errors.
"Although the King had thus prayed
her as wheat with a estle in a mortar,
yet her folly departed not from her." She
began to cry, of course. "Having her
Handkerchief in her hand, with snubs of
umphs and imphs, fell at the Kings
feet" begging him to grant this request,
and promising him that not one of Israel
should come into the holy place.
He refuses, she persists; he is obdurate.
"tYmph, umph,'" tears. And thus she
is dismissed and DEPARTS the presence of
the King.
But she doesn't give up. She sends her
brother, u "notable, insinuating, crafty
instrument, who on a time came to Solo
mons Court, and having seen and heard
an excellent concert of music, of instrU-
ments of all sorts as also the voices OF
singing men and singing women, which
he admired and praised, and extolled the
King, as if all had been of his invention.
Also he magnified the King for his excel
lent endowments in contriving his plots
for buildings, and his wisdom in natural
philosophy, and his rare gift in song, and
his wonderful instinct to speak of the
natures, virtues and effects of trees,
shrubs and herbs, of fowls, beasts, fishes
and creeping things, etc"
With this artful preface Tirzana's bro
Their opened the subject again, but with
10 success. Then she "fell sick and was
very sad"
The King went to see her, and "she
weptabundantly" Osly Tirzanal Then
the King had some relenting in his
heart
"a man of ingenuity cannot endure,
unless II Nabal, II Fool, Churl, to see his
neal and dear consort to weep. The
King, after he had in q most pleasant
manner salutcd her, departs, and then
her spirit was revived, color began to be
in her cheeks, and lightsomeness in her
countenance.'
Then Mr.. Holyoke asks the reader to
''pardon" him in "a depression" wherein
he treats of Adam and Eve, Satan's deal
ings by the Janneses and Jambreses, and
other instances of women's wiles, which
corrupt other women, and after a little
while men follow their wives, and corrup-
tionsgangrenatcquickly, and spread far"
Some monthsafterward the King called
for Tirzana again. She comes 'sin all
costly raimcnt, cloth of gold and silver of
curious needlework, with chains Of in
estimable jewels about her neck, that the
beams of her spanked raiment with the
precious gelas made radiant beams (the
sun shining through the windows upon
the walls of the Kings palaces as she
passed; and at last enters the chamber OF
presence, honored virgins attending her,
and presents herself before the King with
her orient eyes, damask rosy cheeks,
twinkling eyelids, cherry lips, and all
festiyity and grace of speech"
Poor Solomon! 1t was all up with him
then. She got her cliapel.-New York
Tribune.