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seen by the following, and other passages of sacred writ.(Ex. xx. 10.—xxii. 21 to 24.--xxiii. 9 to 12. Lev. xiv. 21. xix. 10, 33, 34.-xxiii. 22.-xxiv. 22.-xxv. 6, 25, 35 to 38, 47 to 55. Num. xv. 15, 16. Deut. v. 14.-x. 18, 19.-xv. 7 to 11xvi. 11, 14.-xxiv. 12 to 22.-xxvi. 12, 13.-xxvii. 19.-xxxi. 12. Job. xxii. 9. Ps. lxviii. 5.-cxlvi. 9. Prov. xv. 25. Isa. i. 17, 23. x. 2. Jer. vii. 6. xxii. 3. Exek. xxii. 7. Mat. xxv. 35 to 40. 1 Tim. 5, 3. Jam. i. 27.) 10. It has elsewhere been intimated, that no man of any age or country, can perform his duty without doing all that lies in him, that a constitution and code in accordance with the divine law shall be maintained in his native land. To this glorious object women may be assistant. Upon it, the preservation of their own rights is mainly dependent. Hence, though politics are by some thought in no degree the province of women generally, we apprehend this to be erroneous; and may observe, that a competent knowledge of their duty as to them, may be easily acquired. (vi. 155.) To give children the first rudiments of that education, which shall best enable them to act like virtuous persons in this transient state of existence, and become the denizens of Heaven hereafter; is the duty of mothers. Let then those who desire to approve themselves to their own consciences, fail not, with the deepest solicitude, to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And remember, that at a suitable age, the youth of both sexes are taught, that they are imperatively bound to do all in their power, that the laws of their country shall accord with the will of the Most High. Let women also incite their husbands and brothers to the performance of this great duty. It is, says Dr. Brown, of the domestic virtues we must think, when we think of the morals of a nation. A nation is but a shorter name for the individuals who compose it; and when these are good fathers, good sons, good brothers, good husbands, they will make good citizens; because the principles which make them just and kind under the domestic roof, will make them just and kind to those who inhabit with them that country which is only a larger home.— (Lecture 89.)

11. The prevailing manners of an age, says another celebrated writer, depend more than we are aware of, or are willing to allow, on the conduct of women. This is one of the principal things on which the great machine of human society turns. Those who allow the influence, which female graces have in contributing to polish the manners of men; will do well to reflect, how great an influence female morals must also have on their conduct. How much, then, is to be regretted, that women should ever sit down contented to polish when they are able to reform; to entertain when they might instruct. Nothing de

tract; the terms of which he well knew, the law would hold to be definite, and of perfect obligation.-(Lecture 91.) Such women, as the law assigns no portion of the land to, have therefore an incontestable right to all the benefits arising from it. To adopt the words of Dr. Brown, there is, assuredly, no man but who ought to "feel more remorse, a deeper sense of moral impropriety", in having suffered their rights to be in any way abstracted from them, than from men. If men are regardless either of their own rights, or those of their female relatives, this affords a powerful incentive to the latter, to do all in their power to incite them to better things. (vi. 200.) As a state of probation is that whence all moral beauty emanates: if men are so lost to every thing commendable as to violate the rights of women, these can derive little pleasure from their society, and all that is most valuable in human association, is annihilated. The notion of men generally infringing the rights of women as to property, exists no where but in the imagination. Indeed, it is impracticable.

9. When we speak of women to whom the law assigns no portion, having a right to the land; we do not, of course, mean its produce only. The right of women to the land of their relatives is precisely similar to that which a wife has over the land of her husband. We are here alluding to widows and younger unmarried sisters. All women should contribute in some way to the benefit of the primary association to which they belong. No woman can, in accordance with the divine law, have her right to the land so abstracted from her, as to be driven into either state of slavery. (v. 10.) Fathers, brothers, and elder sisters, may lawfully require their unmarried female relatives, to dispose of their labour to proper persons, and for a suitable remuneration, if they have no occasion for it themselves. And if women prefer being with strangers, they have a right so to be. The divine law which requires men to lay down their lives for one another, when suitable occasions demand; necessarily requires peculiar consideration from men towards their nearest female relatives, and from these to one another. We have supposed, that but for the wickedness of mankind, there would be no division into a lot for each person, of that part of the land devoted to agriculture, &c. Under such circumstances, the rights and possessions of women would be equal to those of men. If, then, it is only from the guilt of mankind, that a necessity for such division arises, men surely cannot insist that this wickedness shall be augmented, by depriving any of that half of the human race, of their rights: who are the least able to defend themselves from aggression. How obnoxious the oppressors of the poor, the widow, the fatherless, and the stranger, are to the righteous indignation of Heaven, may be

seen by the following, and other passages of sacred wer. (Ex. xx. 10.-xxii. 21 to 24.--xxiii. 9 to 12. Let. 21 xix. 10, 33, 34.-xxiii. 22.-xxiv. 22-xxv. 6, 25, 35 to be to 55. Num. xv. 15, 16. Deut. v. 14.-x. 18, 19.-.7 toda xvi. 11, 14.-xxiv. 12 to 22.-xxvi. 12, 13.—xxvii. 19.-24 Job. xxii. 9. Ps. lxviii. 5.-cxlvi. 9. Prov. xv. 25. Isa i 17, 23. x. 2. Jer. vii. 6. xxii. 3. Exek. xxii. 7. Mat. 213. Jam. i. 27.)

35 to 40. 1 Tim. 5, 3. 10. It has elsewhere been intimated, that no man of any age or country, can perform his duty without doing all that he is him, that a constitution and code in accordance with the PUE law shall be maintained in his native land. To this glorious 90ject women may be assistant. Upon it, the preservation of the own rights is mainly dependent. Hence, though politics are by some thought in no degree the province of women genery, we apprehend this to be erroneous; and may observe, that a competent knowledge of their duty as to them, may be early acquired. (vi. 155.) To give children the first rudiments of that education, which shall best enable them to act like virtuous persons in this transient state of existence, and become the denizens of Heaven hereafter; is the duty of mothers. Let the those who desire to approve themselves to their own conscieuse.. fail not, with the deepest solicitude, to bring up their in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. that at a suitable age, the youth of both sexes are ta they are imperatively bound to do all in their power laws of their country shall accord with the w High. Let women also incite their husbau a the performance of this great duty. It is, s the domestic virtues we must think, when we 2. of a nation. A nation is but a shorter at 2 who compose it; and when these are go good brothers, good husbands, they mar because the principles which make then domestic roof, will make them just a habit with them that country which a (Lecture 89.)

11. The prevailing manners o z brated writer, depend more that ing to allow, on the conduct principal things on which the me turns. Those who allow the in contributing to polisi reflect, how great an infives. their conduct. How muc should ever sit down conter reform; to entertail Fer

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lights men more than their strength of understanding, when true gentleness of manners is its associate: united, they become irresistible orators, blessed with the power of persuasion, fraught with the sweetness of instruction; making women the highest ornaments of human nature.-(Dr. Blair.) Let men, therefore, not be unmindful of the inestimable blessing, of being connected with excellent mothers, sisters, wives, and female friends. Nothing can be more obvious, than that it should be the great object of association, for all the associates to do their utmost, that by their reciprocal exertions, they may make a continual progression in virtue and happiness. Good men must ever be intensely anxious that these blessings should be the lot of their female relatives, from the unspeakable benefits there from accruing to both sexes. As a nation advances in refinement, the importance that women should be of distinguished excellence, will be proportionably appreciated.

12. A negro, says a traveller, pays his addresses to a girl, and if after a short acquaintance he fancies she will answer his purpose, he simply gives or sends a small present to the parents, who rarely raise any obstacles to balk his wishes; whereupon, the female quits her father's house, and resides as long as she lives with her suitor. The courtship of a Mahomedan is carried on in much the same fashion, with the addition of reading the fatha, or marriage ceremony. When they get tired of each other, the fatha is again read, and the couple part for ever with as much coolness and unconcern as if they had been utter strangers to each other. The Africans have less of sentiment in their love affairs than Europeans. They have no stolen interviews, no rambling in verdant fields, no affectionate squeezes of the hand, no language of the eyes, no refined feeling, no moonlight reveries; all is conducted in the most unpoetical business-like way imaginable, and is considered in the light of one of their least important concerns; the lover merely saying to his intended bride:-" should you like to become my wife, my dear?"-To which the lady replies, "I have no objection.' Then come and live with me,"retorts the man, and from that hour the couple reside together. This is the beginning and end of their courtship, and I never heard of a refusal on the lady's part to embrace the proposal. The notions of female perfection amongst the people consist in the bulk, plumpness, and rotundity of the object; and a perfect beauty, in their estimation, as it has often been remarked, is a load for a camel.-(As quoted in Bell's Geography.)

13. In America, says Dr. Robertson, the condition of woman is so peculiarly grievous, and their depression so complete, that servitude is a name too mild to describe their wretched state. A wife amongst most tribes is no better than a beast of burden, destined to every office of labour and fatigue. While the men

loiter out the day in sloth or spend it in amusement, the women are condemned to incessant toil. Tasks are imposed on them. without pity, and services are received without complacence or gratitude. Every circumstance reminds women of this mortifying inferiority. They must approach their lords with reverence; they must regard them as more exalted beings, and are not permitted to eat in their presence. There are districts in America where this dominion is so grievous, and so sensibly felt, that some women, in a wild emotion of maternal tenderness, have destroyed their female children in their infancy; in order to deliver them from that intolerable bondage, to which they knew they were doomed.-(Hist. Amer.)

14. Another writer gives us a very different account of the Spaniards. The respect and devotion with which the fair sex are treated by them, says he, are quite remarkable. "I kiss your feet, my lady," is the accustomed salutation. A woman is a sacred object, and the very meanest Spaniard would shrink with horror from the slightest outrage committed on a female. "White hands can never offend,"-is the universal consolation even when feminine indiscretion becomes ungentle. Down to the time of Charles III. it was the custom in many of the southern provinces for a gentleman to bend on one knee whenever a lady addressed him. The Spanish drama is crowded with incidents and beautiful sentiments founded on the extraordinary influence of women.-(London Magazine, Art. Spanish Romances, vols. 7 & 8.) And among the Hindoos, a maxim of authority deemed to be equivalent to that of Menoo, says, "Strike not even with a blossom a wife guilty of a hundred faults."

CHAP. XI.

EXAMINATION OF CERTAIN PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE.

1. SACRED writ informs us, that in the beginning-' God created man in his own image.' Had man kept his first estate, we may humbly consider the divine law would have prevailed as to all mankind in all ages; as it may be supposed to do in every part of the universe, except where spiritual beings are in a state of rebellion to their great Creator.

2. To guide the guilty children of men to their temporal and eternal happiness, Heaven took one nation of the earth under

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