Letter To Young Ladies Of Michigan

For the Signal of Liberty The remark is ftvquently made that ihe influence of nomen s greater thnn that of ihc otlier sex. 'I'hat " wornan ( rules the world," s, we imagine, an assertion more fiattering than true. lier influerice is indeel greit, but not so great we fea r, as innny eem t sup;iosp. ' Ask her opinión, if indeed she hnsony, ' upon moral nnd political subjects, and i vliat is her reply ? In uina cases out of en, you may ju.-t as wdl go direcily 10 ' lie liusband or fat hor. Shs is [ born t ïer opinión, ' and fddun has ' eriv'.e sufncienf to dare qurstion the iruth of ihe fjinily bel-ef. In expressing'har ■ pinion of a book or s oeb, fier voice, s las ! is but the echo of the sentiment or i riiieism of annther. If any of our I ers are dispose! to questionor deny the general truih of these statements, let them ! eroemher that it is "oiily the wounded bird that flutters," nnd lel them cnndidly consider whether they be not true, however niortifjing may be the ndmissiou of the facf. Is it not true that woman, n general, cloihes her mind, ns ive'I as ïer body, according to the f;ishion ? And now, saters, will we wear these backles nny longor 1 Will we thus meanly crouch,and ihus voluntnrily yield up our freedom and ind'pendence of mind? Up, Iet us nrise from oiir fawnngservility, shake ofi' our dust, and take ur proper pl.'ce in the scaie of being. jf. us seek the approbation of Hin who crealed us, and not be satisfied with the mere smile of our fellow creatures. - We have minds capable of expansión nnd endless progtession. These minds must be cuhivated - thcy must be educaed. But what is an education ? In what loes it consit l To this question vurious answers are given. Sonie ïhink that heir edocntion is finished ofter having studied Arithmstic, Gegraphy and Gram- mar, andespecially if they have glancpdj at a few pnges i Algebra or Philosophy. Oihers, wh) have less contracled views, nclude nlso, in their idea of an education, drawing, painling, music perhaps, and a sma'teringof Botany. Ifayoung ndy has attonded a Boarding School, for ■ix montlis or a yenr, and ma-ie tbc ncquisitionsabove meniioned, she, forspoth'. san " accoaipli.shed Miss." Her tducilion is finished. Alas! for her, when her linie sisier, illed with terror, flies to her and hone.-tv inquirís the c'iuse of an Eclipse of the Sun. Alis! for her moilier who aaks ïertö e.vplain the nature nnd aciion ol' Saleratus. Ail witl admit, we presume, hatsuch an education is n t worth the la-ne. The amourit of edue.-iti'n which ine has, does not depend on ihe numler of books studieii, or the number of pages rend, but upnn the iii-e rnnde f thprn. EJuc"it:on is Jlie sys'efnatic and pro)..rli'nnte dev'l"pinTit of all ihe facultas nnd powtMs of the mi'nd and body. - It is the work, nor oí a day, or a ear, or nny number if years - it is the work of Üfe, e, of Eternity iteif. As long as ihe ïhronO of Gort endures, so long wül these mii:ds exisi, and -o l'ng s they ex- is', will they c nitinue lo unloll, and ex■:n and ííctease t!:eir capacity f t hnpliiness or misery. Il' ur term C pro!aiion has been in vuin, glorious will be [ our jirpgrêas Í Iiow exa'iing the privilege of sprnding r nd.'ess ears in 11 VVingihg our tljjlit from smr to 6tar, Fioni worlci t' liiiiiiiiniid wc' ld, ns I' r As the Umvcrsc spreads i;a flaming wall " In this world, w? can, at best, b'Jtcommence the vast work of the education of the mind. Iiow absurd llia idea, then, that this work is finished, even befo re the Irue idea of its character is comprebended ! The ultímate ohjecí of eduention, then, is not toqu.iüfy us "to pnss through the world." Neither is it merely to fit us for the station of wive?, ns m tny srem to vuppose. This indeed, is the situntion of most of ouk íes, andan important one it is. If we were to live in this world ouly, that might be a sufficient inducementto the culi ïvntion of the mind1. Responsibilities vrell righ suflicient to crush an Angel, rest upon us, nnd we need thoroughly disciplmed mindsr and the wisdom nndjudgment which education can give. This, to besure, is an object, nnd a good object, but it is the uliimate object ? - We trow not. Anthrr, and even more important eml will bo secured. Our ! minds will thus be prepared for a com. prehensión of tho work of Gud. We . shall be fïtted to spend eternity in rang , ing the Universo of God, and inMj-irclimg out his gljrious wisdom and ski]]. Is it not important then, laat a systematic educ-Ttion, be immediately commenced 1 Young Ladie? we live in the nine'eenth centu ry. The age demanda our active zeal. Time was, when woman was considered incapable of scientific research, or even of moderate application. In ihe youthful days of our grandmothers, it was deemed tibundantly ufificent, for a young lady to slody Ge[igraphy, and a little of Grammor and Arithmetic. Nothing beyond this wns ihought to be neressary or even dfisirat)le. But now, how is pui. lic j-eutiment ;hang"d ! Woman is rising to her prop;r place, and it will nit te 1 ng, we nay hope, hefro she shall occupy the 3os tion designed for her, by her Croi:r. Most sureiy is it not the duty thsn, as ■veil as the privilrge of young l"dis to ilseiul to the improvemeni of their mind? say not "I am por." In tliis land of lucii rich eiucntiónhl advantag'-s, nooe ic'd despair. One of the dis'inguihing jjless;ngs of our nge i, ifie system of Manu il Lbor Schools-, The Halls of Science are no longer. close J to all s'tve the rich. The indigent may now enter wiih equal right, and íatisfy the ernving-; of an rrnmórtal mini!. By no mcans, then, .JuiTer this work to remain uncommence 5. Though your hands may b ! youv only riches - though yon rnay Le obligad to earn your education, do not gjve it up. What will ever be of greater benefit than a well cultiv4ed niind ? - What though you inerpase your store of! earthly gain, and are able to dress and and anpear like those in Jiflluent circumtances, or become a " locomotive milliner's sign," of what avail will all thiV be ? Richer by far will you bf, wilh a mind well stored wilh usaful knowledge, and a fienrt io ust? that knowledge for ihe good of your fellow-beings.