"Oh! blest with temper whose unclouded ray Can make tomorrow cheerful as to-day: She who can love a sister's charms, or hear Sighs for a daughter with unwounded ear; She who ne'er answers till a husband cools, Or, if she rules him, never shows she rules; Charms by accepting--by submitting sways, Yet has her humor most, when she obeys."
By causing the character of woman to be more thoroughly discussed and better understood;--by making it more frequently the theme of rational meditation to the young and ardent, who, from the force of defective education, are apt to regard all "the sex," beyond a very limited circle, as mere accessaries to animal enjoyment,--whose peace they may wound without compunction, and whose happiness they may peril without reflection,--we feel that we shall do both sexes a good service, and one for which as they advance in life, and in their turn become husbands, wives and parents, they will thank our little book, as having helped them to know themselves and each other.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
African Women, 43 Adultery, punishment of 155 Bathing at Rome, 31 Betrothing and Marriage, 104 Chinese Women, 40 Chinese Bridegroom, 41 Caesar, Anecdote of 157 Celibacy of the Clergy, 160 Cleopatra, Death of, 199 Courts of Love, 172 Courtship, ancient Swedish 176 Courtship, Grecian 165 Courtship, Eastern 168 Condition of Women in the 8th Century, 52 Egyptian Women, Ancient 13 Egyptian Women, Modern 15 Euthira, desperate act of 162 Eastern Women, 37 English Women, 62 First Woman, 9 Female Friendship, 109 Female Delicacy, 30 French Women, 53 French Girls, 55 Female Simplicity, 71 Female Inferiority, idea of 67 Females during the age of Chivalry, 48 First Kiss of Love, 198 Grecian Women, 19 German Women, 99 Grecian Courtezans, 20 Greeks, religious festivals of 180 Grecian Ladies, luxurious dress of 164 Girls sold at Auction, 153 Husbands, on the choice of 114 Italian Women, 57 Influence of female society, 83 Immodesty at Babylon, 173 Indecency at Adrianople, 175 Lucretia and Virginia, 182 Ladies of Lapland and Greenland, 177 Matrimony, an essay on 203 Matrimony among the French 55 Matrimony in three different lights, 103 Magnanimity of Women, 77 Monastic Life, 89 Marriage Brokers at Genoa, 60 Marrying, power of 159 Noah's three sons, 43 Nuptial Ceremonies, 66 On looking at the picture of a beautiful female, 183 Persian Women, 17 Philtres and charms, power of 167 Roman Women, 24 Roman Oppian Law, 29 Russian Women, 65 Spanish Women, 60 St. Valentine's Day, 171 Sentimental Attachment, 92 Sale of a wife, 154 Saxons and Danes, long hair of 170 Venus de Medici, 194 Women, Art of determining the figure, beauty, habits, and the age of 185 Women in the Patriarchal ages, 10 Woman in Savage Life, 32 Woman in times of Chivalry, 45 Women in Asia and Africa, 79
"Sketches indeed, from that most passionate page, A woman's heart, of feelings, thoughts, that make The atmosphere in which her spirit moves; But like all other earthly elements, O'ercast with clouds; now dark, now touched with light, With rainbows, sunshine, showers, moonlight, stars, Chasing each other's change. I fain would trace Its brightness and its blackness."
SKETCHES OF "THE SEX."
THE FIRST WOMAN, AND HER ANTEDILUVIAN DESCENDANTS.
The great Creator, having formed man of the dust of the earth, "made a deep sleep to fall upon him, and took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man." Hence the fair sex, in the opinion of some authors, being formed of matter doubly refined, derive their superior beauty and excellence.
Not long after the creation, the first woman was tempted by the serpent to eat of the fruit of a certain tree, in the midst of the garden of Eden, with regard to which God had said, "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die."
This deception, and the fatal consequences arising from it, furnish the most interesting story in the whole history of the sex.
On the offerings being brought, and that of Abel accepted, Cain's jealousy and resentment rose to such a pitch, that, as soon as they came down from the mount where they had been sacrificing, he fell upon his brother and slew him.
For this cruel and barbarous action, Cain and his posterity, being banished from the rest of the human race, indulged themselves in every species of wickedness. On this account, it is supposed, they were called the Sons and Daughters of Men. The posterity of Seth, on the other hand, became eminent for virtue, and a regard to the divine precepts. By their regular and amiable conduct, they acquired the appellation of Sons and Daughters of God.
After the deluge there is a chasm in the history of women, until the time of the patriarch Abraham. They then begin to be introduced into the sacred story. Several of their actions are recorded. The laws, customs, and usages, by which they were governed, are frequently exhibited.
WOMAN IN THE PATRIARCHAL AGES.
The condition of women among the ancient patriarchs, appears to have been but extremely indifferent. When Abraham entertained the angels, sent to denounce the destruction of Sodom, he seems to have treated his wife as a menial servant: "Make ready quickly," said he to her, "three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes on the hearth."
In many parts of the east, water is only to be met with deep in the earth, and to draw it from the wells is, consequently, fatiguing and laborious. This, however, was the task of the daughters of Jethro the Midianite; to whom so little regard was paid, either on account of their sex, or the rank of their father, as high priest of the country, that the neighboring shepherds not only insulted them, but forcibly took from them the water they had drawn.
This was the task of Rebecca, who not only drew water for Abraham's servant, but for his camels also, while the servant stood an idle spectator of the toil. Is it not natural to imagine, that, as he was on an embassy to court the damsel for Isaac, his master's son, he would have exerted his utmost efforts to please, and become acceptable?
When he had concluded his bargain, and was carrying her home, we meet with a circumstance worthy of remark. When she first approached Isaac, who had walked out into the fields to meet her, she did it in the most submissive manner, as if she had been approaching a lord and master, rather than a fond and passionate lover. From this circumstance, as well as from several others, related in the sacred history, it would seem that women, instead of endeavoring, as in modern times, to persuade the world that they confer an immense favor on a lover, by deigning to accept of him, did not scruple to confess, that the obligation was conferred on themselves.
This was the case with Ruth, who had laid herself down at the feet of Boaz; and being asked by him who she was, answered, "I am Ruth, thine handmaid; spread, therefore, thy skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman."
When Jacob went to visit his uncle Laban, he met Rachel, Laban's daughter, in the fields, attending on the flocks of her father.
In a much later period, Tamar, one of the daughters of king David, was sent by her father to perform the servile office of making cakes for her brother Amnon.
The simplicity of the times in which these things happened, no doubt, very much invalidates the strength of the conclusions that naturally arise from them. But, notwithstanding, it still appears that women were not then treated with the delicacy which they have experienced among people more polished and refined.
Polygamy also prevailed; which is so contrary to the inclination of the sex, and so deeply wounds the delicacy of their feelings, that it is impossible for any woman voluntarily to agree to it, even where it is authorized by custom and by law. Wherever, therefore, polygamy takes place, we may assure ourselves that women have but little authority, and have scarcely arrived at any consequence in society.
WOMEN OF ANCIENT EGYPT.
Wherever the human race live solitary, and unconnected with each other, they are savage and barbarous. Wherever they associate together, that association produces softer manners and a more engaging deportment.
The Egyptians, from the nature of their country, annually overflowed by the Nile, had no wild beasts to hunt, nor could they procure any thing by fishing. On these accounts, they were under a necessity of applying themselves to agriculture, a kind of life which naturally brings mankind together, for mutual convenience and assistance.
They were, likewise, every year, during the inundation of the river, obliged to assemble together, and take shelter, either on the rising grounds, or in the houses, which were raised upon piles, above the reach of the waters. Here, almost every employment being suspended, and the men and women long confined together, a thousand inducements, not to be found in a solitary state, would naturally prompt them to render themselves agreeable to each other. Hence their manners would begin, more early, to assume a softer polish, and more elegant refinement, than those of the other nations who surrounded them.
The practice of confining women, instituted by jealousy, and maintained by unlawful power, was not adopted by the ancient Egyptians. This appears from the story of Pharaoh's daughter, who was going with her train of maids to bathe in the river, when she found Moses hid among the reeds. It is still more evident, from that of the wife of Potiphar, who, if she had been confined, could not have found the opportunities she did, to solicit Joseph to her adulterous embrace.
The queens of Egypt had the greatest attention paid to them. They were more readily obeyed than the kings. It is also related, that the husbands were in their marriage-contracts, obliged to promise obedience to their wives; an obedience, which, in our modern times, we are often obliged to perform, though our wives entered into the promise.
The behavior of Solomon to Pharaoh's daughter is a convincing proof that more honor and respect was paid to the Egyptian women, than to those of any other people. Solomon had many other wives besides this princess, and was married to several of them before her, which, according to the Jewish law, ought to have entitled them to a preference. But, notwithstanding this, we hear of no particular palace having been built for any of the others, nor of the worship of any of their gods having been introduced into Jerusalem. But a magnificent palace was erected for Pharaoh's daughter; and she was permitted, though expressly contrary to the laws of Israel, to worship the gods of her own country.
MODERN EGYPTIAN WOMEN.
The women of modern Egypt are far from being on so respectable a footing as they were in ancient times, or as the European women are at present.
In Europe, women act parts of great consequence, and often reign sovereigns on the world's vast theatre. They influence manners and morals, and decide on the most important events. The fate of nations is frequently in their hands.
