fireside；　where　she　creates　an　atmosphere　of　serenity　and
  contentment　suitable　for　the　nurture　and　growth　of　character　in
  its　best　forms。　　She　is　by　her　very　constitution　compassionate；
  gentle；　patient；　and　self…denying。　　Loving；　hopeful；　trustful；
  her　eye　sheds　brightness　everywhere。　　It　shines　upon　coldness
  and　warms　it；　upon　suffering　and　relieves　it；　upon　sorrow
  and　cheers　it：
  〃Her　silver　flow
  Of　subtle…paced　counsel　in　distress；
  Right　to　the　heart　and　brain；　though　undescried；
  Winning　its　way　with　extreme　gentleness
  Through　all　the　outworks　of　suspicion's　pride。〃
  Woman　has　been　styled　〃the　angel　of　the　unfortunate。〃　　She　is
  ready　to　help　the　weak；　to　raise　the　fallen；　to　comfort　the
  suffering。　　It　was　characteristic　of　woman；　that　she　should　have
  been　the　first　to　build　and　endow　an　hospital。　　It　has　been　said
  that　wherever　a　human　being　is　in　suffering；　his　sighs　call　a
  woman　to　his　side。　　When　Mungo　Park；　lonely；　friendless；　and
  famished；　after　being　driven　forth　from　an　African　village　by
  the　men；　was　preparing　to　spend　the　night　under　a　tree；　exposed
  to　the　rain　and　the　wild　beasts　which　there　abounded；　a　poor
  negro　woman；　returning　from　the　labours　of　the　field；　took
  compassion　upon　him；　conducted　him　into　her　hut；　and　there
  gave　him　food；　succour；　and　shelter。　（1）
  But　while　the　most　characteristic　qualities　of　woman　are　displayed
  through　her　sympathies　and　affections；　it　is　also　necessary　for
  her　own　happiness；　as　a　self…dependent　being；　to　develope　and
  strengthen　her　character；　by　due　self…culture；　self…reliance；　and
  self…control。　　It　is　not　desirable；　even　were　it　possible；　to
  close　the　beautiful　avenues　of　the　heart。　　Self…reliance　of　the
  best　kind　does　not　involve　any　limitation　in　the　range　of　human
  sympathy。　　But　the　happiness　of　woman；　as　of　man；　depends　in　a
  great　measure　upon　her　individual　completeness　of　character。　　And
  that　self…dependence　which　springs　from　the　due　cultivation　of　the
  intellectual　powers；　conjoined　with　a　proper　discipline　of　the
  heart　and　conscience；　will　enable　her　to　be　more　useful　in　life　as
  well　as　happy；　to　dispense　blessings　intelligently　as　well　as　to
  enjoy　them；　and　most　of　all　those　which　spring　from　mutual
  dependence　and　social　sympathy。
  To　maintain　a　high　standard　of　purity　in　society；　the　culture　of
  both　sexes　must　be　in　harmony；　and　keep　equal　pace。　　A　pure
  womanhood　must　be　accompanied　by　a　pure　manhood。　　The　same　moral
  law　applies　alike　to　both。　　It　would　be　loosening　the　foundations
  of　virtue；　to　countenance　the　notion　that　because　of　a　difference
  in　sex；　man　were　at　liberty　to　set　morality　at　defiance；　and　to　do
  that　with　impunity；　which；　if　done　by　a　woman；　would　stain　her
  character　for　life。　　To　maintain　a　pure　and　virtuous　condition　of
  society；　therefore；　man　as　well　as　woman　must　be　pure　and
  virtuous；　both　alike　shunning　all　acts　impinging　on　the　heart；
  character；　and　conscienceshunning　them　as　poison；　which；
  once　imbibed；　can　never　be　entirely　thrown　out　again；　but
  mentally　embitters；　to　a　greater　or　less　extent；　the　happiness
  of　after…life。
  And　here　we　would　venture　to　touch　upon　a　delicate　topic。　　Though
  it　is　one　of　universal　and　engrossing　human　interest；　the　moralist
  avoids　it；　the　educator　shuns　it；　and　parents　taboo　it。　　It　is
  almost　considered　indelicate　to　refer　to　Love　as　between　the
  sexes；　and　young　persons　are　left　to　gather　their　only　notions　of
  it　from　the　impossible　love…stories　that　fill　the　shelves　of
  circulating　libraries。　　This　strong　and　absorbing　feeling；　this
  BESOIN　D'AIMERwhich　nature　has　for　wise　purposes　made　so　strong
  in　woman　that　it　colours　her　whole　life　and　history；　though　it　may
  form　but　an　episode　in　the　life　of　manis　usually　left　to　follow
  its　own　inclinations；　and　to　grow　up　for　the　most　part　unchecked；
  without　any　guidance　or　direction　whatever。
  Although　nature　spurns　all　formal　rules　and　directions　in　affairs
  of　love；　it　might　at　all　events　be　possible　to　implant　in　young
  minds　such　views　of　Character　as　should　enable　them　to
  discriminate　between　the　true　and　the　false；　and　to　accustom　them
  to　hold　in　esteem　those　qualities　of　moral　purity　and　integrity；
  without　which　life　is　but　a　scene　of　folly　and　misery。　　It　may　not
  be　possible　to　teach　young　people　to　love　wisely；　but　they　may　at
  least　be　guarded　by　parental　advice　against　the　frivolous　and
  despicable　passions　which　so　often　usurp　its　name。　　〃Love；〃　it　has
  been　said；　〃in　the　common　acceptation　of　the　term；　is　folly；　but
  love；　in　its　purity；　its　loftiness；　its　unselfishness；　is　not　only
  a　consequence；　but　a　proof；　of　our　moral　excellence。　　The
  sensibility　to　moral　beauty；　the　forgetfulness　of　self　in　the
  admiration　engendered　by　it；　all　prove　its　claim　to　a　high　moral
  influence。　　It　is　the　triumph　of　the　unselfish　over　the　selfish
  part　of　our　nature。〃
  It　is　by　means　of　this　divine　passion　that　the　world　is　kept　ever
  fresh　and　young。　　It　is　the　perpetual　melody　of　humanity。　　It
  sheds　an　effulgence　upon　youth；　and　throws　a　halo　round　age。　　It
  glorifies　the　present　by　the　light　it　casts　backward；　and　it
  lightens　the　future　by　the　beams　it　casts　forward。　　The　love　which
  is　the　outcome　of　esteem　and　admiration；　has　an　elevating　and
  purifying　effect　on　the　character。　　It　tends　to　emancipate　one
  from　the　slavery　of　self。　　It　is　altogether　unsordid；　itself　is
  its　only　price。　　It　inspires　gentleness；　sympathy；　mutual　faith；
  and　confidence。　　True　love　also　in　a　measure　elevates　the
  intellect。　　〃All　love　renders　wise　in　a　degree；〃　says　the　poet
  Browning；　and　the　most　gifted　minds　have　been　the　sincerest
  lovers。　　Great　souls　make　all　affections　great；　they　elevate　and
  consecrate　all　true　delights。　　The　sentiment　even　brings　to　light
  qualities　before　lying　dormant　and　unsuspected。　　It　elevates　the
  aspirations；　expands　the　soul；　and　stimulates　the　mental　powers。
  One　of　the　finest　compliments　ever　paid　to　a　woman　was　that　of
  Steele；　when　he　said　of　Lady　Elizabeth　Hastings；　〃that　to　have
  loved　her　was　a　liberal　education。〃　　Viewed　in　this　light；　woman
  is　an　educator　in　the　highest　sense；　because；　above　all　other
  educators；　she　educates　humanly　and　lovingly。
  It　has　been　said　that　no　man　and　no　woman　can　be　regarded　as
  complete　in　their　experience　of　life；　until　they　have　been　subdued
  into　union　with　the　world　through　their　affections。　　As　woman　is
  not　woman　until　she　has　known　love；　neither　is　man　man。　　Both　are
  requisite　to　each　other's　completeness。　　Plato　entertained　the
  idea　that　lovers　each　sought　a　likeness　in　the　other；　and　that
  love　was　only　the　divorced　half　of　the　original　human　being
  entering　into　union　with　its　counterpart。　　But　philosophy　would
  here　seem　to　be　at　fault；　for　affection　quite　as　often　springs
  from　unlikeness　as　from　likeness　in　its　object。
  The　true　union　must　needs　be　one　of　mind　as　well　as　of　heart；　and
  based　on　mutual　esteem　as　well　as　mutual　affection。　　〃No　true　and
  enduring　love；〃　says　Fichte；　〃can　exist　without　esteem　；　every
  other　draws　regret　after　it；　and　is　unworthy　of　any　noble　human
  soul。〃　　One　cannot　really　love　the　bad；　but　always　something　that
  we　esteem　and　respect　as　well　as　admire。　　In　short；　true　union
  must　rest　on　qualities　of　character；　which　rule　in　domestic　as　in
  public　life。
  But　there　is　something　far　more　than　mere　respect　and　esteem　in
  the　union　between　man　and　wife。　　The　feeling　on　which　it　rests
  is　far　deeper　and　tenderersuch；　indeed；　as　never　exists
  between　men　or　between　women。　　〃In　matters　of　affection；〃　says
  Nathaniel　Hawthorne；　〃there　is　always　an　impassable　gulf　between
  man　and　man。　　They　can　never　quite　grasp　each　other's　hands；
  and　therefore　man　never　derives　any　intimate　help；　any
  heart…sustenance；　from　his　brother　man；　but　from　womanhis
  mother；　his　sister；　or　his　wife。〃　（2）
  Man　enters　a　new　world　of　joy；　and　sympathy；　and　human　interest；
  through　the　porch　of　love。　　He　enters　a　new　world　in　his　home
  the　home　of　his　own　makingaltogether　different　from　the　home　of
  his　boyhood；　where　each　day　brings　with　it　a　succession　of　new
  joys　and　experiences。　　He　enters　also；　it　may　be；　a　new　world　of
  trials　and　sorrows；　in　which　he　often　gathers　his　best　culture　and
  discipline。　　〃Family　life；〃　says　Sainte…Beuve；　〃may　be　full　of
  thorns　and　cares；　but　they　are　fruitful：　all　others　are　dry
  thorns。〃　　And　again：　〃If　a　man's　home；　at　a　certain　period　of
  life；　does　not　contain　children；　it　will　probably　be　found　filled
  with　follies　or　with　vices。〃　（3）
  A　life　exclusively　occupied　in　affairs　of　business　insensibly
  tends　to　narrow　and　harden　the　character。　　It　is　mainly　occupied
  with　self…watching　for　advantages；　and　guarding　against　sharp
  practice　on　the　part　of　others。　　Thus　the　character　unconsciously
  tends　to　grow　suspicious　and　ungenerous。　　The　best　corrective　of
  such　influences　is　always　the　domestic；　by　withdrawing　the