causes of the cold and heartless fashions of domestic life. Education was lavished on the harlot, while the wife, imprisoned at home, raised but a little above the domestic slaves, was denied all those accomplishments which would surround utility with the ornaments of the imagination, and give new attractions to the beauties of virtue. Female influence was felt in Roman history. It has been justly remarked, that most of their great revolutions are to be traced to the influence of woman on the public councils. The names of Julia, Lucretia, Virginia, Fulvia and Cleopatra, are proofs of what I say. Female influence never can be accounted as trifling, when it is recollected that two of the greatest events in which this world was ever interested, were accomplished by their instrumentality. By a woman sin entered our world, and by a woman a Saviour was born!

But especially in domestic life is their example felt. A garden is not more the proper place for some fair flower to unfold its leaves, and diffuse its sweetness, than domestic life is the place where a woman, by a constant action amidst quiet shades, is to accomplish the good which is not the less real, because it may never reach the public ear. It is the throne of her influence, the sphere of her duties, the paradise of her enjoyments. Take a man of the most decided character, of the most settled resolution, of the clearest views, and he will sometimes be influenced by his wife. Buonaparte was an example. The impetuous

temper of the warrior, before whom all Europe trembled, was guided and directed by the insinuating Josephine. What a beautiful example have we in Scripture. Manoah was afraid; he had seen a vision. The terrible countenance of the angel of God, had been uncovered to him; and he was afraid he should die; but what says his wife? If the Lord had been pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering at our hands; neither would he have showed us all these things. Solomon, the wisest of men, was beguiled by fair idolatresses; and Samson, the Danite strong, lost his locks on the lap of her who conquered strength by the smiles of deceitful love. Over children, the power of a mother is immense. The influence of a woman on the world through the medium of her family, may be compared to the action of the gentle breeze on the trees of the forest. The breeze is invisible, the tree is a pillar, lofty and strong, apparently too firm to be moved by the varying air, in which its branches wave without resistance. But at the rising of the evening gale, every leaf trembles, and the whole vegetable phalanx derives its life and vigor from the apparently feeble agent which it seems to deride. St. Paul recognizes that influence as great, when he asks, what knowest thou, O wife, but thou shalt save thy husband? Yes, I exult in the strength of my examples, for they reach to salvation!

THE PURITAN.

No. 38.

At Bacchus' feast non shall her mete

Ne at no wanton playe;

Nor gasing in an open street,

Nor gadding as astray;

The modest mirth, that she doth use,

Is mixed with shamefastness;

All vice she doth wholly refuse,

And hateth ungodleness.

Old song, of uncertain auctores.

THE influence of woman is felt by direct example; and the temperance cause is precisely the one in which it is most likely to be salutary and extensive. I am not sure that this sex have not been as deep in this sin as the other part of our race. I know it is pleasing to believe, that a delicate lady is above such low appetites; that a female heart, is the seat of refinement, and purity, and softness, and, at least, temperance. A lover, can hardly bear the idea that his mistress is given to eating; in some romances, they

never eat at all; they have the art of subsisting on love alone; he can hardly bear that she should prefer a glass of wine, to water. But it is shocking to him. beyond measure, that she should keep a bottle of cordials in her closet, which is nothing but alcohol under a softer name; and that the hues on her cheek, red as the blushes of the morning, should not be the fresh paint of nature, but of something else. It is very pathetic when we see a miserable family, to suppose that the husband drinks all the rum, and the wife sheds all the tears. I have several pamphlets written in this very strain, which I have thoughts of sending in to our societies, which offer prizes for excitements to benevolent genius. But I am afraid, if we should establish a strict system of induction, and put down the result in those figures which cannot lie, we should find an alarming proportion of women, who have so much of flesh and blood, as actually to drink spirit; and if they do drink it, the consequence is inevitable-it will intoxicate their delicate brains, as well as those of the vilest drunkard that ever attempted in vain to walk the street. It is horrible to think of it; but perhaps if we were to take the world through, we should find an equal proportion of drunkards in one sex, as the other. True, they become so in very different ways. With man, it is a social vice; they become intemperate in company. With women, it is taken as a medicine. They have feebler constitutions; they are denominated the weaker vessels.

They are subject to unaccountable depression of spirits. They are confined to rooms; sit over warm fires; use little exercise; are pinched up in fashionable garments; have often little to do, and much to imagine. They find themselves sick, or sad, or perplexed, or gloomy; have lost their spirits or their appetites; and nothing seems to set them to rights so speedily as some precious cordial, in which alcohol lurks under some pleasing name. Man, becomes a drunkard, for the most part, in public; woman, in solitude. Man, takes his glass from the bar-room; woman, from the labelled bottle kept in the closet. Man, drinks to make himself more merry; woman, to remove her sadness. Man, often makes his crime too public; woman, conceals it even from herself. Man, drinks without an excuse, and a woman always has a very good one. Besides, the female sex pass more of their time alone; they use less exercise than their more vigorous counterparts; their hearts often slumber in inactivity, for the want of a motive; and he knows little of the course of temptation, who sees not, that solitude is no security against the creepings of this seductive vice. Such is its constant activity, that it comes upon us in company and alone.

I will only add that female intemperance is most prevalent in great cities, and in high places. The stately matron, imprisoned for hours in magnificent seclusion, is compelled to wear away the hours without a motive; and flies to the bottle for relief.