tre to circumference, is there such re- What an incalculable effect upon man's sponsibility, even so far as regards mat- character has a truthful disposition;ters of this world, as was that of Mary, and yet this invariably has its origin in the mother of Washington, or of Letitia, the earliest period of life. I mean not the mother of Napoleon? What man simply the habit of truth-telling, for that, living has wrought a more terrible work, when it springs from the fear of discovthan was wrought by the caressing and ery, as in children it is too often made to flattering, raging and cursing mother of do, is of little worth. I mean the spirit Byron? Napoleon knew men well. None of truth-that which manifests itself in better. His words were "The future thought and in action, as well as in word, character of a child is always the work of and from which comes frankness, openits mother;" and to Madame Campan he ness, good faith, honesty, in one word, said-Be it your care to train up moth- sincerity-sincerity to one's self, sincerity ers who shall know how to educate their to mankind in general, sincerity in social children." Tacitus says of Agricola- relations, sincerity in business, sincerity He governed his family, which many in pleasure. This loyality to truth is a find to be a harder task than to govern a sentiment which the mother alone can province." What would have been the thoroughly inspire; and yet how often, words, had Tacitus had an understand-alas! is it, that she, in her thoughtlessing, too, of Christian responsibilities?-ness or ignorance, contents herself with 'Unhappy is the man," says Paul Rich- merely a verbal conformity, and heeds ter, "for whom his own mother has not not the saddest form of lying-" the lie," made all mothers venerable.' Where is as Bacon says, “that sinketh in,” and bethe man, and where the woman, whose comes part of the character. very heart's heart does not quiver in response to that?

The child is an admiring being. "Heaven lies about us in our infancy," and The mother, whether she is directly bright hues invest everything. "Tell sensible of it or not, is the educator of me what you admire," says Carlyle, "and the strongest and most permanent part of I will tell you what manner of man you our humanity, the sympathetic and moral are;" and in all education there is nothnature-the very part, too, which is the ing so important as this teaching what to most complex and the most sensitive, and admire, and why to admire. It is error the most difficult to brace and adjust to or neglect in this part of early training perfect harmony. The greatest obstacle by the mother, that, more than anything that education has to contend against is else, produces the false standards and willfulness. This evil is inborn in the false tastes which so many, in these artivery nature of man, and manifests itself ficial times, carry with them through in full force in the very earliest period of life, and which make the lesson so hard life, and in an almost unlimited variety of to learn, that the simplest and cheapest forms. It is no small thing to subdue it pleasures are the truest and most preat all; but it is a great thing, often a cious. thing requiring a wisdom excelling that And so of almost every phase of the of the Seven Wise Men of Greece, to sub- child's character; it is, in great measure due it without doing lasting injury to all the result of the faithfulness or the unof the finer qualities of the soul. And faithfulness, the wisdom or the folly, of yet what bitter discords from within, and the mother. What responsibility has what hard reverses from without, shall man to meet, that can exceed either in come, if it be not subdued. There are dignity or difficulty the right training of certain states of the child's mind in which an immortal spirit? What can require its indulgence in the merest triffe may the more complete development of every commence an unhealthy movement of the high faculty of the soul? A weak-heartsoul, which will last as long as life lasts. ed and weak-minded mother is the sadHow few are there who fully realize that dest of all sights the sun shines upon. a trifle to them is no trifle to a child- The power of woman, too, in her other that the cheapest plaything may be a domestic relations, demands the highest child's kingdom. cultivation of her nature. She was made

to be the light of the whole household― sweet trust and holy fear, bright honor,

-a light

faithfulness, gentleness, charity, and, chief of all, the impassioned feeling that Shining within, when all without is night. impels the strenuous will;-these are the It is her peculiar privilege to live away "rib of the man," and from these, molded from the world's sharp strife. She has in living loveliness, his destined helpno profession to warp the evenness of her meet sprang to rouse him and gird him mind, or cares of business to tarnish the to all noble daring and doing, to make freshness of her soul. Her own peculiar life rich and duty glorious, so that he trials she doubtless has, for trial is inci- shall be a true hearted warrior here on dent to every human lot. There is a earth, while yet with her a rejoicing comildew that settles upon all hearts not traveler toward the skies, We best well ordered, wherever found beneath learn the unsuspected might of a being the skies. But, if woman's heart be well like this, when we try the desolateness ordered, there is nothing which should that sinks like night upon the home hinder or mar its full blossoming; for where once her presence shone and now her heart, like man's, is in God's world, is seen no more. In view of what woman which is as full of rich, pure, sweet influ- thus may be, and ofttimes is, replete, full ences as the morning is of dew-drops; charactered and heavenly as the morning and yet is not so near the broad highway star, alas, that there should ever be occaof life as to be bruised by its violence, sion for such a cry as that of Milton's or soiled by its dust, or withered by its against "that unspeakable weariness and glare. She was made to live in an at- despair of all sociable delight, which turn mosphere of light and of love, wooing the blessed ordinance of God into a sore from her all the in-born sweetness of her evil under the sun, or at least to a familnature, opening her the more completely iar mischief-a drooping and disconsoto divine refreshings from on high, and late household-captivity without refuge calling out odors of faith, and hope, and or redemption."

charity, which shall operate as a healing But the influence of a true woman is balm and holy stimulus upon all around. not confined to those of her own houseWoman, if she be truly woman, is, with- hold. She forms the grace and attracin her own household, a vital elemental tion of all social life. In the days of force, evermore radiating ethereal life and chivalry, herenergy. She is a Presence as well as a Power, and achieves by what she is as well as by what she does. She inspires

-bright eyes

Rained influence, and judged the prize.

unawares. In the light of her placid She it was that inspired, to use the lanstrength, a faith in human nature, and in guage of Burke, "that generous loyality the possibility of all grand things, grows to rank and sex, that proud submission, we trow not how. Public opinion pales that dignified obedience, that subordinainto weakness and meanness before her tion of the heart, which kept alive, even high ideal, and we are slaves no longer. in servitude itself, the spirit of an exalted Her subtile love, her magnetic enthusiasm freedom; that untaught grace of life, cherishes into more genial life the motive that sensibility of principle, that chastity that shall prompt brave endeavor, and of honor, which feels a stain like a wound, stay the spirit in the very heat of the which inspired courage, while it mitigastrife, like the murmur of far-off music. ted ferocity, which ennobled whatever it She endears, and, in endearing, ennobles. touched, and under which vice itself lost She transfuses her temper to our souls half its evil, by losing all its grossness.' without effort, as she paints her image And she certainly has lost no power, as on our eyes. There is no such spell as men have advanced in civilization and comes from her sweetness and unassum- Christianity, She yet wins, and leads, ing strength. Books can instruct and and judges with her sweet, still concluentertain, pictures and statues may bring sions, and nothing which she in very beauty, and hirelings may duly care for truth despises and repels, can stand.the house; but love that floods cannot She holds the keys of social intercourse quench, resilient hope, outshining joy, and adjusts to her own will what shall be

the received standard of propriety and man greatly for their support, and she is honor. Men, as in knightly times, are the almost exclusive minister of the comnot only ready to serve her, but they mon charities of life. Upon her judglook to her to show them how she will ment here, as well as upon her spirit, debe served; and this she does, not by ar-pends a vast amount of social good or bitrary dictate, not often by conscious evil. In short, there is no limit to wodesign, but by an outflowing movement man's influence and responsibility. There -a bright, benign exhaling of mind and is no condition of life in which she is soul, which, though impalpable, is not to precluded from these, and none in which be ignored or withstood. "Whatever their exercise may not employ the fulmay be the customs and laws of a coun- lest powers of their nature, even when try," says a French writer, "women al- developed in the most complete measure. ways give the tone to morals." This is Especially is this true in our own countrue; and there has never yet been a try, where woman enjoys higher considtime of public degredation in which wo- eration and greater freedom of action men of high mark in society have not than in any other nation of the world, played a prominent part. I do not pre- and where, too, the very existence of the tend that social life is pervaded, as it government depends upon the sustained might be, by the redeeming influences aspiration and virtue of the people. In of woman's spirit; but she has reason to her hands, whether she feels it or not, lie reproach herself, if it is not. the destinies of the Republic.

Woman, too, if she will, has her part I have now written of the kind of eduin literature-a part recognized as hers, cation woman should receive, and of its not by courtesy, but by right, and most solemn yet glorious import to her and worthily is she now fulfilling it. I count to the world. A sensible advance, I beit one of the most cheering auspices of lieve, is every year made throughout the the times, that her voice is in such large land toward this high standard. If such measure entering English and American an advance there really is, we shall in literature. It mingles among the fierce good time hear fewer complaints, that in polemics of the day, "as the lute pier- high life there are to be found so many ceth through the cymbal's clash," by its brilliant creatures of fairest face and very gentleness tempering, and refining, form, complete in every outward charm and beautifying all. It is true, and and adornment, superlative in grace, exdoubtless always will be true, so long as quisite in tact, airy in spirits, sprightly woman retains her retiring, womanly na- in converse, and radiant with smiles; and ture, that female authorship does not of yet conquest their only thought, and self, ten proceed from spontaneous impulse, their only admiration, caring only to keep and that it does often come from wrongs decently up to the, world's mark of virtoo deep to be forgiven, from regrets too tue, turning social communion into a bitter to be forgotten, from repinings too conventional piece of acting, and reducing sharp to be borne, or from necessities all their high means of influence to the too cruel to be resisted, and that aber- service of a morbid excitement and the rations and harsh discords not seldom gratification of a heartless vanity;-and arise therefrom, and show themselves in that in the middle of life there is so much what she gives out to the world; but it wretched slavery to outward appearances, is none the less certain, that the general so much of carking care and calculating effect of her utterance through books is, anxiety to imitate the extravagance of and always must be, in harmony with wealthier neighbors, so much impoverthe delicate tones of her native soul. Tens ishing of mind, closing up of soul and of thousands of women, too, are called hardening of spirit for the mere tinsel of upon to be the public teachers and guides life, so much wearing away of the heart of childhood and youth, and have there-strings and spoiling of affection with by a power to exercise an influence upon petty vexation and capricious humor, so future national character scarcely to be much wasting, aimlessness and wasted estimated. All of the great benevolent activity, so much speech spoken that is enterprises of the day depend upon wo- not worth the speaking, so much work

Scintillations from genius may be defined as "sparks from the anvil," hammered out of the mind of man.

[For the Journal of Education. MORAL EDUCATION.

and warm into life and beauty the dormant faculties of the human soul. Such should be his moral power that corrupTHE great educator, Horace Mann, has tion would flee away at his approach, as said: "Educate the intellect alone and you the mists are dispelled by the rising sun. develop the infidel; educate the morals Said that excellent teacher, the lamented alone, and you develop a puny Christian; D. P. Page, "I hardly dare tread the educate the physical alone and you de-earth, for fear of exerting a bad influvelop the savage; it is only by a symAgain he said, "If my boys do metrical development of all these pow- not become respectable men and good ers that man can approximate to the Di- citizens, I shall lay the blame upon myvine Original." However startling, it is self."

ence."

the truth, that education as readily be- Morality should be taught by precept, comes the handmaid of vice as of virtue. as well as example. The question is asked Intellectual development gives power how can it be taught successfully in and moral development a right direction schools? I answer: 1st, the science of to this power; but let it be under the con- Ethics should be studied in every school trol of vice, and great will be the evil The skillful teacher can make it interestIn the absence of done. Education may be compared to a ing and profitable.

ship at sea. The intellectual part is the text books, short lectures can be given by propelling power, the physical is the the teacher, and questions asked that will form and strength of the ship, the moral excite a spirit of inquiry which will reWill the scholar be is the helm. Without the helm the ship sult in much good.

is more than useless. The celebrated as likely to do wrong after he understands Dr. Stone says: "Who can estimate the the laws of his mind, and knows that unspeakable value of a right education, their voluntary violation will as surely the deplorable evils of a wrong one, since bring punishment as the violation of the the whole existence of an intelligent, physical laws? Will he be heedless of conscious, feeling, immortal soul, for his influence, when science has revealed time and for eternity, so essentially de- to him that every impression made upon pends upon it." Taking this view of the the mind, will in turn make its impressubject what can we say of a teacher of sion; and so on, impression following imyouth who entirely neglects moral train- pression, till eternity shall announce to ing; and what must we say of one who the originator that he must stand up and emphatically teaches immorality-who answer for the same? boldly announces a total disregard for The rule of right should be the rule of right, ridicules religion and morality, the school, and every question involving desecrates the Sabbath, and is in sympa- right or wrong should be settled by an thy with all that is low and vulgar. Such appeal to it. Scholars should be made cases, we are happy to say, are not com- to feel that it is mean to do wrong, and mon; but they exist, and should be ex- should be ashamed of it. They should be posed, and thus their influence destroyed. reasoned with, in the spirit of love; and The teacher should create an atmosphere if the teacher has moral power it will of purity and virtue about him, that will prevail. Opportunity is offered every renovate the corrupting currents of vice, day in the conduct of scholars, for a les.