Richardson's works, ['Sir Charles Grandison,'] of a husband and wife, who, by mutual arrangement, possessed each a key to the treasury, where a common account-book lay between them, in which, on withdrawing a sum, the amount was entered, with its appropriation. This, it may be said, is too poetical for practice. Many gentlemen would not venture so far as to trust their wives with a key to their money-drawer! We do not presume to lay down private rules or injunctions-we merely hold up the case as one to illustrate the beauty of confidence. By mutual consultation, assistance and sympathy, is the business of life to be accomplished and its trials sustained. "How can two walk together except they be agreed?" Every effort should be directed to attain this agreement, where it does not exist, in view of the fearful alternative, "A house divided against itself is brought to desolation." [For the Microcosm.] THE IDOL. What is an idol? Is it a little man of brass, throned upon a shelf, and looking impudently down at some heathen woman who is kneeling before it and twisting her hands and trying to coax it into a stupid complacency?-one of those queer and ugly lumps of metal, which a missionary can bargain for, and pack in a trunk, to be sent home? The brazen image is an idol, to be sure; and there are a great many idols of gold and silver and wood and stubble; and what we are particularly thinking of now is that there are many idols of clay too. Indeed there are so many, of all kinds, in the big world, that this 'little world,' which you are looking at just now, could not contain a catalogue even of their families. * The good man came out of his chamber, where he had been saying aloud, to Him who forbids us to worship even His own most wonderful works, that beautiful stanza of Cowper's beautiful Psalm— "The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, and as he entered the parlor, his wife knew, as well by the serenity as by the gravity of his countenance, that he had been doing what he was accustomed to do at that hour. By her side sat a child, just large enough to be mistress of a chair which she was as proud of as if it had been a throne, and holding with quiet satisfaction a gold watch which she had won from her mother's hand by certain sweet looks that overset parental discretion. Her blue eyes and sunny face betrayed the delight with which she now held the costly plaything to her ear, and listened to its tick, without caring for the golden curl that fell down in keeping with its hue. "Emma," said her father, "that will hardly do for your handling-I think I must have your toy ;" and taking it from her, he was about to hang it in its place; but he saw her blue eyes cast down, and her lip curled a little, not in anger but in sorrow, and knowing her so well, he knew that she was not then at all resentful, but grieved or hurt, just as an angel might be if a jewel were to fall from his crown. He gave the watch into her hands again; and as he met her mother's eye, the two parents were as One in the emotion which the child had unconsciously awakened. "If she would but be angry," said he, "if she would be only less lovely, you and I could direct her where it is needed, and withstand her wishes when we ought;" and the mother only continued their mutual thoughts as she answered," They are telling me that she cannot be long for this world,' and I cannot help fearing,--yet why should I?" The happy child seemed to them too fine a treasure--even like the costly thing hazarded to her keeping then,—and the father could not help remembering his prayer. * * * * * As the night comes after the day and the day returns upon the night, so surely, we know, joy and sorrow come on their perpetual round. Yet could it seem to the fond parent a reality, or only a broken dream, when a few hours had passed away and his mind was gloomy before all the imagery of death? We would not venture to tell the burden that pressed down his spirit, when he beheld the little chair standing aside unoccupied, a white sheet overhanging the table in the centre of the apartment, and a little coffin resting upon it. He tried to say, like king David when his servants told him that his child was dead, "Wherefore should I mourn? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me;" and still it seemed to him as if, when that coffin should be carried out for burial, there would be nothing left to fill the aching void. The arrow kept quivering in his bosom. Then he resolved to go and look upon the face of his child in her shroud, but he could not rise though he would; he struggled, and all things passed away for a moment,-then he saw again; and he saw the child standing by his side, leaning against his knee, and more like a spiritual body' than like the one he had just dreamed of as made ready for the grave. He clasped her suddenly, as if he would snatch her from the doom of death and hold her to himself forever; then as suddenly he let go his hold, for the vision had told him all that was in his heart, and it seemed to him as if sent from God, and while he thanked Him that it was only a dream, he was humble before the Giver of every good gift. Then he laid his hand calmly upon the wondering child, and looking upward, said in spirit and in truth, "The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, 0. EDUCATION AS CONNECTED WITH THE AFFECTIONS. No. II. In the preceding number of this work, had we, on this subject, advocated not that ladies should cultivate the exact sciences less, but elegant literature more, our own purpose would have been equally as well served, and by this change of terms, the appearance of the introduction of any discord in sentiment into our World would have been avoided. Our objection to giving mathematical studies too much prominence in a system of Female Education-and let it be borne in mind that it is to this extent only that our objection is applied-is their practical tendency. It has already become too common in this calculating age of ours, to inquire, To what practical utility can this be applied. Now, we have no wish ever to see ladies thus become Utilitarians. Distant, far distant, be the day, when a female shall imbibe the spirit of that Utilitarian described in scripture, who could not see to what purpose was the waste of that oil which a woman poured on the head of the Savior, and which no doubt-though we cannot demonstrate the fact-soothed his bleeding heart. Have you never, gentle reader, when animated by some emotions of pleasure, perceived perhaps by the eye of fancy only, had your feelings chilled by some cold calculating individual, who asked you for some tangible demonstration of their reality? If you have not, you have escaped at least one of the "ills which flesh is heir to." O there are a thousand things in this beautiful world of ours, which, like the ghost of Achilles' friend, have form and life and beauty, but are without the grossness of matter, and vanish from every attempt to clasp them within a practical grasp! Now if it is our opinion that it is more appropriate for man than for woman to be digging in the depths of the exact sciences, let us not be charged with a desire to depreciate woman's intellect, and to make ladies pretty playthings only. We have yet to learn that mathematics require the highest efforts of the human intellect. We are firm believers in the creed of the "diviner mind" of poets. The Imagination, that power which "turns to shape the forms of things unknown,' and "gives to airy nothing a local habitation and a name," is what we the most highly prize. With this faculty we associate deeper feelings and a more perfect taste. To cultivate these we are far from advising a recourse to that class of works of fiction which are denominated Novels. On the contrary, it is very much doubted whether a large class of these works have any tendency to cultivate these qualities in their harmony and beauty, unless a tendency to vitiate be a tendency to cultivate. For in looking after facts to substantiate the assertion so often made, that the reading of novels serves to improve the taste, we have been struck with surprise to find how much oftener it has been the case that tastes have been perverted than improved by this course. As well take opium to improve the imagination, by producing a dreamy Education as connected with the Affections. 79 indistinctness, entirely different from the vivid and perfect conceptions of that faculty which is under the control of Reason. "Know, that in the soul Are many lesser faculties, that serve Reason as chief." For Subordination to the constituted head, is a prime article in our creed. Therefore to have the "lesser faculties" run to riot, would not in our view be an improvement. Yet we are not exclusives in any branch of literary pursuit. It may be that there are some novels and romances which do improve the imagination and taste. But, surely, in this class are not comprised all the works of elegant literature. We have not time nor space to specify; nor is it any part of our design to make a catalogue of books. We are however conscious of having turned over the pages of some-and candor compels us to admit, some, too, written by ladies-which were written with such elegance and force, as, we feel assured, would make the chords of feeling and taste to tremble under their power. That these are not more universally favorites with ladies, is a subject of regret. For to them it belongs more especially to give the tone of correct feeling and taste to society. It is as much their peculiar province to excel in the quick and delicate perception of the harmonious, the beautiful and the true, as it is that of men to excel in more laborious and rigorous pursuits. Not that either should not meddle with the province of the other. It is peculiarity, not exclusion, of which we are speaking. we are advocating is The distinction which "A difference in degree, in kind the same," in respect to the cultivation of our faculties. We do think that what is called a "well balanced mind" must be by a different standard of comparison in the two sexes. However extensive may be a lady's attainments, in what are denominated the solid branches of education, let them all be decidedly under the control of a delicate and refined taste. Varied by the gleams of a playful imagination and the shade of deep feeling, her powers of conversation would be what we wish them to be; such as would fit her for her appropriate destination-the charm of home and the ornament of society. How much more delightful would the circle of home and of friends be, were the vacant hours filled by reading or by converse under the control of intellect and the affections. If at the fireside and social circles, and in the drawing-room, where woman's sway is acknowledged, works of elegant literature were received with more approbation, it might tell on higher destinies. The enemies of religion would then no longer vaunt that such works find more favor with them. It is evident that He who has created us with the faculty of receiving pleasure, and that too in such high degree, has designed that this faculty should be cultivated for his service. If such works as are now in use cannot be approved by the religious public, others, such as they would approve, written with equal elegance, force and beauty, would soon appear. The demand would oc |