The education of mothers of families; or, The civilisation of the human race by women, tr. with remarks by E. Lee. Cheaper ed

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Page 349 - Alas ! our young affections run to waste, Or water but the desert ; whence arise But weeds of dark luxuriance, tares of haste, Rank at the core, though tempting to the eyes, Flowers whose wild odours breathe but agonies, And trees whose gums are poison ; such the plants Whichspring beneath her steps as Passion flies O'er the world's wilderness, and vainly pants For some celestial fruit forbidden to our wants.
Page 329 - What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unused.
Page 336 - And, because it is deplorable to consider the loss which children make of their time at most schools, employing, or rather casting away, six or seven years in the learning of words only...
Page 329 - Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely...
Page 359 - Why should a woman dedicate herself to this branch of knowledge ? or why should she be attached to such science ? — Because, by having gained information on these points, she may inspire her son with valuable tastes, which may abide by him through life, and carry him up to all the sublimities of knowledge ; — because she cannot lay the foundation of a great character, if she is absorbed in frivolous amusements, nor inspire her child with noble desires, when a long course of trifling has destroyed...
Page 325 - Tis granted, and no plainer truth appears, Our most important are our earliest years. The mind impressible and soft, with ease Imbibes and copies what she hears and sees, And through life's labyrinth holds fast the clue That education gives her, false or true.
Page 360 - ... public morals ; it provides for every season of life, as well as for the brightest and the best ; and leaves a woman when she is stricken by the hand of time, not as she now is, destitute of everything, and neglected by all ; but with the full power and the splendid attractions of knowledge,- — diffusing the elegant pleasures of polite literature, and receiving the just homage of learned and accomplished men.
Page 343 - English manner of teaching, involve another and a very different question ; and we will venture to say, that there never was a more complete instance in any country of such extravagant and overacted attachment to any branch of knowledge, as that which obtains in this country wiih regard to classical knowledge.
Page 356 - The system of female education, as it now stands, aims only at embellishing a few years of life, which are in themselves so full of grace and happiness, that they hardly want it ; and then leaves the rest of existence a miserable prey to idle insignificance.
Page 28 - ... half of the human race, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and destined to eternal life.

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