pointment. Aim, therefore, to go beyond whatever you may have promised and if possible, exceed the most sanguine expectations of your friends.

X. I will only say in conclusion - that soberness of mind embraces every qualification which will reader a man beloved and respected by all who know him. It is the substance of those simple directions, given us by the holy apostles and prophets, in these words: Live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world. Deal justly; love mercy; and walk humbly with thy God. Be kind and affectionate - honor all men- love the brotherhood, and fear God. Be courteous and obliging to all.'

Finally, young men, I take my leave of you, in the words of the author of my text 'By whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report; if there be any virtue, any praise, think on these things.'

LECTURE V.

To Young Ladies

Showing how they may excel in
Virtue.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Prov. 31: 29.

A great change has come over the whole civilized world but, this change is more general and thorough, in some portions of the civilized world, than it is in others. I refer now to the light in which the abilities and capacities of females are held by the other sex. But a few years since, the prevailing opinion was, that females stood in a rank of being far inferior to that of the males; and that they could not make the same advances in acquiring knowledge, nor master the sciences, as it was well known the males had done. They were regarded as being incapable of making the same attainments in a knowledge of the various branches of science, so common to the sterner sex. Hence it was, that the educa

tion of the daughter was almost wholly neglected, while that of the son was attended to, with the greatest care imaginable.

It was taken for granted, on all hands, and no one thought of disputing it, that females cannot be brought to the same state of perfection, in point of education, that the males were. And in some parts of the world, called civilized, they were regarded as mere vassals or slaves or as goods and chattels, The Mohammetans went so far at one time, as to decide, in a counsel of an august character, that women have no souls, and are not subjects of salvation -but, that they go down to the grave at death, and perish like brute beasts. But after propagating this sentiment for a few years, they changed their minds, and gravely decided, that women have souls, and may possibly be saved! Yet, to educate them, was entirely out of the question.

But, a change has come over the civilized world. The opinion is now well established, that to be born a female, is not a great misfortune. Neither is it believed that they cannot be educated. The doctrine is now almost universally received, throughout Christendom, that the sister, can go as far in acquiring a knowledge of any of the sciences, as the brother and in the acquisition of the ornamental branches, far exceed him. To what shall we attribute this change? Answer: To the soft, and mellowing influence, of Christianity. Yes, our females owe their present exalted stand, to the gospel of the blessed Son of God. This is evident from the fact, that in those countries

where the gospel has not been preached, believed, and obeyed, women are now in an abject state of ignorance. They are treated with neglect and contempt and are driven to labor like the ox, and used as a mere thing as an object for the gratification of the passions.

But, wherever Christianity has lifted up her voice, and in heavenly accents proclaimed, that there is no difference between the male and female, that they are all one in Christ Jesus and wherever, and whenever this sentiment has been listened to, and received, the mother, the wife, and the daughter, have risen from their degradation, shook off their contempt, and shown themselves the children of God, and heirs of salvation — and, as possessing the same claims to respect, confidence, honor and renown, that are granted to the father, husband and brother.

It may be needless to state, that within a few years, much has been done, and great pains have been taken, to educate our females. I am sometimes inclined to the opinion, that with regard to the appreciation of feminine worth, the community is verging to the opposite extreme, from what they once were. But of this I shall speak more particularly, by and by. I am glad so much has been done, and that so much is now being done, for the improvement of this portion of our race and the only thing I regret with regard to it, is, that their education is carried forward in some resprets, to the neglect of many

important considerations. I would not retard the progress of female education: I would have it, if possible, accelerated; and I would have every daughter educated with respect to those matters, concerning which, they are, in too many instances, woefully neglected. But more of this, in another place.

While young ladies are inducted into a knowled of the sciences, and the common branches of education, their moral culture should not be neglected. They should be studiously trained to virtue. They should be as clearly taught how they may excel in virtue, as they are how they may excel in knowledge, and understanding. For an intelligent, and vicious female, who is kept within the bounds of decency, only by the opinion of the world, is an anomily in nature, which I hope seldom to meet.

The education of females, to virtue and piety, is a duty paramount to all others; and to show how our fair friends may excel in virtue, is the object of our present discourse. But how successful I shall be in the accomplishment of the task I have taken upou me, will be for the audience to decide, when I shall have concluded my remarks. The text I have chosen, more as a motto, than as a subject of discourse, contains an exclamation of surprise and delightMany daughters have done virtuously; but thou Excelest them all.' Standing in the light of this passage, we may be led to inquire, how did the