When Mungo Park, lonely, friendless, and
famished, after being driven forth from an African village by
the men, was preparing to spend the night under a tree, exposed
to the rain and the wild beasts which there abounded, a poor
negro woman, returning from the labours of the field, took
compassion upon him, conducted him into her hut, and there
gave him food, succour, and shelter. (1)
But while the most characteristic qualities of woman are displayed
through her sympathies and affections, it is also necessary for
her own happiness, as a self-dependent being, to develope and
strengthen her character, by due self-culture, self-reliance, and
self-control. It is not desirable, even were it possible, to
close the beautiful avenues of the heart. Self-reliance of the
best kind does not involve any limitation in the range of human
sympathy. But the happiness of woman, as of man, depends in a
great measure upon her individual completeness of character. And
that self-dependence which springs from the due cultivation of the
intellectual powers, conjoined with a proper discipline of the
heart and conscience, will enable her to be more useful in life as
well as happy; to dispense blessings intelligently as well as to
enjoy them; and most of all those which spring from mutual
dependence and social sympathy.
To maintain a high standard of purity in society, the culture of
both sexes must be in harmony, and keep equal pace.
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