ortality: whilst a woman with as much
sense, with more eloquence, with lofty principles, enthusiastic
feelings, and pure conduct--with sterling virtue to command respect,
and the self-denying conduct of a martyr--steals noiselessly through
her appointed path in life; and if she excite a passing comment during
her pilgrimage, is quickly lost in oblivion when that pilgrimage hath
reached its appointed goal.

And this is but as it should be. Woe to that nation whose women, as a
habit, as a custom, as a matter of course, seek to intrude on the
attributes of the other sex, and in a vain, a foolish, and surely a
most unsuccessful pursuit of publicity, or power, or fame, forget the
distinguishing, the high, the noble, the lofty, the pure and
_unearthly_ vocation of their sex. Every earthly charity, every
unearthly virtue, are the legitimate object of woman's pursuit. It is
hers to soothe pain, to alleviate suffering, to soften discord, to
solace the time-worn spirit on earth, to train the youthful one for
heaven. Such is woman's magnificent vocation; and in the peaceful
discharge of such duties as these she may be content to steal
noiselessly on to her appointed bourne, "the world forgetting, by the
world forgot."

But these splendid results are not the effect of great exertions--of
sudden, and uncertain, and enthusiastic efforts. They are the effect
of a course, of a system of minor actions and of occupations,
_individually_ insignificant in their appearance, and noiseless in
their approach. They are like "the gentle dew from heaven" in their
silent unnoted progress, and, like that, are known only by their
blessed results.

They involve a routine of minor duties which often appear, at first
view, little if at all connected with such mighty ends. But such an
inference would lead to a false conclusion. It is entirely of
insignificant details that the sum of human life is made up; and any
one of those details, how insignificant soever _apparently_ in itself,
as a link in the chain of human life is of _definite_ relative value.
The preparing of a spoonful of gruel may seem a very insignificant
matter; yet who that stands by the sick-bed of one near and dear to
him, and sees the fevered palate relieved, the exhausted frame
refreshed by it, but will bless the hand that made it? It is not the
independent intrinsic worth of each isolated action of woman which
stamps its value--it is their bearing and effect on the mass. It is
th