that, young or
old, they remain among the best of God's gifts to man. This leads us
to remark further, that woman's right to be a woman implies her right
to help woman. Woman must be true to her sex, or society will neglect
its duty. That old story of Ruth and Naomi has ploughed through the
world, because it reveals woman's power as a helper. Ruth clung to
Naomi, and Naomi helped her daughter to find Boaz, that noble prince
in Israel; and so she became identified with the succession of
promise. The life of Mrs. Sigourney illustrates the same truth. See
her among the young, calling forth their powers, and starting them in
a career of usefulness. Impressed with the importance of an education,
she aided by her pen, as by her example, to induce the ladies of her
acquaintance to obtain a thorough knowledge of the primary branches
that enter into daily use.

We want a woman to be intellectual without being puny. We ask that she
remain a pliant vine, and that she be not made into the rugged oak.

Woman owes it to herself that she be fitted to occupy any position
in society. In this land, as in no other, the barriers of caste are
removed, and every line of separation obliterated. The rich and the
poor meet together.

The cultured sewing-girl is quite likely to become the wife of the
future millionnaire; and the lady reared in the midst of every luxury,
and endowed with a fortune, amid the reverses of fortune may be
compelled to draw upon her own resources of labor, and of love, and
culture, to stay up the hands and encourage the heart of the man more
than ever dependent upon her for happiness and hope.

Such a woman Irving must have painted when he wrote, "I have often had
occasion to remark the fortitude with which women sustain the most
overwhelming reverses of fortune. Those disasters which break down the
spirit of a man, and prostrate him in the dust, seem to call forth all
the energies of the softer sex, and give such intrepidity and devotion
to their character, that at times it approaches to sublimity."

Nothing can be more touching than to behold a soft and tender female,
who had been all weakness, and dependence, and alive to every trivial
roughness, while treading the prosperous paths of life, suddenly
rising in mental force to be the comforter and supporter of her
husband under misfortunes, and abiding, with unshrinking firmness, the
bitterest blasts of adversity.

As the vine, which has long twined its gracefu