Next to this, perhaps, comes Watts' "Improvement of the Mind." This is a most splendid production, and will stand as a monument of the piety as well as talent of the writer, while time shall last. There are many more valuable treatises in our libraries, among which are Mason on SelfKnowledge, Degerando on Self-Education, and Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion. These works alone are a host; and carefully read and studied, can scarcely fail to bring forth the most valuable fruits.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

MORAL INFLUENCE ON THE HUSBAND.

Mode of female influence on the husband

Mr. Flint's encoWife of Jonathan True position of

mium. Examples of female influence. Edwards of Sir James Mackintosh. woman in society. Serious error of some modern writers. A caution. Making haste to be rich. A species of mania. Its extent and evils. How the young wife is concerned with it. What she can do to remove it. Agur's prayer

seldom used in modern times. influence. Office seeking.

Particular modes of female How to dissuade from it.

Exposures to intemperance. Female consistency. Female piety. Its effects on the husband-compared with amiableness and beauty. Apparent objection to the writer's views. Woman's prerogative.

EVERY wife has it in her power to make her husband either better or worse. This result is accomplished, not merely by giving advice, nor by advice and instruction alone. Both these have their influence; and as means of improvement, should not be neglected. But it is by the general tone and spirit of her conversation, as manifesting the temper and disposition of the heart, that she makes the most abiding impressions. These are

modifying his character daily and hourly; sometimes even when absent. The thought of what a wife wishes or expects, especially when a letter or paper is occasionally received from her or from some member of the family, is silently and perhaps unconsciously changing a husband's character.

So obvious is this, that it has become a matter of common observation. Every one is ready to observe the change produced in a husband by a second marriage. Now is it probable that this change is greater than that which was produced in him at the first marriage, except that in the second case it is less expected, and there are more interested observers? And yet it is so great as to have led to the very general belief that stepmothers have an uncommon-I was going to say a sort of magic-influence.

It is by no means denied that the influence, in the matrimonial state, is reciprocal. No doubt it is. But I am not writing now for husbands, directly. Besides, however great may be the changes wrought in the wife by the husband, those which are wrought in the latter by the wife are ✓ frequently more surprising as well as more perma

nent.

But if it be true that woman is thus silently changing the current of man's affections, and the tenor of his thoughts and habits, how important

that she should be well taught! How worthy of consideration the claims which have been urged in the preceding pages, and the motives which I have endeavored to present for her improvement! And how important-nay, how just—in this point of view, was the remark of Mr. Flint, in one of the numbers of the Western Review-"If this world," said he, "is ever to become a better and a happier world, woman, properly educated and truly benevolent, sensible of her influence and wise enough to exert it aright, must be the original mover in the great work."

"I tremble for the man who does not tremble for himself," was once said in reference to the temptations which exist in this country of abundance, to become intemperate. In like manner, I tremble for the woman who, in view of the nature and extent of her influence on man—and primarily on her husband and family-does not tremble, lest it should not be so good an influence as it ought to be-such, indeed, as she may wish a thousand ages hence it had been. It is truly a solemn subject, and I envy not those who can make light of it. They will not make light of it when standing by the bed of death, or when their own hour of dissolution has arrived. They will not make light of it when they stand in the judgment, or when they come to inhabit eternity.

It has been said of the wife of Jonathan Edwards, that by enabling him to put forth his powers unembarrassed, she conferred a greater benefit upon mankind, than all the female public characters that ever lived or ever will live. A similar remark might be applied to the mother of almost every great and good man. Woman's true greatness consists, so it seems to me, in rendering others useful, rather than in being directly useful herself. Or, in other words, it is less her office to be seen and known in society, than to make others seen and known, and their influence felt.

I might give numerous examples and illustrations of the principle I am endeavoring to sustain, both in this country and elsewhere. I might speak of the mother and the wife of Washington, of the mother of Dwight, Franklin, Wilberforce, Whitefield, Timothy, and hundreds of others; for it was by the exercise of the duties not only of the mother, but of the wife, that these illustrious characters were brought forth to the world. But I will confine myself to a single instance; and that one in which the influence upon the husband was direct.

The case to which I refer, is that of Sir James Mackintosh, whose fame as a jurist, a statesman and a writer is well known, not only in Europe and America, but in India; and whose efforts in