and colleges, richly endowed by public and private bounties, to fit them for all manly professions, there has never been an institution in our land founded and endowed by State or national bounty for the young women. Nor is there but one endowed institution in all our wide country: "VASSAR COLLEGE" stands alone in its just design of giving "to the young women of America an education as thorough as our colleges are accomplishing for young men."

The founder of Vassar College has the glorious honor of leading in this, the right way of individual and national improvement.

Moreover, women have never yet had any suitable means of education for their household duties. Domes

tic science, far more important to the health, happiness, and morality of mankind than any other sort of scientific learning, has never yet had a college or school founded to teach its arts, rules, methods of practice, and deep mysteries of knowledge. Congress has liberally given millions of acres of public lands to found agricultural colleges for working-men: working-women have no recognition in this national bounty. Is it not time to begin the experiment of fitting woman for her own work? She certainly has many things to do. Among these duties, there must be some of importance to the public weal. Do not the daughters of the Republic require more in their culture than the elementary education of the common schools?

Medical science belongs as surely to women as to men.

Woman is the preserver: the study of the laws of health and of the healing art would harmonize with her feelings and her intuitive faculties. She has a right to this knowledge and to the means of acquiring it, so far as her own sex and children are concerned. The profession of "Doctress of Medicine" should be considered, like the duties of mother and nurse, which it closely resembles, a proper sphere for educated women, if they choose to enter it.

And, while these beneficent changes for women are in progress, legislation must be invoked to suppress those vices and crimes of men that destroy the happiness of home where woman's world centres. Drunkenness, gambling, licentiousness, these are the blasting sins that now defy law, and disgrace the manhood of American citizens. Surely there are enough good and true men, would they unite, to accomplish all these reforms in our country.

The bayonet or the ballot-box must govern the world. Wherever the latter bears rule, moral power is in the ascendant, and there the influence of woman predominates. Would it not be better if the sex were admitted to participate directly in the administration of government, voting and holding offices equally with men? No: I reply unhesitatingly, no! Feminine power is not coercive, but persuasive. However salutary moral influences may be, yet in civil governments the laws must, in the last resort, be upheld by material force. This duty women could not perform; nor could they share in the gov

ernment, unless the other sex permitted. When men are prepared, from their appreciation of feminine goodness, to do this, they will be good themselves, and therefore better fitted, by their masculine power of sustaining law, to uphold and discharge all the duties of government than women can possibly be. Besides, our American women have the controlling power over their homes, their children, and social life: it is but just that men should enjoy a separate theatre for the cultivation and display of their own talents and virtues.

Would the true wife desire to supersede her husband? Would the good, intelligent mother, who has trained her son to the glorious ambition of serving his country, and gaining a noble fame, would she, were it in her power, pluck the laurel from his brow, and place it on her own? Would she be willing that any woman should enter the lists against her son? If not, is it right for this mother to encourage the competition of her own sex against the sons of other mothers?

Greatness is most perfect when it acts with the least reference to self; power is most efficient when moving the will through the heart. Let us American ladies cultivate the virtues, the knowledge, the accomplishments, which will influence, imbue, and aid men to do the work of the world to the glory of God; then the woman will truly shine forth as "the glory of the man."

In the first paper of this work (see LovE), I alluded to the precepts of Christ as the foundation rules of conduct

and character, when we seek to refine and dignify human nature. And now, when the year has come full circle, and we are at the close of the fifty-second paper, this Gospel etiquette of love and duty comes again before us as the perfect pattern for that home-life and social improvement which the men and women of America are, as we all hope, destined "to present to the world."

The real worth and glory of American institutions can never be understood nor appreciated, until we, as a people, teach, by our example, that Jesus Christ, in making men "free," subjected them to His truth.

In thy place, O tender woman!
Teaching faith and hope and love,
Thine to guard and guide the human
In the way that leads above.

In thy place the nearest heaven,
When creation's chain was done;

To thy seed the promise given
Gives us heaven through the Son.

Man, thine arm with strength is gifted,
And thy will the world may bind;
But with power and pride uplifted,
Wouldst thou deify the mind?

Grant thee learning, wealth, and talents,
Can these gifts salvation give?
'Tis the heart that holds the balance,
Love alone in heaven will live.

Ay, and Love, o'er earth extended,
Must his sovereign sceptre sway,

Ere the reign of sin is ended,

Ere the just enjoy their day.

VIII. -MERRY CHRISTMAS.

WHEN the blessed anniversary of GOOD TIDINGS to

the world is at hand, what heart so sad, what life so lowly, that a thought of cheer and of joy does not lighten the load when we feel that Christmas is so near us all!

Christmas is a sweet bond of confidence and brotherhood in the hearts of all who believe the Bible. Beyond the sea, Americans meet and rejoice together in their Christian faith and in the free land they love so well. American artists gather in Italy for the sake of study; yet not less fondly do they meet their countrymen, and identify themselves with all of home that can be obtained in those old cities. These Christmas meetings, Christmas dinners and celebrations, keep up the feelings of patriotism and the memories of home, which might, perhaps, wither without freshness of thought imparted at such re-unions.