useful and important; neither does it go to show that the cultivation they receive is competent to bring into action the full strength of those capacities which have been presented to them by nature. The mental qualities of the female mind have been too long in a state of pusillanimous incarceration by a spurious, but ostentatious education; and thus have been concealed, not merely from others, but from themselves, the energies of which they are evidently quite capable. The "difficulties" attending private life are known to have. elicited many and truly exemplary instances of womanly prudence, magnanimity, and fortitude, all which proves no less a clearness of conception than a temperature of ennobling feeling-reflecting, like the colours of the rainbow, that sublime and beautiful emblem of divinity— honour upon the heads and hearts of our fair country-women. Neither has the spirit of history been silent in recording unforgotten instances of womanly capacity, in all the different distinctions of human excellence.

These memorable and gratifying testimonies (gratifying and memorable they surely must be to manhood-to British manhood,) are doubtless sufficient to justify an opinion, that the imperfect as well as comparatively unimportant contributions to the mass of public activity, have not arisen from a want of ability to be useful, but from a moral defect of a different description, which it becomes those interested in the progress of education to find out, in order to afford a remedy for this contagious and se ductive malady.

In nations celebrated for their civilization-for their great and enlightened statesmen and counsellors-for their authors-for their poets-for their love of country -for their admiration of beauty-for their manly and noble affection for woman-for their religious and moral culture-for all that is ennobling-great-good-wise and just; it has, most unhappily, ever been the misfortune (a misfortune terrible to human tenderness), of the sex, either to be highly exalted, or deeply lowered in the scale of human society: now exalted beyond the condition of their fellow-creatures, upon the score of their personal charms;" and now sunken below that of endowed mortals in regard to their intellectual capacities. The result of this untoward procedure has been a neglect of the mental powers which they possess, but do not exercise skilfully; and they have condescended to commerce with the dignity of reason for the imaginary privilege of an empire, of the existence of which they can have no stouter hope than the endurance to the end of trembling life—ephemeral youth and beauty.

Of those who have raised themselves to pre-eminence by daring to quit the circumscribed and octagonal path, the envy of their own, and the jealousy or contempt of the other sex, have too frequently been the attendants ; a fate which, it is fair to presume, has deterred others from following in the same direction, or of emulating even in a less degree, the seeming unenviable distinction they have realized.

But notwithstanding these manifold disadvantages of

less perceptible influence-the shining of Christ's and Religion's lovely and most sacred banners in the evangelical world, both at home and abroad; the practical striving of our exemplary prelates and benevolent and pious clergy, to do good-the diffusion of christianity, and the progress of general education, have raised the "importance" of the female character; and it has become a branch of philosophy, not a little interesting, to ascertain the offices which the different ranks of women are required to fulfil. Their "rights" and their duties have lately occupied the pens of some of our best and ablest writers; the employments which may respectively exercise their cultivated minds, and fill and occupy their time to the greatest advantage, without trenching upon those professions which are peculiar to men, remain to be determined and pointed out.

There are unquestionably many branches of science, and many delightful and serviceable occupations, in which our countrywomen may employ their talents, beneficially to themselves, and to the present and succeeding generations, without disparaging the peculiar characteristic of their sex, or exceeding the limits of innate modesty, and virtuous circumspection. Whatever compels them to mix in public with mankind, or places the young in too familiar a situation with the other sex; whatever is at variance with the delicacy and natural reserve of the female character, or opposed to the strictest moral purity, are inadmissible. The native sphere of feminine action is necessarily limited by many obstructions that are no impediments to masculine employments.

"Domestic privacy" is the only sure and safe asylum for the immature portion of the sex; nor can the grave matron pass a great way beyond that well-ordered boundary, without an apprehension of danger-without breaking in upon the laws of strict propriety. Unfitted, by their relative situation in society, for many honourable and profitable occupations, those only are suitable for them, which can be practised without endangering their virtue, corrupting their manners, or vitiating their taste.

But under these restrictions there may be enumerated (it is freely confessed and believed) a variety of pursuits adapted to the useful exertion of female talent, which it will be the principal object of “THE VOLUME OF THE AFFECTIONS" to set forth, in a series of papers, carefully chosen from the most talented female writers, placed at certain distances, within the limits of the volume-so as to avoid what otherwise might appear laborious to the reader; interspersed with the general matter constituting the work; in order to produce knowledge with theoretical experience: together with some remarks upon the present state of female condition and education, with hints at immediate reformation.

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And now the Editor may perhaps be allowed to express his hope, that among the female community who appear to be satisfied with inferiority, many require only to be awakened to an 'exalted sense" of their own real consequence, to be induced to embellish and sustain a rational improvement of those hours which they have hitherto devoted to trifling and unuseful occupations. The pro

motion of such a design is perhaps the best apology for intruding his third elementary volume, upon the Public; and it will be esteemed his highest recompence, should "THE VOLUME OF THE AFFECTIONS" contribute to the accomplishment of so desirable an object.

THE EDITOR.

THE PRINCESS VICTORIA.

BY MRS. OPIE.

HAIL! youthful Princess, to thy graceful brow,
On which one day the diadem may shine;
While round their Queen thy kneeling subjects bow,
And all the pomp of earthly sway is thine.

What dread pre-eminence! What dangerous power!
Yet he who gave them, means of safety gives,

If thou canst lift thy hand in danger's hour
To Him who died for us, and Him who lives.

Oh! mayst thou wish, by His own influence taught,
To bring all nations to his best control,

And lend thy aid, by Christian ardour fraught,

To speed the Book of Books from pole to pole.

To cheer the Saviour's heralds on their way,
Whether they plant the Cross on India's sand,
Or bid the Star of Bethlehem shed its ray
On souls benighted in our native land!

Labours of love, for royal favour meet:
And if aright that speaking face I read,

One sufferer's blessing were to thee more sweet
Than courtly incense, or than flattery's meed.

Then, if such deeds make worldly splendour dim,
From thy full heart, ere thou thy pillow press,
Oh! may thanksgiving's strain ascend to Him
Who, with the WILL, bestow'd the POWER to bless.

Christian Keepsake.