1837."

The ambition of the Americans to be a-head of other nations in every
thing, produces, however, injurious effects, so far as the education of
the women is concerned. The Americans will not "_leave well alone_,"
they must "gild refined gold," rather than not consider themselves in
advance of other countries, particularly of England. They _alter_ our
language, and think that they have _improved_ upon it; as in the same
way they would raise the standard of morals higher than with us, and
consequently fall much below us, appearances supplying the place of the
reality. In these endeavours they sink into a sickly sentimentality,
and, as I have observed before, attempts at refinement in language,
really excite improper ideas. As a proof of the ridiculous excess to
which this is occasionally carried, I shall insert an address which I
observed in print; had such a document appeared in the English
newspapers, it would have been considered as a hoax.

"Mrs Mandelle's Address:--

"To the young ladies of the Lancaster Female Academy, at an examination
on the 3rd March, 1838.

"Affectionate Pupils:--With many of you this is our final meeting in the
relative position of teacher and pupil, and we must part perhaps to meet
no more. That this reflection _filtrates from my mind to my heart_ with
saddening influence, I need scarce assure you. But _Hope_, in a voice
sweet as `the wild strains of the Eolian harp,' whispers in dulcet
accents, `_we may again meet_.' In youth the impressions of sorrow are
fleeting and evanescent as `_the vapery sail_,' that momentarily
o'ershadows the _luciferous orb of even_, vanishes and leaves her disc
untarnished in its lustre: so may it be with you--may the gloom of this
moment, like the elemental prototype, be but the precursor of
reappearing radiance undimmed by the transitory shadow.

"Happy and bright indeed has been this small portion of your time
occupied, not only in the interesting pursuit of science, but in a
reciprocation of attentions and sympathies, endeared by that holiest
_ligament_ of earthly sensibilities, _religion_, which so oft has united
us in soul and sentiment, as the aspirations of our hearts
simultaneously ascended to the mercy-seat of the great Jehovah! The
remembrance of emotions like these are ineffaceable by care or sorrow,
and only blotted out by the immutable hand of death. These _halcyon
hours of budding existence_ are to memory as the _oasis_ of the des