ill, and quite as little physical energy. They live
for no great purpose in life; they accomplish no worthy ends. They are
only doll-forms in the hands of milliners and servants, to be dressed
and fed to order. They dress nobody; they feed nobody; they instruct
nobody; they bless nobody, and save nobody. They write no books; they
set no rich examples of virtue and womanly life. If they rear children,
servants and nurses do it all, save to conceive and give them birth. And
when reared what are they? What do they even amount to, but weaker
scions of the old stock? Who ever heard of a fashionable woman's child
exhibiting any virtue or power of mind for which it became eminent? Read
the biographies of our great and good men and women. Not one of them had
a fashionable mother. They nearly all sprung from plain, strong-minded
women, who had about as little to do with Fashion as with the changing
clouds. I have given considerable attention to this fact. It is worthy
of the deepest thoughtfulness. Oh, it is a solemn fact that we descend
into our children, in our weakness or strength, in our meanness or
majesty, as we have lived. And what a lean, meagre, moonshine
inheritance does a fashionable mother convey to her offspring! I confess
that to me there is something grand in being the mother of a noble son
or daughter, of a strong and virtuous family of children. If there is a
just human pride, it may live in such a mother's heart. The mothers of
Washington, Adams, and Channing; of Josephine, Hemans, and Stowe, stand
higher in my mind than any kings or queens that ever lived. The proof
of their greatness was in their children. Such sublime inheritances
could not have been given if they had not been possessed. Such grandeur
of mind, such greatness of heart, such majesty of soul, such royal
worth, are everlasting honors to their noble mothers. And I doubt not
but when the vail of flesh is taken from such women, their true
greatness will be visible. By the side of such how will stand the
fashionable mother? In that upper world, souls will rate according to
their real worth, according to the gold that is in them. Oh, if vigorous
health, great virtues, a large heart, and capacious powers of mind are
to be coveted for any thing, it is that they may descend into our
children, and reappear in them, to adorn and bless themselves, us, and
the world, and be a glory unto God in earth and heaven. I had rather
sire a noble son or daughter than w