. Mrs. Jameson's. Conversation, an Art. Speak from your own
Mind and Heart; of Principles, not Persons. Make Friendships
Improving. Intimacies of the School-room. Self-education at Home,
and in Private. Reading. Meditation. Extract from Coleridge.

The prophet Isaiah, when predicting the fate that awaited the renowned
Babylon, uses the following striking expression: "And thou saidst, I
shall be a lady forever; so that thou didst not lay these things to thy
heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it." The term lady, here
employed in personifying a prosperous city, is one of various
significations. Its etymology is Saxon, it being derived from a word
meaning "loaf-giver;" which refers to the custom of females distributing
bread among retainers, after the feasts which were held in the halls of
barons. In later periods it has been used, under monarchical
governments, to designate women of rank, the wives of knights, and the
daughters of earls. It is used by the apostle John as a title of honor:
"The elder unto the elect lady and her children." We find it employed by
the prophet in still another sense, that of dominion and power: "Thou
shalt no more be called the lady of kingdoms." In our modern use of it,
there is perhaps a union of these two significations. I shall be a lady
forever, would be now understood to mean, "I shall be always an object
of supreme attention, and of honor. To me will also belong all power, so
that I can command the services of whom I will, and be free myself from
all care and effort."

Before proceeding to my main topic, let me premise, that the word woman
is, in my judgment, an honorable appellation; and that, under our
republican institutions especially, it should be regarded as no ordinary
praise, to say of a female, she is a true woman. Better, far better
aspire to deserve this name, than to repose indolently on a rank and a
title deduced from monarchies, to say to thyself, "I shall be a lady
forever." But our present associations with the term lady being such as
they are, and so many in every condition being jealous of their claims
as ladies, I am compelled to adopt that appellation in order to guard
against injurious misapprehensions.

Having spoken already of the capacities of this sex, and said something
also of their Influence, we are now prepared to answer the great
questions, "How should woman be educated? Under what training should she
be placed? and what is the End of