dicate the throne, nor resign his sceptre. Usurpation is always hateful, and it is one of the most offensive exhibitions of it, where the husband is degraded into a slave of the queen mother. Such a woman looks contemptible even upon the throne. I admit it is difficult for a sensible woman to submit to imbecility, but she should have considered this before she united herself to it: having committed one error, let her not fall into a second, but give the strongest proof of her good sense which circumstances will allow her to offer, by making that concession to superiority of station, which there is no opportunity in her case for her to do to superiority of mind. She may reason, she may persuade, she may solicit, but if ignorance cannot be convinced, nor obstinacy turned, nor kindness conciliated, she has no resource left but to-submit: and one of the finest scenes ever to be presented by the domestic economy, is that of a sensible woman employing her talents and address, not to subvert, but to support the authority of a weak husband; a woman who prompts but does not command, who persuades, but does not dictate, who influences, but does not compel, and who, after taking pains to conceal her beneficent interference, submits to the authority which she has both supported and guided. An opposite line of conduct is most mischievous; for weakness, when placed in perpetual contrast with superior judgment, is rarely blind to its own defects; and as this consciousness of inferiority, when united with office, is always jealous, it is both watchful and resentful of any interference with its prerogative. There

must be subjection then, which, where it cannot be yielded to superior talents, because there are none, must be conceded to superiority of station. But let husbands be cautious not to put the submission of their wives to too severe a test. It is hard, very hard, to obey a rash, indiscreet and silly ruler. If you will be the head, remember the head is not only the seat of government, but of knowledge. If you will have the management of the ship, see that a fool is not placed at the helm. Shall the blind offer themselves as guides?”

The grounds of submission are many and strong. Waiving all motives founded upon the comparative strength of mind with which the two sexes may be gifted, I refer my female friends, to less questionable matters. Look at the creation; woman was made after the man, "for Adam was first formed, then Eve." She was made out of man, " for the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man." She was made for man, "neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man." Look at the fall. Woman occasioned it. "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, was in the transgression.” She was thus punished for it, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Look at her history. Have not the customs of all nations, antient and modern, savage and civilized, acknowledged her subordination? Look at the light in which this subject is placed in the New Testament. How strong is the language of the text, "the husband is the head of

the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."

Let me then my respected female friends, as you would submit to the authority of Christ, as you would adorn the station that providence has called you to occupy, as you would promote your own peace, the comfort of your husband, and the welfare of your family, admonish you, meekly and gracefully to be subject in all things, not only to the wise and good, but to the foolish and ill-deserving. You may reason, as I have said before, you may expostulate, but you must not rebel or refuse. Let it be your glory to feel how much you can endure, rather than despise the institutions of heaven, or violate those engagements into which you voluntarily, and so solemnly entered. Let your submission be characterised by cheerfulness, and not by reluctant sullenness: let it not be preceded by a struggle, but yielded at once and for ever: let there be no holding out to the last extremity, and then a mere compulsory capitulation; but a voluntary, cheerful, undisputed, and unrevoked concession.

2. The next duty enjoined upon a wife is REVERENCE. "Let the wife see that she reverence her husband." This duty is nearly allied to the last, but is still somewhat different. By reverence, the apostle means nothing of slavish, or obsequious homage, but that respect and deference which are due to one whom we are commanded to obey. Your reverence will be manifest in your words: for instance, in your manner of speaking

of him you will avoid all that would tend to lessen him in the esteem of others; all exposure of his faults or minor weaknesses; all depreciation of his understanding or domestic rule. Such gossip is detestable and mischievous, for can any thing tend more to irritate him, than to find that you have been sinking him in the esteem of the public? Reverence will be displayed in your manner of speaking to him. "Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord :" all flippant pertness, every thing of contemptuous consciousness of superiority, of dictation and command, of unnecessary contradiction, of pertinacious and obtrusive disputation, of scolding accusation, of angry reproachful complaint, of noisy and obstreporous expostulation, should be avoided. Almost all domestic quarrels begin in words; and it is usually in a woman's power to prevent them by causing the law of kindness to dwell upon her lips, and calming the gusts of her husband's passion, by those soft answers which turn away wrath. Especially should she be careful how she speaks to him or even before him, in the company of her family or of strangers she must not talk him into silence; nor talk at him; nor say any thing that is calculated to wound or degrade him, for a sting inflicted in public is doubly charged with venom; she must not endeavour to eclipse him, to engross the attention of the company to herself, to reduce him to a cypher which is valueless till she stands before him. This is not reverence: on the contrary, she should do all in her power to sustain his respectability and dignity in public esteem, and her

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very mode of addressing him, partaking at once of the kindness of affection, and the deference of respect, is eminently calculated to do this. And should he at any time express himself in the language of reproof, even though that reproof be causeless, or unjustly severe, let her be cautious not to forget her station, so as to be betrayed into a railing recrimination, a contemptuous silence, or a moody sullenness. Difficult, I am aware it is, to shew reverence and respect, where there are no other grounds for it to rest upon than mere station; and as easy to pay it where wisdom, dignity and piety support the claims of relationship: but in proportion to the difficulty of a virtuous action, is its excellence; and hers is indeed superior virtue, who yields to the relationship of her husband that reverence which he forbids her to pay to him on account of his conduct. Her reverence will extend itself to her conduct and lead to an incessant desire to please him in all things. It is assumed by the apostle as an indisputable and general fact, that "the married woman careth how she may please her husband." All her conduct should be framed upon this principle, to give him contentment and to increase his delight in her. Let her appear contented with her lot, and that will do much to render him content with his : while, on the other hand, nothing is more likely to generate discontent in his heart, than the appearance of it in her. Let her by cheerful good humour diffuse an air of pleasantness over his dwelling. Let her guard as much as possible against a gloomy and moody disposition, which causes