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BIOGRAPHY. 83
not to be abased in order to veil under it a glaring defect-
iveness in the education of women. ‘The youth always
finds for his education a sure guide in the schools of his
native country, and a possibility of choosing a sphere of
activity according to his capacity and mental gifts. Such
advantages are to the young woman forbidden fruit, and
her aspirations to attain them considered derogatory to
female modesty.
The sense of Pope’s lines, just quoted, I considered to
express in general woman’s quiet, noble mission, although
naturally there are exceptions. But one ought not to re-
gard the exceptions, but only the general rule. JI acknowl-
edged that there existed a great diversity of mental gifts,
and that Fredrika, with her rare talents and acconiplish-
ments, had chosen the path in which as an authoress she
could labor, ennobling humanity, and thereby effect an im-
mense deal of good; but how small is not the number of
women who have been so gifted, and how dangerous would
it not be to encourage young girls, who are generally
inclined to entertain a high opinion of themselves and of
their capacities, to choose a career, in which, while con-
tending with young men in their studies and in employ-
mients under government, they would or could be subject
to influences detrimental to true womanhood and modesty.
Educated with this aim in view, they would become neither
men nor women, and, when older, unfit for domestic life.,
As a wife, a mother, or instructress, — only there I saw
woman in the place which God had assigned her; and if
she rightly understood her exalted and important mission
in the world, she might become the educator of the whole
human race, and as such be of infinitely greater use to the
state and her native country than by holding an employ-
ment under government. Woman’s influence upon the
rising generation — how incalculably great is it not! None
anne nearer to the child than a woman; none knows bet-
ter how to guide it from its earliest age, develop its mind,
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