The Montreal museum, or Journal of literature and arts, 1 janvier 1833, Janvier

THE MONTREAL MUSEUM.Volume I.JANUARY, 1833.Number 2.ADVICE TO YOUNG WOMEN.Oft in the pleasant villages of France, Some high-born lady crowns the rustic maid With lloral emblems of her modest worth.It must never be forgotten by young women that mental improvement should be always conducive to moral advancement.Piety, integrity, fortitude, charity, obedience, consideration, sincerity, prudence, activity, and cheerfulness, may be presumed to define those moral properties called for in the daily and habitual deportment of young females, whether in higher or lower stations of life.The chief of these virtues is piety ; but while the juvenile heart glows with devotion to the Creator, it must be taught that there are many earthly duties to be performed in the business of life, and prudence will point out that the exercise of these is not incompatible with genuine religious feeling.Piety forms a solid basis whereon to rear a superstructure of human affections and human action ; and when properly indulged in, it will not interfere with the necessary and virtuous pursuits of the world.It is one of the greatest errors which a young woman can commit, when she imagines that she will fall under the anger of the Almighty, by attending to the ordinary duties of life.This is the perversion of true religion, and [ 6G thero have been many melancholy examples of its mischievous character.1 once heard ol’ a young lady, tho daughter of a gentleman in the country, who, 1’rom mistaken motives on this score, or allowing her mind to go into a diseased state, became affected with a religious madness, if it may be so called ; she spent not only whole hours but whole days on her knees in tho exercise of prayer ; she gave up all attention to her domestic duties ; would not enter into conversation or see any company, and almost broke the heart of a fond parent.No advice nor admonition coidd turn the current of her feelings ; she gradually pined away in her health and personal appearance, and it was obvious that she was not long lor this world."While in this dismal condition, it happened that a certain clergyman called upon her father, and remarked with pain tho altered aspect of his daughter ; on hearing the reason, he endeavoured to show to her the impropriety of her behaviour, and how ill it accorded with that dutiful devotion to God pointed out by the tenets of our faith.Yet all would not do ; the lady w’as obdurate.— Before leaving the house, the clergyman, who was a poet, as well as a divine, and is well known in the South of Scotland for the exceeding beneficence of his character, and the kindliness of his manners, conveyed to her the following lines applicable to her case :— THE PIOUS ENTHUSIAST.Why, lovely maid, thus waste thy blooming prime, Of earth regardless and the things of Time ?Thou may’st become an inmate of the skies, \N ithout dissolving nature’s tender ties : The gracious Power who rules o’er heaven and earth Is not the foe of youthful, harmless mirth ; And though He bids thee think on things above, Forbids thee not to own an earthly love ; All sentient creatures happy are and gay, In the mild morning of life’s little day, And seldom scorn to bless the cheerful light, Thro’ apprehension of the coining night ; f 07 ] Though Christ demands an undivided heart, Vet kindred beings justly claim a part : Thus heavenly objects may thy thoughts employ, tn harmony with Friendship, Love, and Joy.ft is satisfactory to add, that these simple lines had the bene- t ficial effect of awakening the lady to a sense of her folly ; and their insertion here may possibly have a similar result in cases to which they bear a reference.w PERSONAL BEAUTY.A recent writer concludes his observations on the means to be adopted to procure beauty in the person in these words.—“ Let then the ladies observe the followin': rules :—In the morning use pure water as a preparatory ablation : after which they must abstain from all sudden gusts of passion, particularly envy, as that gives the skin a sallow paleness.It may seem trifling to talk of temperance, yet must this be attended to, both in eating and drinking, if they would avoid those pimples for which the advertised washes are a cure.Instead of rouge, let them use moderate exercise, which will raise a natural bloom in their check, unimitahlc by art.Ingenious candour, and unaffected good humour, will give an openness to their countenance that « will make them universally agreeable.A desire of pleasing will add fire to their eyes, and breathing the morning air at sunrise will give to their lips a vermilion hue.That amiable vivacity which they now possess maybe happily heightened and preserved, if they avoid late hours and card-playing, as well as novel-reading by candle-light, but not otherwise ; for the first gives the face a drowsy, disagreeable aspect, the second is tire mother of wrinkles, and the third is a fruitful source of weak eyes and a very sallow complexion.A white hand is a very desirable ornament ; and a hand can never be white unless it be kept clean ; nor is this all, for if a young lady would excel her companions in this respect, she must keep her hands in constant motion, which will occasion the blood to circulate freely, and have a wonderful cfleet.The mo'ion recommended is [ 68 ] working at lier needle, brushing up the house, and twirling the dis la IT.” A LITERARY WIFE.How delightful is it (says D’Israeli, in his Curiosities of Literature), when the mind of the female is so happily disposed, and so richly cultivated, as to participate in the literary avocations of her husband.It is then truly that the intercourse of the sexes becomes the most refined pleasure.What delight, for instance, must the great Budaeus have tasted, even in those works which must have been for others a most dreadful labour ! his wife left him nothing to desire.The frequent companion of his studies, she brought him the books he required to his desk ; she compared passages, and transcribed quotations ; the same inclinations, and the same ardour for literature, eminently appeared in those two fortunate persons.Far from withdrawing her husband from his studies, she was sedulous to animate him when he languished.Ever at his side and ever assiduous, ever with some useful book in her hand, she acknowledged herself to be a most happy woman.Yet she did not neglect the education of eleven children.Sho and Budaeus shared the mutual cares they owed their progeny.Budaeus was not insensible of his singular felicity.In one of his letters, lie represents himself as married to two ladies ; one of whom gave him boys and girls, the other was philosophy, who produced books.The Lady of Evelyn designed herself the frontispiece to his translation of Lucretius.She felt the same passion in her own breast as animated her husband's, who has written with such various ingenuity.Of Baron J Taller it is written that he inspired his wife and family with a taste for his different pursuits.They were usually employed in assisting his literary occupations ; they translated manuscripts, consulted authors, gathered plants, and designed and coloured under his eye.^Miat a delightful family picture has the younger Pliny ixivcn posterity in his letters ! Of Calphurnia, his wife, he savs, “ her affection for me has given her a turn to books, and my compositions which she takes a pleasure in reading and even getting by heart, are continually in her [ «!» J hands.How full of tender solicitude is she when I am entering upon any cause ! How kindly does she rejoice with me when it is over ! While I am pleading, she places persons to inform her from time to time how I am heard, what applauses I receive, and what success attends the cause.When at any time I recite my works, she conceals herself behind some curtain, and with secret rapture enjoy iny praises.She sings my verses to her lyre, with no other master but love, the best instructor, for her guide.Her passion will increase with our days, for it is not my youth nor my person, which time gradually impairs, but my reputation and my glory, of which she is enamoured.MUSIC.The study of the piano-forte, which comprises within the compass of a single pair of hands, as much of harmony as is necessary to enjoyment, offers the greatest facilities to the improvement of the musical mind ; and the amateur who has accomplished suflicicnt variety of mechanical difficulty to play with freedom and ease, will find it more pleasing to extend her studies into the styles of masters, than to prosecute her practice on the piano forte to a very high degree of perfection.—Young Ladifs Book.(Concluded from page 23.) When we arrived at the little Ogccchcc river, remarkable but for two things that I know of, one for endangering lives, and the other for its limes, which the fair ladies of Georgia convert into a delicate preserve, we were advised not to attempt to ford it, but to wait a few days as the stage had done, for the waters to subside.I determined, however, to trust to my horse, and plunged in ; he bore me safely over, but 1 was completely wet through, and why 1 did not get my death, do not know, unless upon some [ 70 J philosophical principle of calorie, that at my leisure I intend to» investigate.-As yet I had derived but little benefit from my journey, but I determined to keep on.It is not my intention to describe the sufferings and hardships I went through, farther than they arc connected with my state of health.J detest the egotism of travellers, and I hope I shall never fall into that disgusting error» I pass over the miserable quarters wo found at night, the scanty meals and dirty (able cloths we found at noon; then the interminable pine barrens through which wc travelled ; the naked half-starved ne- groes we encountered ; the danger we ran from falling trees, and woods on lire.One circumstance I must not omit ; on the evening of the memorable day when I was wet through crossing the little river Ogccchce, we arrived late at the bridge which crosses the broader part of Ogeechce ; it was a fine moonlight night, and if I had not been under constant anxiety what the effect of the previous wetting might be as to my health, I should have enjoyed the scenery, but I had several miles farther to go for a lodging, and l greatly feared I should expire on the road : proceed, however, I must.Theodore helped me from my horse and took his reins, and I sauntered on ; when 1 reached the other side, I stood to gaze upon the landscape, the tangled vines, the trees that bent their tops to the breeze, the soft rippling of rhe waters—all soothed my mind, and led me for a moment to forget mv sufferings.D J Sm Theodore had ascended the hill, and was concealed by a slight bend in the road ; suddenly, a man jumped from the under wood, and seizing me bv the collar, demanded my purse !.lie had no liro-arins, hut had a large club that resembled a tomahawk.In my younger days 1 had been an expert wrestler ; at this moment my so long dormant powers and faculties seemed to return ; by a sudden, and to him unexpected movement, l disengaged myself, and turned fiercely upon him, with one push sent him over the hank into the stream, I then called loudly to Thoodere, who hastened to me ; I thought possibly, the man might be drowned, and though he certainly deserved a heavy cold, l had no wish to, • ^ *,al27 ] MORNING VISITING DRESS.It is of chabj a colonnes; the colours arc white, lavender, and vapeur.—The corsage is plain behind, and crossed in drapery, a la fichu in front.The sleeve is of the gigot shape.While satin bonnet, it is a la bibi, a round and very open brim, trimmed on the inside with rose colour gauze ribands and blonde net The trimming represents exactly a headdress of Mary do Mcdicis, and is copied from one of the portraits of that Princess in the Louvre.The crown of the bonnet is decorated with roses of different colours, scattered irregularly round it, and intermingled w • O with gauve ribands.Scarf of white cachemire.Queen of Belgium’s Wedding Dress.—Dress of Brussels lace à colonnes with a rich flounce en tête, long sleeves and mantella, white gros de Naples slip, scarf of Brussels lace, the same pattern as the dress ; head-dress, orange flowers, with tiara of pearls and diamonds.BALL DRESS.Dress of blue gauze St Vallier, trimmed with gauze ribbons and, body trimmed with rows of narrow blond forming the point, short sleeves fastened with gauze riband ; head dress compossd of marabouts and forget-me-noVs.EVENING DRESS.Dress of rich emerald green velvet, with a plain body ; blond mantilla with ends ; head dress, turban of pink crape with silver stars.TO READERS, MD CORRESPONDENTS.Many of our Correspondents, more ready to furnish us with matter of fact advice, than with fiction, have recommended tho topography of the country as worthy of our attention—we freely admit it.Canada offers an extensive field to the painter.lier noble rivers, numerous lakes, her finely combined and picturesque views, afford the finest objects in the world for scenic description, whether of pen or pencil.But mere geographical details—such as the circumference of a lake, the length and breadth of a river, with the number of its verdant isles, the height of a mountain or the extent of a vale, would bo dry and I 128 ] uninteresting, if imagination lent not its witching wand to enliven and animate the scenes.This idea is sweetly and truly expressed in the opening lines to ITawi.ey’s little poem,“Quebec”.“ Earth has no scene, however bright or fair “ Tho’ golden Hoods and beauteous skies arc there, “ Unhallowed by the magic of the past “ 1,1 _ ver its image in the heart to cast, “ The sweetest flowers their crimson leaves may throw, “ Unhlcst, unnoted, to the radiant glow.“ Of eastern suns, the purest stream may glide “ Bright foliage twining o’er its silver tide, “ 'Through vales of perfume, circling isles of light “ Unloved, unhonoured, if no spell he cast, “ Upon those flowers, that stream, by love or glory, “ But bring the rich memorials of the past, “ 'flic hallowed legacy of ancient story “ And all is fair and beautiful and bright.As we cannot draw upon the legendary lore of ages past, imagination must be invoked to supply the deficiency, and that creative faculty of mind, would, if so directed, invest with an in- * tense interest, scenes of a less romantic shade, than those to be met with in Canada.We hope some of our gifted friends may bo induced to direct their talents to this object.For our cwn part supposing for a moment, that we could do justice to a subject requiring a master hand, occupied as wc are, in the drudgery of transcribing and selecting wc have not the leisure requisite for authorship—but laving this pica aside, the real and avowed object of this work is, to open a field to literary adventurers, not by any means with the view, to show off our own pour attainments.Leaves from a juvenile scrap hook, would require the révisai of a mature hand.It will appear in our next.3\1.N-a communication came too late for this number.* The Museum having already obtained an extensive circulation in Upper and Lower Canada.Wc can .recommend it to the public as an advantageous medium for advertising.Extra sheets shall bo added for this purpose.A$C