Page:Woman in the Nineteenth Century 1845.djvu/206

200 he stands, a Man!—the lord and king of all! The large and arched front sublime of wisdom deep declares the seat, and in his eyes with brightness shines the soul, the breath and image of his God. With fondness leans upon his breast the partner for him formed, a woman fair, and graceful spouse. Her softly smiling virgin looks, of flowery spring the mirror, bespeak him love, and joy and bliss.”

Whoever has heard this music must have a mental standard as to what man and woman should be. Such was marriage in Eden, when "erect to heaven he stood," but since, like other institutions, this must be not only reformed, but revived, may be offered as a picture of something intermediate,—the seed of the future growth,—

And has another's life as large a scope? It may give due fulfilment to thy hope, And every portal to the unknown may ope.

If, near this other life, thy inmost feeling Trembles with fateful prescience of revealing The future Deity, time is still concealing.

If thou feel thy whole force drawn more and more To launch that other bark on seas without a shore; And no still secret must be kept in store;

If meannesses that dim each temporal deed, The dull decay that mars the fleshly weed, And flower of love that seems to fall and leave no seed—