05-the enemy conquered-第1章

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THE　ENEMY　CONQUERED；　OR；　LOVE　TRIUMPHANT







Sweet　girl；　thy　smiles　are　full　of　charms；



Thy　voice　is　sweeter　still；



It　fills　the　breast　with　fond　alarms；



Echoed　by　every　rill。





I　begin　this　little　work　with　an　eulogy　upon　woman；　who　has　ever

been　distinguished　for　her　perseverance；　her　constancy；　and　her

devoted　attention　to　those　upon　whom　she　has　been　pleased　to　place

her　AFFECTIONS。　　Many　have　been　the　themes　upon　which　writers　and

public　speakers　have　dwelt　with　intense　and　increasing　interest。　

Among　these　delightful　themes　stands　that　of　woman；　the　balm

to　all　our　sighs　and　disappointments；　and　the　most　pre…eminent

of　all　other　topics。　　Here　the　poet　and　orator　have　stood　and　gazed

with　wonder　and　with　admiration；　they　have　dwelt　upon　her　innocence；

the　ornament　of　all　her　virtues。　　First　viewing　her　external　charms；

such　as　set　forth　in　her　form　and　benevolent　countenance；　and　then　passing

to　the　deep　hidden　springs　of　loveliness　and　disinterested　devotion。　

In　every　clime；　and　in　every　age；　she　has　been　the　pride　of　her　NATION。　

Her　watchfulness　is　untiring；　she　who　guarded　the　sepulcher　was

the　first　to　approach　it；　and　the　last　to　depart　from　its　awful

yet　sublime　scene。　　Even　here；　in　this　highly　favored　land；

we　look　to　her　for　the　security　of　our　institutions；　and　for　our

future　greatness　as　a　nation。　　But；　strange　as　it　may　appear；

woman's　charms　and　virtues　are　but　slightly　appreciated　by　thousands。　

Those　who　should　raise　the　standard　of　female　worth；　and　paint　her

value　with　her　virtues；　in　living　colors；　upon　the　banners　that　are

fanned　by　the　zephyrs　of　heaven；　and　hand　them　down　to　posterity

as　emblematical　of　a　rich　inheritance；　do　not　properly　estimate　them。



Man　is　not　sensible；　at　all　times；　of　the　nature　and　the　emotions

which　bear　that　name；　he　does　not　understand；　he　will　not　comprehend；

his　intelligence　has　not　expanded　to　that　degree　of　glory　which

drinks　in　the　vast　revolution　of　humanity；　its　end；　its　mighty

destination；　and　the　causes　which　operated；　and　are　still　operating；

to　produce　a　more　elevated　station；　and　the　objects　which　energize

and　enliven　its　consummation。　　This　he　is　a　stranger　to；

he　is　not　aware　that　woman　is　the　recipient　of　celestial　love；

and　that　man　is　dependent　upon　her　to　perfect　his　character；

that　without　her；　philosophically　and　truly　speaking；　the　brightest

of　his　intelligence　is　but　the　coldness　of　a　winter　moon；

whose　beams　can　produce　no　fruit；　whose　solar　light　is　not　its　own；

but　borrowed　from　the　great　dispenser　of　effulgent　beauty。　

We　have　no　disposition　in　the　world　to　flatter　the　fair　sex；

we　would　raise　them　above　those　dastardly　principles　which　only

exist　in　little　souls；　contracted　hearts；　and　a　distracted　brain。　

Often　does　she　unfold　herself　in　all　her　fascinating　loveliness；

presenting　the　most　captivating　charms；　yet　we　find　man　frequently

treats　such　purity　of　purpose　with　indifference。　　Why　does　he　do　it？　

Why　does　he　baffle　that　which　is　inevitably　the　source　of　his

better　days？　　Is　he　so　much　of　a　stranger　to　those　excellent　qualities

as　not　to　appreciate　woman；　as　not　to　have　respect　to　her　dignity？　

Since　her　art　and　beauty　first　captivated　man；　she　has　been　his

delight　and　his　comfort；　she　has　shared　alike　in　his　misfortunes

and　in　his　prosperity。



Whenever　the　billows　of　adversity　and　the　tumultuous　waves　of　trouble

beat　high；　her　smiles　subdue　their　fury。　　Should　the　tear　of　sorrow

and　the　mournful　sigh　of　grief　interrupt　the　peace　of　his　mind；

her　voice　removes　them　all；　and　she　bends　from　her　circle　to　encourage

him　onward。　　When　darkness　would　obscure　his　mind；　and　a　thick　cloud

of　gloom　would　bewilder　its　operations；　her　intelligent　eye　darts

a　ray　of　streaming　light　into　his　heart。　　Mighty　and　charming　is　that

disinterested　devotion　which　she　is　ever　ready　to　exercise　toward　man；

not　waiting　till　the　last　moment　of　his　danger；　but　seeks　to　relieve

him　in　his　early　afflictions。　　It　gushes　forth　from　the　expansive

fullness　of　a　tender　and　devoted　heart；　where　the　noblest；　the　purest；

and　the　most　elevated　and　refined　feelings　are　matured　and　developed

in　those　may　kind　offices　which　invariably　make　her　character。



In　the　room　of　sorrow　and　sickness；　this　unequaled　characteristic

may　always　been　seen；　in　the　performance　of　the　most　charitable　acts；

nothing　that　she　can　do　to　promote　the　happiness　of　him　who　she

claims　to　be　her　protector　will　be　omitted；　all　is　invigorated　by

the　animating　sunbeams　which　awaken　the　heart　to　songs　of　gaiety。　

Leaving　this　point；　to　notice　another　prominent　consideration；

which　is　generally　one　of　great　moment　and　of　vital　importance。　

Invariably　she　is　firm　and　steady　in　all　her　pursuits　and　aims。　

There　is　required　a　combination　of　forces　and　extreme　opposition　to

drive　her　from　her　position；　she　takes　her　stand；　not　to　be　moved　by

the　sound　of　Apollo's　lyre　or　the　curved　bow　of　pleasure。



Firm　and　true　to　what　she　undertakes；　and　that　which　she　requires

by　her　own　aggrandizement；　and　regards　as　being　within　the　strict　rules

of　propriety；　she　will　remain　stable　and　unflinching　to　the　last。　

A　more　genuine　principle　is　not　to　be　found　in　the　most　determined；

resolute　heart　of　man。　　For　this　she　deserves　to　be　held　in　the

highest　commendation；　for　this　she　deserves　the　purest　of　all

other　blessings；　and　for　this　she　deserves　the　most　laudable　reward

of　all　others。　　It　is　a　noble　characteristic　and　is　worthy　of　imitation

of　any　age。　　And　when　we　look　at　it　in　one　particular　aspect；

it　is　still　magnified；　and　grows　brighter　and　brighter　the　more　we

reflect　upon　its　eternal　duration。　　What　will　she　not　do；　when　her

word　as　well　as　her　affections　and　LOVE　are　pledged　to　her　lover？　

Everything　that　is　dear　to　her　on　earth；　all　the　hospitalities

of　kind　and　loving　parents；　all　the　sincerity　and　loveliness

of　sisters；　and　the　benevolent　devotion　of　brothers；　who　have

surrounded　her　with　every　comfort；　she　will　forsake　them　all；

quit　the　harmony　and　sweet　sound　of　the　lute　and　the　harp；

and　throw　herself　upon　the　affections　of　some　devoted　admirer；

in　whom　she　fondly　hopes　to　find　more　than　she　has　left　behind；

which　is　not　often　realized　by　many。　　Truth　and　virtue　all　combined！　

How　deserving　our　admiration　and　love！　　Ah　cruel　would　it　be　in　man；

after　she　has　thus　manifested　such　an　unshaken　confidence　in　him；

and　said　by　her　determination　to　abandon　all　the　endearments　and

blandishments　of　home；　to　act　a　villainous　part；　and　prove　a　traitor

in　the　revolution　of　his　mission；　and　then　turn　Hector　over　the

innocent　victim　whom　he　swore　to　protect；　in　the　presence　of　Heaven；

recorded　by　the　pen　of　an　angel。



Striking　as　this　train　may　unfold　itself　in　her　character；

and　as　pre…eminent　as　it　may　stand　among　the　fair　display　of　her

other　qualities；　yet　there　is　another；　which　struggles　into　existence；

and　adds　an　additional　luster　to　what　she　already　possesses。　

I　mean　that　disposition　in　woman　which　enables　her；　in　sorrow；

in　grief；　and　in　distress；　to　bear　all　with　enduring　patience。　

This　she　has　done；　and　can　and　will　do；　amid　the　din　of　war　and

clash　of　arms。　　Scenes　and　occurrences　which；　to　every　appearance；

are　calculated　to　rend　the　heart　with　the　profoundest　emotions　of　trouble；

do　not　fetter　that　exalted　principle　imbued　in　her　very　nature。　

It　is　true；　her　tender　and　feeling　heart　may　often　be　moved　（as　she

is　thus　constituted）；　but　she　is　not　conquered；　she　has　not　given　up

to　the　harlequin　of　disappointments；　her　energies　have　not　become

clouded　in　the　last　movement　of　misfortune；　but　she　is　continually

invigorated　by　the　archetype　of　her　affections。　　She　may　bury　her　face

in　her　hands；　and　let　the　tear　of　anguish　roll；　she　may　promenade

the　delightful　walks　of　some　garden；　decorated　with　all　the　flowers

of　nature；　or　she　may　steal　out　along　some　gently　rippling　stream；

and　there；　as　the　silver　waters　uni