and Roman women, though very simple in its fashion and original design, was often ornamented with gold and precious stones; and among both these nations, their hair was usually crisped and curled in the most complex manner. Homer's beautiful description of the death of Euphorbus, gives us an idea of the manner in which the Greeks plaited and adorned their hair.

66

Sounding, he fell: loud rang his batter'd arms.
His locks, which e'en the Graces might have owned,
Blood-sullied; and his ringlets, wound about
With twine of gold and silver, swept the dust."

COWPER.

This vanity, which the apostle saw the christian women in danger of following, both from example and early custom, he rebukes by a reference to the inimitable description, found in Prov., 31st chapter. Conforming to the suggestion, let us now consider, in detail, the traits of character, thus beautifully and forcibly set forth, as also the results to which they naturally lead.

As a consequence of the general character of wisdom, which he has ascribed to her, he adds: "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of his life."-Prov., 31: 11, 12.

These verses, in connexion with the 10th, seem to form a kind of exordium, or introduction, in which the general subject is stated, and the general results affirmed without argument. As though he would say, Where a man finds such a companion, all his interests are safe in her keeping. He is never afraid that his counsels will be betrayed, nor his injunctions disregarded. She studies the good of his whole household, and endeavors to promote Her husband will not be good works in her husband. disgraced by her folly and vanity, nor her children and friends ruined by her extravagance, but all rise up and

call her blessed. Her life will be useful, her death lamented, her memory savory.

But this cannot be said of one whose main care is to "fare sumptuously every day"-make and attend parties -admire and be admired. She talks and laughs, but cannot think, read, and pray. Such a woman spends a father's or a husband's income, or his scanty earnings, with as little concern as the thoughtless child scatters its food upon the ground. And when there are no more means to be found at home, and sometimes when there is abundance, she goes abroad to live upon friends, without making the least amends for "her agreeable company." Anyhow to live and float upon the stream of time, without effort, or anxious care on her part. Her friends and acquaintances have money enough, she thinks, and seems never to doubt, that they are not only liberal, but that it is honest for her thus to live. Ah! there is no honest, no good-minded, virtuous woman in the world, who, if she would reflect a moment, would be willing thus to live at another's expense, or rather, on charity,-. spending, but never earning,-consuming, but never producing, in aid of the general fund. Unite such a person with a sober, thinking, prudent, industrious, godly husband, and what will she do, to him, even ? If she do not scatter his substance to the winds, and his goodness, like the morning clouds, she will beggar his moral self, poison every cup of pleasure, and strew his path to the grave with briars and thorns. But not so with the good woman. Whatever may conduce to his interest, will be carefully attended to; there will be no idleness, no extravagance, no waste of anything. He will have no need to wrong his neighbors to gratify her demands. She will incite him, if a prince, to no predatory wars, that she may become a partaker of the spoil; she will not demand the sacrifice of the rights of others, that she may live upon their uncom¬

Neither was it a fugitive sentiment,- -a burst of enthusiastic admiration. He had, himself, often given utterance to a similar thought. Mark the priceless gems with which he so favorably contrasts her. "Her price is far above rubies." A reason for this comparison may be drawn from an inquiry into the nature of those things with which these gems are oftenest connected. In Job, 28: 18, we find the following: "No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies." Also in Prov., 8 : 11, “ For wisdom is better than rubies ; and all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." Likewise, 20: 15, "There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel." In the third chapter of Proverbs, commencing at the 13th verse, we find the following most admirable passage: "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding; for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver, and the gain thereof, than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand, riches and honor."

The expression, "a virtuous woman," implies a woman of strength. By comparing it with other passages, we find it expressive of moral courage,-strength which cometh from above, that wisdom which leads to discretion in A similar word to the one here rendered every act. "virtuous," is used in Ex., 18: 21, "Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds; rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." We here see the character illustrated. Not a weak, delicate, sickly being, who is devoid of all practical knowledge of

the duties of life; but one of an able mind, and an upright heart; one who fears God and conforms to His law.

This verse is evidently the commencement of a poem, suggested by Solomon's exalted idea of the excellencies of a virtuous woman. It consists of twenty-two verses, and after the manner of some of the Psalms, each verse commences with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, arranged in order, forming, as in many of the writings of the ancients, a beautiful and regularly ascending climax. The verse commences with the introduction of the character, "a virtuous woman;" that is, a woman of strength, of courage, of wisdom. The comparison which follows shows how intimately the poet associated in his mind the character of a virtuous woman and the personification of wisdom, with which the sacred writings, as we see, abound. "For her price is above rubies." Like wisdom, the price of a virtuous woman could not be counted in silver and gold, neither could the most precious things of the earth be given in exchange for her. Rare, almost, as priceless, who can find her? And yet he goes on to describe her character, in its beautiful outline, as though, like Socrates, the contemplation of a perfect statue had led him to the discovery of the great secret of nature's harmonies. Such a vision had passed before him, and he would analyze its parts. He would show the true secret of the combination, that it might become a pattern for all succeeding ages. The same description seems to be abridged and copied into the New Testament. 1 Tim., 29, 10; 1 Pet., 31-6.

When we consider the importance attached to such a character, we cannot wonder that the wise man dwelt upon it so fully, nor that the apostles thought it worthy of transcribing for the benefit of the world, through the Gospel dispensation.

Dr. Clarke, in commenting on the passage referred to in 1 Tim., 2: 9, remarks, that the costume of the Grecian

pensated labors. No, "she will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life." She will counsel him wisely, in regard to his associations, his charities, and all his interests. Like the Shunamite woman, she will secure a blessing to his house by her deeds of hospitality. The beautiful record of this woman's faith, found in 2 Kings, 4: 9, 10-22, 23, is worthy of consideration.

"And she said unto her husband, Behold, now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick; and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. * * * And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new moon, nor Sabbath. And she said, It shall be well."

The whole account shows, most beautifully, the conduct and influence of a wise woman. Knowing that it was a privilege as well as a duty, to be hospitable, she had constrained the prophet to come into her house and eat bread. And when she saw that he was a man of God, she felt assured that it would become a blessing to entertain him, and she accordingly said to her husband, “Let us make a little chamber," &c., as in v. 10. She did not "Husband, I hope you will not invite home that man for me to wait upon, and to put my house in confusion and disorder. Let him go where he can find others to wait upon him. For my part, I do not want the burden.”

say,

No, she knew it would bring a blessing to their house to obtain an interest in his prayers. She saw, too, how she might aid the man of God in his labors, by providing a resting-place for him; things comfortable when he jour