The gospel not a thing of sex.—Biography.—Conversion.—The higher Christian life.—Chaplains.—Founder of a religious community.—Character of the Countess of Huntingdon _Page_ 241 SECTION II.—ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF GORDON. Religion in high life.—Biography.—Regeneration.—Deepening of the Lord’s work.—Open-air services.—Good works.—Character of the Duchess of Gordon _Page_ 257 SECTION III.—MARY JANE GRAHAM. Piety and circumstance.—Biography.—The great change.—Theological attainments.—Practical religion.—Progress and power.—Character of Miss Graham _Page_ 273 SECTION IV.—FIDELIA FISKE. Christianity and human nature.—Biography.—Second and better birth.—Juvenile habit of doing good.—Missionary life.—Showers of blessing.—Character of Miss Fiske _Page_ 289 CHAPTER VIII. _FORMATION OF FEMALE CHARACTER._ Value and influence of character.—Original constitution.—Family circle.—Society.—Impartative and receptive elements.—Twofold operation of the mind _Page_ 308 CHAPTER IX. _NATURAL EQUALITY OF THE SEXES._ Difference and similarity.—Political equality.—Social equality.—Intellectual equality.—Moral equality.—Religious equality _Page_ 329 MODEL WOMEN. CHAPTER I. True Womanhood. “A perfect woman, nobly planned, To warn, to comfort, and command; And yet a spirit still and bright, With something of an angel light.” WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. _FEMALE EDUCATION._ The great question of the day is education. Daughters, as well as sons, are born with faculties capable of improvement; and the claims of the former to as good an education as the latter are beyond dispute. Indeed, some are of opinion that if either of the sexes ought to have a superior education, that boon is the birthright of females. Certainly, women have as important duties to perform as men, and therefore their discipline ought at least to be as strict. In the more usual sense, education is the art of drawing out, or developing, every part of your many-sided nature. Its object, and when rightly conducted, its result, is to make a perfect creature. Young women are too often allowed to consider that education is the work of girlhood. Strictly speaking, it covers the whole area of life. A great living poet truly says—