Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

GENERAL MISCELLANY.
From the Port Folio.

“ And he sat down by a well. Near the priest
of Midian had seven daughters : and they
came and drew water, and fill'd the troughs
to water their father's flock. And the shepherds
came and drove them away : but Moses stood
up and helped them, and watered their flock.

IN the juvenile days of Moses, that prophet having unfortunately interfered in a
quarrel between an Egyptian and a Jew, went
voluntarily into exile. Provoked at the assassination of a subject, the reigning monarch
sought to slay Moses, who fled from his
wrath into the land of Midian. Here he
took up his residence in the vicinity of a well
and lived a sort of hermit's life, unknowing
and unknown. By a glance at the history
of pastoral ages, it will be seen that the
task of drawing water, either for household
purposes, or for the use of the fold, generally
devolved upon women. The simplicity,
the indolence, or the rudeness, of the patriarchs
caused them to forget that the
obvious destination of the softer sex
was for lighter labours ; and that men, as
natural guardians of females, should ever rescue
their fair maids from ignominious thraldom. But
The Priest of Midian with all
his dignity, was, it seems, clownish and inattentive,
for he suffers his
daughters or girls to " draw water, and
fill the troughs to water his flock." In
dry, and an hot arid region, reservoirs
cisterns, attracted almost as great
crowds as last fashionable watering places have
in times more modern, and in a climate less
fiery.

Indeed throughout the East, wells
were a kind of haunt ; and at their margin
were to be found Pilgrims and Patriarchs,
Shepherds and Herdsmen, blushing beauties
and clamorous boors, all eager to allay their
own thirst, or that of the animals, lowing &
bleating around. In such a promiscuous
crowd, grossness and incivility would always
mingle, perhaps predominate ; and not only
delicate ears, but even graceful forms would
sometimes be wounded. The daughters of
the Egyptian priest did not repair to the
well of Midian, without exposure to the attacks
of brutality. Certain shepherds of the
country, " gentlemen of the baser sort," in all
probability Midianitish democrats, influenced
by the wonted churlishness, impudence,
boorishness, and ferocity of the republican
character, came and drove these unoffending
females away. Perceiving this harshness,
and in a spirit of gallantry, resenting it, Moses,
with the courtesy of a Chevalier, quitted
his seat and his meditations, civilly helped
the insulted maidens, and relieved them
from the labor of watering their flocks. This
is a pleasing instance of pristine politeness,
and demonstrates, that even in the simplest
stages of society, the man of feeling, taste
and judgment, will always support the rights
of woman.

The sex have a paramount claim to our
protection, tenderness, and courtesy. Years
cannot cause my dim eyes to survey the fair,
carelessly, or with indifference. My heart
still palpitates at their approach, and, in despite
of the discipline of Philosophy, my
nerves vibrate, like the keys of a harpsichord,
from the lightest touch of a charmer. Once,
in the absurd misapprehension of youth, I
thought the character of a woman not
worth imitating and even attempted to hurl
a feeble lance at the daughters of Eve.
But time has taught me the impolicy and
baseness of such a warfare. I have not only
made a truce, but concluded a firm and
lasting peace with the ladies. I pride myself
that they still admit an old Batchelor to their
toilets, and that they will not refuse a dropped
fan, though presented them by a grey
headed gallant. If I hear the pleasing rustle
of silk against my study stairs, I make
shift to hide my spectacles, at the expence of
my gouty limbs, cheerfully resign my obsolete
arm chair to the occupancy of the fair sex.
I am a very Moses to resent any ill treatment
they may receive ; and did modern ladies
watch and water sheep, like the seven
Shepherdesses of Midian, I am sure I should
"right merrily " fill the bucket.

The gallantry of the attentive Moses,
was not unrequited. It procured him an invitation
to the house of the Priest, whose
daughters had been thus protected by the
shield of civility. The fruits of good breeding
were the gratitude of the venerable divine
and the hand of Zipporah, his daughter.
Thus, it may be learned by every young
man, eager for a pleasant passage through life,
that attention to women, honors both the giver
and the receiver. Nothing is to be gained
by rudeness to the sex. By complaisance
to them, much may be acquired. He who is
universally decried among women, is rarely
popular in male society. Nature intended
the two sexes should live in amity. Let the
good understanding continue. If we treat
our female friends with courtesy, and with
tenderness, if we listen to their voice with
attention, bow at their approach, and sigh at
their departure, we shall be liberally remunerated.
Selfishness alone will dictate such
politeness. Woman, naturally frank, generous
and sensitive, will hasten to discharge
the obligation. On him who is thus watchful
to please her, she will smile with radiance,
she will smooth his pillow, she will,
like Ruth's comforter, " sing the song that
pleases him," and " bind his aching head
with flowers."