| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | | I. Woman’s Empire Defined | | By Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale (1788–1879) |
| | The Empire of Woman—A Series of Sonnets
THE OUTWARD world, for rugged toil designed, | |
| Where Evil from true Good the crown hath riven, | |
| Hath been to men’s dominion ever given; | |
| But woman’s empire, holier, more refined, | |
| Moulds, moves, and sways the fallen yet God-breathed mind, | 5 |
| Lifting the earth-crushed heart to hope and heaven. | |
| As plants put forth to summer’s gentle wind, | |
| And ’neath the sweet, soft light of starry even, | |
| Those treasures which the tyrant winter’s sway | |
| Could never wrest from nature,—so the soul | 10 |
| Will woman’s sweet and tender power obey; | |
| Thus doth her summer smile its strength control; | |
| Her love sow flowers along life’s thorny way; | |
| Her star-bright faith lead up towards heaven’s goal. | | | | |
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