Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-10-09

1 and crime These are serious ques'io"s'
which, one day, we must seriously ask our
selves. Volumes have been written or
pauperism, which, though they may not
fully apply to our case, yet, in principle,
if mot in extent, they have a close cornexlon;
Mankind is the same all over the world, ana
the same remedies may be safely Piled
in like cases The 7rant Of industry IS me
foundation of the eoit, and that industry
in the poor order of the community can
only be promoted by example among The
better educated and refined. We have OF
ten imagined that our domestic economy was
greatly misunderstood, if not sadly me-
elected, and we have frequently been
tempted toattribu.e the cause, at once, to
! our VIE. and daughters but the fear OF
offending, when we would only seek tc re-
/ form, has ever checked our complaints
But the evil may increase until whole cor.
| munities fall victims TO its effects and, tho
we tread on dangerous ground. we must
pluck up courage 10 say, that our ladies,
| generally, are net sufficiently industrious,
| and having said 30, we throw ourselves on
their protection for an indulgent hearing.
II is sometimes necessary to mngle IN do,
nestle concems--to leave the arcana oil
governments, the asperity Of politics: and
the hurry Of business, TO look az home,
where, after all. true happiness is only TO
be found-where, surrounded 10y iamiiy,
by endearing ties, and by household gods,
true estimate of character can alone be
formed. We employ 100 many dOmestics,.
and thus encourage ideness and extrara-
gance. The labour of house which can
be effected by two persons should never
employ four. Servant maids, whose time
F. is not wholly engrossed by employment,
and who have not before them the cheering
and judicious example Of industry in their
mistress, acquire too soon negligence, ex-
travagance and listlessness, which bege,s
! indifference, pampers the body, and cor;
rupts the mind. They are then dismissed
their place-they try another, and the re-
suit is the same without stability and in
dustry they continue to change until they
can no longer find a place, and then they
swell the list Of depravity or increase the
number Of mendicants.. The mistress who
sets an example of industry TO the maid,
will ever derive the benefit Of her labors,
and the maid will reciprocaIly gain every
thing from the example. But, says the
fashionable wife, am to rub furniture,
visit the kitchen. and darn nightcaps! We
say, aye, good dame. for il will produce
health and content, economy and happiness.
Why do our ladie: look pale ? Why are
they not ali ford and robust? Why do so
many fall victims to disease and early death!
1t is because they do not take sufficient er-
ercise-they do not hustle sufficiently about
the house-they do not appropriate due
portion Of their time to domestic concerns.
What can be pore engaging than seeing the
tidy, active wife, and the accomplished wo-
man blended in one person? What, in DO
mestic lite, wears an aspect so winning as
the cultivated mistress of the drawing room
and the industrious mother combined T.
economy is the foundation of prosperity ~
all things, but particularly in domestic lie;
Ladies should make their own dresses and
fabricate theirown bonne.s. Milliners and
mantuamakers, it is true, would not be en-.
couraged, but what then? Money would
be saved, rents would decrease, provisions
would be cheap, idleness unknown, and
poverty unseen. Another evil now strikes
me forcibly. We have too many societies
enormously called charitable, which create
artificial wants rather than supply real :
ones which tend TO encourage pauperlsm
instead of industry. Our wives and daugh- ,
tiers are ambitious Of the honor OF being |
members of these multiplied associations,
civil, ecclesiastical and mechanical sOcie-
lies and the annual contributions and adj
mission fees, swell in the aggregate toa
sum, which, in truth, the head OF family,
careful of its own interest, cannot well al
ford, in addition 10 taxes and other bur-
thens. Dress is exorbitantly extravagant-
simplicity is no longer known-.fdshion,
with an iron sceptre now reigns triumphant.
Cashmere and merino shaw!s. Leghorns at
forty dollars, watch, chain, seals, rings, and
other unnecessary valusbles, constitute our
ladies walking mine Of wealth. Those
who cannot afford TO be in the fashion
stretch their utmost means to initiate their
neighbors, and gradually become poor,
when, with proper economy, they might
have been comfortable. All classes of So
ciety are more or less afecteSby fashion,
or borne away by example. Hence pau
perism, poverty in old age. and want in
early life. A little resolution and the EVIL
is overcome. five agree to call a plain
chip hat and muslin gown .fdslionnbfe-if
we agree that the industrious wife IS the
most fashionable being in the world, who
dare dispute it Here we have the reme-
dy in our own hands; and never can The .
wife be made sensible OF these facts until
the husband, by proper example, confirms
them-until they both unite TO promote IN
duslry, economy, content and happiness.
HOWARD.