Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-06-12
From the National .9dpocate.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.


papers, but read them at a Coffee House,
where, for one shilling, get cup ois,rung
and refreshing coffee, and have an oppor.
tunity ofpursuing my old habit OF studying
| characters al the same time. A few days
ago, amused myself with counting the
| marriages in my friend John Lang's Ga
zette, and also the paper published by lit
tie Mr.. Buter-Lut really was shocked
to see such falling off. 1t appeared to me,
| that III community so extensive as ours,
there is one third less marriages than is ne
cessary TO maintain fair equilibrium oil
population, Why don't people marry p
Why are there so many antiqua;ed dam
sells and superannuated bachelors? Aye,
thinks |, there's the queslion-but it can
be solved. The errors Of education, aud
the extravaganza of fashion, Tor which young
ladies are celebrated, frighten the young
men from making adyances-and the fol-
lies and per>onal expenCes oil young men.
render them 'nsensible to all the joys and
comforts OF malrimony faults thus on both
sides, have tendency TO keep them sepa-
rated, till young ladies' become Old anu old
! bachelors mary 10 get nurses. Why Not
adopt new systems, and set on foot radical
etOrm al once? lwoud begin with chill
Cren at very cary age ,anI acCustom tiem
to simple aid nurcious fare, very plain
| dress, and harry dmusements the girls
should be stirring and active. tamiiarzed
al All early perio1 with domestic concerns,
| quick and expert al their needie--lheir lei
sure hours shoulG be des o;ed 10 Their books
they should read judlc ously and write
frequently, for writing well is an elegant
accomplishment ii could afford it, liz
! ,ie music and .darCIng should also be ac-
| CURED, but they should not go into compa-
ny at an early age. see with regret, mo-
| theirs dragging their daughters OF twelve
| and thirteen years 10 parties and balls, un-
| der an erroneous Impit S. ion that IL gives
| them an air al ease ana confidence ;-may
br It does Ill may give them 100 much
ccnhdenoe--they acquire an early taste OF
pleasure and amuscmemts-ilt they are pref
ty, be sure OF ii some coXcOmb will " his
pes his battery ~ their tender ears, ana irt-
tie mss will he 50 accustomed to hear bese
line lhjngs. that she Will neg ect indispen-
sable !mprOte rnents, and fancy herself all
perfection, aud before they arrive at ar
age when mothers are justified in bringing
Them ont, they acquire habits ami ideas
which render it necessary that they should
he kept at home. Then the hoys are very
apt to BE equally spoiIt ty the indulgence
OF mamma, and Tie Tranquil! compliance of
father; Bob must have sureriine blue coat
a forty dollars dandy ncckcIoth, chains
ana seals. because il Is the fashion, for
sooth; and money in his pocket to visit The
third tier OF boxes III our theatre, to eat
oysters aud ice cream, smoke segars and
drink brandy and water. These ruinous
mdulgencies are seen by the sisters, and
they must come in for share of The extra
Bob has his, and must have
that. Example is every thing; If it be a
pcfncious one, 1t cannot tai! to produce
pemiciru> effect. IT rain up child in the
way he should 20, and when he is Old he
will not depart from it. ;"
ltparents will only have firnness tore
sist the pressing and dangerou, solicitations
OF their children; if they adopt correct
and whoeson e system, and enforce 1t with
unyielding ,trlcne,s, in a very short time
the good effects would be discernable-
and, "hat first children violently and OBJ
stin'tely opposed, they will at length
cheerfuIly submit 10, and all will go on
smooth and happy. Marriages, therefore,
are rare, because the parties fear each o.
Their. A yonns man OF moderate erpecta-
Mons fears nie extrnvogance eta urts; and
young ,roman fears that herAusbGnd cod
abrtdse her customary sndulgeneiss, and
thus fears operate and keep them apart. 1t
cannot be necessary 10 bring Up daughters
extravasantiy because the father is rich-if
il is justified on the score of Fl ness and pro-
priety Of habits and custom, how keenly
must they feel reverse OF fortune People
sometimes meet with sad rev~rses was
told that several bankruptcies occurred
lately among merchants who had fooIshly
lived like nabobs-anf also heard that
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