Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-08-30


intermediate class between those who toll
and spin, and those whose claim to be la.
dies is founded on their being incapable of
any value or utility. All clearly within
the purview of the term lady, estimate the
clearness of their title precisely in the ra.
ito Of their uselessness.
Allow young lady to have any hand in
the adjustment Of al the components of
her dress, each of which has q contour
which only the 'feeting fashion of the mo-.
ment can settle; allow her time TO receive
morning visitants, and prepaid for afternoon
appointments and evening pariies,a nd what
time has the dear one to spare, TO be useful
and do good? There is somewhere in all
this, an enormous miscalculation, an infinite
mischief-an evil, as we shall attempt to
show, not transiiory or minor Importance
but fraught with misery and ruin, not only
to the fair ones themselves, but to society
and the age.
We may assume, as we have, that there
are in the United States a hundred thous.
and young ladies brought up to do nothing
except dress and pursue amusement. An
other hundred thousand learn music, dane
| ing, and what are termed the fashionable
accomplishments. The few opulent, who
can afford to be good for nothing, precede.
Another class presses as closely as they
can upon their steps; and the contagious
mischief spreads downward, till the fond
father, who lays every thing under contri-
button to furnish the means of buying q
piano, and hiring music master for his
daughters, instead of being served, when
he comes in from the plough, by the ruin.
| ed favorites for whom he has sacrificed so
much, finds that servant must be hired
for the young ladies.
Every one knows that mothers and daugh-
| tiers give the tone and laws to society. Here
is the root of the matter, the spring Of bitter
waters-here is the origin of the complaints
of hard times-herc is the reason why ev.
cry man lives up to his income, and SO ma
| ny beyond it. He has married q wife
whose vanity and extravaganza are fathom-
less, and his ruin is explained. Hence the
general and prevalent evil Of the present
times, vagance--conscious shame of
the thought of being industrious and use-
full. Every body is ashamed not TO be
expensive and fashionable and every
one seems equally ashamed of honest in.
| dustry.
have no conception Of beautiful wo.
man, or fine man, in whose eye, in whose
| port, in whose whole expression, this sen.
| timent does not stand embodied I'll am
called Ivy my creator 10 duties; have
employment on the earth my sterner but
more enduring pleasures are in dischargng
my duties"
Compare the sedate expression of this
sentiment in the countcnance of man or
woman, when it is known to stand, as the
, index of character 1nd the fact, with TIC
superficial gaudiness of simple, good for
nothing belle, who disdains usefulness and
employment, whose empire is a ball room,
and whose subjects dandies, as silly and
as useless as herself. Who, of the two
has most attractions for man of sense
The one helpmate, fortune in herself
who can aid to procure one, if the husband
has it not; who can soothe him under the
loss of it, and what is more, aid him TO re-
gain it and the other painted butterfly
for ornament only during the vernal and
sunny months of prosperity and then
not becoming chrysais, an inert moth il
adversely, but croaking, repining, ill.tem
pcred termagant, who can only rccur &c
the days of her short lived triumph, TO en-.
bitter the misery and poverty and hope
lessncss of a husband, who like herself
knows not how to dig, and is ashamed to beg
| We arc obliged to avail of severe Ian
guage in application 10 a dcep-rooicd NAL
ady. We want words of power. We noet
energetic and stern applications. No coun
try ever vergod moro rapidly towards OK
travagance and expense. In young re
public like ours, it is ominous Of any thing
but good. Men of thought, and virtue, anC
example, are called upon TO look to this e
vii. Ye patrican families, that croal,
and complain, and forebode the downfall
of the republic, here is the origin of you
evils. Instead of training your son e
waste his time, as an idle young gentleman
at large-instcad of intoxicating on you
daughter, that the incessant tinkling Of ;
J, harpsichord, or scornful and lady like
toss of the head, or dcxterity in WALKING
are the chief requisites TO make her wa,
in lile-if you can find no better employ
ment for them, teach him the use of the grub
; bing hoe, and her to make up garments 70
your servants. Train your son and daugh
ter 10 an employment, 10 frugahy, TO hol,
the high front, and TO walk the fearles
step of independence and sufIicicncy L
r themselves in any fortunes, any country o
$ any state of things. BY arts like these, tn
Q early Romans thrived. When your childre
!, have these possessions, you may go dow
: to the grave in peace as regards their tenn
I. poral fortunes.
e Wood.Sa,pyers Look ont We heard
: | 4a.~;Ll., ,,,,uincr In our sfrnnfs ono In, lns