The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1841-06-11
From the Boston Transcript.
Can she spin.

This question was asked by James l..
when young girl was presented TO him,
and the person who introduced her boast
ed Of her proficiency Ill the ancient Ian
guages. 81 can assure your Majesty"
said he, "that she can both speak and
write Latin, Greek, and Hebrew"
These are rare attainmcnts for dam
SELL" said James, "but pray, tell me, can
she spin :"
Many of the young ladies of the pre-
sent day can boast of their skill in the fine
arts and polite accomplishments, in mu-
sic, painting, dancing, but can they spin !
or, what is more appropriate to the times
and the modern improvements of labor-sa-
wing machinery, it may be asked, can they
perform the domestic duties of wife! do
they understand the management of house
hold affairs Are they capable of super
intending, i'll a judiclous, prudent, and
economical manner, the concerns Of a IA
mily !
A young lady may be learned iii the
ancient and modern languages, may have
made extraordinary proficiency in every
branch of literature this is all very well,
and very crcditable, and, 10 a certain class
Of the community, who are not obliged
as was St. Paul, "to labor with their
own hands," is all that is absolutely re-
quisitc, but 10 a much larger portion of
the community, it is of far greater conse-
quence to know whether they can SPIN
1t is of more importance to young
mechanic, or merchant, or one OF any
other class of people who depend upon
their own industry and cXcrtions, if he
marrles wife, TO have one who knows
how to spin or perform other domestic
duties, than one whose knowledge does
not extend beyond proficiency III liera-
turc and the fine arts.
1t has often been said that the times
are strangely altered; and certain 1t is
that the people are. 1t was once thought
honorable TO be constantly employed in
some useful avocation but nowadays il
is thought more honorable to be idle
People complain of the high prices of the
necessarics of life, and with much truth
But if the amout of idlcness could be cal
cuIa,cd accurately throughout the commu'
nitv, allowing the drones half price iol
their services, which they might perform
and which others arc paid for, 1t might be
a safe calculation to estimate it equal It
all that is expended for provision ant
marketing in the United States. SO it il
not little inconsistent to hear parent:
complain about the price OF provision
when they bring up their daughters Il
walk the streets aud spend.
Let the fair daughters of our country
I initiate the industrious matrons o.! tn
, past. The companions of those wh
: fought in the Revolution were Injured Il
1 hardships, and accustomed to nee ,ssar
f toll, and thus did they educate ,hci
Q daughters. Health, contcntment, an
plenty smiled around the family altar
The damsc who understood most the
p roughly and economically the manage
! mcnt of domestic affairs, and was ne
4 afraid to put her hands into the washin
: tub, or to "lay hold of the dlstail,," #
r fear of destroying their elasticity, an
i dlmming their snowy Wilderness, W;
j. sought by the young men of those day
y as fit companion for life, but in model
l. times to learn the mysteries of the hous,
q hold would make our fair ones faint away