New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-05-11


handsome-were dressed without any pretension.
The parents saw very little company: and the
daughters renamed sitting at balls, and were
nearly unobserved al supperz. et from year TO
wear they slid on with the stream.
The daughters approached to npened youth.
The parents wished them married; they wished 1t
likewise which was only natural, especially as at
home they were not happy; and II must be con-
lessed that neither did they themselves do much
to make i; pleasant there. They were peeylsh
and disconnected; no one knew exactly what to
do. or what she wanted they CROPPED about as II
in mist.
1t is customary TO hear unmarried ladies' say
that they are satisfied with their condition, and
do not desire to change H. In this Pretenslon
there lies more truth than people in general DC
leve particularly when the lively feelings OF early
youth are passed. have often found it 50 ana
above ALL wherever the woman, either IN one way
or another has created for herself an independent
sphere of action or has found in comfortable
home that freedom. and has enjoyed the pure hap
pness Of life which true friendship true education
can give.
A young lady of my acquaintance made what
was with Justice called great marriage. although
love played but subordinate part. As some one
felcitatcd her on her happiness, she replied quite
something Of ones own. People. smiled at her
for thus lightly eslecming, what was universally
esteemed 50 great a good fortune but her simple
words nevertheless. contain great and universal
truth 1t is this ones own III the world, andln
/ his sphere of action, which every man rInavolda
! by requires If he would devclope his own beng
! and win for himself independence and happiness,
! sclf.cStcenl, and the esteem OF others. Even the
nun has her CELL where she can prepare herself IN
peace for heaven, and in which she possesses her
! true home But in social the unmarried woman
has often not even cell which she can call her
own: she goes like a cloud of mist through life,
and finds firm footing nowhere. Hence, therefore.
/ are there often marriages which ought never to
! have taken place, and that deep longing after the
| deep quiet of the grave, which Is experienced by
50 many But there is no necessity for this and
| IN times in which the middle classes are 50 much
more enlightened, it becomes sill less so; we
need, indeed only contemplate the masses OF peo-
pie who strive for subsistence, the crowds OF neg
ected and lmcared-ior children that grow up III
the world, in order 10 see that whatever Is one-s
dcd in the view of the destination of woman van
/ slles more and more. and opens to her rcer
sphere OF action
But return to the pros and cons oil my own
! life one feature Of which must particularly
mention. If young ladies OF our acquaintance
connected themselves BY marriage with men who
were rather above than below them IN property OF
station, we considered it, without exception, rea
sonable and cstimable. But man, whose con-
ncciions and prospects were similar 10 our own,
walked toward our house fora wife, we considered
it great audacitv and treated it accordingly. We
were secretly looking cut for genteeler and ncher
! individuals who again, on their part were look
e. oa1o ,,,1 oh nd
we. n B. This look-oM in the great world is a
very useful thing, both for gentlemen and ladies,
although any body who would be mare enough 10
| acknowledge as much, would not be greatly IN
favor either with those who looiSed-out or those
who did not.
In the meantime, spirit, full Of living energy
was developed within me, which woke me to the
sense Of It's after eyistence--tc sense OF the en-
shaving contradictions in which IT moved, and to
the strong desire to free itself from lhcm.-
As vet, however, did not understand what was
to do with my restless spirit. BY contemplation,
however of noble works of art, II appeared TO me
that the enigma of nv inner sell was solved.
When observed the antique vcstal, So calm, 50
assured and yet SO gentle-whcn saw how she
stood, selfposscssed, firm, and serene--l had u
iorctastc of the life which needed, and sought
after, both outwardy and inwardy, and wept
tears of melancholy longing
Tortured blythe distorted circumstances many OF
which have rot mentionedl under which moved
in my own family | hogan, as years advanced,
TO come IN connection with the world III man.
ner which, for temper like mlnc was particular
ly dangerous.
We have heard of the daughters OF the Haus-
glebel family, who grew old vawning over the
spinning wheel and the weaving stool; but better
thousand times to grow old over the spinning
wheel and the ashes Of the coohlng stove than 10
become gray with artificial flowers-oh, how arl-
fetal in the hair, on the benches OF the ball
room, the seat OF the supper-room, smiling over
the world which smiles over US no longer. ms
was the case with me.
There are mild, unpretendng beings who bow
themselves quietly under the yoke which they
cannot break; move, year after year, through the
social circle, without any other object than TO ill
place thereto ornament or 10 distignrc a wall.
Peace TO such patient souls! There, TOO, are Joy
Gus, fresh, ever youthful natures, who, even TO old
age and under all circumstances. bring with then
cheerulnesS and new lie into every circle n
which they move. These belong TO socla! llie,
and are its blessings, Many persons-and 1t Is
beautiful that II should be so-are Of this descrlp-
ton. l. however, belong neither 10 the Joyous
and cnliveninG, nor yet to the patient and unpre-
tending. On this account began TO shun social
life. which occasioned IN Ee, still more and more,
mortal WEAKNESS; yet, nevertheless, was
driven into ii, 10 avoid the dispuet and discom-
fort winch | experienced AT home. | was Ia
borer who concealed his desire of labor who had
buried his talent IN the Garth, was the heredl-
tary custom OF the circle in which l lived.
The flower Yields odor and delight to man, It
nourishcs the insect with its sap; the dew-drop
gives strength to the leaf on which it falls In
the relationships in which lived, | was less than
the flower or the dew-drop; beng endowed