New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-04-15
&" Mistress of herself, though china fall.'

I'll little she ,hinketh Of thee"
osre1o, N. Y. april Sd 1916.
"Mistress Of herself, though chiun fall"
Women 10 general, areindignant that the saiirist
should have made this the climax to praise OF wo-
man. And yet, we fear, he saw only too truly
What unexpected failures have we seen, literally,
in this respect! How often did the Martha blur the
Mary out of the face Of lovely woman at the sound
Of a crash amid glass and porcelain VIVA, sad lit
tleness in all the department thus represented OBJ
truson of the mop and buster on the tranquil medi-
tations of husband and brother. lmpatence ii the
carpet be defaced by the feet even OF cherished
friends!
There is beautiful side and good reason here :;
but why must the beauty degenerate and give place
TO meanness7
To Woman the care of home is confded II is the
sanctuary OF which she should be the guardian an
gel To all elements that are introduced there she
sbould be the bordering mind" She represents
The spirit of beauty, and her influence should be
spring like, clothing oil objects within her sphere
with lively fresh and tender hues. She represents
purity and all that apperains TO her should be kept
delica,ely pure She Is modesty, ard draperes
should GOTTEN all rude lineaments. and exclude
nlare and dust She IL harmony, and all objects
should DO in their places ready for and matched to
their uses.
We all feel that there Ia substantial reason for the
offence wo feel Mt defect in any OF these why's.
woman who wants purity. modesty, and harmony
In her dress and manners is insuiferable--one who
wants them In the arrangements OF her house disa
vreeable. 10 every one. She negects the most OBJ
yious ways of expressing what we desire TO see in
ber and tho inference Ia ready that the inward sense
Is wanting.
It IL with no merely gross and selfish feeling that
all men commend the good househeeper. the good
nursc. Neither is 1t slight praise TO say OF woman
that she does we'll the honors OF her house in the
vay of hospitality. The wisdom that can main
tain serenity, cheerfulness and order In little
world of ten or twelve persons, and keep ready
the resources that are needed for their susie
nance and recovery In sickness and sorrow, is the
.,me that holds the stars in their places and pa
,isptly prepares the precious metals in the most &C.
cro, chambers Of the earth. The art of exercising
n refined hospitality is fine art and the music thus
produced only differs from that Of the orchestra in
= his, that in the former case, the overture or
sonata can be played twice in the same manner. 1t
requires that the hostess shall combine true self.
respect and repose,
''The simple art Of not too much"
with refined perception ofindivdual traits and moods
In character with variety and vvaciy, ease. grace
and gentleness that diffuse their sweetness insen.
sibly through every nook OF an assembly, and call
on, reciprocal sweetness wherever there is anyto be
found.
The only danger in all this Is the that besets
a. In every walk of life, towit that of preferring
tho outward sign TO the inward spirit, whenever
thsre is cause to hesitate between the two.
al admire" says Goethe, "the Chinese novels;
they express so happily ease, peace. and a finish
unknown to other nations in the interior arrange.
,nsnss Of their homes. In one Of them came upon
this line: i heard the lovely maidens laughing and
found my way 10 the garden.house, where they
were seated in their light cane chairs To me
this brings an immediate animation, by the images
1t suggests Of lishtness brightness and elegance.
This is most true but it is also true that the gar.
denhouse would not seem thus charming unless its
eight cane chairs had lovely laughing madens"
seated in them. And the lady who values her porce-
lain. that most exquisite product OF the peace and
thorough breeding OF China, so highly should take
the hint, md remember, that, unless the frasran,
herb Of wit, sweetened by kindness, and sofiencd
by the cream of afabiity also crown her board the
pretties, teacups in the world nigh, as we'll lie in
Fragments in the gutter, as adorn her social show
The show loses its beauty when 1t ceases 10 repre-.
cent q substance.
Here, as elsewhere II is only vanity, nsrrowness
and self seeking that spoil good thing Women
would never be too sood housekeepers for their
own peace or that Of others. if they considered
housekeeping only ss means to an end. If their
obiec, was really the peace aad ioy of all concerned
they could bear to have their cupa and sanc.rs h,o
ken essier than their tempers and to have curtains
and carpets soiled rather than their hearts nv
md small feelings But thsy are broayht IN 10
think "it 10 disgrace to be bad housekecper. y
No, because they must, by such defect. DO cause
Of sascyinS and loss of time TO all within their
sphere, but because other women viii laugh a.
them II they are So Here is the vice-for want Of
high motive. there can be no truly good action.
We have seen woman otherwise noble and mag
unanimous IN a high degree so insane on this point
a. to weep bitterly because she found little dus,
on ber picture frames, and torment her guests all
dinner tine with excuses for the way in which the
dinner was cooked. We have known others oir
With tbe- servant, to backb,e the best and noblest
fiends for .rifing derelctions agains, the socus-
.aroed order of the house. The broom swept on,
the memory of much sweet counsel aud loving kind
ness, and spots on the table cloth were more re
gardsd than those they made on their own loyalty
and honor in the most intimate relations.
"The worst of furies Is woman sccrned.'
and the sex 80 lively, mobile, and impa0sioned,
when passion Is aroused at all, are in danger o.