American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-07-23
pos- Anonymous communications receive no
A Talk about Woman.
attention.


not designed by her Creator to labor as hard as
man should, and the delicacy Of her structure
and perceptions as plainly show, that in the
lighter and more elegant employments, SO to
speak, she can excel him. Why are these laws
not closely observed and obeyed? Why are we
all disposed to sanction the violation of law
bearing such evidences of its Divine authority
Yet let woman be educated for usefulness, and
let usefulness be required Of her.
Whoever is wise will educate his daughter in
such pursuits as will bring her labor in compe-
tition with the labor Of man. The world has
set low price upon g female labor" as though
the product Of skill had any sex. Let her learn
an art such as men pursue, and let her learn it
we'll Any woman may thus be made inde-
pendent.
To wash, to sew, to knit, or to g do house
work." is Imperative cannot dispense with
such services; but inasmuch as they do not
pay well, it is but right that any female who
can should escape them by preparing herself
for the performance of more profitable duties.
If lady can paint or draw well-if she can
translate well-if she compose well, or
transcribe well-she can earn the wages seye-
raj times over Of washerwoman or a cook.
Why, then, should her attention not be given
exclusively to some one of these pursuits, that
she may escape the more laborious task?
There is q common notion among folks of
some kind, that a woman is in the line of her
duty when laboring, it matters not how hard,
at "house AFFAIRS" but that the very idea of
''going out to work." or taking in work."
has degradation in it. We do not see how use
full labor and degradation can be associated in
the same idea, and can have little respect for
any one who can entertain such an idea
But if all women forsake domestic labors,
who shall perform them !? Pay well for such
services and you will always find competitors
for your wages.
A mechanic can earn two dollars in day-a
washerwoman is oyer-worked on the day when
she earns half dollar and rubs the skin off
her hands Now, if the mechanic for whom
she labors were compelled to give her for days
labor what he receives for his days labor, we
should think there was no harm in it. He would
always have the alternative of doing his own
washing, if he should prefer to do SO.
Washing, however, is too hard for woman.
Cannot some ingenious man invent machine
to wash for her? There have been many at
tempts, and as many failures. Some one will
vet succeed, and earn q fortune and the thanks
of all women.
Men are fond of saying that women are
frivolous in their pursuits. So are men when
their pursuits are too much varied. Washing,
ironing, scrubbing, sewing, knitting, cooking,
nursing, and humoring the caprices of tyran-
nical fathers, brothers, and husbands, are
not the means of concentrating the mind and
elevating the objects of ones attention and es-
'pecially when the training for these duties con-
sists in piano humping and theoretic lessons in
botany, astronomy, chemistry, and physiology,
and practical lessons in dancing and ornamental
sewing. Gracious Powers
Female Medical Colleges are established in
defiance of the will of mankind in general yet
twenty-five years will not pass before all men
will acknowledge their benign influence. "But
oh, it is so indelcate!" What q pity! 1t is
indicate for lady to become proficient in pre-
scribing for the cure of the afflicted but not
for her to labor in the capacity of nurse in
the sick chamber What exquisite fastidious-
ness! The cause OF true mouesty uenhnuS Lnat
the physician Of an afflicted woman should be
n woman; and so every father will, at an early
day, acknowledge.
We once sat very near two celebrated literary
ladies; so near that we were obliged to listen
to their conversation. We, of course, caught
each word of it. Now what think you it was
all about Two distinct subjects were dis
cussed one, the best mode of preserving or
picking peaches; the other, whether certain
ribbons should be laid straight or bias We
mentioned the circumstance to an old and
shrewd friend, and in terms Of indignation too,
when he remarked: 81 was once fortunate
enough to sit at hotel breakfast-table by the
side Of Sir Walter Scott, and opposite distin-
guisbed literary friend of his, with whom he
was conversing They, too, had two topics up
for discussion. Do you wish to know what
they were? One was q recent horse-race; the
other, the points of good setter dogp We
drew the comparison, and forgave the two
ladies, God bless them
"THE ENTIRE PERFECTION OF SCIENCE UP