Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-04-03
English Women In the Country.

English Women In the Country.
There are other guests in the house-Sir
Charles M, Lady P, some Irish
ladies without titles, (but so rich ia natural
gifts as to make one feel the poverty of
mere rank,) and a charming family Of
grown up daughters. II would be difficult
perhaps, to have a better opportunity to
Judge of the life of the educated middle
classes Of this country, than in such homes
as this. And what impressions do such ex-
amples make upon my mind, you will ask
| will tell you, mot without remembering
how many fair young readers you have at
honey The young English woman is less
conspIcuously accomplished than our young
women of the same position in America
There is, perhaps, little Of thatjc ne seals
quoi-that nameless grace which captiyates
at first sight-than with us, but better and
more solid education, more disciplined
minds, and above al more common sense.
In the sshole art ofsopsersation, incuding
all the topics of the day, with so much of
politics as makes a woman really a compan-
ion for an intelligent man in his serious
thoughts, in history, language, and practi-
cal knowledge of the duties OF social aud
domestic life, the English women have,
imagine, few superors. But what, perhaps,
would strike one of our young women most,
in English society, would be the thorough
cultivation and refinement that exist here,
along with the absence Of all false delicacy.
The fondness of English women, (eyen in
the highest rank, for outdoor life, horses,
dogs, fine cattle, animals of all kinds for
their grounds, and in short every thing that
belongs to their homes-their real, unafect-
ed knowledge of, and pleasure in these
things, and the unreserved way in which
they talk about them, would startle
some of my young friends at hone, who are
educated in the fashionable boarding school
OF Madame -, TO consider all such things
vulgar" and unlady-like." | accompa-
MED the younger members Of the family
here this morning, in an exploration of the
mysteries of the place No sooner did we
make our appearance out of doors, than we
were saluted by dogs of all degrees, and
each had the honor of an interview and per-
sonal reception, which seemed to be pro-
ductve of pleasure on both sides Then
some OF the horses were brought out OF the
stable, and a parley took place between
them and their fair mistresses; some favor
ite COWS were to be petted and looked after,
and their good points were descanted on
with knowledge and discrimination and
there was the bdsse cour, with its various
population, all discussed and shown with
such lively unaffected interest, that | soon
saw my young companions were "born to
love pigs and chickens" have said moth
ing about the garden because you know that
it is especially the ladys province here
An English woman with no taste for gar
dening, would be as great a marvel as an
angel without wings. And now, were these
fresh looking girls, who have SO thoroughly
entered into these rustic enjoyments, mere
country lasses and dairy maids BY no
means. They will converse with you in
three or four languages are thoroughly
well grounded in modern literature; sketch
from nature with the ease of professional
artists, and will sit down to the piano-forte
and give you an old ballad or the finest
German or Italian music, as your taste may
dictate. And yet many of my young coun
try-women of their age, whose education
wholly intended for the drawing room-is
far below what | have described, would
have tainted with terror, and halfblushed
with false delicacy, twenty times in the
course OF the morning, with the discussions
of the farm yard, meadow aud stables, which
properly belong to wholesome country
life, and are not IN the slightest degree at
variance with real delicacy and refinement
very well know that there are many sem
sibly educated young women at home, who
have the same breadth of cultivation, and
the same variety of resources, that make
the English women such truly agreeable
companions but alas, | also know that
there are many whose beau ideal is bound
ed by circle that contains the latest fash
ionable dance for the feet, the latest fashion,
able novel for the head, and the latest FASH
ionable fancy-work for the fngers.-Lorti-
ouhurist.