Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-01-26
EVENINGS III THE COUNTRY
From the Newark Daily Advertiser


The Farmers life is not as dismal as many imagine
The country is not overcast with mantle Of sack
cloth as often represented. Hit has some dark sna-
dows it has also luminous 1t there about it
some repusve features, there are Others both lively
and srGctivc. And il his life has tells and hardshps
he has also of rest and buoyancy. The Tor
mer give him competence and Independence; aud The
latter give him opportunity for social and intellectual
| pleasure. The mechanic may we'll cay, what easy
lie the farmer has, when looking IN upon him during
| the long evenings OF winter II sgricutursts were
TO improve III the advantages tor good living, and for
eocla and mental pre- emaence within their feac }, II
may be affirmed with confidence that other sphere
oil life offers many attractions. 1t is not my pur
pose here 10 speak oil the value oil agriculture, and
those who pursue it as branch OF productive labor
compared with other branches but simply OF such va
ue apperaining to domestic ensyments and lntelec-
tual prominence.
! 1t is indeed true that the country has public
amusements to occupy the time in winter evenings like
! those 10 the city. Here no theatres, no balls,
assemblies museums, and rarely any large parties
tor pleasure public lectures. Hence families in the
country must provide each for themselves their own
amusements. 1t twas formerly the case that the female
portion of the family much occupied 10 the
evening as by day light. Then the whz OF the spin
ming wheel and the catter OF the shuttle, as well
the perpetual snapping OF the knitting need es, told
how true it was that woman was the help meet OF
! man But those days have sped, probably no more to
return The recollection of them is like a dream-
We almost doubt whether it was reality or fiction -
Now ether devices are to be conJured up, other
agencies to be brought into requlsilion render
the country Preside cheerful The female mind il. won
derullv plastic. A female ennui would be rare no.
vcliy Inactivity is no more attribute OF the female
hand or fingers than oil the female tongue. The sew
lag needle is now the implement of women in HE
try for rendering winter evenings of value TO em
well TO keep at distance the sturld and sluggish
demea amor OF those who have no employment.
1t is however, tor the male portion OF The family that
we at present are lahorng 10 provide. What they
to do tor pleasure or profit while the females are
intent to embroidery or plain sewingl With lew ex
cepons they have been accustomed 10 the long
ings OF winter to have regular occupations obody
or mind, and the consequence has been that they gene
rally acquired demeanor denong nought OF spright.
illness or intelligence. How could it be otherw eel
The mind and the b7dy uaoccupied manifest tendea-
cy TO drowsness and sleep, state Of Intellectual
torpor that Is absolutely degrading to rational berg
An evil SO dlsepuable and rulnous should be eschewed
1t is unnecessary. Every may provide against il
To assist in doing this is what we now have to saw
and we sincerely hope a Ito whom we address these
lew remarks will read them and profit from them If
so, our labor will receive an adequate reward
The amount of leisure at the command Of the far
for one half of The year is an ample equivalent for
the severity OF his tolls he other half of it, and if ap
propriated to mental improvement will ultimately raise
him 10 the first ranks of INTEL igence responsibility
| and honor. But few realize how much may be thus
accomplished in this way We would have it STAN
ding regulation iu every farmers family, that at an
early hour each evening all tn members of shall be
collected about The tiresde the females at their do
nestle abors, and the males reading TO them and to
each other from books, magazines, or newspapers IT,
male children OF an age to read with propriety they
should take their rotation 10 doing it. By such ha
bitual exercises all wi become good readers--one OF
the most pleasing and useful accomplishments in life,
and the want OF it not unfreeleny occ asionng the
greatest fcation the Sc who cannot ad well
Being able perform we'll the p;ano-forte or the
being skilled in drawing or dancing is OF nconparaby
less value than being abe enletan for two or three
hours the family circle by clear aud distinct enun-
citation and impressive cadence, when reading to
them from some work OF merit in either OF the great
departments literature, history, biography bellies
ettres, poetry, religion and philosophy. For young
ladies to do this is to occupy prominence in society
honorable to their sex, and exercise over the
other sex an influence and wchery not otherwise at
tanned. To be listener to Young lady 10 the farm
house of winter evening, with coun enance rud "
with health, when reading Milton. or Shakespeare or
Miss Edgeworth, aud to observe every now and then
the piercing glance of her black eve or the me ody Of
her full voice, is 10 shrink before her in wiling ado1
ration and to feel upon the deep recesses Of hr soul
thrilling and responsive pahos 1t would be dbl
cult to imagine Of more absorbing int rest ID
loyelinesa than that OF elder daughter f eou1yy
form aud graceful msnenrs, Just advanced 10 the
stature OF womanhood, read ng in this way 10
her father aud mother, brothers ard younger SID
tiers, for an entire evening The individual not en-
rapured with such scene must be destitue of taste
and Of the to appreciate the human character 10
its greatest loneliness The ordinary amusements Of
city life compared to this iasipd to saw The lea,,
and the ability 10 excel n it denotes mind OF The
highest order.