The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1854-01-11

From Putnam's Monthly Magazine.
American Ladies.


one Is surprised at hearing an invitation spo-
ken of as an infiction. and the acceptance Of
it as thing to be eluded by any and every
social art and fiction. We venture TO say
that ou's as the only country under tie sun
aclteTe this is the case. And the reason is
but too obvious; it is, that as general thing,
unless there are people hired to amuse in
some way, there is absolutely nothing expec-
ted at q social gathering but dress and display,
for which not every one has the means or in
clination. Nobody goes into company intend
ing to contribute in the smallest degree to
the pleasure Of Others and 80 the whole thing
is vitiated and hollow. There will be many
Mrs. Potiphar's balls this winter Would
we might live TO see the end Of them.
DO we mean, then 10 say that American
women, as they are, are not accomplished !
Let us summon all our eourage-nay, all our
benevolence, and confess that that is Just what
we do mean. 1--WE have thrust sticks into
hornets nests before now, on purpose to pull
it down and get at some lovely pears that were
growing abOve.) We do say-and let our
unhappy oachelorhood take the blame if we
are Wrong-that American ladies', spite Of
thousand dollar boarding-schools, and i'm.
mensely moustached teachers of everything,
are not practically furnished forth with the
knowledge and skill for which their parents
have paid so much do not carry with them
into their married homes, habits which de-
mand the exercise Of talent, taste and perse-
verance, with the single object of pleasing
those with whom they live, and making home
the centre aud natural theatre Of their best
graces. We do say, and with deeper sor-
row than the subject may seem TO some TO
warrant, that music, dancing and French are
the only accomplishments, technically so call.
ed, cultivated 10 any considerable extent, and
that the first Of these is so entirely perverted
from its divine uses, that no young lady plays
in company for the sole purpose of giving
pleasure, or without an idea Of competition
or display mo young lady" We hear
some Indignant voice exclaim: alas. dear
reader have patience-if there be exceptions,
they are too few 10 be considered. Ask any
splendid singer Of your acquaintance TO sing
an old-fashioned song, one popular twenty or
thirty years ago, and not yet revived" by
some musical prodigy in public, and you
will be convinced. Ask your daughter to
play for your country cousin, and see if she
will play any but the most difficult music,
such as is mere confusion to uninstructed
ears. Request the young lady who sang very
sweetly last evening, In company where
there were only ordinary performers, to oblige
you again tonight. when her rival at Mad
anne IS has astonished the room. But
this is a little aside from our theme. What
we ought rather to say, is. see how large
proportion Of the married ladies Of your ac-
quaintance who have had musical education.
play and sing at all after two or three years
housekeeping. Music is no longer a home
accomplishments family treasure-a life
long Joy. There is delusion about it, which
an ideal woman will see through and live
down. But enough.
Dancing is not worth many words. II is
properly, the joyous expression Of youthful
hilarity and strength, and dies a natural death
as sober hours creep on, and the muscles have
enough TO do otherwise. Let it take care Of
itself, under the sweet guidance of delicacy
and grace. We have no quarrel with it, so
long as it keeps its place.
The study of the French language is, in
most cases, mere mania Of the day, in many
a spending Of time and money without incl
ligent end or aim, since it finishes with the
school days and never had any intended use
as KEY to French literature. If here we
seem to make rash assertions again, we desire
10 be put to test similar 10 the one proposed
Just now. Ask the six most intelligent mar
ried ladies Of your friends, how many French
authors they have read in the original since
they left school, Would we then discourage
the study? Far from it; we would only con-
tinue it through life; we would never under
take it without meaning to do 50. The only
other feasible object of so much toll would be
the chance of marrying one of our numerous
foreign ambassadors OF charges, who would
certainly be made much more respectable in
the eyes of the people abroad, if even their
wives had this indispensable competency for
the position.
AS TO drawing, that lovely home talent in
the exercise of which British ladies 80 gen.
erally excel, how small proportion Of ours
who know anything about it I. A lady artist
Is almost a Litsus nature among us, and even
a tolerable skill in sketching from nature is
extremely rare. OF all the educated Ameri-
can women we know, and that includes good-l
" number encountered in the course of our
wanderings, there are not six who can make
a drawing they are willing or ought to be will
ling to show Why is this? Let us not en-
ter upon the ungracious exposition. Let the
ladies answer the question for themselves.
We have said enough about what are pop
ularly called accomplishments, and shall pur-
sue the topic no further at present. But our
ideal American women is but half indicated
as vet. We have implied her outline BY con-
trast and comparison; lot US now be little
more direct. Having confessed that neither
the grub nor the butterfly is to our taste, we
would further observe that an enlightened
and elegant woman gives her own character
10 her occupations. As she feels, believes
and Is. so will her work be, in kitchen or par.
lor. That shrewd beauty, Lady Mary Wort.
lev Montague, dukes daugter. saw this and
said it, hundred years ago, " Meatbler ant
chans6re," she says; 1--WE quote from memo
rv.l "ce nest pas n1estbter u''e ct'an'6re
Fest oYner un endroit ou 1atte'aeLs nsor
ami. Ordonner Ss souper, etc. Ih'