Greenbrier weekly era. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1854-1861, 1856-05-20
Ill1 1AHT KAAW Y
Woman at Home.

Vnluu Ill llUlilC.
"It may be only a fancy Of ours,"
says Mrs. Kirkland, III one of her adj
mirabie essays, "thut Providence has
so decidedly fitted woman for house.
hold cares, that she is never truly heal.
thy und happy without them, but if it
be a fancy, it is one which much obser-
vation has confirmed"
We commend these words to serious
consideration. The general bad health
CT females in what are called the re-
spectacle classes, is subject that we
have often referred to for it is ono
that effects not the happiness of fami-
lies merely, but the veal Of tho whole
community; not to sny u future one
also. Physicians tell US that not one
lady in ten, in a great city, enjoys ro-
bust health. Mrs. Kirkland, we sus-
pcct, has explained the cause. 1t is
certain thnt women generally. who arc
not compelled to labor for livelihood
directly, neglect exercise almost cntiro-
ly, und hence bring on themselves dys-
pcpsu, nervous disorders, and other
diseases. 10 perform house work is too
frequently considered degrading. Even
where the mother, IN obedience to the
traditions of youth, couacscends occa-
>ionally to labor, the daughters brought
up in perfect idlencss, take no bodily
exercise except that Of walking i'll fine
weather, or riding in cushioned carri-
ages, or dancing at party. Those, in
short, who can afford servants, cannot
demcau themselves, as they thiuk, by
domestic laborS. To make up bed is
regardc! often, as cxhaus,ing beyond
description; 10 sweep Il cnrpet is view
ca as worse thau field work iu q cane
field while 10 scrub--alas modern
; feminine language, copioas us it is, has
! no words TO cl aractcrizc this inhumnn
cruel task. The result, is. that all such
; lose what little health they started in
liz" with, becoming feeble in exact pro-
portion as they become fashionable.
In this neglect of household cares,
| American females stand alone. A Ger.
man Indy, no matter how lofty her rank,
never forgcts that DON este labors con-
due" to health Of body aud mind alike.
An English lady, whether she be q
gcn.ieman's wife or a dukes, does not
! despise her household. aud even though
she has house keeper, devotcs a por-
ton Of her time to this, her true, her
happicst sphere. It is reserved for our
republican fine ladies 20 be more oho;co
:. 10 'e'' sHelr lnonnrchical and aristo.
cratic sisters. Tho result is n lassitude @
of mind often rs fatal to health as the
neglect of bodily exercise. The wife
who leaves her household cares to her
servants, pays the penalty which has
been affixed to idleness siuce tho foun-
datlon of the world and either willis
away from sheer ennui. or is driven in.
to nll sorts Of fashionable folles to fud
ELI miloyment for her mind. II she does
not loung on n sofa, reading novels nil
day, and growing paler and more nerv~
o"s every year; if she does not weaken
her chest, aud iniure her eyes by stoop.
ing over crotchet work, or embroidery !;
she drives about shopping, or visits for
the purpose Of gossip, or sleeps till noon
to recover from the fatigues of the last
nights ball ; in word, in one way or
another shc Injuries her health most ia .
| tally.
Men flud occupation in business, in
literature, or in profession and M
| idle man is provcrbiaIly considered in
! ! cril of soul and body. How is it that
women net so universally n if they were
exempted from the evils Of Iudolencc Z?
Want Of occupation rarely leads them
into great vices, aud therefore they
fancy it does not injure them at ali.
But alas there are small vices into
which many fine ladies fall, such as
backbi'ing, enviousuess, and gossipipe
generally which, if they are not as gross
as the sins Of idle men, are bad enoupL.
Ii household cares were moro generally Y
attended TO, we should see but little Of
these evils, and woman in good society
would be much happier, and much more
loveable. This is plain speaking; but
the truth must out. It is not the fashion.
able gndabout. who lives on false excite
hent, that wins or retains the love of a
man for real worth. a thousand times
dcarer is she, who, like the wife Words.
! worth bas i,Dmortalized, does not COP
slider domestic cares beneath her,
'I saw her, on nearer Wow,
a spirit, yet Il woman too;
| ller household motions, light and FREQ,
And steps Of Virgin liberty"
We fear, however, that it will take
more than this or all the journals Of the
nation, to remove this caucsr of social
life. But tho press Gun, at least, do
something. While so many Of the evils
uuder Which tho sex suffer urc receiving
The Intention Of feminine conventions,
here Is one that woman has brought OIL
herself, and to which we Gull her aHeu-
! ton.
HAVE you ever thought Of what that
man is wh 0 teaches children? You 70
Into the orksbop Of wheclright he
is II making wheels aud shafts, aud you
say lie is useful mau; you eutcr tho
house OF weaver who is making cloth,
and you say ho is a valuable man you
visit the black smiths shop, where YOU