The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1859-07-27
A Plea for Health and Horticulture,

Beecher. The work is entitled :;Plan and
Pleasant Talk About Fruits, Flowers and
Farming" The following Plea for Health
and Horticulture is copied lherefron -
h.. Every one knows TO wha. an extent wo.
men are afflicted with nervous disorders.
neuralgia affections as they are more softly
termed. 1t is equally well know that for
merly when women partook from childhood,
of out of door labors, aud. were confined less
TO heated rooms and exciting studies, they
had comparatively few Disorders of nature.
! With the progress ofsociety, fevors increase
hrst, because luxurious eating vitiates the
blood dyspepsia follows next, because the
stomach instead of being laboratory, is
turned into mere ware house, into which
everything is packed, from the foundation
to the roof, by gustaiory stevedores. Last
of all comes neuralgia complaints, spring.
ing from the, muscular enfeeblement and
the nervous excitabiliiy OF the system.
Late hours at night, and later morning
hours, early applications 10 books, a steady
training for accomplishment, viz : embroi-
derry, lace work, painting rice paper, casting
wax.fowers SO ingeniously that no mortal
can tell what is meant, lilies looking like
huge goblets, dahias resembling battered
cabbage these together with practising or
the piano, or something extra is meant, u
little lum, tum, tumming, on the harp, aud
little tingtong OIL the guitar reading ola
dies books" Crying over novels, writing in
albums, and original correspondence with
my ever adored Matilda, Euphrosyne; are
the materials, too often, of fashion able
education. While all this refinement is
being put on, girls are taught from eight
years old, that the chief end of woman is to
get beau, and convert him into husband.
Therefore, every action must be on purpose,
must have distinct object in view. Girls
must not walk fast, tina: is not lady-like
nor run, that wonid be shockin ingly vulgar;
nor scamper over the fields. merry and free
as the bees or the birds, laughing till the
cheeks are rosy, and romping till the blood
marches merrily in every vein /; for, says a
prudent mamma, my dear, do you think
Mr. Lack a'daisy would marry girl whom
he saw acting SO Questionable m Thus in
every part OF education, those things are
| pursued, whose tendency is TO excite the
brain and nervous system, and for The most
part those things are not "refned" which
would envelope the muscular system, give
q natural fulness 10 the form, and heal:h
and vlgor TO every organ CT it. The evil
does not end upon the victim: of fashiona-
BILE education. Her feebleness, and morbid
tastes, and preter-natur excita5ility are
transmitted to her children, and TO their
children. If il were not tor the rural habits
and health of the vast portion Of, our popu.
lation, trained to hearty labor on the soil,
the degeneracy of the race ir cities would
soon make civilization curse 10 the health
| oil mankind.
Now we have not a word to say against
accomplishments" when they are real, and
are not purchased at the expense of girls
constitution. She may dance like Miriam,
paint like Raphael, make wax fruit till the
birds come and peck at the cunning imita-
tion she may play like Orpheus, harping
after Eurydice Tor what will be more to the
purpose. like Eurydice harping after an Or
pteus) she may sing and write poetry 10 the
moon, and 10 every star in the heavens, and
every flower on earth, TO zephys, to memory,
10 friendship, and 10 whatever is Imaginable
in the spheres, or on the world-if she will,
IN the midst OF these ineffable things remem.
Der the most important facts that health is q
blessing that God makes health to depend
upon exercise, and temperate living in all
respects and that the great object of our
existence, in all respects TO ourselves, is a
virtuous and pious character, and in respect
to others, the rising and training of family
after such sort that neither we, nor God.
shall be ashamed Of them.
Now we are not quite so enthusiastic as
to suppose that Horticulture has in it a balm
for all these mentioned ills. We are very
moderate in all expectations, believing only,
that it may become very important auxili.
ary in maintaining health Of body and pnri-
ty of mind. When once mind has been
touched. with zeal in Horticulture it seldom
forge:s its love- If our children were earlv
made little enthusiasts for the garden, when
they were old they would not departfrom it.
A woman's perception of the beauty of
form, OF colors, of arrangement, is natural
ly quicker and Tuer than that of man's.-
Why should they admire. these only in paint.
ing, in dress, and in furniture? Can human
heart equal what God has made in variety,
hue, grace, symmetry, ORDER and delicacye
A beautiful engraving is often admired by
those who never look at natural landscape;
ladies' become connoisseurs of "ariificials,"
who live in promoximity 10 real flowers
without spark of. enthusiasm for them
We are persuaded that, if parents, instead
of regarding disposition 10 train flowers
as useless trouble, as a, waste of time, Il
pernicious romancing, would inspire the
love of it, nurture and direct it, would save
their daughters from f,lss taste, and all love
of meretricious ornament. The most en-
thusiastic lovers of nature catch something
of the simplicity and truthfulness of nature.
Now constant temptation to female vani-
ty (if 1t may be supposed for the sake of
argument TO EXIST is display of person, of
dress, OF equippage. I'm olden time, without
entirely hating their beauty, our mothers