Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-03-14

WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH II, 1860.
- 80 COMMUNICATED,
4 GLIMPSE INTO HOME MATTERS.

No man OF much observation or uellcalc
appreciation of character, can look into our
social circles and not discover volgarity,
not much inferior to that peryading our
political cabals Our women, though smart
and intelligent, are too prone 70 an lii9feu
pertness which rather proyokes the angular,
tiesof the intellect than the more elevatea
feelings of the heart To be dependent on,
or subordinate to man. in any OF the reia-
tionships of life is to our women feeling OF
DEGRADATION. something against which their
natures rebel. This savage instinct OF in
,3enendence leads them TO shun the hospl-
talities SO fnseparable from every happy
home lest ministration of them might III
some way be coupled with mental attribu-
tes, or dim the tinsel of their wardrobe or
the gloss of their upholstery. With a good
disposition and the proper training, every
woman of sound mind and body can be
useful, while but very few can adorn or
add lustre TO the circles in which they
move.
Great personal charms or great originate
ty of mind may sometimes excuse awoman,s
neglect of the more humble yet important
Offices of life, but can, however, In no way
atone for the injury which this neglect does
10 the economy of life. Hitherto the easy
ACQUISITION of wealth and the many new
openings for the daring enterprises OF young
men, have kept our social circles from beng
oyercrowded by spinsters; but the times are
fast approaching when our young men will
hesitate to assume the trying obligations OF
married life upon the mere commercial
prospect Of making money by risky specu-
lations. Young men of character and edu-
roth lIup All
and maintain their own personal indepen-
dence and dignity, than draw families around
them and become their material slaves
Besides, the future is:destined TO give to CELL
basy dignity and virtue which it has not
had in the past 1t is. for time alone TO vim
dicate its rights.
Tn the growth and prosperity of clubs, in
the increasing disposition of young men to
associate with each other, apart from the
other sex, in their constant presence at pia-
ces Of public amusements without LADIES',
NAV be seen the evidences of decreasing mar
riages and increasing celibacies. This must
have tanning. humbling effect upon wo-
men, must ween them OF their savage indie
pendence, and render them more true to
their social obligations, more alive to the ne
cessty of becoming, not fguratlvely, but
really, social angels. Humility, modesty,
difhdence, are three of the most beautiful
qualities in a woman, and are generally
found only in natures as noble and elevated
by inheritance as by cultivation. Our so
cial circles are barren and chaotic without
them; orderly, refined and edifying with
them. They are as highly important in the
doctrines of Christianity as they are in our
anr no.
as our public assemblies, and promote harmo-
nyand put to rest many of the discordant ele-
ments of our natures. Our youth, however,
are very destitute of them; our teachings
and practices, our social arrangements and
riyalries, our pride and ambition are very
foreign to their growth, if not poisonous to
their maturity. The affections of the heart
have no outlet, have no. soil to grow in
have no sustenance from our superficial and
materialistic education.
In the narrow, dry and contracted coun-
tenances of our young people, III the care
worn. wrinkled and thought-tangled looks,
are to be seen the ravages wrought by the
vitiated condition of our unusually raw So
ciai system. The black shadow OF our daily
obligations is constantly resting on US is
fretting away the best impulses of our lives,
and disturbing and narrowing up the mid
night hours allotted to repose. We banker
after riches, we sigh out our souls for posi-
tions, we pine for aristocratic or goldgllded
connections, we shudder at our own loneh-
ness when the world ceases to be noisy
around us, when our vanity Is not tickled,
when our self-importance is not inflated by
the circle in which we move, without ever
thinking of the impossible gulf between all
this and our true destination as Christians
and members of civilized community
Need we wonder, then, if the social keys sell
dom yield higher tones than those relating
to the kitchen and its inmates, to the low
gossip and frivolous conduct OF n certain
Clique of fashionable gypsies.
We are glad to-know our women so to
church, admire their ministers, and partici-
pate usefully in everything pertaining to
both, but see no necessity on their part to
be constantly talking on the subject; we are
glad to know they have a good doctor,
good music or art teacher, but cannot toler-
ate an eternal tongue rafting about them;
we are glad to know that mothers have had
their daughters highly accomplished and ia
Tiers their sons, but could do without a pa
rental shower of words on the matter; we
IRE glad to see fine furniture, fine houses,
efficient servants, fashionable milliners and
dressmakers, but hate all wearlsome speech
es and tantalizing discussions about them.
The few hours set apart for social recreation
and communion might proftably dispense
with such matters; they are foreign to them,
and ought to be relegated to other times
and places. The conversation of women
ought-at least, if not instructive--to be re-
freshing and entertaining; ought TO cast new
life into the careworn souls of business and
professional men. Their querulousness,
their loneliness and their tawdriness loosen
the bonds between them and men, and be-
get want of manly sympathy for them
upon which alone they can securely rely.
If parents are not able or willing to give
marriage dover to their daughters, and
have them nursed thereby in athuent ease,
they ought at least to feel the religious obi
CATION of giving them. a good domestic train
ing and thorough disciplnation in every
thing relating to household management
and household economy These useful quail
tiles are seldom without an important bear
ing upon the union, happiness and general
well-heing of every family, and tell power
fully upon the prosperity and moral conser-
walton of our successors. They are as gold
compared to the fashy and superficial ac-
complishments of most Of our young people,
and serve as pillars of support when reverses