Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-07-18

INDUSTRY OF ENGLISH LADIEs.-The following ex.
tract from recent letter of English traveller, who
has had the best opportunity of observation in the
first circles Of the United States may surprise some
Of our fine bellies, If any such there be among our
readers.
1t were we'll if a noble emulation could be excited
among our women to initiate what is worthy of imi-
tation in the privileged classes abroad They would
then food their country with light and happiness,
instead of degrading it with poor copies from Eng
land and French novels, and reproducing from par
venu Paris society," foreign ileness and its concom-
itants-gossip, Irritation and extravaganza.
! can assure you that, having lived all my life
about in the different castles and manor houses of
Great Britain, and having been accustomed to the
industrious habits of duchesses and countesses was
utterly astonished at the deness of American fine
ladies'! No English woman of rank with the ex-
ception of a few parvenus) from the Queen down.
wards, would remain for one-half hour unemployed
or sit in rockingham unless seriously ill., They
almost all, with hardly an exception, copy the let
tiers Of business Of their husbands fathers or broth
ers; attend infinitely to the wants of the poor
around Them and even take part in their amuse-
ments and sympathies with their sorrows; visit
and superintend the schools; work in their own
gardens; see to their household concerns think
about their visitors; look the weekly accounts
not only those of domestic expense but often those
Of the farm and the estate; many penny clubs in
CONJUNCTION with the working classes to help them
keep themselves; and with all these occupations by
early hours, they keep up their acquaintance with
the literature and politics Of the day. and cultivate
the accomplishments of music and drawing and of.
ten acquire, besides, some knowledge of literary
pursuits.
The late Warehouses of Lansdowne was so well
acquainted with the cottagers in the neighborhood
that she used to visit and look az the corpses of the
dead because she found that her doing 50, soothed
and comforted the bereaved. have known her Ia
shut herself up with mad woman in her poor
dwelling, who used to lock the door, and could moi
be induced to admit any one else. Lady Lans
downe's only daughter used one hundred guineas
| (given to her by her fatherinaw Lord Suffolk t.
buy bracelet to build pig sites, with his permits
sion, at her husbands little country residence Shs
educated her own children without assistance teach
ing the boys Latin, and the girls all the usua
branches of education.
The late Duchess Of Bedford, I accidentally dis
covered, when on visit to Woburn, had for THIRTY
years of married life risen at o'clock summer AMI
winter, lit her own fire. made some tea for the Duk
and Eerself and then, as he wrote his own letters
business, she copied them, and then came down t
large party of guests at 10 o'clock to dispens
breakfast without saving one word of their matu
tinary avocations, so that you might have been
visitor in the house without finding out that tn
Duke and Dutchess had transacted the necessar
business of the day-before you perhaps, had risen
rather mention those who have gone to their n
ward, than write Of women still amongst us !; bu
you may believe me when say that am constant
ly among those who live such lives of energy an
usefnlness-but they SO apply themselves withou
ostentation or an idea that they are doing mo,
than their simple duty.