The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-13
Another Social Revolution.
WOMEN TO DO THE CoURrING.
From the Herald Of Healtb.I


men were designed TO be more delicatey organ
ized), taking the standpoint from the best models
which is the true criterion all others being exceO
tionsl therefore, there is prOprety in admit
ting that a woman has a right 10 choose her hus-
band, just as much so as for man to choose
wife and the only preteXt for denying this is
based upon the inferior one of sex only. Ia say
ing this. ! shall have the whole innumeTable army
Of romsnce writers and readers, a. well as the im
beetles OF both sexes, crying out against me new
ertheess, / stand TO the point. and nail my cOlO-s
to the mast IN defense OF that il Is right proper
and delicate for woman to choose her husband
and the man thus distinguished by her choice will
feel himself ENROLLED and sancufed, aud will
award such woman with tenfol tenderness and
reverence.
am by no means willing to have it understood
that / counsel women TO go about popping the
question" TO men here and there like an army of
grensdiers; far from il. A man rarely "pOps the
question ;ii be is pretty well assured ia his own
mind as to the kind Of response he will receive
and in all cases refined woman prevents a lover
from explaining himself where she is bent upon
denial Of bis suit Literature is full of heroines
who are practlcing after the fashion of the re.
nowned Spartan boy, and we follow them through
innumerable pages of vapid sentiment, where
they are living and acting my rads of lies 10 order
20 uphold theory false in fact and false TO ma.
ture.
1be two sexes are one 10 a scientific point of
view, and there is no merit in woman who lays
her Leart on the altar of pride merely for the
rejected than for man TO be so II men and
women we're high and true, they would each re.
gard the other IN 80 pure, 80 holy a light that
these goings forth of the heart would be too sa-
cred ever to be revealed; they would be too
so emn for Jest too deeply real for gossip. they
would be land away, shrouded like many human
hope. dead but beautiful, in the lone chambers of
the sou, to be looked upon reverently, Just as so
many of us garner in some secret receptacle a
leaf, bud, q lock Of hair whose history is known
only TO rs and the angels.
Let Our women be free not only to reject, but
to choose also. Men aud women are likely TO do
this without any great expenditure of language
for the vocabulary Of love is more expressive
than words.
have known several women Of refinement and
intellect who owned that their husbands were
rather sought after by them than otherwise, aud
these matches were certainly among the hsppiest
have ever known.
In choosing husband it is easier to say what
woman should not choose than to say what she
should for the best must and will depend on
Characteristics best known TO herself. IL she il a
strong woman she may venture to marry weak
man. but il weak herself, let her beware of this
for she will put her own life out at last, and ten
20 one do the same ungraciOus Office for her hus-
band; while a woman of n0bler proportions will
be more forbeariug, and make up, also, for some
OF his deficiencies.
Let not any woman marry man with insane
blood in his veins.
Let her not marry one deformed at birth; the
disasters and accidental destruction of any mem.
bers by war or otherwise, may excite her COM
passion and he impeachment TO deep affection,
but cUngentsl defect becomes hereditary, aud
by the laws of our being will De repugnant to
wholesome minded woman.
che can not and will not marry drunkard.
She should not marry diseased, sckly man.
Neither will wise woman marry an old man,
for the true idea of marriage is the unioa Of
youth, and health, and beauty thorough com.
pleteness of spiritual, mental and physical life;
and a ia oil hrF.a
to a sympathetic, peGetratve mind, as violation
of immutabe laws.
She will not marry man younger than herself,
not simply for the reason so often advanced, that
q woman grows old sooner than a man, which il
true only because of the abuses of society for
woman of sound health and cheerful mind, uu-
sWayed by the vulgar and wicked passions Of
envy, jealousy aud malice, carries in her own
breast fountain Of perpetual youth and beauty
Let her be temperate in all things; preserve her
person fresh as rose; her mind ind warfed by
prejudice or idleness her soul, with all all its
affections and impulses, pure and loving, and she
may go onward to her eighty. ninety. or hun
dTed years generally beautiful to the last, fit for
reverence and admiration, and worthy to sit for
one of Michael Angeles Sibyls.
Moral obligations Of many kinds are so intan-
gible that, unless carried to that excess which
shows the best part Of manhood utterly corrupt
and deprayed, a woman is not likely TO know of
them, and she should be unwilling TO listen to
common scandal; she must not trust to any spy
or informer, but rely npon his truth and her own
institutions.
II she expects to find Chevalier Bayards, and
Admirable Crchtons, and Immaculate Josephs
ready for her asking. she will most likely remain
without husband. She can only hope Tor an APP
Proclamation TO the ideal; but if she il true
hearted, sincere TO the core, unselish aud lovely
in her own life. she will be TO make the dear
one whom she allows to be head Of the republic
at home not only happy man, but progress.
siyely good man, growing into spiritual insight,
advancing in dignity and manly worth, for she will
be bis hep mste in building this house.
In conclusion, think woman will not marry
before she is twenty, for, by so doing she loses
that fresh, joyous, hopeful period of life, and
very essential part of il for the sake of health,
study and consolidation of CHARACTERIZED girl.
hood and she will, in after life be sure to mourn
the loss Of this lovely period She will be twenty
at the very least when she msrres, and, like
true woman, she will look for right manly man,
who will be handsome in her eyes, and represent
as nearly as possible her ideas Of masculine per-
fection-good sense, mental, moral and physical
health: aud, above all, the certain fore-rest aud
prOtectiyeness, always attractive in the eyes of
WOman.-[E Elizabeth Oakes Smith.