Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-07
French Morals and Manners CuI
ture Of the Partisan Young Lady.

From Appleton's Journal j.
The devotion of the French mother to
her children is very great, and her house-
while nowhere can be seen greater dis
plays of devoted affection and demon-
strative foudness than in well ordered
French household. Frequently, even
after the marriage of the younger mem
bers, the united families continue to live
together under the same roof-and the
pleasing spectacle is often exhibited of
three generations sitting daily at the
same board, and dwelling together under
the patriarchal control of the grand
parents. The separation of families,
almost universal with us, when the new
scions are usually transplanted to the
West, and the parents are left solitary in
their old age, while their offspring are
peopling new regions, far from the old
homestead, is not 30 common in France,
and the tendency is to cluster together,
not to scatter. Thus the parental in.
fuepce is felt and exerted throughout
life, the experience and wisdom of age
over tempering the wild and head
long ardor of youth and the maturer
plans of manhood; for the foundation
Of all society is in the family, and
the stronger that tie, the healthier and
happier will be the society built upon it.
In all societies, woman gives it the tone,
whether as mother, wife and head of a
household and the training she receives
determines the measure of her influence,
and the good or evil effects it produces.
Tho training of the French girl is excep-
tionably good for the purpose, and her
purity of mind and freshness of feeling
preserved by the system, which is sneered
at by those who do not comprehend it.
The parental supervision of the boys is
very strict; but that over the girls is
stricter still, and they are treated as chill
dren up to the period of assuming the
obligations of the heads of households
the mselves, and guarded as carefully
from all contact with the other sex as
under different system in the East.
The mind and heart of young French
girl, tenderly Hurtursd, are like virgin
page of paper on which no Impressions
have yet been msde-innocent of evil
thoughts or deeds, and unhackneyed by
premature experiences. The will of the
parents has ever been the child's law;
and that pernicious make. believe love-
making, styled Irritation lin which
young Americs indulges freely on enter
ing her teens-the French girl would
shrink from as immodest and shameless.
The French girl is taken early into So
ciety, but always under her mothers
wing and strict supervision; and her
shrinking modesty and timidity of man
ner surprise the American or English
man, accustomed to the frank fearless
ness of his fair young compatriots, who
agree with the poet Burns that
"A mans a man for a. that"
and by no means an alarming creature.
"The Girl Of the Period" as dissected in
Saturday Repieio and Echoes from the
Clu6s-who doubtless exists on that side
Of the channel, and whose imitators, with
the aid Of strong glasses, we can detect
on the Fifth avenue and on Broadway
even here--is unknown in France, who
may export her native follies, but never
imports one from abroad, not being an
initiative country in such matters.