New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-26
CHILDHOOD AND MATERNITY,
.,nvo0 or MRS. JULIA WARD HOWE BEFORE
ND"A TIE NETWORK REFORM LEAGUE.

NJ. ru,,a Ward Howe under tho auspices OF the New
vort Reform League. The exercises were PLEASANTLY
carried by vocal music and ROTATIONS, one OF which, the
Ballad OF Babc Bell" singuarly appropriate to
the OCCASION Aaron NJ. Powell, who presided. Mrs-
Mary r. Davis Mrs Cora L. " Tappan and Others, made
short addresses in support Of the views OF the essays
Mrs. Howes address IA follows
ADDRESS OF MRS. HOWE.
Something called me from my books morning to
that great gospel of Nature, whose texts are not In
measured words, and have no stamp OF metaphysical
prejudice or prediction. The beauty OF the Summer
makes present to the beauty OF those blossoms OF
humanity whose fair PROMISE alas Is but half fulfilled
In human fe leaving great debt to be worked out In
dviner natures beyond mortal seeing and growing
Only the ideal human-ony the angel can realize what
the child foreshows. but cannot bring to pass.
must here pause ask and two very contra
dctory questions What is the most precious thing that
each generation has in its keepng What Is that which
IL most eglects and UNDERWRITERS To both must make
one answer-its children. do not wish to rhapsodizo
on the beauties of childhood, but must allow myself
little time in which speak Of Them Artists know tho
value OF the fresh outlines and undmmed colors In the
emporium of the beautiful. Hair in which the
sunlight Is tangled as in net, fairly caught
and made to do duty. Eyes dreamy AS
evening skies, and with a sleepy star flash In
them the delicate hues OF Spring the odors OF Summer
limbs whose undstorted aptitudes invent new graces,
and In movement or In sleep, give the model 10 SOUP
torsa speech which grows from the cooling of the dove
through poetic periods OF myth and aegory to the s-
yer cadences OF adoescencea heart with its little trea
sons its little selfish corners but, also. with what
powers OF mutation, Of generosity, OF enthusiasm My
God This you give to woman in return for her anguish
Of an hour. This you give to man for the pains ana
Responsibilities of paternity The labor Is great the re-
ward is inestimable. But oh how do we receive your
gift
Mr.. Curtis got some ill-w by portrait, too
easily recognized of q of fashion at the German
tine father sitting I'm tho cloak room, and thinking
anxiousy about the young babe whom the mother had
forgotten would not he spteful or sentimental over
such an occurrence Many Of us have, Willingly or
unwillingy, kept such august visitors %ag
to cali the truant mothers from tho ballroom cou
that Won have this lovely guest only todayf Tomorrow
he will be other, and other the next Day h n 'iu n
but one sweet dawn-one short Sprng-time On MAKE
haste and enjoy what passes rapidly ana docS no
Very irrational and unasthec IS the leaving Of chill
dren 10 the companonship OF servants. DO you hre
man to drink your finest wine woman 10 wear your
best silks and Iewesf But nurse faunts up and down
the park or promenade with your pretty one The hie
ling not the true shepherd feeds your lambs You woud
be much ashamed to drag your babys carriage, or 70
carry him through single square in your arms. Yet
nothing that you can wear should so Dee1me You
move, II you wish it, your neighDors aenraaIn oa
envy, that with which you are content 10 auoIh
stranger.
But what shall we say of the fashionable dscredt OF
maternity of society turning it's power Of nnuendo ana
depreciation against the sacred source of its own lie
remember in my early married life that expectaht
maternity seemed social disgrace to be conceacd IN
long and sedulousy possible II alluded to II was
made q subject of COMMUNICATION or OF unweicohe
raery The happy models OF social life were those VINO
had two children only. large family was IN IL
have indeed seen the reverse OF this. have seen
beauty made more beautiful. ana dgHly mbieS 10
woman receives, along with her chud, portion W us
youth and freshness.
ward anticipated days and weeks, too precious with
nope 10 De carelessy counter anu @ Iii, u,on 4,
cases, the mother Is prophecies ana her chd when
comes embodied word of God WO TO any act or omis
sion that should silence it!
subject TO the mental and physical exhauston consc
power Of human beings should guard against this The
variety of pleasures and interests in common allow
and sympathetic, upon high and noble plane Oh aIee
ton Yet parentage 10y o NV S U ns roron period
Keen M her dignity Of mind her individuality of char
acter while this heavy business OF the nursery IS gong
Shall she not have pleasures Iecreatlons pursuits
lief great deal of occupation other than the drill
OF the nursery But she must not ma IL IN what usr
ton She must refresh herself with pursuits that build
up, not with those that drag down 49,, ,,.,o,n,
In this view study better restorative than uancng
or fashionable visiting. The mother cannot improve nor
own mind without at the same time increasing ner
power of aiding the young minds OF her children inc
proper rearing children art to which, rs to other
arts science is largely auxiliary The great progress OF
the in moral and mental hygiene mas peeh no
where benefcent than in the nursery There IL mas
substituted ventilation for coseness exercise ana care
full diet for frequent medicine ana precept ior Pu5n
ment. But these benevolent changes VIII rareIy DC
found in nursery neglected OF the mother NOT VIII
mother ignorant of the reasons upon which they are
founded be very likely to enforce ana maintain thei
degree of study, intelligence, and patience. ia
Our friends the Germans, wonderful IN ther gllls OF
labor and intellectual invention have studied out com
pete rationale Of childhood ana even OF DaD{ hoou 90
delicate and valuable do they consider the lsceht
susceptibes Of life that they rise up to deprecae the
Ossnes5 and stupidity OF the usual routine followed Dy
uninstructed mothers and nurses Life shall thus DO
harmonized from its very beginning. Little cnlldren
gathered and amused in orderly assembages shall enjoy
the life in common, which so greatly delights the with
the early training OF order and p0liteness In simple
songs devices they shall learn the OF nature
Easy processes OF construction shall replace the trouble
some and costly work of demolition. =.
In Of childhood arraign the present basis OF
society. II allows no room Tor posteTy III does What
women on such basis of seshness poverty OF spirit
greed of luxury that the sacred results OF parenage
hopes The who worships his own ease and ranges
all relations and circumstances around him III snDOrdin
ton TO his sovereign Will and convenience.how shall
he welcome the little mouth that comes, asking bread
and gng none the hands that will do mischief unless
dangerous enemy IL not tendery trained into loving
riend know OF a man. the possessor OF large wealth
When congratulated upon the birth of the latter he re-
piled in complaining tone: she has taken $1,000
gift of God thus art thou estimated, thus dis
pissed Truly, can nnderstana tnat pnrist wn %af
and Eew-York would, fear, be too fine to
give him to-day. am far from wishing to decaim
in favor Of the millennium! God who made the world TO
please Himself, did make every man St. John, nor
every woman loving Mary. i esteem and value the
human variety and would lose shade OF Its precious
and endless indvidualities But know when the most
influential classes OF society depart from
It's type and model and when the rude and Ignorant
fulh in the mere grossness OF nature, those offices
which should be ennObled by all the Intelligence that ed
ucaton give and adorned by the true sense OF beauty
and Of good So the poor emgans family multiple nh
lug for his children The very rich man. tOo may DC glad
To see his family Increase. Every babe will be a
pomp 10 himhe can afford TO endOw them ALL and dream
ont lucrative offices for his and wealthy marriages
for his daughters. But these extremes leave large