The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-01
Fanatics of Ncatncss.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

Ny Dear Mr.. Bonner-I do approve of
order, and do think quite well of neatness,
albeit not greatly gifted myself with either.
All the more, therefore, | deprecate any
influences which shall pervert and turn me
against them But really | do detest ty-
ranny and oppression so much that when
they come yelled under domestic forms,
and with orderly appearances, feel bound
to resist and rebel. Now / have fallen into
houses where neatneSsS was clearly de-
veloped fanaticism, and where order had
become as memorable rs the wheels of 4
a mighty machine, The effect has been
deleterious. / fear that | am often DELHI
erately careless, as a formal protest, and
that | promote disorder as a mere remedy
for inexorable order. 1t is well enough to
make machine of an army. That is an
artificial creation, and blind obedience has
a relation to the end for which it was crea-
ted So, too, in large factory, where
hundreds of hands conspire to work out
profits. it is needtul that they should not be
left to their own individual wills and no.
tons, but follow prescribed routine.
But the family is neither Il machine nor
an army nor mandatory. 1t is an insti-
tuition in which to rear children to virtue,
knowledge, liberty, self-control and Iowa
| bleness. The family was made for the
| children, not children for the family.
| Whenever the routine of daily life assumes
| a machinelike regularity it tends to take
away that ease, that elastic liberty, which
| is so necessary to perfect human being.
| Only an automaton does everything with
| absolute precision and the same everytime.
| A rational human being has variety and
versatility, and to certain extent the
whole economy of the household should
| conform to individual liberty. Washing
day may with entire proptiety come on
| Monday; but ought the household to be
thrown into commissions if upon occasion
it should be suggested that Tuesday may
for once be made a washing day! 1t is
quite judicious to have the chairs arrang-
ed in a certain order; but is a law of ma
ture broken if young folks leave the fur
| niture in different order from what has
| been customary!
1t is good that children be restrained
| from exercising their destructive faculties.
| But are children to be snubbed that bu-
| reaus may be untarnished! Are children to
| be second that furniture may be hrstE
| They must not be loud that disturbs some
| BODY. They must not do this; it will dirty
| their clothes. They must not play in this
| or that manner, for fear of solling or tear
| ing their clothes. At every turn they are
| checked, or cautioned, or reprimanded,
until they hardly dare breath for fear some
thing will be harmed. For this reason
they rejoice to get into the kitchen or the
glorious liberty OF the barn. Thousands
of children find in servants genteness
and ministration of liberty experienced no.
where else.
Blessed be those peaceful women who
know how to secure order without any per-
ceptible restriction of the freedom of the
household Who know how to secure neat
ness without raising q distracting clatter,
and driving one almost mad in the furious
fray upon visible and invisible dirt But
woe be to him who is subject to fanatic of
neatness who thinks order not only 'Heav-
ems first law" but its only law OF any I'M
portance! A sand storm in desert is not
to be desired, but that will soon pass over
but A resolute woman of the broom, MIN
rod, mighty to hunt specks, spots ana DUST
never passes over. She is eternal Age
sharpens her faculties. She has an immor-
tality of disagreeabeness There are many
who, if the question be fairly put-liberiiy,
and dirt, or slavery with neatness-will
throw up their hats for dirty T. Led
qeT.