Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-08
r.e ssstravausnco Of women.

The London Times, in a careful article on the
condition Of English society, touches upon one
topic with criticism which applies very forci-
bly, to American society, or, ut least, to that
part Of American society which is to be found
in the larger towns and cities of the United
States.
The Times says it must always be with pain
and delcacy and hesitation that it makes any
allusion to those who are supposed to be less
able to defend themselves, and the more
under just authority, as well, 1t must be added,
as also the most sinned against. But one re-
mark must be made.
Even on the most superficial survey OF society,
whether in the great furnace of the metropolis
or in the lesser fires of provincial and rural life,
who can shut his eyes to the lamentabe fact
that the gentler and kindlier sex have d very
great deal to do with that boundless and rum
ous extravaganza which Introduces all the vices
and disables all the virtues, even TO decay and
extinction? 1t may be the necessity or the duty
| of some to spend princely fortunes in princey
| pomp and luxury if so, they are only to be
ptied for the difficulty of doing it gracefully,
| and redeeining material waste with personal re-
| inement But in this great town and i'll each
| season more than the last, thers are thousands
| and thousands who are manifesty spending far
/ more than their circumstances Will allow.
| For very much OF this deep, widespread, and
| still spreadipg evil the women are answerable.
| IL il they who dress at rate far beyond their
| income they who insist OH the best houses i'll
the neighhorhood they who must have equi-
pages for all uses, times and places they who
| cannot abate their manifold requirements even
when the family increases and nober care
should take the place of childish things.
Of course, the men have their besetting sins
and their pet extravsgances sometimes very
costly and they have often the still greater
fault of not explaining their pecunlary affairs tt
; their wives with manly oandor or common busl
ness-hke accuracy. They do not make the wife
| a confdaut and fellow counsellor. But there
houses the lady knows quite enough to see, witt
a very little reflection, that she ~ driving hel
, husband and family into straitness and embar
rassment, with the risk of ruin,
People must have many and very good acres
y | or yery good investments indeed, to be able tc
spend often the rental Of good estate in single
| entertainment, dress makers or an upholster
er's bill, u house at fashionable watering place
G a prolonged continental tour, necklace. o
o some other toy. Yet women are such creature
q of rivalry and display that they cannot help
sort OF triumph over those who are less fortu
D nate or less spirited, and so are continually tn
/ foremost to intame pernicious rivalry. Wha
i. can their husbands do They submit perhaps
They sulk perhaps They more commonly cas-
about for ways and means, and, as they hear ar
o learn more, they are more apt to take counet
it from despair, and give Themselves up to til
). stream iu which they are already floating hell
essly.
: They cannot be worse than they are they ma
o be better. So they speculate that il, they gam
II BILE. They soon find they are victims, and set
down to their simplicity or their scfuples Il
i and by they make the discovery that in such .
affair it il better to be ut the head than at til
l. tail better to be the right side of the wall
!, better to be in the ring than an outsider.
- they press inward, give and take confidence, al
e. in time are millionaires, bankrupt and exile