The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-04-22
sTAUNTON VIRGINIA, THURSDAY. APRIL %. 1876.
The British Matron.
A Pungent Opinion by One WAo Doesn't Par
ticulorly admire Her.

A P,sngent Opinion By One WAo Doesn't Pa
tscularly Admire Her.
don't like the British matron. She is pr
JUDGED, narrow-minded, intolerant and egg
tlstical.. She rules her husband with rod {
IRON; she gathers her children, like a hen III
der her wings. She is model of rigid virtue
what Caesars wife ought to have been, hot OF
| ~ chaste but above suspicion; though, 70
that matter, she is generally so far flat, stall
and uninteresting," that it would be imposs
pie for Scandal personified to imagine any
thing against her. She carries he impenetra
bllity-as some carry their hearts-upon he
sleeve
| Yet not for moment would I abolish o
even subdue the British matron. The yer,
harshness of the rigidity of her virtue, and tn
way IN which she secures her chicks under he
shielding wings, make her sacred. She is
bulwark OF English morality; and, spite o
eyer-recurring lapses: England is the mos
moral country in the world, and its women thu
| most vrtuous, Long may she remain so! fol
| the prosperity of country rests upon its mo
rallty, especially that OF its women.
At the same time bulwark is not a pleas
ant thing when you examine it closely. 1t is
hard, harsh and angular. Admitting its util-
ity, one admits all. 1t is not large hearted
nor made for generous impulses, but essential
~ to hold its own and repeal attacks. 1t is
not bland and suave, like some bay that re-
celves without permitting the entertainments
OF the sea, which might, nevertheless, gain a
stealthy advantage were not the bulwark or
breaker stationed at Intervals as corrective
1t is not the cozy little inlet that rather invites
the waves to friendship than repels; but it is
the stern antidote to the fair aud frail white
cliff that, left alone, would betray the land to
the overwhelming tide.
10 leave metaphor alone, the true wife and
true woman exists apart from the British ma
tron. The true woman and true wife is pure
without being prudish her virtue is not the re-
suit OF training, but the direct gift of God.-
She is Innocent and unsuspicious, and it never
enters her heart to imagine that others are not
as herself, ''To the pure all things are pure"
But her heart is tender and mercful. When
she hears of vice-wllich she seldom does-she
is pitiful, very pitiful. Her nature does not
par1ake Of the just Judge who condemns, but
Of the Divine Savor's who pleads for criminals
before the awful throne. She weeps tears of
sorrow that sin has been committed, and would
be glad if she could bring the sinner from
darkness to light, Meanwhile. she never.
thinks OF evil unless it is thrust upon her sight
All her paths, if not strewed with roses, are
at least free from weeds. Her sky is always
blue, and the light of heaven visible. She
does not sit in Judgment on the actions OF her
1ficUuS, WHOM SIZE DCliCFcS 10 nc all SOOu anu
true Her children are not tramlneled and fet-
tered; she believes in them and their good
ness. She does not dream OF ruling her hus-
band; on the contrary, his wishes have always
been her law, and she has known them SO
long that every little Granny and crank
Of his character is familiar to her; and
she lovingly cares that no irritating element
shall disturb him. On his side he repsys he+
goodness by unbounded tenderness, and hap
rpra in, tf,a atY,,N- ,Isy.a Of
home sssqTs GfictT
ness or in playful fAniliaritics. She rather en-
the visits of friends, and young
friends OF both sexes. She enjoys and herself
excels in badinage. She is the soul Of hospital
ity and hereasy nlannerssc her guests at ease.
and often accomplished Naturally without
vanity she displays her own and her children's
talents, and calls out all those OF her guests; /
Jealousy OH such matters never enters her
thoughts. She lives in a very genial atnlos-
phere, a perpetual summer. With her, as with
the British jury, every one is innocent until
proved guilty. Yet she would shun contact
with aught that was wrong, as the ermne,
which will lose its life rather than soil its pure
white fur She has no spontaneous suspicion
of guile. get gulle is abhorent to her. She is
all goodness. and blind to the want of it in
others to detect such want wonsl pain her
heart as much as shock her principles. She is
too easy. perhaps, to keep the world i'll order;
as in religion the most perfect christians are
too tolerant and mild to avert encroachments
on the faith, and fanatics render the service
soldiers do to clvilans-keep the enemy at bay.
The British matron decidedly serves the use
full purpose; she is the socia soldier. She is
not generally a highly edlcatedwoman, Or enc
capable OF receiving high culture, though SOM
times she may be so. No home is properly reg
ulated, no children rightly traincdy except her
own. Nobody's iaeas-especially, her hus-
band 's-are correct except her own and these
are the law OF right and wrong in all things,
even to the contrasts of color in a dress, and
the pronuncia ion of word in her household.
Proprety is her chief deity. After prepriety,
and. indeed as sort Of sacriflcial worship to
her idol, she and all her family attend strictly
to the observance OF the religious faith which
they profess; and the worship of propriety de-
mands that they should profess faith, and de-
clare it firmly and in Il marked manner. y
Tinsleys Magazine.