New-York tribune., 1881-09-11
WOUEN At FIFTY.
FrOin The lSnectnt.lr.


1t is absolutely untrue that under tolerablv fair
conditions, woman rs Uf we may repeat that crude
phrase) played out" when she has forty five.
III all goes WELL or even not very III, woman more
frequently than not takes new departure at about
hity 1t Is prcposterous to assume that a woman
oi mature age ls likely to be behind her growing
daughters. or her growing sons in effectiveness of
intellect III aptitude for subjects or old, in
general brightness and susceptibility In what
might be called quality" in the French sense of
the word she is upon the supposltions we have
just made, so much the superior beng that if the
daughcrs, ana the sons too do not feel IL, there is
something wrong with them. 1t must, indeed,
be granted as preliminary that there is love be-
tween the husband and the wife, and that the young
petple are good III harness ana above all, IN them
selves; but with these incluslons, little more is
needed And the battle is TO be won along the
whoc me gray ha'r Is gray hair a crow's-foot
a crow s-ioot-and these rarely come to the young;
but "cel tainly,' as LORD Bacon says, it is no
marvel though persons III years seem. many times
more amable. pnichr0run dRtaRnas puicder for no
youth can lie comely but Ey pardon. and consider
ing the youth as to make up the comelness." 1t is
the mistake ot glddy adolescence, or sand-bnd
conceit, TO suppose that woman of fifty cannot be
eNqusltely beautiful, cannot command man
throughout the whole range of his nature cannot
take up all the gladness of life and beautifully
radate il again, for him and for Others. In all his
we are, OF course leaving out, with sad heart, the
miserable life of the very poor. But even with the
poor the general rule holds; and among them
some of the plcasantest, brightest. handsomest
women are women of advanced maturity. but re.
leased IRON the pressure of the cares and tolls
even be observed TO take fresh start in mental
growth they read more and, mixing more with
agreeable companions than ever These remarks
become more striklngly trne, as we carry our ewes
up ward IN the scale of money and culture Rahei
VINO was always Ill, wrote at tfy years of age that
she felt in most particulars just she did az four
teen or ttteen that she had. the whole. the same
opinions and inclnatons at thirty, only that the
back ground OF her llife was cher with gathered
experience and well connected thought. She laid
stress upon the connectedness, meaning. no doubt
that she could take rds-cye views better than in
earlier life and she adds that at her ripe age a
joyful ycarnng or tendency TO look forward had
sprung up i'll her, which was kind of echo OF tie
feeling OF early youth.
or course, every woman is not Rahel but IL
was certainly no fault of hers to expect too much
of the young; why, she asks, should they believe
the old "Wrinkles are no testimony" No; but
one may add that they can believe " for the works
sake "; and. in spite of prejudice of neaTneSs. ap-
prehend n little of what Rahcl meant, and what is
excmpited III the lives and letters of numbers of
women of ripe age. Not to quote other ladies of
great ability aud culture take n very ignorant old
country dame. William Godwin'S mother. She
puts Succages" for sausages, and had. on the
whole "a hide-bound sort of intellect; but what
wise, hearty, lively penetrating letters she writes
The colt Goodwin. himself fort y-tive, SAYS at her
death that he felt If he had no one 10 counsel
him and take care OF him. But, 10 go TO type
common enough, something between Dame burden
and Rahel, take the mother of Frederick, in Mr..
Coventry Patmores " Faithful for Ever; you may
meet her any day in ordinary society. Nothing can
be more beautifully wise than her letters: and
though II is true that poet writes the felictous
things for her, yet the poet has something OF Rich
arls0ns truthfulncss Such lady had no need 10
ask for toleratiOn from clever young people.