St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-23
A Strong Will on Her Part
No Unenviable Character
iStic.
The Industry Of Women Has
Long Been a Matter Of
Proverbs.
A Gossip Is Seldom a Good
Housewife at
Home.
London Standard.

The proverbs of most countries are
rich in all subjects relating to woman,
although frequently they are far from
complimentary. Indeed, it is curious that
i'll some sources of literature we should
find so much ill-natured sarcasm
oftentlmeS as unjust as it is
untrue. On the other hand,
many of the traits of woman'S character
are very cleverly and aptly depicted,
and occasionally put man in an inferior
light. Thus the strength of her infiu-
ence is indisputable, and has given rise
to a host of old proverbs. "Whatever a
woman will, she can," saying which
has its equivalent in other countries.
Hence, too, we are warned how
The mans a fool who thinks by force or
skill
To stem the torrent of woman's Will;
For if she will, she will, you may depend
ont
And if she won't she won't, and there's an
end ont.
Within the lines may be compared the
common maxim, "a woman convinced
against her will is of the same opinion
STILL" Whether it be called obStinacy
or not, there can be no doubt that
oblOiS VIII Oh lItC DuIU VI
woman is no unenviable character
istic, being one also which is in
valuable to men when engaged in the
business of life. The notion that a
woman cannot keep secret is embodied
in many proverb, and is alluded to by
Shakespeare, who makes HOtSpur say
to his wife i'll Henry w."
Constant you are,
But yet woman, and for secrecy
No lady closer; for l well believe
Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know
And so far will [ trust thee, gentle Kate.
Accordingly, there is familiar
prOVerb, "A woman cOncealS what she
does not know" Similarly the Spanish
are wont TO say, $40 a woman and a
maybe tell what you would speak in
the market place." But this, it must
be admitted, is an unfair reproach,
woman being as capable
of keeping secret as one of the oppo-
site sex. Indeed, as MI. Kelly remarks
in his book on proverbs, IF there be
truth in proverbs, men have no right to
reproach women for blabbing. A
woman can at least keep her own Sc
cret. Try her on the subject of her
age" The industry of women has long
ago been proverbial, as in the couplet:
The woman that's honest, her chiefest de-
light
Is still TO be doing from morning till night.
With which we may compare the com
mon maxim, "a woman's work is never
at an end" On the other hand, it was
formerly said of the woman who, after
being a busy, industrious maid, be-
came an indolent wife: ''She hath
broken ali elbow at the church door,"
the ceremony of the church porch
/. oft ri Of
was perfOrmed-havi disabled her for
domestic duties. Thus another adage
affirmed how
The wife that expects to have good name
Is always at home, as if she were lame.
According to our forefathers, it did
not look well for woman to be always
sightseeing, as such was an Indication
that she was not sufficiently domesti-
Gated, and was too fond of pleasure.
Hence it was usually said:
A woman oft seen, gown oft worn,
Are disesteemed and held in scorn
Even at the present day, according to
a well-known Yorkshire proverb. "a
yorktown" "a gossip lis seldom a good
housewife at home" Many of our
old proverbs speak of the fickleness of
women, but surely this is a
libel on their conStancy. We have
only to refer to the pages of
our own history in centuries past to
prove the falsity of this assertion. But
the majority of old English proverbs are
to the same purpOrt, and a popular one
reminds us that "a wOman'S mind and
winter change Off," and again,
The love OF a women and bottle of wine
Are sweet Tor season ana last for time.
The very familiar saying that ssh
lence is the best ornament of woman"
although true in the abstract, is one
which nowadays is considered antigua
ted. And even as Mr.. Jeaffreson
to woman the use of her
tongue, proverbial philosophy in
sistS, in harmony with Shakespearean
opinion, that she shonld talk gently, in
accordance with wise precept, in the
husband wisdom, in the wife gentle
ness" The talking propensities of
women have been embodied in
erb which tells US how Three
women and three geese make mar
ket." Turning in the next place to the
beauty of women, there are numerous
sayings. Thus we are reminded that
1.-The more women look in their glasses
the less they look to their
houses;'' and, again, "a fair woman
and slashed gown will always find
some nail in the way" the meaning, of
course, being that women are apt to be
negligent housekeepers in proportion as
they value their personal attractions.
Then there is the popular prOverb which
says that Joan is as good as my lady
in the dark" for, as an ancient Latin
saying reminds US, ''blemiShes are I'M
seen by night"
The night
Shows stars and women in q better light,
which may be compared with the
French hyperbole, "by the candle light
a goat looks lady," Once more, while
a dark complexion betokened pride, and
height indicated laziness, small women,
writes Jeatfreson, were remarkable for
their noiSinesS and beauties for their
lack of discretion:
Fair and foolish, black and proud,
Long and lazy, little and loud
The same author further adds, that
sit is something to the credit of the
prOverb-making cynicS, who spoke thus
bitterly of handsome women, that they
refrained from assailing the ugle ones.
Striking the women whom nature had
provided with armour and legiOns of
defenders, they spared the less FORUM
ate of the fair sex" Lastly, there are
many proverbs warning men of the
danger of bad women:
A wicked woman and evil,
At three half-pence worse than the devil.
Hence, numerous admOnitionS are
given relating to marriage, one of which
tells us that mans best fortune, or his
worst, is his wife. Similarly, Lord Bur-
leigh says to his son: Use great pru-
dence and circumspection in choosing
thy wife, for from thence will spring all
thy future good or evil; and it is an
action of life like unto stratagem of
war, wherein man can err but once"
Once more, Sir John Moore. the famous
chanccIlor's father, compared matri-
mony to a bag containing hundred