The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-02
THE ENGLISH WOMAN.
HER CHIEF F1ULT is liant OF
SYMPATHT.


Mrs. Aleraader IN the Ne,Uark Erening Ne'es.
The ordinary English woman is not
easy to fathom, not because she is
profound. but because she is un-
demonStrative. She knows little and
shows less of those variations of mood
which give such interesting light and
shade to countenance and character
among her Continental sisters-self-
contained and self-reliant. Her ideal
is duty, even when temporarily de
Elected from its pursuit; truth and
honor are inherent in her, and she de
mands from others what she herself
bestows.
Perhaps no other women are so
pitiless toward a peccant husband, OF
less sympathetic to sinners OF a certain
order. Yet the English woman is not
easily jealous; she is by no means
given to suspect evil; but when the
knowledge that evil exists is brought
to her, forgiveness is no easy effort.
Her religion, though sincere, is
touched with something of the gran
tie quality of her nature,
which makes her somewhat
rigid about mint and cum
min" as we'll as the weightier matters
of the law. Still it must be admitted
that in large matters she can be
grandly Just and generous, though a
certain mental color blindness some
times prevents her seeing the value of
little things; small concessions, small
indulgences, occasional closing of the
eyes to what had better not be too
closely scanned-these r~elaxations act
like mortar to the big stones of the
social edifice, binding together what
might otherwise roll apart.
Though most self-sacrificing as
mothers they do not, like French
women, care to have their children
with them p~erpetually, and showtheir
love by the extraordinary care be-
slowed ON their bathing, dressing,
manners, eating, drinking, church
going, catechism learning and out
door exercise than by caresses; also in
a constant effort to keep the girls from
associating with other girls, while the
boys are unhesitatingly plunged into
the ''olla podrida" of a public school.
With the basis of such a moral ma
ture, it can be understood thai
ners and dress are slightly solid, not
to say stiff. There is, however, one
style of dress i'll which the English
woman excels, and has made pecu-
liarly her own. 1t is the first morn
ing toilet, when she comes down to
breakfast. The fair skin and delicate
color: the dress, in summer and in the
country, of some washing material;
collar or lace cravat all SO fresh and
spotless; the soft golden brown hair
so carefully yet simply arranged; the
dainty refinement of all details makes
her first appearance each morning on
the domestic stage "a thing of beauty
and a joyr' In evening dress, zen
grand tenu," she is also fair, but
stately and more imposing, perhaps,
than attractive.
1t is in the small %coquetries of
adornment, in that essentially foreign
institution, ''demi toilette that the
English woman fails; simplicity and
grandeur alike suit her, but a dressy
compromise between the two does not
come so naturally. Coquettes are, we
know, naughty creatures, yet they
contrive to give a good deal of life and
pleasure to the circles animated by
their presence, for the absence of small
airs and graces makes life a trifle too
rigid.
The chief fault of English women
is want of sympathy; though they
possess more of this subtle gift than
their countrymen, this want makes
them slow to perceive and slow to re-
~ciprocate; this, not so much from lack
of heart as absence of quick fancy.
Ready instructive sympathy is akin to
genius, and by the magic of fellow
feeling the hearts of Others + re-
vealed to her whose nature vibrates in
- 1 - 49, -yl
those who laugh. The sort of proud
shyness which keeps English women
from speaking frankly of their likes
and dislikes, their impressions and
convictions, is too apt to raise a bar
rier between them and any new ac-
ou%aintance, which life is scarce long
enough to overcome; this, and certain
reluctance to look at life, dress, man
ners, habits through any medium
save her W special original specta-
cles, are two of the faults most com-
mon among the daughters of John
Bull. Their beauty, therefore, is more
beautiful than charming, and would
they but let themselves go and
trust to the safeguard of their own
rectitude, they would give more
pleasure and enjoy life more fully.
Another baneful ingredient in the
mental atmosphere of the ordinary
English woman is the snobbish fear
of associating with any one who is not
accepted by the Mrs. Grundys of her
acquaintance, without ascertaining
whether their objections are well
grounded or not; also an ~over-eager-
ness to be received by any one who by
dint of audacity, luck, birth, or
wealth has attained to what is termed
"a high position" These are weak
nesses, however, by no means peculiar
to the British fair, but may be OBJ
served in every civilized society under
the sun.
The occupations of English women
are many and various. OF late years
there has been a perfect rage for
work, y even the daughters of men of
wealth and rank affecting to take up
art, needlework, music, ETC., profess
sionally-sometimes tooprofessionally,
as in their realism they trench on the
province of those who sorely need the
remuneration for which they toll.
The passion for going on the stage
lately displayed by girls and women
of good family and by no ean re-
duced fortunes is anything but COM
mendable. The fever, however, Gems
,oaccino awou opd vn11OU 1oAiac ara