The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21
English Mothers and Daughter.

One OF the most admirable traits Of the
English people Is their frankness. They
are remarkable for their honesty Of speech:
but oftentimes they carry this virtue to an
extreme which brings 1t very near to vice.
or. at least. gross improperly. discourtesy.
or disrespect.
An example OF this perversion was fur
nished in q discussion which was carried on
last autumn In English public journals by
many mothers and daughters OF the king
dom. 1t began with the frankest and most
plain-spoken criticism by daughters OF the
stupidity OF their mothers In bringing them
up. and in bitter and shocklngly unre-
served complaints Of the grievances from
which they suffered at home because
OF it. So open and public an EXPOSE
ton OF parental defects and shortcom-
ings. as they appear to filial eyes.
would seem to US rank disloyalty and gross
indecency: but Mrs. B. A. CRACKANTHoRPE.
an English woman who writes an article on
the subject in the last number OF the Nine
teenh Century magazine. treats 1t In calm
and judicial spirit as a revolt OF the
daughters for which there is reasonable
justification. She Is entirely with the
girls in their revolt" so far as 1t is move
meut on their part for "a larger liberty"
This frankness OF criticism OF parents Is
not confined to English daughters. 1t ex-
tends 10 sons also. and there is often equal
candor among the children In expressing to
outsiders their unfavorable opinions of each
other. as formed in the intimacy Of family
life. For instance. n young EnGlishman OF
high social position who was visiting this
country not long ago. surprised his
entertainers at dinner by speaking OF his
brother as "cad." A young English lady
visiting here freely discussed the inteilec-
tual shortcomings OF her mother as she re-
garded them. Mrs. CRACKANTHoRPE refers
to the remark Of ian hdbiiue OF London
society. himself keen observer Of man
ners." that there is a Every large per-
centage of households where war. open
or concealed. exists between moth
ers and daughters" She also quotes
"a leading London doctor" as saying
that "he is much concerned by
new phenomenon in his practice. To wit.
the frequent presence in his waiting room
OF mothers broken down in body and per-
picked 10 mind over difficulties with their
grown-up daughters. and Of daughters
come to consult him privately whose nerves
have gone wrong because. as they put
the case. they are not understood nor
'sympa.hized with by their mothers"
The circumstance that an important Eng
fish magazine like the Nineteenth Century
publishes this lady's serious article on The
Revolt Of the Daughter" is OF itself strong
evidence that she is right in describing the
subject as presenting a grave social prob
lem. and in arguing that 1.-The psychology
cal moment has arrived in which TO probe,
to diagnose. and to prescribe for the hidden
disease"
The trouble she finds TO lie due TO tTadi-
tional and inconsiderate restraints put
upon the individuality OF their daughters
by mothers. The mothers. she thinks. try
to shape them after model OF conventional
pTopriety. without intelligent regard for
their natural and healthy development.
English girls who get the higher
education" Of these days find intol-
cradle the domestic atmosphere In
which their mothers. not thus ia
Vored In their youth. can still live in per-
feet eontentment. Their homes are "un-
cOngenial 10 them. The tone VI the house
hold Is nat for them. There is broad in
tellectual gulf between them and their
mothers, They have widely different in
terests aud ambitions. The maternal con-
Germs seem 10 the daughters humdTum.
tnfing. monOtOnous, and commonplace.
Their brothers can go out into the world
ARd make careers Gnd lad oOngsnisl