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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Domestic Department. 



It was a remark of Dr. Spurzheim, that " the 

 physical education of woman was of more impor- 

 tance to the welfare of the world, than that of men." 



"Whether full assent be conceded to this or not, no 

 one will deny that a proper development of woman's 

 physical powers should attend that of the intellect- 

 ual and moral. It has become a topic of common 

 remark, as well as regret, that Avhile the mental fac- 

 ulties of females are subjected to a wise and salutary 

 discipline, their physical training is almost totally 

 neglected. 



It will not be for a moment doiibted, that woman's 

 happiness and usefulness arc, in a great measure, 

 proportioned to the health she enjoys, and that all 

 other qualifications will be of comparatively little 

 avail, if this precious boon is denied to her. It 

 should then bo a subject of special attention with 

 parents and educators to secure to the daughters of 

 our land the fullest amount of energj' and comfort 

 to be derived from an early and judicious regard to 

 the demands of their physical constitution. Occu- 

 pying, as woman does, a loftier position, as respects 

 moral intiucnce, in our own than in any other coun- 

 try, — and to which is justly ascribed our singular and 

 growing strength as a people, — it is a matter of great 

 practical importance, not only to her, but to society 

 in genera], that her training, in all respects, should 

 be such as is adapted to the maintenance of her 

 present exalted rank. 



It is observed that girls at this day are far less effi- 

 cient in whatCA'er appertains to bodily strength and 

 power of endurance, than were their grandmothers. 



The privations with which the latter were familiar 

 in their childhood and youth, taught them self-reli- 

 ance and contentment under subsequent and more 

 propitious circumstances ; the free air they breathed 

 purified the vital current, imparting health, anima- 

 tion of spirits ; and the pure water they drank satis- 

 fied their thirst without vitiating the taste : roared 

 amid such influences, strangers to those fashion- 

 able maladies which modern refinement has induced, 

 they were companions worthy the patriots of the 

 revolution. True, their means of education were 

 limited ; but a deficiency of books was supplied by a 

 perfect mastery of the few they possessed, by a 

 closer observation of nature, and the exercise of a 

 clear and vigorous understanding. 



That the jiresent generation of the female sex is infe- 

 rior to their predecessors in point of strength, health, 

 and length of life, and fast deteriorating in those quali- 

 ties which gave them energy and character, is a fact, 

 it is believed, generally acknowledged. 



Nor is this in any degree surprising. For while 

 the brother is permitted to engage in all those invig- 

 orating pastimes which his nature and inclination 

 demand, the sister is habitually admonished for in- 

 dulging in those healthful amusements to which her 

 disposition leads her. She is taught that all those 

 natural impulses, arising from exuberance of spirits 

 and the joyous hilarity of youth, are rude, boister- 

 ous, or ungenteel, and should therefore be repressed. 

 If she goes forth to breathe the fresh and pure air 

 of heaven, she must walk with the measured step 

 and gravity of a funeral procession. Should her 

 instructor permit her to trundle her hoop, to exercise 

 her lungs beyond what is regarded as the standard 

 of propriety, the fond and fashional^le mother inter- 

 feres, protesting that her daughter is becoming rude 

 and unladylike. 



Nor is this all ; at a time of life when most capable 

 of profiting by instruction, and when in seasons of 

 relaxation, she should be allowed the freedom of the 



mountains, the hills, and the meadow, in order to 

 impart the glow of health to her cheek, cheerfulness 

 and animation to her spirits, strength to her memory, 

 and vigor to her intellect, the daughter, noio a young 

 lady., is ushered into society. A round of gay and 

 often frivolous amusements follows this important 

 event. 



Late houi's, late suppers, stimulants, an^ excite- 

 ment drive sleep from the pillow. Weary and dis- 

 ordered both in mind and body, she rises, idly to 

 spend the hours of the day, till the return of even- 

 ing shall bring her renewed scenes of gayety and 

 pleasure. 



A few years thus passed introduce her to the cares 

 and duties of domestic life. Destitute of self-reli- 

 ance and self-control, ignorant of her own powers and 

 capabilities, with a constitution impaired, it is not 

 strange that when the stern realities of life are to 

 be met, she fades and sinks to an untimely grave. 

 Would mothers, when visiting the burial-place of the 

 dead, but read the inscriptions carved to record the 

 age and worth of those who died at a period of life 

 when, by a judicious training, they might have been 

 the light and centre of the domestic circle, and 

 would they reflect that a maternal pride, or possibly 

 their own ignorance of the laws of health and of 

 life, is hurrying their daughters to a like premature 

 end, there would be hope for those to whom their 

 education is intrusted, that these now young and 

 beautiful daughters will be restrained from scenes of 

 dissipation and folly ; tUl, through the plastic influ- 

 ence of education, physical, intellectual, and moral, 

 they " may be as centre stones polished after the 

 similitude of a palace." — Family Visitor. 



l)oittl)'s Department. 



Sympathy. — A mother who was in the habit of 

 asking her children, before they retired at night, 

 what they had done during the day to riiake others 

 happy, found her young twin daughters silent. The 

 older ones spoke modestly of deeds and dispositions, 

 founded on the golden rule, "Do unto others as you 

 would they should do unto you." Still those little 

 bright faces were bowed down in silence. 



The question was repeated. "I can remember 

 nothing good all this day, dear mother ; only one of 

 my school-fellows was happy because she had gained 

 the head of the class, and I smiled on her, and ran 

 to kiss her. So she said I was good. This is all, 

 dear mother." 



The other spoke still more timidly. " A little girl 

 who sat by me on the bench at school, had Ipst a 

 baby brother. I saw that while she studied her les- 

 son, she liid her face in her book, and cried. I felt 

 sorry, and laid my face on the same book, and cried 

 with her. Then she looked up, and was comforted, 

 and put her arms round my neck. But I do not 

 know why she said that I had done her good." 



The mother knew how to prize the first blossom- 

 ings of sympathy. She said, " Come to my arms, 

 beloved ones ! To rejoice with those who rejoice, 

 and to weep Avith those who weep, is to obey our 

 blessed Redeemer." 



Never laugh at those who do not dress as well 

 as you do. They may know a great deal more than 

 you. They probably" are better far to their parents 

 or little brothers and sisters. Treat them kindly. 

 Don't look at their clothes, and then at yours, as if 

 to say, " See how nice I am dressed." Such conduct 

 is mean and ill bred. Don't be guilty of it. 



