80 THE CALIFORNIA 



of the domestic circle. In the days of our fathers 

 there was, indeed, no want of such employment. The 

 music of the spinning wheel and the noise of the shuttle 

 and the distaff were heard in all their dwellings. The 

 numerous labor-saving machinery, the product of the 

 last preceding age, introduced into almost every depart- 

 ment of business, has entirely superseded these in domes- 

 tic life. The circumstances of a very large portion of our 

 farmers are such, and the state of society is such, that 

 there is now an absolute want of suitable and profitable 

 employment for the female members of their families. 

 They cannot, in consistency with their education and 

 rank, take hold of the culinary department, and perform 

 the drudgery of domestic duties ; if there are many 

 such in the family, even this would not furnish them 

 employment ; and the actual consequence is, that many 

 an affectionate, prudent, and laborious father has actu- 

 ally sunk beneath that dearly cherished but unproduc- 

 tive part of his charge. Every community, therefore, 

 that would secure permanent prosperity, must seek 

 employments on which they can profitably bestow do- 

 mestic labor; and where, let me ask, is there an 

 employment that promises so much in this respect as the 

 production of silk ? 



