48 



NEV/ ENGLAND FARMER. 



AIJGtTST aO, 1834. 



AODRKSS TO VOTJNG LADIISS. 



BY MRS. I,. H. SIGOURNEY. 



Will you iiennit me, dear young fi-ieml?, to 

 speak to you freely as to ilauglitcrs ? You doubt- 

 less need no aipnuieiit to conviuoo you of llie ex- 

 cellence of iudusli-y. We will devoie a fewtliouslils 

 only to those branches of it vvliicli IjhIous peculiar- 

 ly to our own sex. It is one of our privileges, thai 

 we have such a variety of inlerestiuf,' einployuieuls. 

 Time need never hang upon our hands, who have 

 it continually in our power to coiuliine anuisenienl 

 with utility. If we leave any vacancy for ennui to 

 creep in, it must surely he our own fault. 



Needle-work, in all its couuiIpss forms of use, 

 elegance and ornament, has lieen the appropriate 

 occupation of women. — From the shades, where 

 its simple process, was hut to imite the fig leaf, to 

 the days when the most exquisite tissues of em- 

 hroidery rivalled nature's (lencil, it has hecn their 

 duty and their resource. The most delicate eftbrts 

 of tlie needle claim a high rank among female ac- 

 complishments.— But its necessary departments 

 should he thoroughly understood. The numerous 

 modifications of mending are not beneath the no- 

 tice of the most refined young lady. To keep her 

 own v\'ardrobe perfectly in order, she doubtless 

 considers her duty. A just regard to economy — a 

 wish to add to the comfort of all aroimd — and a 

 desire to aid in the relief of the poor, will induce 

 Iser to become expert in these inventions, by which 

 the various articles of apjiarel are repaired, altered 

 or renovated. A very sensible, rational self-com- 

 I)lacency arises from the i)owerx)f making "auld 

 clailbs look amnist as well as new." 



I regret that the quiet employment of knltiing 

 has become so nearly obsolete. — In many parts of 

 Europe it continues a favorite branch of feujale 

 occupation. It is so among the classic shades of 

 Greece ; and Russell, in his tour in Germany, 

 speakings of the Saxon ladies says, " they are mod- 

 els of industry at home or abroad, knitting and 

 needle-work know no interruption. A lady going 

 to her rout would think little of forgetting her fan, 

 hut could not spend half an hour without her im- 

 piemeuls of hiisbandry. At Dresden, even the 

 theatre is no protection against knitting-needles. 

 I have seen a lady gravely lay down her work, 

 wijje away the tears wliicb the sorrows of Tlicok- 

 la's or Walatein's duath had brought into her eyes, 

 and quietly resume her knitting." Knitting is 

 adapted to those little intervals of time when it 

 would be scarc(dy convenient to collect the nmre 

 complicated apparatus of needle-work. It is the 

 frieml.of twilight. Tiiat sweet season of refiec- 

 tion, so happily describcil by a Scotch writr;r, as 

 that brief period " when the shuttle stands still 

 liefore the hmq) is lighted." Neither are tlu; pro- 

 ductions of the knitting needles valueless, as those 

 who take no ])art in them are disposed to pro- 

 nounce. Yet, if there are any who considgr so 

 hund)lc a branch of economy unworthy their re- 

 gard, they may still he induced to patronize it, for 

 the salie of the eoml'ort it administers unto the 

 yioor. Their laborious occupations and limited 

 leisure often preclude their attention to this em- 

 ployment, and a pair of thick stockings in winter 

 will he usually found a most acceptable gift to 

 their shuddering little ones. Knitting seems to 

 have a native aflinity with social feeling. It leaves 

 the thoughts at liberty for conversation, and yet 

 imparts just enough of the serene and self satisfied 

 sensaiion of industry, to prcunote good humor and 

 prepare for the pleasant interchange of society. 



1 recollect in my early ilays, sometimes seeing 

 a number of most respectable elderly ladies, col- 

 lected for an afternoon visit, all knitting, all happy, 

 all discussing the various topics of neighborly con- 

 cerns, with friiMidly interest and delight. I saw 

 liKtievoleut smiles beaming from their facea, and 

 foru)cd a fancied union between knitting and con- 

 lentujent which iiercbance is not yet hruUen. I 

 observed that the fabrics whicii they wrought, to 

 protect the feet of their household, were often 

 composed of yarn nnmufactured by their own 

 hands. Am! here, permit me to advert to that 



ilmost forgotten utensil, the large sfiinninj 



wheel. 



From the universal, yet gentle exercise it aftbrds 

 the limbs, the chest, and the whole frame, it is al- 

 together the best mo<le of domestic calisihenics 

 which has hitherto been devi.sed. It is well adapt- 

 ed to those periods when, from a succession of 

 storms, ladies are ]u-evenled from going into the 

 o|ien air, and begin to feel the lassitude of a too 

 sedentary life. By a change of habits in the com- 

 mnnity, and the introduction of rnachinery on a 

 large scale, domestic manufactm-es have beconie a 

 less prominent brunch of economy. Still a degree 

 of alliance subsists heiwcen them. Materials I'm- 

 winter stockings might he profitably prepared in 

 families. Durable liannels and even handsome 

 carpets, have been often the iirodnciions of deli- 

 cate han<ls. Among a large family of sisters, the 

 cheerful operations of the spinning wheel assume 

 the character of an amusement, and are said to 

 ]iromole a happy flow of spirits. Were my own 

 sex as great admirers of antiquity as the other, I 

 might bespeak a most creditable chronology for 

 ibis same science of spinning, and i>resent a fer- 

 miilable list of princesses, and women of high de- 

 gree, who patronized it by their example. Y'et 

 inasmuch as there are but few lady antiquarians, 

 and I have not the temerity to undertake to bring 

 im exploded thing into fashion, I plead for the 

 great spinning wheel, solely as a salutary mode ol 

 exercise, and not one inconsistent with domestic 

 economy. To females who suffer for want of 

 muscular action — and there are many such among 

 the higher classes — physicians have prescribed a 

 variety of substitutes, such as sweeping, polishing 

 furniture, jum])ing the rope, playing at battledore, 

 modifications of calisthenics, &c. In some of these 

 the efibrt is too violent; in others it may be car- 

 ried to excess, through excitement or conqietition 

 — but regular exercise upon the s|iinning-wheel 

 has been known to give the valetuilinarian strength, 

 and to remove incipient lemlency to iiulmonury 

 disease. 



With regard to the culinary art, I should be 

 pleased to persuade my young ladies to become 

 somewhat adepts in it. Not that I believe to tempt 

 the |>alate with high seasoned dishes, and induce 

 iriiligeslion and debility among one's guests and 

 dearest friends, is true benevolence, though some 

 benevolent ladies may practise it. ]5ut that super- 

 intendence of a table, which unites neatness with 

 condbrt, consnlis health and prevents prodigality, 

 and the power of |)ersonally' supplying it with sal- 

 utary or elegant preparations, is an accomplish- 

 ment of no slight order. It need not follow that a 

 thorough knowledge of housekeeping is incompat- 

 ible with intellectual tastes and attainments. There 

 is indeed no native aflinity between them ; but she 

 will dis|)lay the greatest mental energy, v\ho can 

 reconcile such discrepancies, conqiose their wel- 

 fare and become ach'pt in each. This may be ef- 



sufiice our present purpose to cite one. The ac- 

 complished editor of the Juvenile Jliscellany, 

 whose prolific pen enters almost every dei)artmcnt 

 of current literature, to instruct and delight, is al- 

 so the author of the " Frugal Housewife ;" and abhi 

 practically to illustrate its numerous and valuable 

 precepts. You will probably think, my young 

 triends, that an essay on such honrely and anti- 

 quated subjects might have been si)ared. But 

 while home continues to be the province of wo- 

 man, nothing that relates to its comfort, (U'der, and 

 economical arrangement should be held of slight 

 import. That these C(jmi)licaled duties may lie 

 well and gracefully peiformed, some foundation 

 should be laid for them in youth. 



It has been alleged us an objection to the pres- 

 ent expanded system of female education, that it 

 creates dislike to the humble occnpalions of the 

 dome.-'tic sphere. It becomes those who enjoy 

 these heightened i)rivilcges, to disprove the argu- 

 ment, and to free themselves from the ingratitude 

 of repaying the increased liberality of the other 

 sex, Willi disregard to their interests and happiness. 

 This resjionsibility rests much with the rising gen- 

 eration. We, therefore, who are almost ready »o 

 pass oft' the stage, entreat you, our daughters, not 

 to despise that domestic industry vvhich walks 

 hand in hand with respectability and ctuitentnient. 

 We pray yon to show that love of books is not in- 

 consistent with what republican simplicity expects 

 from his daughters, and that knowledge need b« 

 no hindrance to duty. 



BOOSTS UPON AGRICULTURE, &c 



The (^om(i!(.-le Farmer, 



Dcane's l\fw Eni^laiui Farmer, 



LoiKion's Encyclopodia of Agriculture, 



Lnudoii's do. oi'l-iurdeiling, 



New American Orcliardist, 



I\e\v American Gardener, 



PlanliM's Guide, (Arboficullural,) 



Anu'tican Farriery, 



Hmd's do. 



Moulnay on Poultry, 



Fanner's Own UooU, 



Frugal Housewite, 



ColVij's Trealisc (m Silk and Mulberry, 



Forsyili on Fniii Trees, 



Poniulngical Manual, "2. vols, each, 



I'riiice on llie Vine, 



Coxo on Fruil Trees, 



Nicol's Planior's Calender, 



Nullall's Ornilliolojry, new edition, 



Florist's Manual, &c. iV- <^'". 



Price, S 1.00 



2.50 



11.00 



9.00 



1.25 



1.00 



3.00 



75 



1.00 



75 



60 



50 



50 



1.25 



1.00 



1.60 



1.50 



2.00 



3.00 



37 



For Sale al llie Fa 



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