ladies’ department. 
161 
CctftkB’ ffifeparinunt. 
ENGLISH WOMEN. 
We do not know how we can render our fair 
countrywomen a greater service, than by copy¬ 
ing for their serious perusal and thought, the 
following admirable description of English wo¬ 
men, from the March number of the Horticul¬ 
turist, by Mr. A. J. Downing. We can corroborate 
from personal knowledge, all Mr. D. here says of 
their greater breadth of education, and supe¬ 
rior conversation—we mean more particularly 
among the middle and higher classes. 
We well recollect, when in England, passing 
a day at the country residence of a distinguish¬ 
ed officer in the horse guards. There were sons 
and daughters of noblemen present as guests. 
The ladies, in very common calico dresses and 
thick shoes, walked over the park and farm in 
the morning, criticising the stock, the crops, the 
scenery, trees, shrubbery, and flowers, while the 
gentlemen were out shooting in stout fustian 
clothes, and thick, solid, hob-nailed shoes, such 
as our most ordinary farmers would hardly 
deign to wear. But at dinner, which took place 
at 6 P. M., all were elegantly dressed ; the con¬ 
versation throughout the evening, was easy and 
unaffected, but more intellectual, and embrac¬ 
ing a much wider range, than that which per¬ 
vades in any, except the very best and most 
highly-educated American society. 
“ The young English woman is less conspicu¬ 
ously accomplished than our young women of 
the same position in America. There is, per¬ 
haps, a little less of the je ne sais quoi, [I don’t 
know what,] that nameless grace which capti¬ 
vates at first sight, than with us, but a better 
and more solid education, more disciplined 
minds, and above all, more common sense. In 
the whole art of conversation, including all the 
topics of the day, with so much of politics as 
makes a woman really a companion for an in¬ 
telligent man in his serious thoughts, in history, 
language, and practical knowledge of the du¬ 
ties of social and domestic life, the English wo¬ 
men have, I imagine, few superiors. But what, 
perhaps, would strike one of our young women 
most, in English society, would be the thorough 
cultivation and refinement that exists here, 
along with the absence of all false delicacy. 
“The fondness of English women, (even in the 
highest rank,) for out-of-door life, horses, dogs, 
fine cattle, animals of all kinds—for their 
grounds, and in short, everything that belongs to 
their homes, their real, unaffected knowledge of, 
and pleasure in, these things, and the unreserv¬ 
ed way in which they talk about them, would 
startle some of my young friends at home, who 
are educated in the fashionable boarding school 
of Madam-, to consider all such things 4 vul¬ 
gar,’ and 4 unlady-like.’ I accompanied the 
younger members of the family here this morn¬ 
ing, in an exploration of the mysteries of the 
place. No sooner did we make our appearance 
out of doors, than we were saluted by dogs of 
all degrees, and each had the honor of an in¬ 
terview and personal reception, which seemed 
to be productive of pleasure on both sides. Then 
some of the horses were brought out of the sta¬ 
ble, and a parley took place between them and 
their fair mistresses; some favorite cows were 
to be petted and looked after, and their good 
points were descanted on with knowledge and 
discrimination; and there was the basse cour , 
[poultry yard, we suppose Mr. D. here means, 
the word having several different significations,] 
with its various population, all discussed and 
shown with such lively unaffected interest, that 
I soon saw my fair companions were ‘born to 
love pigs and chickens.’ 
44 1 have said nothing about the garden, because 
you know that it is especially the lady’s prov¬ 
ince here. An English woman, with no taste 
for gardening, would be as great a marvel as 
an angel without wings. And now, were these 
fresh-looking girls, who have so thoroughly en¬ 
tered into these rustic enjoyments, mere country 
lasses and dairy maids ? By no means. They 
will converse with you in three or four lan¬ 
guages ; are thoroughly well grounded in mod¬ 
ern literature; sketch from nature with the ease 
of professional artists, and will sit down to the 
piano forte and give you an old ballad, or the 
finest German or Italian music, as your taste 
may dictate. And yet many of my young coun¬ 
trywomen of their age, whose education—whol¬ 
ly intended for the drawing room—is far below 
what I have described, would have half fainted 
with terror, and half blushed with false delicacy, 
twenty times in the course of the morning, with 
the discussions of the farm yard, meadow, and 
stables, which properly belong to a wholesome 
country life, and are not in the slightest degree 
at variance with real delicacy and refinement. 
I very well know that there are many sensibly 
educated young women at home, who have the 
same breadth of cultivation, and the same vari¬ 
ety of resources, that make the English women 
such truly agreeable companions; but alas, I 
also know that there are many whose beau 
ideal is bounded by a circle that contains the 
latest fashiononable dance for the feet, the latest 
fashionable novel for the head, and the latest 
fashionable fancy work for the fingers.” 
