character-第13章

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of　Rousseau　and　Bernardin　de　St。…Pierre；　by　which　his

sentimentalism；　sufficiently　strong　by　nature；　was　exaggerated

instead　of　repressed：　（16）　and　he　became　the　victim　of　tears；

affectation；　and　improvidence；　all　his　life　long。　　It　almost

savours　of　the　ridiculous　to　find　Lamartine；　in　his　'Confidences；'

representing　himself　as　a　〃statue　of　Adolescence　raised　as　a　model

for　young　men。〃　　（17）　　As　he　was　his　mother's　spoilt　child；　so　he

was　the　spoilt　child　of　his　country　to　the　end；　which　was　bitter

and　sad。　　Sainte…Beuve　says　of　him：　〃He　was　the　continual　object

of　the　richest　gifts；　which　he　had　not　the　power　of　managing；

scattering　and　wasting　themall；　excepting；　the　gift　of　words；

which　seemed　inexhaustible；　and　on　which　he　continued　to　play　to

the　end　as　on　an　enchanted　flute。〃　（18）



We　have　spoken　of　the　mother　of　Washington　as　an　excellent　woman

of　business；　and　to　possess　such　a　quality　as　capacity　for

business　is　not　only　compatible　with　true　womanliness；　but　is　in　a

measure　essential　to　the　comfort　and　wellbeing　of　every　properly…

governed　family。　　Habits　of　business　do　not　relate　to　trade

merely；　but　apply　to　all　the　practical　affairs　of　lifeto

everything　that　has　to　be　arranged；　to　be　organised；　to　be

provided　for；　to　be　done。　　And　in　all　these　respects　the

management　of　a　family；　and　of　a　household；　is　as　much　a　matter　of

business　as　the　management　of　a　shop　or　of　a　counting…house。　　It

requires　method；　accuracy；　organization；　industry；　economy；

discipline；　tact；　knowledge；　and　capacity　for　adapting　means　to

ends。　　All　this　is　of　the　essence　of　business；　and　hence　business

habits　are　as　necessary　to　be　cultivated　by　women　who　would

succeed　in　the　affairs　of　homein　other　words；　who　would　make

home　happyas　by　men　in　the　affairs　of　trade；　of　commerce；　or　of

manufacture。



The　idea　has；　however；　heretofore　prevailed；　that　women　have　no

concern　with　such　matters；　and　that　business　habits　and

qualifications　relate　to　men　only。　　Take；　for　instance；　the

knowledge　of　figures。　　Mr。　Bright　has　said　of　boys；　〃Teach　a　boy

arithmetic　thoroughly；　and　he　is　a　made　man。〃　　And　why？Because

it　teaches　him　method；　accuracy；　value；　proportions；　relations。

But　how　many　girls　are　taught　arithmetic　well？Very　few　indeed。

And　what　is　the　consequence？When　the　girl　becomes　a　wife；　if

she　knows　nothing　of　figures；　and　is　innocent　of　addition　and

multiplication；　she　can　keep　no　record　of　income　and　expenditure；

and　there　will　probably　be　a　succession　of　mistakes　committed

which　may　be　prolific　in　domestic　contention。　　The　woman；　not

being　up　to　her　businessthat　is；　the　management　of　her　domestic

affairs　in　conformity　with　the　simple　principles　of　arithmetic

will；　through　sheer　ignorance；　be　apt　to　commit　extravagances；

though　unintentional；　which　may　be　most　injurious　to　her　family

peace　and　comfort。



Method；　which　is　the　soul　of　business；　is　also　of　essential

importance　in　the　home。　　Work　can　only　be　got　through　by　method。

Muddle　flies　before　it；　and　hugger…mugger　becomes　a　thing　unknown。

Method　demands　punctuality；　another　eminently　business　quality。

The　unpunctual　woman；　like　the　unpunctual　man；　occasions　dislike；

because　she　consumes　and　wastes　time；　and　provokes　the　reflection

that　we　are　not　of　sufficient　importance　to　make　her　more　prompt。

To　the　business　man；　time　is　money；　but　to　the　business　woman；

method　is　moreit　is　peace；　comfort；　and　domestic　prosperity。



Prudence　is　another　important　business　quality　in　women；　as　in

men。　　Prudence　is　practical　wisdom；　and　comes　of　the　cultivated

judgment。　　It　has　reference　in　all　things　to　fitness；　to

propriety；　judging　wisely　of　the　right　thing　to　be　done；　and

the　right　way　of　doing　it。　　It　calculates　the　means；　order；

time；　and　method　of　doing。　　Prudence　learns　from　experience；

quickened　by　knowledge。



For　these；　amongst　other　reasons；　habits　of　business　are　necessary

to　be　cultivated　by　all　women；　in　order　to　their　being　efficient

helpers　in　the　world's　daily　life　and　work。　　Furthermore；　to

direct　the　power　of　the　home　aright；　women；　as　the　nurses；

trainers；　and　educators　of　children；　need　all　the　help　and

strength　that　mental　culture　can　give　them。



Mere　instinctive　love　is　not　sufficient。　　Instinct；　which

preserves　the　lower　creatures；　needs　no　training；　but　human

intelligence；　which　is　in　constant　request　in　a　family；　needs　to

be　educated。　　The　physical　health　of　the　rising　generation　is

entrusted　to　woman　by　Providence；　and　it　is　in　the　physical　nature

that　the　moral　and　mental　nature　lies　enshrined。　　It　is　only　by

acting　in　accordance　with　the　natural　laws；　which　before　she　can

follow　woman　must　needs　understand；　that　the　blessings　of　health

of　body；　and　health　of　mind　and　morals；　can　be　secured　at　home。

Without　a　knowledge　of　such　laws；　the　mother's　love　too　often

finds　its　recompence　only　in　a　child's　coffin。　（19）



It　is　a　mere　truism　to　say　that　the　intellect　with　which　woman　as

well　as　man　is　endowed；　has　been　given　for　use　and　exercise；　and

not　〃to　fust　in　her　unused。〃　　Such　endowments　are　never　conferred

without　a　purpose。　　The　Creator　may　be　lavish　in　His　gifts；　but　he

is　never　wasteful。



Woman　was　not　meant　to　be　either　an　unthinking　drudge；　or　the

merely　pretty　ornament　of　man's　leisure。　　She　exists　for　herself；

as　well　as　for　others；　and　the　serious　and　responsible　duties　she

is　called　upon　to　perform　in　life；　require　the　cultivated　head　as

well　as　the　sympathising　heart。　　Her　highest　mission　is　not　to　be

fulfilled　by　the　mastery　of　fleeting　accomplishments；　on　which　so

much　useful　time　is　now　wasted；　for；　though　accomplishments　may

enhance　the　charms　of　youth　and　beauty；　of　themselves　sufficiently

charming；　they　will　be　found　of　very　little　use　in　the　affairs

of　real　life。



The　highest　praise　which　the　ancient　Romans　could　express　of　a

noble　matron　was　that　she　sat　at　home　and　span〃DOMUM　MANSIT；

LANAM　FECIT。〃　　In　our　own　time；　it　has　been　said　that　chemistry

enough　to　keep　the　pot　boiling；　and　geography　enough　to　know　the

different　rooms　in　her　house；　was　science　enough　for　any　woman；

whilst　Byron；　whose　sympathies　for　woman　were　of　a　very　imperfect

kind；　professed　that　he　would　limit　her　library　to　a　Bible　and　a

cookery…book。　　But　this　view　of　woman's　character　and　culture　is

as　absurdly　narrow　and　unintelligent；　on　the　one　hand；　as　the

opposite　view；　now　so　much　in　vogue；　is　extravagant　and　unnatural

on　the　otherthat　woman　ought　to　be　educated　so　as　to　be　as　much

as　possible　the　equal　of　man；　undistinguishable　from　him；　except

in　sex；　equal　to　him　in　rights　and　votes；　and　his　competitor　in

all　that　makes　life　a　fierce　and　selfish　struggle　for　place　and

power　and　money。



Speaking　generally；　the　training　and　discipline　that　are　most

suitable　for　the　one　sex　in　early　life；　are　also　the　most　suitable

for　the　other；　and　the　education　and　culture　that　fill　the　mind　of

the　man　will　prove　equally　wholesome　for　the　woman。　　Indeed；　all

the　arguments　which　have　yet　been　advanced　in　favour　of　the　higher

education　of　men；　plead　equally　strongly　in　favour　of　the　higher

education　of　women。　　In　all　the　departments　of　home；　intelligence

will　add　to　woman's　usefulness　and　efficiency。　　It　will　give　her

thought　and　forethought；　enable　her　to　anticipate　and　provide　for

the　contingencies　of　life；　suggest　improved　methods　of　management；

and　give　her　strength　in　every　way。　　In　disciplined　mental　power

she　will　find　a　stronger　and　safer　protection　against　deception

and　imposture　than　in　mere　innocent　and　unsuspecting　ignorance；　in

moral　and　religious　culture　she　will　secure　sources　of　influence

more　powerful　and　enduring　than　in　physical　attractions；　and　in

due　self…reliance　and　self…dependence　she　will　discover　the　truest

sources　of　domestic　comfort　and　happiness。



But　while　the　mind　and　character　of　women　ought　to　be　cultivated

with　a　view　to　their　own　wellbeing；　they　ought　not　the　less　to　be

e