Another World: Fragments from the Star City of MontalluyahLumley, Benjamin
Science
Another World: Fragments from the Star City of Montalluyah
Lumley, Benjamin
Utopias
A careful discipline prevails, as I have intimated, in all matters
relating to the education of girls of every rank, but, as soon as they
attain one amongst the higher positions and marry, they are allowed,
nay, encouraged, to indulge in many luxurious habits, to dress
beautifully, and to wear magnificent jewels, but only according to their
means.
As an instance of luxury in simple things, I will mention a peculiar
soft reclining cushion, or settee, particularly adapted to exhibit the
lady and her costume to the greatest advantage. As the lady sits down,
however gently, it yields to the pressure, leaving her surrounded by the
portion not pressed, which thus forms a background, and, as it were, a
frame to the living picture. When she rises, the elastic cushion resumes
its pristine form. The least movement is sufficient to cause the seat to
rise or fall, and I have often seen ladies amuse themselves with this
gentle exercise.
To these settees a pad is attached. On a spring being touched this
opens, and forms a fan which by its own movement fans the lady, and at
the same time emits a refreshing perfume, continuing to act until the
lady closes it by touching a spring.
These settees are covered with silk of various colours, adapted to the
ladies and their costume; a peculiar crimson ornamented with gold is the
favourite colour. They are allowed to be used by the married ladies
alone, and are much liked by them, the more so perhaps that in the
colleges girls of all ranks are not allowed to use any seats but those
without backs.
XX.
CHOICE OF A HUSBAND.
"Women are the mothers of the nation. The happiness of our life
depends on theirs. They have much to bear. If we neglect them we
neglect ourselves."
Having taken care by means of education to eradicate all incipient
faults in woman, to confirm her health, to increase her powers of
attraction, and fit her for the station which her talents and virtues
entitle her to fill, we take the best means to ensure that the maiden
shall at the proper age marry the man most pleasing to her, and most
likely to secure the happiness of both.
In every district a council of ladies, who have passed through certain
ordeals, and a council of elders, regulate all matters relating to
marriage. Over each of these presides a man of a certain age, and of
spotless character, whose qualities, actions, and mode of life have been
observed and recorded from early youth.
Let me more particularly describe how the lady makes choice of a
husband.
During thirty-one evenings in succession the girl intended for the
marriage state is placed in an assemblage composed of eighty-five young
men, one of whom she is expected to choose, but however quickly her mind
may be made up she is not allowed to announce her decision till the
thirty-first evening has arrived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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