Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the RevolutionGrant, Anne MacVicar
History
Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the Revolution
Grant, Anne MacVicar
Indians of North America; New York (State) -- Social life and customs -- To 1775; Schuyler, Catalina, 1701-1778 or 1779
the rectitude of theirs, and, indeed, in the only way that any community
can be preserved from corruption; when a member showed symptoms of
degeneracy, he was immediately expelled, or in other words more suitable
to this case, sold. Among the domestics, there was such a rapid
increase, in consequence of their marrying very early, and living
comfortably without care, that if they had not been detached off with
the young people brought up in the house, they would have swarmed like
an over-stocked bee-hive.
The prevention of crime was so much attended to in this well-regulated
family, that there was very little punishment necessary; none that I
ever heard of, but such as Diana and Maria inflicted on their progeny,
with a view to prevent the dreaded sentence of expulsion.
Notwithstanding the petty rivalry between the branches of the two
original stocks, intermarriages between the Montagues and Capulets of
the kitchen, which frequently took place, and the habit of living
together under the same mild, though regular government, produced a
general cordiality and affection among all the members of the family,
who were truly ruled by the law of love; and even those who occasionally
differed about trifles, had an unconscious attachment to each other,
which showed itself on all emergencies. Treated themselves with care and
gentleness, they were careful and kind with regard to the only inferiors
and dependants they had, the domestic animals. The superior personages
in the family, had always some good property to mention, or good saying
to repeat of those whom they cherished into attachment, and exalted into
intelligence; while they, in their turn, improved the sagacity of their
subject animals, by caressing and talking to them. Let no one laugh at
this; for whenever man is at ease and unsophisticated, where his native
humanity is not extinguished by want or chilled by oppression, it
overflows to inferior beings, and improves their instincts to a degree
incredible to those who have not witnessed it. In all mountainous
countries, where man is more free, more genuine, and more divided into
little societies much detached from others, and much attached to each
other, this cordiality of sentiment, this overflow of good will takes
place. The poet says,
“Humble love, and not proud reason,
Keeps the door of heaven.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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