The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 1: Miscellaneous ProseLamb, Charles
General
The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 1: Miscellaneous Prose
Lamb, Charles
English literature
In how many ways is a good woman employed, in thought or action, through
the day, in order that her _good man_ may be enabled to feel his leisure
hours _real substantial holyday_, and perfect respite from the cares of
business! Not the least part to be done to accomplish this end is to fit
herself self to become a conversational companion; that is to say, she
has to study and understand the subjects on which he loves to talk. This
part of our duty, if strictly performed, will be found by far our
hardest part. The disadvantages we labour under from an education
differing from a manly one make the hours in which we _sit and do
nothing_ in men's company too often any thing but a relaxation;
although, as to pleasure and instruction, time so passed may be esteemed
more or less delightful.
To make a man's home so desirable a place as to preclude his having a
wish to pass his leisure hours at any fireside in preference to his
own, I should humbly take to be the sum and substance of woman's
domestic ambition. I would appeal to our _British ladies_, who are
generally allowed to be the most zealous and successful of all women in
the pursuit of this object,--I would appeal to them who have been most
successful in the performance of this laudable service, in behalf of
father, son, husband, or brother, whether an anxious desire to perform
this duty well is not attended with enough of _mental_ exertion, at
least, to incline them to the opinion that women may be more properly
ranked among the contributors to, than the partakers of, the undisturbed
relaxation of man.
If a family be so well ordered that the master is never called in to its
direction, and yet he perceives comfort and economy well attended to,
the mistress of that family (especially if children form a part of it)
has, I apprehend, as large a share of womanly employment as ought to
satisfy her own sense of duty; even though the needle-book and
thread-case were quite laid aside, and she cheerfully contributed her
part to the slender gains of the corset-maker, the milliner, the
dress-maker, the plain-worker, the embroidress, and all the numerous
classifications of females supporting themselves by _needle-work_, that
great staple commodity which is alone appropriated to the
self-supporting part of our sex.
Much has been said and written on the subject of men engrossing to
themselves every occupation and calling. After many years of observation
and reflection, I am obliged to acquiesce in the notion that it cannot
well be ordered otherwise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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