If girls could look into the future and see how helpless a woman is who is ignorant of
every form of labor, how dependent she is upon poor servants, how she fails when tried
in the balance of adversity, — if they could only know the unhappiness in homes, the actual
suffering when reverses come, — would they, oh, would they still think it degrading to learn
how to be useful, especially in their own homes ?
Learn to perform all kinds of household labor that you may direct others, and that
you may, at need, be able to perform them yourself. If you have no opportunity to do
this till you are married, then begin at once. At first there will be many failures, and
much cause for chagrin; but patience and perseverance will at length overcome all diffi-
culties. One of the great trials will be that the husband will not be likely to appreciate
the obstacles in the way of immediate success. Try not to mind this. How can he ap-
preciate them ? He is as ignorant of them as a child. Only be patient with him as well
as with yourself, and make him feel that you are trying to learn, and that you fully expect
to astonish him ere long with your efficiency and proficiency in everything pertaining to
his comfort, and to the delightfulness of your home.
Expect failures. The first bread you make will in all probability be poor. The first
time you make jelly, it may not "jell;" but the second or third time the bread will be ex-
cellent, and the jelly delicious. The best way is to experiment upon small quantities, for
cooking must be more or less of an experiment. Whatever happens, be bright, and do not
let the shadows enter your home. LOUISE HEYWOOD REYNOLDS.
42
EMERSON ON THE BABY.
THE perfection of the providence for childhood is easily acknowledged. The care
which covers the seed of the tree under tough and stony cases, provides for the
human plant the mother's breast and the father's house. The size of the nestler is
comic, and its tiny beseeching weakness is compensated perfectly by the happy patroniz-
ing look of the mother, who is a sort of high reposing Providence toward it. Welcome to
the parents the puny struggler, strong in his weakness, his little arms more irresistible than
the soldier's, his lips touched with persuasion which Chatham and Pericles in manhood had
not. His unaffected lamentations when he lifts up his voice on high, or, more beautiful,
the sobbing child, — the face all liquid grief, as he tries to swallow his vexation, — soften all
hearts to pity, and to mirthful and clamorous compassion. The small despot asks so little
that all reason and all nature are on his side. His ignorance is more charming than all
knowledge, and his little sins more bewitching than any virtue. His flesh is angel's flesh,
all alive. " Infancy," said Coleridge, " presents body and spirit in unity : the body is all
animated." All day, between his three or four sleeps, he coos like a pigeon-house, sput-
ters and spurs, and puts on his faces of importance ; and when he fasts, the little Pharisee
fails not to sound his trumpet before him. By lamplight he delights in shadows on the
walls ; by daylight, in yellow and scarlet. Carry him out of doors, — he is overpowered by
the light and by the extent of natural objects, and is silent. Then presently begins his
use of his fingers, and he studies power, the lesson of his race.
Page 35
Presented as published in 1891. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
If girls could look into the future and see how helpless a woman is who is ignorant of every form of labor, how dependent she is upon poor servants, how she fails when tried in the balance of adversity, — if they could only know the unhappiness in homes, the actual suffering when reverses come, — would they, oh, would they still think it degrading to learn how to be useful, especially in their own homes ?
Learn to perform all kinds of household labor that you may direct others, and that you may, at need, be able to perform them yourself. If you have no opportunity to do this till you are married, then begin at once. At first there will be many failures, and much cause for chagrin; but patience and perseverance will at length overcome all difficulties. One of the great trials will be that the husband will not be likely to appreciate the obstacles in the way of immediate success. Try not to mind this. How can he appreciate them ? He is as ignorant of them as a child. Only be patient with him as well as with yourself, and make him feel that you are trying to learn, and that you fully expect to astonish him ere long with your efficiency and proficiency in everything pertaining to his comfort, and to the delightfulness of your home.
Expect failures. The first bread you make will in all probability be poor. The first time you make jelly, it may not "jell;" but the second or third time the bread will be excellent, and the jelly delicious. The best way is to experiment upon small quantities, for cooking must be more or less of an experiment. Whatever happens, be bright, and do not let the shadows enter your home. LOUISE HEYWOOD REYNOLDS.
EMERSON ON THE BABY.
THE perfection of the providence for childhood is easily acknowledged. The care which covers the seed of the tree under tough and stony cases, provides for the human plant the mother's breast and the father's house. The size of the nestler is comic, and its tiny beseeching weakness is compensated perfectly by the happy patronizing look of the mother, who is a sort of high reposing Providence toward it. Welcome to the parents the puny struggler, strong in his weakness, his little arms more irresistible than the soldier's, his lips touched with persuasion which Chatham and Pericles in manhood had not. His unaffected lamentations when he lifts up his voice on high, or, more beautiful, the sobbing child, — the face all liquid grief, as he tries to swallow his vexation, — soften all hearts to pity, and to mirthful and clamorous compassion. The small despot asks so little that all reason and all nature are on his side. His ignorance is more charming than all knowledge, and his little sins more bewitching than any virtue. His flesh is angel's flesh, all alive. " Infancy," said Coleridge, " presents body and spirit in unity : the body is all animated." All day, between his three or four sleeps, he coos like a pigeon-house, sputters and spurs, and puts on his faces of importance ; and when he fasts, the little Pharisee fails not to sound his trumpet before him. By lamplight he delights in shadows on the walls ; by daylight, in yellow and scarlet. Carry him out of doors, — he is overpowered by the light and by the extent of natural objects, and is silent. Then presently begins his use of his fingers, and he studies power, the lesson of his race.