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222 who's to blame.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
This Question Is Invariably Asked, Whene...
proposal " genteel / made ' young to them 1 women to become of humble household rank servants hare . scorned the
We suppose the name of servant must have a vulgar sound in their earsand they forget that all of us are servants to the
, force of circumstances , whether we like or dislike these strongwilled masters . Great service would be rendered to society and to
mistresses in particular could an idol of honest labour be set up in the lace of that scare-crow " ragged gentility" before whom the
foolish p and thoughtless bend so low . Could mothers be persuaded that their daughters would be better off , and more respected as
active housemaids or careful guardians of childhood , rather than as the iekers-of a precarious living by their needle or
flowermaking gained , p , esp or e any ciall up other y if the light girls work themselve , another s onward could be step broug would ht be to
have the same opinion . One would imagine that scanty raiment , shoeless feetand food of the poorest description would gladly be
exchanged for , the opposite , even at the risk of hands having the mark of her work . Besides the love of " gentility , " the
restraint to roug which servants are subjected is given as a reason for their preferring employments where to a greater extent they may
be their own mistresses , going _oiit , coming in , and seeing their friends when they lease . Perhaps were a little more liberty
of action accorded to p those who proved themselves worthy of it , this objection would be done away with .
It is a matter of surprise , when the condition of a good servant , with all its advantages of wholesome farehealthy accommodation ,
and in many cases light work , is contrasted , with one of uncertainty and penury , that it is not at once preferred . Our readers must
know instances where from the love of appearances and contempt of common every day duties , unutterable woe has been wrought .
"We would suggest as one means of restoring a just idea of the Talue of house-servicethat women of higher rank should do all in
, their power to induce the daughters of small traders and shopkeepers to become servantsrather than labour to attain positions for which
they are neither properl , y trained nor educated . They contrive to tent get a to smattering be instruct of ors French ; whereas or music were , and these imag girls ine th taug ey ht are h compe ow to
manage children or perform house-work , which now-a-days requires great nicety , and even taste , they would find themselves
in the long run regarded with more approbation , and treated with more respect , than are incompetent teachers . We allude to the
daughters of those tradesmen who must in some shape gain their deed own living to such , and an who insan set e degree their minds has the on idea being of governesses " being genteel . In " -
reachedthat the children of respectable tradesmen will not even follow the , calling of their parents , and every one tries to get higher
up the social tree than his neighbour . No marvel if broken
222 Who's To Blame.
222 who ' s to blame .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), June 1, 1863, page 222, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01061863/page/6/
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