Life and light for woman . ongs to a wealthy family, she will become a prisoner for life,and must have the education to fit her for it given strictly accord-ing to time-honored customs. She must go through the painfulprocess of binding her feet; and the main things to be taught herare attention to domestic affairs, the duty of proper humility, inview of the fact of her being a girl, and of a docile subjection toher husband and his family after her marriage, together with theimportant forms of worship adopted by the family. Anything likethe education of American girls is of course unheard of, a
Life and light for woman . ongs to a wealthy family, she will become a prisoner for life,and must have the education to fit her for it given strictly accord-ing to time-honored customs. She must go through the painfulprocess of binding her feet; and the main things to be taught herare attention to domestic affairs, the duty of proper humility, inview of the fact of her being a girl, and of a docile subjection toher husband and his family after her marriage, together with theimportant forms of worship adopted by the family. Anything likethe education of American girls is of course unheard of, and agirls school is a thing unknown. There are few books for girls tostudy, and not one female in a hundred can read such as they of the best of these books is the Girls Classic, written agesago by a Lady Tsau, or, as she preferred to be called, Tsau-ta-ku{great-aunt Tsau). The following is a specimen of its style: — This Girls Classic is the instruction of a woman; let the girlsattend to it! GIRLS IN CHINA, 155. CHINESE GIRLS. 156 LIFE AND LIGHT. Every day rise early, at the fifth watch; do not sleep until thesun is bright. With an old handkerchief cover up your hair; goquickly and sweep the veranda. Brush your hair bright; washyour face clean; soon go into the hall and use your needle. Depictthe peacock; embroider the phoenix; work the mandarin ducks. Do not laugh loudly, or call in a loud tone, for fear your neigh-bors should hear. When you walk neither skip nor jump; whenstanding do not lean against the door. At eight and nine you are growing older; you should loveyour elder and younger brothers, and share with them your tea,rice, wine or meat; do not quarrel if your part is less than theirs. At ten years old do not idle about, but diligently make shoesor seams; early and late sit with your mamma, and do not leavethe house without cause. The first doctrine is that you must obey; the second goodthing is to respect your elder brother and his wife; the thirdimportan
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectcongregationalchurch
