Back to Children's Moral Instruction
Women
Lady
Befuddled: It is most important to me that Thomas marry a woman of quality.
A woman of second rank will due, however, a woman of quality will better
his chances for acceptance into the nobility.
Sir
Peabody: Well, Madame, with the help of James Nelson7
I will lay out for you
the differences between the educations of the two, so that you may be a better
judge for determining an appropriate bride for your son.
Woman
of Quality: To ensure happiness, a woman of quality must have all her
passions regulated. To achieve the
standards of her class she should learn: reading, writing, needlework, dance,
French, Italian and music. In
reading she should have good understanding of the material she recites, so
that she may give passages proper emphasis.
With writing she should use proper spelling accompanied by an elegant
hand. In addition to the subjects
listed above, a woman of quality should have knowledge of arithmetic, geography,
drawing, and moral and experimental philosophy.
Women should always speak clear, without vulgarity.
All her studies should be directed toward wisdom, goodness and modesty,
so that she is generous, benevolent and sweet in temper.
Remember always, woman may be a weaker vessel than her counterpart, but
she is not entirely without strength and, in order to make a proper companion
and keep her husband engaged, her facilities must be developed to their full
capacity to best fit her station in life.
Young
Lady of Second Rate: If the young lady be first born and heiress, she should
receive an education equal to that of a woman of quality.
In inheriting her parent’s estate, it becomes possible for her to
better her class standing and rise to a lady of quality.
Hence, she must be educated in a manner to prepare her for the
transition. If she is a younger
daughter, her education need not be so brilliant.
However, she should not be neglected.
Her education should include a thorough knowledge and proficiency in her
mother tongue; she should be educated to write, dance, speak French and have
mild proficiency in music. In
addition to these and domestic cares she should have knowledge of arithmetic,
drawing and geography. Like the
woman of quality, all that she learns should be fitting to her life station.