THE WOMEN TO BLAME-OF COURSE!

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 33, 20 November 1897, Page 7

THE WOMEN TO BLAME-OF COURSE!

Writing on marriage in the Temple Magazine for October, Mr Silas K. Hocking says : — 4 We hear in all directions that the matrimonial market is in a very depressed condition. The chances are it will remain depressed. There is no dearth of brilliant and attractive young women —bright of eye and glib of tongue. They can waltz and sing and write fiction. But while they boast—as I have heard many of them do—that they never by any chance go into the kitchen ; while they turn up their little pug noses with scorn at the bare mention of any domestic duty; while they pride themselves on their knowledge of things they would be better without knowing, and their ignorance of things they ought to know, the chances are the confidence and respect they win will be in inverse ratio to the amount of flattery they receive. They may shine in drawing-rooms, but self-

respecting men will think twice before inviting them to preside over the destinies of a home. What England needs to-day more than anything ,-else is wives and mothers ; and too many of the young women who can chatter and sparkle in company are fit for neither. No one desires that women should be mere domestic drudges; but it is less desirable that they should be only society moths. . All this talk about women being the slaves of the kitchen is the utterest cant and nonsense. Why not talk about men being the slaves of the office and factory ? It is no harder tor a woman to superintend her kitchen and nursery than for a man to superintend his business. The mischief is, too many young women grow up scorning all domestic duties, and priding themselves on the fact that they would not know how to cook a breakfast if, set to it. What should we think of the future husbands of England if they prided themselves on the fact that they did not know a day-book from a ledger, and knew no more about the details of business than about the geography of the moon ?’