| Citation |
NHG-P.769.046
15 Dec 1769:41,42 (687)
From the South Carolina Gazette, of Octo. 5, 1769.
The ladies are certainly much obliged to the Pedee
Economist, for recommending the distaff and spinning wheel
to them: and he may be assured, they would follow his
advice with the utmost chearfullness, provided his own sex
would be made to cooperate with them; in bringing about a
general plan of economy.
But women think, it would tend to but very good purpose,
were they to card and spin, whilst the men are racking their
brains, in contriving how to dissipate their time and money,
in what they call parties or pleasure.
There is not one night in the week, in which they are not
engaged with some club or other at the tavern, where they
injure their fortunes by gaming in various ways, and impair
their healths by the intemperate use of spirituous liquors,
and keeping late hours, or rather spending whole nights,
sometimes, in these disgraceful and ruinous practices, so
that nothing more remains about them of the human species,
but that they still retain the form of man.
Another sort of gaming also prevails to the greatest
excess,which is what they call horse-racing: By which,
inconceivable large sums are lost: yet, so fond are the men
of wasting money in this manner, that for many months before
the day of trial comes, they promote this way of draining
their own pockets, with the most anxious deligence, tho'
their flattering hopes may be baffled by the most trifling
accidents, either to the horse or rider; and even supposing
they should sometimes win the bet, in this case the honor of
it is whloly due to the horse; for they who lay the wagers,
can have no claim on it.
Nay, further the men will even risk large sums on the
chane stroke of a cock's heel: So addicted are they to
extravagant dissipations, which they falsely call pleasure.
The reverence of all these prodigalities is the case with
women; whose utmost expectations are, to go sometimes to a
ball or an assembly, or to spend a few hours in the evening
with an acquaintance or two, after having carefully attended
the concerns of their families in the preceeding part of the
day. These innocent amusements only serve to relax their
minds for a small time, and also to support a friendly
sociality between friends; nor are such meetings ever
attended with any expence that can hurt one's fortune;
whereas the men throw away hundreds, nay thousands of
pounds, in one evening, without the least remorse, however
their helpless infants may suffer for the future by their
present imprudence.
Now I ask you, Mr. Timothy, whether our husbands, who,
according to the rank they stand in, ought to be wiser than
we are (at least, they would willingly be thought so) should
not shew us better examples of a oeconomy, than many of them
have hitherto done? which if they really will do, we
faithfully promise to cloath them with the work of our own
hands.
But till such a reformation is brought about by our
superiours, we shall not think ourselves obliged to wear out
our fingers either by carding or spinning. You will
therefore be pleased to inform them, Mr. Timothy, that to
wear a homespun coat only, will never pass, with women, for
a mark of thorough amendment unless they give us better
proofs thereof than this paltry outside shew of it.
[signed] Margery Distaff, Conditionally.
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