A VICTORIAN LEGEND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1632, 26 December 1912, Page 2

A VICTORIAN LEGEND.

The legend of tho Victorian woman dies hard, for tho modom world assiduously fans tho embers of its decay; it cannot, however, long survivo the important revoJations lately given to tho public' in Mr. Geowe Meredith's loiters and Mrs. Janet volume of memories.

Were thoy tho fainting, simpering futilities that so many to-day would have us believe? asks Mrs. Ross, Instoad, let us tho names of some of tho most distinguished amongst them: Mrs. Somerville; Mrs. Drowning; Miss Nightingale, Sister Stanislaus, who shared with her tho work in tho Crimea, and must share in tho distinction; tho Bronte, sistors; Mrs. Gaskoll; Mrs. Mill; Mrs. Grotc; George Eliot; tho two Miss Edwards, Mrs. Oarlylc, Mrs. Charles • Austin, Lady BullGordon, Mrs. Grey, aro names that will occur to all; but there wore many others. Peaks do not riso from olf tho plain, but from a high elevation, whereon tho averago Victorian woman may. Im> found. How did Englishwomen bchavo in tho Indian Mutiny? Did tlicy show any weakening of moral fibre? Were they tho fainting, simpering futilities that so many to-day would liavo us believe?

Whon England began to recover after tho groat war, and tho industrial reorganisation of society was fairly launched, tho birth throes of tho new era were accompanied by much sufforing. • Money was rapidly made, and largo reserves laid up. Women boro thoir. full share ,of the burden of tho economies, as of the industrial endeavour. Their lives would 6eem to U6 to-day incredibly frugal of pleasure as of spending. They worked hard, and nc/ither sougnt nor desired amusements. When we consider how much of tho food was prepared at home, the bread baked, the butter churned, the preserves made by the women of the family, that the linen was spun and mado by them, the ohildren taught by them, all the Eiek nursed by them, it must be admitted that they were no idlers, but earned their keep.

Dignified and Loyal.

The Victorian woman, put things through—she got things done. Her servants were content, for all worked together, and .they were treated with consideration. She was gentle-voiced and mannered, for she "mothered" her own babes and had sat up many nights with the' sick and the dying. These women inaugurated nursing as a science and fine art. They taught in the public village schools, they helped in all good endeavours;, they were students of foreign languages, and, as will be 6een in these memoirs, .they had their full share in the happenings of the world—they made history and created public opinion. They shared for the most part the errors and shortcomings of their time, though notably some few could see far in advance of their age.' If this should be thought an exaggerated picture,, read in Mr. G. Gissing's "Henry Eyecroft" his lament for the older type of .women. With all this there'■ went a fine reticence, partly of dignity, partly also of quiet streugth. Thoxo was also a great loyalty to the family and to the men of the family. Manners were ugly and rough when Queen Victoria ascended the throne; they nave greatly changed, in all conditions of life since then—changed- and improved, thanks, in great measure, we may be sure, to our forem'others. These knew very well that loyalty and. trust beget a like loyalty and trust in return. It.has seemed.to tho writer that there is a tendency in our modern women to -disparage the women of the immediate past, who yet are their mothers' and grandmothers. It is an ill-maimered tendency, to Say the least of it, with,sneers that.are cheap and,„without knowledge; We, the daughters of the Past, do well to acknowledge our debt, and to cherish the memory of so much courage, so much good Work accomplished, 60 much patience and faith in the future.