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Counsels on Health
The course that many parents pursue in allowing their children to be
indolent and to gratify their desire for reading romance, is unfitting
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them for real life. Novel and storybook reading are the greatest evils
in which youth can indulge. Novel and love-story readers always fail
to make good, practical mothers. They are air-castle builders, living
in an unreal, an imaginary world. They become sentimental and have
sick fancies. Their artificial life spoils them for anything useful. They
are dwarfed in intellect, although they may flatter themselves that they
are superior in mind and manners. Exercise in household labor is of
the greatest advantage to young girls.
Physical labor will not prevent the cultivation of the intellect. Far
from it. The advantages gained by physical labor will balance a person
and prevent the mind from being overworked. The toil will come upon
the muscles and relieve the wearied brain. There are many listless,
useless girls who consider it unladylike to engage in active labor.
But their characters are too transparent to deceive sensible persons in
regard to their real worthlessness. They simper and giggle and are all
affectation. They appear as though they could not speak their words
fairly and squarely, but torture all they say with lisping and simpering.
Are these ladies? They were not born fools, but were educated such.
It does not require a frail, helpless, overdressed, simpering thing to
make a lady. A sound body is required for a sound intellect. Physical
soundness and a practical knowledge of all the necessary household
duties will never be hindrances to a well-developed intellect; both are
highly important for a lady.
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