Part 12 (1/2)
While the arbiter pursues his duties, the ladies are concealed behind a screen, which is, however, open sufficiently at the bottom to disclose the foot and ankle. She to whom the palm is awarded has the first choice of a partner, and the others follow in succession in the order in which they have been ranked. This diversion, though exciting great interest, is not so happy as ”the choice by hand.” The ladies whose feet are placed in a lower rank often think themselves aggrieved, and are slightly jealous of their rivals, for in spite of the efficacy of my laws, I could not--whilst giving just triumphs to superior beauty-- altogether prevent a feeling of disappointment in ladies who saw the palm given to others by one recognised as an honest and able judge,--a man whose taste was known to be irreproachable.
When the hand and foot of a young lady are inclined to coa.r.s.eness, while at the same time her talents and goodness ent.i.tle her to a superior position, the fingers or toes, and afterwards the hand and foot themselves, are bound up, for a certain number of hours each day. We do not like ”contradictions,” or, as I have before observed, we object to a garment partly of rich brocade, partly of common stuff.
GIRLS' DORMITORIES.
At the head of all the means for preserving beauty are cleanliness, frequent ablutions, and a habit of early rising. In these girls of all ranks are well schooled, and to show you that in their education we do not neglect what are erroneously called trifles, I will tell you of one of the modes of treatment commonly employed in connexion with such matters.
In the colleges each girl has a separate sleeping-room, as we have a great objection to young girls sleeping together in one room, and inhaling each other's peculiar gas thrown off in the form of breath during their slumbers. Besides, when that practice prevailed, as it did formerly, the girls were in the habit of talking to each other upon subjects which often suggested inconvenient thoughts, even to the best disposed, and confirmed others in tendencies which eventually grew into confirmed vices.
On the pupil's retiring to rest, the door of her sleeping-room is fastened from the outside by one of the matrons. The girl has no means of opening it herself, but by touching a little spring at the head of her couch she can at any moment communicate with the matron night-watchers. These matron night-watchers--two for a certain number of girls--are on the alert during the night, remaining in a place called the ”watch,” where are suspended the electric bells, underneath each of which is the name of the girl occupying the room to which it corresponds.
Light is supplied to every dormitory by means of a lamp inserted in the wall, and opening from the outside. Half an hour after the door has been closed the matron extinguishes the light, without entering the room. The external red light of night is also excluded; for, as with you, darkness is thought much more conducive to refres.h.i.+ng sleep.
In consequence of the warmth of our climate, girls, being naturally rather luxurious, are not inclined to rise early. They are, however, all required to rise at the same hour, and this is the mode adopted for rousing them. At the end of each room, opposite to the sleeping-couch, is a kind of gong made of metal and formed like a pair of cymbals, united at the base by a hinge, and kept together by a bolt at the top.
At the hour of rising these cymbals are set in motion by the matron in the watch room, who touches a spring by which the bolt fastening the cymbals together is removed. Thereupon the cymbals immediately clash together, and produce loud discordant sounds. The girl, not liking the discordant noise, loses no time in stopping it, which is beyond her power unless she leaves her bed and fixes the bolt that keeps the two cymbals together.
This done, she goes into an adjoining room, in which are a bath and other preparations for her ablutions. The door communicating with the sleeping-room closes of itself, whereupon the matron enters the apartment, pulls off the bed-clothes, and opens a large skylight at the top, to admit the fresh air.
The ablutions of all the girls ended, they descend to their repast, after which they say a very short and simple prayer. In this thanks for their refres.h.i.+ng sleep and for the food they have partaken are united into one pet.i.tion that the labours of the day may be blest by the Supreme.
The practice which formerly existed of saying long prayers before the girls partook of their first repast is abolished. Many young people have keen appet.i.tes after a night's rest, and when the old custom prevailed their thoughts would be wandering in a direction very different to that ostensibly taken by their prayers.
Although saying set prayers before the early meal is now not required of the young girl, grat.i.tude to the Dispenser of all good is successfully inculcated. On the walls of the repast room are inscribed in large characters appropriate precepts adapted to the young intellect--such as ”Think of G.o.d before you eat.” In the meaning of these the young are instructed at an early age, and by various devices are imperceptibly led, through the medium of the eye, the ear, and the understanding to acquire the habit of directing their thoughts in conformity with the spirit of the precepts.
A careful discipline prevails, as I have intimated, in all matters relating to the education of girls of every rank, but, as soon as they attain one amongst the higher positions and marry, they are allowed, nay, encouraged, to indulge in many luxurious habits, to dress beautifully, and to wear magnificent jewels, but only according to their means.
As an instance of luxury in simple things, I will mention a peculiar soft reclining cus.h.i.+on, or settee, particularly adapted to exhibit the lady and her costume to the greatest advantage. As the lady sits down, however gently, it yields to the pressure, leaving her surrounded by the portion not pressed, which thus forms a background, and, as it were, a frame to the living picture. When she rises, the elastic cus.h.i.+on resumes its pristine form. The least movement is sufficient to cause the seat to rise or fall, and I have often seen ladies amuse themselves with this gentle exercise.
To these settees a pad is attached. On a spring being touched this opens, and forms a fan which by its own movement fans the lady, and at the same time emits a refres.h.i.+ng perfume, continuing to act until the lady closes it by touching a spring.
These settees are covered with silk of various colours, adapted to the ladies and their costume; a peculiar crimson ornamented with gold is the favourite colour. They are allowed to be used by the married ladies alone, and are much liked by them, the more so perhaps that in the colleges girls of all ranks are not allowed to use any seats but those without backs.
XX.
CHOICE OF A HUSBAND.
”Women are the mothers of the nation. The happiness of our life depends on theirs. They have much to bear. If we neglect them we neglect ourselves.”
Having taken care by means of education to eradicate all incipient faults in woman, to confirm her health, to increase her powers of attraction, and fit her for the station which her talents and virtues ent.i.tle her to fill, we take the best means to ensure that the maiden shall at the proper age marry the man most pleasing to her, and most likely to secure the happiness of both.
In every district a council of ladies, who have pa.s.sed through certain ordeals, and a council of elders, regulate all matters relating to marriage. Over each of these presides a man of a certain age, and of spotless character, whose qualities, actions, and mode of life have been observed and recorded from early youth.
Let me more particularly describe how the lady makes choice of a husband.