THE "AMERICAN WOMAN."
LTo THE EDITOR OF TUX " SPECTATOR:1 Sin,-1 have read with much interest the letters appearing in the Spectator entitled "The 'American Woman.' " In many recent books and letters the question of the idleness of the women of the richer classes has been discussed and deplored. Many rue and telling things have been said on this subject. The only thing which has never been really said or thought out is precisely what they are to do. It must be understood that I 410 not speak of the wives of very rich men. Riches bring their own, often nearly overwhelming, duties and responsi- bilities. Neither do I speak of the exceptionally gifted women. The brilliant novelist or the inspired artist has a field too large to he explored in , her lifetime. The women who are "exceptional" in the way of money or brains I leave out of my argument. It is the enormously large class of women just below the very rich of whom I should like to speak. They are not rich enough to have large responsibilities, and yet they have enough money for ease and COM fort. They have efficient servants who do all that is necessary in their house, and capable nurses and governesses for their children. A woman of this class can, if she gets up fairly early in the morning, be an excellent housekeeper and see a good deal of her children, and still leave many hours of the day un- employed. Her husband is probably away all day at his work, and she is faced with the problem every morning of "What shall I do to-day?" If she tries to do any work that brings in money, she is told, and quite truly, that she is taking the bread out of the months of those who are trying to earn their own living. Should she wish to work for a charity, she is probably given the hackwork and drudgery for which the society, whatever it may be, is too poor to pay a clerk,—work which no man would voluntarily think of doing. Further, philanthropic and social work. of real interest demands very special talents to which every woman cannot lay claim. A genius for philanthropy is almost as rare as a genius for art and literature. If she attempts to cultivate her mind, she finds, without the incentives or facilities of a man at school or college, a certain uselessness in reading and learning which is to have no other result than to pass a few hours of the day. Would any man spend several hours a day improving his mind with no ultimate object ? I do not think that men realise that every avenue except the " housewifely " is closed to the ordinary woman, and that this particular avenue in the class I am speaking of simply cannot provide a full occupation. If some of the writers who are so busy pointing out the idleness of women to the world's disapprobation would employ their time and talents instead in telling women of work involving interest and responsibility, I feel sure that they would find their suggestions. responded to with enthusiasm. If men who know the joy of congenial work and its solace in hours of trouble would set their minds to this very real problem, they would earn the gratitude of all women.—I am, [That there is a good deal in our correspondent's contention we fully admit. At the same time, we cannot help thinking that the feverish desire for something to do is often part of the restlessness which is the special malady of the age. When a well-to-do woman first marries, and when her children are very young, she may sometimes find it difficult to fill her day ; but no one will ever persuade us that a family of, say, only three children does not provide plenty of occupation for the mother, even though she does not actually give them formal lessons. The demands for informal instruction from growing boys and girls are enough to keep any ordinary person in full mental work. A household is like a committee. As time goes on it gradually accretes work to itself. We admit, however, that all this is far truer of the country than of the London home. A country house, even though small, is a far greater provider of occupation than a number in a London street, where there are neither fowls nor flowers, and where everything comes to the door as if by magic.—ED. Spectator.]
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