Salem Observer, 1832.
The character of Boston ladies in 1788 is set forth in a letter in the "Herald of Freedom." The writer gives his observations on the error of committing children too much to the care of nurses; also makes reference to teaching the catechism, etc., showing the value of early religious training. There can be no doubt, we think, that the old methods were in some respects superior to the present, where in many cases young children are left to Sunday-school teachers, or, as is often the case, receive no religious instruction whatever, for fear, as we have often heard it stated, that they might imbibe some false doctrinal notions at an age when the deepest impressions are made.
For the HERALD of FREEDOM.
Letter IX.
DEAR PIERRE,
No moments glide away more agreeably than thoſe that are employed in writing to a friend. Happy am I in having frequent opportunities of exhibiting my ſentiments to you, and in return receiving yours, which palliates in ſome degree, the ſorrow our ſeparation occaſions.——The glaring abſurdities of the dreſs of the Boſton ladies, occupied the greateſt part of my two laſt letters. It is but juſt to ſay ſomething of their more laudable qualities; amongſt which, maternal affection deſervedly claims precedence.—The barbarous cuſtoms of Europe, in this particular, have not as yet, and I hope never will be, practiſed here. Mothers in this country are ſo much attached to their tender offspring, as to forego all the pleaſures of life (or rather what are ſo termed in Europe) in attending to their nurture, from which they derive the moſt ſuperlative of all enjoyments, the heart-felt ſatisfaction of having done their duty to their God and country, in giving robuſt, healthy and virtuous citizens to the State. The effeminacy of exotic faſhion has not at preſent extended its pernicious influence ſo far as to induce them to commit the rearing of their children to mercenary nurſes, who are ſometimes the very dregs of a people; and whoſe vicious habits of taking a drop of the good creature to drown ſorrow, does not promiſe redundancy of health and vigour to thoſe ſuckled by them—on the contrary, children thus unnaturally thrown from the arms of a parent into thoſe of a nurſe, are, almoſt without exception, weak and puny; of irraſcible tempers and vicious inclinations.—Nor does the attention of the ladies expire with the infancy of their children—they ſtill are unwearied in inſtructing them as they increaſe in years, and aſſiduouſly endeavour to inculcate principles of virtue into their young minds at a time when they are moſt liable to make a deep impreſſion—to accompliſh which, they never fail to teach them the catechiſm, Lord's prayer, &c. &c. all of which they oblige them to learn, becauſe they are perfectly adapted to their comprehenſion, though many parts of the catechiſm are altogether incomprehenſible to moſt adults.—Yet this is not ſtrange to thoſe who credit the ſcriptures; nor does it appear the leaſt inconſiſtent—for there it ſays, "God hath choſen the fooliſh things of this world to confound the wiſe."—Therefore, the wonder that children ſhould be able to underſtand that, which is the foundation of all polemical divinity, vaniſhes, when we try it by the touchſtone of ſcripture, which is the criterion by which we ought to judge.—When they are thus inſtructed in the rudiments of virtue, they are ſeldom known to apoſtatize; ſo that for a native to become diſſolute and abandoned, is very rare.—Indeed they have characters of this kind who emigrate from old countries; but they ſoon find employment for ſuch gentry, by obliging them to labour for the publick good, and "work out their ſalvation by the ſweat of their brow."—Thus the community is not only delivered from ſuch peſts, but experience beneficial effects from their confinement. Knavery, though rarely found in a native, is not entirely extirpated from the breaſts of ſome among them.
Remarkable instances of longevity.