Page:Advice to young ladies on their duties and conduct in life - Arthur - 1849.djvu/30

22 ; but now, both skill and knowledge are ever flowing out into effects. She has not only the task of acquiring, but the delight of doing, and this is life’s highest delight.

But we will be more particular and familiar. On leaving school, where all has been order, promptness, and industry, a young lady will find herself, as we have said, in great danger of sinking into indolence and inactivity. She will find, at first, little or nothing to do. Her mother has been so long in the regular routine of domestic duties, that she does not think of assigning any portion of them to her daughter. She continues to rise early and sit up late, while her daughter remains late in bed, and, wearied with a day of tiresome inactivity, retires early at night. It too often happens, in cases of this kind, that the daughter is either too indolent, or indifferent towards her mother, to step forward and lighten her care and labor by taking a portion of it upon herself. Or it may be that her neglect to do so arises from want of proper reflection. Her duty, however, is a very plain one, and needs only to be hinted at, to cause every right-feeling daughter not only to see it, but at once to enter upon its due performance.

There are several reasons why a young lady should, on leaving school, engage actively in