oh, this is a quite a lovely excerpt..
it's from a book written in the 1800's titled Advice on Choosing a Wife..
enjoy!
(i highlighted my favorite parts, for your convenience.)
[Quality #] 5. Love of Domestic Concerns.
Without the knowledge and the love of domestic concerns, even the wife of a peer, is but a poor affair… I am, however, addressing myself, in this work, to persons in the middle ranks of life; and here a knowledge of domestic affairs is so necessary in every wife, that the lover ought to have it continually in his eye. Not only a knowledge of these affairs—not only to know how things ought to be done, but how to do them; not only to know what ingredients ought to be put into a pie or a pudding, but to be able to make the pie or the pudding… If a young farmer or mechanic marry a girl, who has been brought up only to ‘play music;’ to draw, to sing, to waste paper, pen and ink in writing long and half romantic letters, and to see shows, and plays, and read novels—if a young man do marry such an unfortunate young creature, let him bear the consequences with temper… It is cold comfort for a hungry man, to tell him how delightfully his wife plays and sings. Lovers may live on very aerial diet, but husbands stand in need of something more solid; and young women may take my word for it, that a constantly clean table, well cooked victuals, a house in order, and a cheerful fire will do more towards preserving a husband’s heart, than all the ‘accomplishments’ taught in all the ‘establishments’ in the world without them.
(if you want to read the ELEVEN more wonderful qualifications, i found this at: http://www.teachushistory.org/detocqueville-visit-united-states/resources/advice-choosing-wife. enjoy!)
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