Female education

Hitherto we have not gathered much of this material in the United States.

The dispersion of families so common in America, the consequent destruction of private papers, the defective nature of female education before the revolution, the difficulty and danger of free communication, and the engrossing character to the men of public and to the women of domestic cares have all contributed to cut short, if not completely to destroy, the sources of information.

It is truly remarked in the present volume that, quote, instances of patience, perseverance, fortitude, magnanimity, courage, humanity, and tenderness, which would have graced the Roman character, were known only to those who were themselves the actors and whose modesty could not suffer them to blazon abroad their own fame.

The heroism of the females of the revolution has gone from memory with the generation that witnessed it, and nothing, absolutely nothing, remains upon the ear of the young of the present day but the faint echo of an expiring general tradition.

I never was sent to any school.

I was always sick.

Female education in the best families went no further than writing and arithmetic.

In some few and rare instances, music and dancing." End quote.