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n Sarah Stickney Ellis (born 1799)nadded greatly to the ‘improving’ literature of the Victorians – with a total ofnthirty-four books, of poetry, fiction and social anthropology.
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| Sarah Stickney Ellis |
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nSarah Stickneynhad been a Quaker but converted to become a Congregationalist, and in 1837 shenmarried the widower William Ellis, the Chief Foreign Secretary of the LondonnMissionary Society. He was a prolific, and successful, writer and hadntravelled, on behalf of the Society, with his first wife, Mary, to Hawaii.nAfter their return to England, Mary died in 1835; a mutual friend introducednWilliam to Sarah and after a short courtship they were married. She shared hisnmissionary zeal, his love of writing and both were keen members of thenTemperance movement. William died in 1872, after thirty-five years marriage andnSarah died a mere seven days later.
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| William Ellis |
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nHer first work, The Negro Slaven(1830) was published anonymously and was an abolitionist novel ‘addressed tonthe women of Great Britain’. She received acclaim for a later collection ofnessays The Poetry of Life but made her name with The Women of Englandn(1839), which was followed by The Wives of England, The Daughters of Englandnand The Mothers of England.
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| Mrs Ellis – Family Secrets |
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nShe also wrote a number of moralisticnnovels, including The Minister’s Wife, Family Secrets and Temper andnTemperament. The theme of her works is consistent throughout – the role ofnwomen in society. Her position was that women were inferior to men but they hadnan innate ‘sixth sense’ that could be used for good, by exercising a moral restraintnon the excesses inherent in the natural male character. Wives, mothers andndaughters could improve their husbands, sons and brothers by ‘naturalnkindness’, through support and maintaining the moral atmosphere of the home.
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| Female Influence |
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nHere she is on the relationshipnbetween men and women.
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nIn her intercourse with man,nit is impossible but that woman should feel her own inferiority; and it isnright that it should be so. (The Women of England)n
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nHer concern is that women maynexceed their limits.
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nI am perfectly aware thatnthere are intricate questions brought before our senate, which it may require anmasculine order of intellect fully to understand. (The Daughters ofnEngland)n
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nIf you are going to talk, it would be best to engage thenbrain prior to the mouth.
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nDo not suppose it would add any embellishment to yournconversation, for you to discuss what are called politics, simply as such,nespecially when, as in nine cases out of ten, you do not really understand whatnyou are talking about. (The Daughters of England)n
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| Conversation in the Sick Chamber |
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nOr maybe, do not engage the mouth at all.
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nMost kindly, however, has itnbeen accorded by man to his feeble sister, that it should not be necessary fornher to talk much, even on his favourite topics, in order to obtain his favour. (ThenDaughters of England)n
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nAnd what might it be that sondistracted the ladies of the nation?
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nOne of the greatest drawbacksnto the good influence of society is the almost unrivalled power of fashion uponnthe female mind. (The Daughters of England)n
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nBut things might well go too farnin the opposite direction.
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nThe possession of genius is,nto a woman, a birthright of very questionable value. It is a remark, not alwaysncharitably made, but unfortunately too true, that the most talented women arennot the most agreeable in their domestic capacity. (The Women of England)n
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| The Favourite Child |
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nMen, after all, don’t want to beninvolved with a woman who can’t keep the place neat and tidy.
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nNo power of intellect, or display of learning, canncompensate to men, for the want of nicety or neatness in the women with whomnthey associate in domestic life. (The Women of England)n
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nAfter all, marriage is the goal of any woman in her rightnmind.
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nIf there be one principle in woman’s nature stronger thannall others, it is that which prompts her to seek sympathy and protection fromnsome being whom she may love, and by whom she may be loved in return. (ThenWives of England)n
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nThe poor dears just can’t helpnthemselves. But remember –
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nWoman’s love may grow afternmarriage – man’s, never. If therefore, he is indifferent or unfaithful as anlover, what must be expected of him as a husband! (The Wives of England)n
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nAnd don’t go making decisionsnabout where the family home is going to be.
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nHe and his friends will benbetter judges than you can be of the general reasons for fixing your futurenresidence. (The Wives of England)n
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nIt may be all the better if younstick to small, furry creatures.
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nThere is, however, a sicklynsensibility indulged in by some young ladies, which I should be the last tonrecommend. Many, for instance, will nurse and fondle animals, without everntaking the trouble to feed them. (The Daughters of England)n
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| It is too late |
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nBut don’t give up, girls. Naturenhas the matter in hand.
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nIt is unquestionably an honourable distinction to be thenchosen companion of an enlightened and good man; but we must not forget, thatnnature never yet formed any woman too destitute of attractions, or sent hernforth into the world too meanly endowed, for her to be chosen as a wife. (ThenWives of England)n
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nMrs Ellis puts me in mind of thisnexcellent skit by Mr Enfield and his chums.
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