When The Good Man
Of The House Returns From His Labour, He Peaceably Goes After His
Wife And Brings Her Home; Meanwhile The Young Fellows, Equally
Vigilant, Easily Find Out Which Is The Most Convenient House, And
There They Assemble With The Girls Of The Neighbourhood.
Instead of
cards, musical instruments, or songs, they relate stories of their
whaling voyages, their various sea adventures, and talk of the
different coasts and people they have visited.
"The island of
Catharine in the Brazil," says one, "is a very droll island, it is
inhabited by none but men; women are not permitted to come in sight
of it; not a woman is there on the whole island. Who among us is not
glad it is not so here? The Nantucket girls and boys beat the
world." At this innocent sally the titter goes round, they whisper
to one another their spontaneous reflections: puddings, pies, and
custards never fail to be produced on such occasions; for I believe
there never were any people in their circumstances, who live so
well, even to superabundance. As inebriation is unknown, and music,
singing, and dancing, are held in equal detestation, they never
could fill all the vacant hours of their lives without the repast of
the table. Thus these young people sit and talk, and divert
themselves as well as they can; if any one has lately returned from
a cruise, he is generally the speaker of the night; they often all
laugh and talk together, but they are happy, and would not exchange
their pleasures for those of the most brilliant assemblies in
Europe. This lasts until the father and mother return; when all
retire to their respective homes, the men re-conducting the partners
of their affections.
Thus they spend many of the youthful evenings of their lives; no
wonder therefore, that they marry so early. But no sooner have they
undergone this ceremony than they cease to appear so cheerful and
gay; the new rank they hold in the society impresses them with more
serious ideas than were entertained before. The title of master of a
family necessarily requires more solid behaviour and deportment; the
new wife follows in the trammels of Custom, which are as powerful as
the tyranny of fashion; she gradually advises and directs; the new
husband soon goes to sea, he leaves her to learn and exercise the
new government, in which she is entered. Those who stay at home are
full as passive in general, at least with regard to the inferior
departments of the family. But you must not imagine from this
account that the Nantucket wives are turbulent, of high temper, and
difficult to be ruled; on the contrary, the wives of Sherburn in so
doing, comply only with the prevailing custom of the island: the
husbands, equally submissive to the ancient and respectable manners
of their country, submit, without ever suspecting that there can be
any impropriety. Were they to behave otherwise, they would be afraid
of subverting the principles of their society by altering its
ancient rules; thus both parties are perfectly satisfied, and all is
peace and concord.
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