The Attributes of a Young Lady
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Every girl is expected to be a young lady, even if it is only for her mother's sake:- |
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| "Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee Calls back the lovely April of her prime." |
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| But how tiring it is being, or trying to be, a young lady. She must not run, or shout. Indeed everyone expects that:- | |
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"Her voice was ever gentle, sweet and low
An excellent thing in woman." |
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| To be "a nice young lady" is not my keenest ambition by a long way and to be treated as one infuriates me. I am always being told "a young lady is seen and not heard." What a bore it must be to carry out this outmoded Victorian idea. The gate of young ladyhood is barred to me because I cannot resist joining in a conversation, especially if it is in an argument! This phrase is really a good cover for mothers with cowed, unintelligent daughters! "Young ladies, do not gossip or chatter unnecessarily," says the mythical textbook of taboos. Gossip is a natural feminine delight. Would the committee of dried-up ostriches who make these rules deprive us of this? | |
| "A maiden hath no tongue but thought." | |
| Substitute "Young lady" for "a maiden" and another out-dated cliche is brought to light. Every "nice young lady" should have |
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| "Helen's cheek but not her heart, Cleopatra's majesty, Atlanta's better part, Sad Lucretia's modesty." |
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| And if she hasn't she is | |
| "An unlessoned girl, unschool'd, unpractis'd, Happy in this, she is not yet so old But she may learn." |
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| And men say - | |
| "How hard it is for women to keep counsel." |
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| If a girl succeeds in becoming a nice young lady - | |
| "Women will love her, that she is a woman, More worth than any man; Men that she is The rarest of all women." |
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| Then some men will say - | |
| "Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks Shall win my love." |
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| And her proud mother will say - | |
| "She in beauty, education, blood, Holds hand with any princess of the world." |
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| And let all young ladies remember - | |
| "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw perfume on the violet, To smoothe the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." |
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A Visit to a Jazz Concert
At long last the audience is seated and the hands of the clock indicate the magic hour of eight o'clock.
The lights of the auditorium suddenly dim and the murmur of voices and rustle of programmes is hushed. The glaring spot-lights concentrate their beam on a small central area of the stage. There we see a piano, a drum kit and a highly polished double bass lying on its side.
On to the stage stroll half a dozen young men, all similarly dressed in light-grey lounge suits. They pick up their instruments and look expectantly towards the right-hand side of the stage. Then, out into the blaze of lime-light, gleaming trumpet in hand, steps the great "Humph" Lyttleton. The noise is deafening as his fans applaud him in anticipation of what is to come.
After a few seconds' tuning-up the band quickly swings into the well-known "Tiger Rag" and the attention of the audience is soon focused on the group of musicians in the spot-lights. This "warming-up" number finished, "Humph" introduces the members of his group to the audience and follows up with our instrumental number which features every member of the group.
With the dynamic atmosphere usually found at such concerts, time passes and before we realise it the interval overtakes us.
After the interval the band returns refreshed, and continues with the programme. First on the bill is that great crowd-pleaser, "The Onions," or, as our friends across the water would say, "Les Oignons" (just to show I'm bi-lingud). Next they play Humph's own composition, "Bad Penny Blues." The audience are again very enthusiastic in their applause.
The end of the concert comes all too quickly with the band giving a rousing treatment to that old jazz classic, "High Society." A wonderful night's entertainment concludes with the band playing "God Save the Queen."
By the way, have you ever heard a jazz group play "God Save the Queen"? It's an experience to remember—I can tell you.