DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61902#0212
192
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
perhaps she might be mistaken, but that our neighbor seemed to her
as old as her mother’s old nurse. Then I swore to her what was the
truth, that this lady was born but two years before myself, and was
not yet thirty-two, but by the use of paint had become thus disfigured
and old before her time.”
“Did she obey you?” asked the sons eagerly, not sure
about it, it would seem, though deeply impressed by this
alarming example:
“ Agnolo. Sometimes at weddings, or when she was ashamed to
find herself unrouged among the others who were all rouged, or when
she was heated by dancing, she seemed to me painted more than
usual, but never at home in my house except once, when our relations
and their wives had been invited to spend the/ksta of St. John with
us; then my wife, painted and powdered, met every woman with
much gayety, and going about everywhere enjoyed herself greatly. I
perceived it.
“ Carlo, Giannozzo, Filippo, Pandolfo, Dominico. Were you
angry with her?
“Agnolo. Why should I be angry with her? Neither of us
meant any evil.
“Carlo, Giannozzo. But perhaps you might be disturbed that in
this she did not obey you.
“ Agnolo. Yes, that is true enough; but, however, I did not
show myself disturbed by it.
“ Carlo, Giannozzo. Did not you reprove her?
“ Agnolo. Yes, but with precaution. It seems to me always, my
children, that correction should begin gently, in order that the defect
may be made visible and good-will be awakened. Learn this of me.
Women are more easily mastered and corrected with courtesy and
kindness than with severity. Servants may endure threats or blows,
and it is no shame to scold them, but the wife should rather obey
from love of you than from fear of you. And every free soul will be
more ready to please you than to serve you. Therefore the errors of
wives should be reproved with delicacy. I waited till I found her
alone, then smiled and said, ‘ I am sorry to see that you have got your
face plastered; have you struck it against some saucepan in the
kitchen? Wash thyself, let no one else see thee thus. A woman
who is the mistress of a family should always be clean and in good
order, that the family may learn to be obedient.’ She understood
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
perhaps she might be mistaken, but that our neighbor seemed to her
as old as her mother’s old nurse. Then I swore to her what was the
truth, that this lady was born but two years before myself, and was
not yet thirty-two, but by the use of paint had become thus disfigured
and old before her time.”
“Did she obey you?” asked the sons eagerly, not sure
about it, it would seem, though deeply impressed by this
alarming example:
“ Agnolo. Sometimes at weddings, or when she was ashamed to
find herself unrouged among the others who were all rouged, or when
she was heated by dancing, she seemed to me painted more than
usual, but never at home in my house except once, when our relations
and their wives had been invited to spend the/ksta of St. John with
us; then my wife, painted and powdered, met every woman with
much gayety, and going about everywhere enjoyed herself greatly. I
perceived it.
“ Carlo, Giannozzo, Filippo, Pandolfo, Dominico. Were you
angry with her?
“Agnolo. Why should I be angry with her? Neither of us
meant any evil.
“Carlo, Giannozzo. But perhaps you might be disturbed that in
this she did not obey you.
“ Agnolo. Yes, that is true enough; but, however, I did not
show myself disturbed by it.
“ Carlo, Giannozzo. Did not you reprove her?
“ Agnolo. Yes, but with precaution. It seems to me always, my
children, that correction should begin gently, in order that the defect
may be made visible and good-will be awakened. Learn this of me.
Women are more easily mastered and corrected with courtesy and
kindness than with severity. Servants may endure threats or blows,
and it is no shame to scold them, but the wife should rather obey
from love of you than from fear of you. And every free soul will be
more ready to please you than to serve you. Therefore the errors of
wives should be reproved with delicacy. I waited till I found her
alone, then smiled and said, ‘ I am sorry to see that you have got your
face plastered; have you struck it against some saucepan in the
kitchen? Wash thyself, let no one else see thee thus. A woman
who is the mistress of a family should always be clean and in good
order, that the family may learn to be obedient.’ She understood