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Sarah Scott
Excerpt from A Description of Millenium
Hall (1762)
[Represents a list of the ideals set forth in the living environment,
designed for a perfect living environment]
“They drew
up several regulations, to secure the peace and good order
of the society they designed to form, and sending a copy of
it to all their acquaintance, told them, that any gentleman’s
daughter, whose character was unblemished, might, if she desired
it, on those terms be received into that society.
…
“The first rule… was, that
whoever choose to take benefit of this asylum, for such I
justly call it, should deposit, in the hands of a person appointed
for that purpose, whatever fortune she was mistress of, the
security being approved by her and her friends, and remaining
in her possession. Whenever she leaves the society, her fortune
should be repaid to her, the interest in the mean time being
appropriated to the use of the community. The great design
of this was to preserve an exact equality between them; for
it was not expected, that the interest of any of their fortunes
should pay the allowance they were to have for their cloaths.
If any appeared to have secreted part of her fortune, she
should be expelled from the society.
“Secondly, Each person to have
a bed-chamber to herself, but the eating-parlour and drawing-room
in common.
“Thirdly, All things for rational
amusement shall be provided for the society; musical instruments,
of whatever sort they shall chuse; books; tents for work;
and, in short, conveniences for every kind of employment.
“Fourthly, They must conform
to very regular hours.
“Fifthly, An house-keeper will
be appointed to manage household affairs, and a sufficient
number of servants provided.
“Sixthly, Each person shall alternatively,
a week at a time, preside at the table, and give what family
orders may be requisite.
“Seventhly, Twenty-five pounds
a year shall be allowed to each person for her cloaths and
pocket expenses.
“Eighthly, Their dress shall
be quite plain and neat, but not particular or uniform.
“Ninthly, The expense of sickness
shall be discharged by the patronesses of the society.
“Tenthly, If any one of the ladies
behaves with imprudence, she shall be dismissed, and her fortune
returned; likewise if any should, by turbulence or pettishness
of temper, disturb the society, it shall be in the power of
the rest of them to expel her; a majority of three parts of
the community being for the expulsion, and this to be performed
by ballotting.
“Eleventhly, A good table, and
every thing suitable to the convenience of a gentlewoman,
shall be provided.”
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