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Limitations on a young woman’s life..
It is, I imagine, almost impossible to convey to the modern girl what the life of a young lady was like in Victorian days.
We were the victims of clichés, taboos, conventionalities, prohibitions.
But the sex taboo was the strongest of all. An almost incredible instance of this happened to me when I was about eighteen.
I was driving one June evening along the banks of the River Tamar with an uncle and aunt. It was a lovely evening and the banks of the lane were lit up by numberless glow-worms. I remarked on their beauty. No reply. /
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When we reached home my Aunt drew me into her bedroom and said: “I wish you would not mention glow-worms before your Uncle”. I was utterly puzzled until I realised that the female worm lights her little lamp at breeding time.
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