The Portland gazette., 1820-02-15

/ muslin, and were considered virtuous in proper.
ton to the conceaiment Of their persons and
that you had slept through all the age ofimprove-
ment, which has gradually permitted the human
form 10 issue from its brocade envelopement, aad
TO display its sylph-like grace, unrestsained by
the ariieos Of prudery or the fastidiousness Of a
too delicate sensibilify. Would you have Us sir,
be behind all the world In fashion, and hide the
beauties with which nature has endowed U.S. and
which really captivate so much in other places !!
Mrs. SPdngle informs US that we are now quite
below the beau monde in dress, and that l. shock
inglv vulgar to see young ladies covered up, as
il their heads were sticking out of a bale Of mus
lin or eambrick, without the licence ofexhbiting
charms which cannot bu. have very das ling
effect under the blaze Of countless candles. She
says, they dress much more openly than we do,
in Boston and New York, and that the fashion is
borrowed from the English and the French, who
never think of going into genieei company with
out displaying the whole Of their shoulders We
shall be considered no more than savages by and
bv, and should we'll deserve TO be connected with
Missouri # We follow your advice ,nwfis our uscks
t. your standard aud regulate or appearance
by your antiquated notions. ! write merely to
defend some Of my friends, and not because your
remarks have the least application to myself |;
but ] again repeat that you are known and are
believed to be an insidious enemy to the taste and
fashion Of this town." YLIRrrLLA.
N. b. am glad to observe 10 your last, that
you have noticed the dand,es. | think you had
better coniine your attention to that new species
Of animalcula."
] like the candour, Mr.. Editor, of the fair au-
thoress OF the last epistle, though am sorry she
should be vexed with me, for the liberty have
taken, which at the time thought very innocent.
You will see by the next letter, that have been
equally unfortunate in disr.sasing one Of the
other sex.
. Mr.. Baehelor-Do you think By assuming
the name Of enc ofus, 10 screen yourself from the
Inclination Of those, against whom your attack
was made, or the disapprobation Of our own ssx
II you do you Are much deceived the lsdies
have too much penetration to believe, that
piece containing the sentiments yours did, could
proceed rom those whose highest qualification il
the contemplation Of those beauties. you would
Danish forever from our eyes, By . parapst Of
cooweo. no. the trick is toe stale, anc you
are discovered - bs some disappointed young
man, who mas bost his J6ssse, or some old beau
worn out IN service, who has NO longer the art to
awaken interest in the breasts Of the fair and
therefore the sweetnsW that once distilled 20 lav.
ishiy IN compliments, has turned acid and 6ows
in satire or finally u are one Of the other ssx
Who having lived 20 long ~ to outlivs your
cnsrm:, cannot bear to zee them glowing on 9TH
err. Atany rate whoever you may BE-, you had
better keep silent aud {" say nauxht Al them that
say nsuyht at you," and leave u the enjoyment
of bshold'ng beauties We cannot approximate.
Al OLD DAcnsLeA."
! will present you with but one letter mere, and
then fear shal; exhaust your patispcs, II 10
from . respectable gentleman Of my acquaintance
wh'se opinion agrees with my owS.
M. 6aeheser--l read With pleasure, the
other day your remarks o. the styls Of dressing,
TOO prevalent IN fashionable society. Il alarm.
'ng aud growing evil, and find Il d 6cult 70
restrain even my daughters from initiating the
exsmpis OF those who pretend to give currency
10 fashion. When talk to them upon the sub
ject, they excIain, g. La, Pa. would you have us
90 to party looking like dowdiss! no other girls
ores ~. esd ws are sure, We shall never get
husbands in the orld. if you don let u drsss
fsshionably." The eldest says she has hand.
some mock and che is determined to show il, and
show ehe will, but not ind cd TO the indslicats
excess Of some, whom have blushsd 70 sse ia
company. The plea Of Teniesi too, 10 70 oltsn
made to sanction this among other folliss and
extravaganciss that am really sick Of the nasss
Of gsnt'lity. But the greatest evil Of oil IT, that
those who are % devoted to the humos. of fashion
neglect Tor its service, the more useful accom-
pl''hments, which strengthen their minds and
prepare them to 6Il with usefulness and honour
the important relations of wives. Companions and
mothefs. for which nature with 80 much skill ha,
designed them. l will mention one circumstsnce
10 show how Irresistible 10 the influence Of hsh-
ion and example,. Sometime ar, nv eldest
daughter requested mo 10 buy handsome blank
book, hieh readily complied with, ~ NE said
several OF ner acquaintapces had books e( this
SORT which they called .4.busss, 10 which they
received the poetica rscolleeti Of their fisnds
this WAS well enough: but Il days ago, my
Youngest daughter about l3 years old, csss run
nIg 10 me and asked me 10 buv her an .libssn.
l Laughed At her And ssquired what Il wss, he
said, she did not know Dot all the girls u school
had them and she wauted one too we'll, bought
her one Tor could not rssist the torrent, and COW
abe Is IKE the rest Of the town and has her .Al6w
Tor her friends 10 write in 50 10 sir just let
slip the werd neW (ashisr and every mouth, eye
and ga, are open to catch its paculiaritiss, and
every hand to apply them. But excuse me, ny
interest makes me tedious. "siD rInss."
After these long letters, cir, will not ocespy
more Of your paper or the attention Of your read
srs, but simply inform you, that the others re-
ceivsd ere as variant In opinion AZ the above. |
One quite long from an {" cd ~aid,v who seems
to be much provoked with ~ baeAsisrs, cup
psse for their neglect. and ~ II Is quite . good
hit, an OH the whole in support ofmy srgumsnts
| hand il to you entire. Ofthe others, some say
that il my remarks are true, il 10 improper that
they should appear in a public paper; on the |