Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-10-09
From ise ven York .va.io.sl .al5csss
Ant AT FASHION AND FOLLY.


Allow me TO complain of the present
| system of visiting, Of giving and return-
| ing calls, which averis extremely ridi-
culous and preposterous, and every way
at variance with the good and substan-
tial principles of hospitality. Ye:ter-
day, while 1 was posting my ledger in
the parEour, down comes my two daugh-
tiers, Peggy and Poppet, founced up to
the knees, cambria dresses full of lace,
insertings, eyelet holes, and FUCKERS,
each with Leghorn fiat on her head,
parrisols and ridicules in hand, and be-
twixt their fingers and thumb they held
each little gilt card case. We'll, my.
daughters says |, where are you going
80 early and so fine" why, pa, we
are going to make some calls 'Indeed'
Well, my sweet ones, who are you go
ing to call uponH 20, several ladies'
first, Mrs. Cammomlc from Boston,
Why, my loves, she is at Orange
Springs %, yes, papa, We know it, but
we can fsavc our cerd.' Who next"
why Mrs. Rosey Pogcy of Richmond
why now, my dears, you know she rs
at Long Branch Very true, papa, but
we can lsars our cards. Cards! Very
well; and who next, do you intend to
visltP why we shall leave cards at
Mrs. Citrons, at the Misses Timbertops,
at Mrs. Pride Of India, from the south,
and on our return home we shall call in
Mt Mrs. Jones' and eat some pine apple
tarts.' will you leave card at Mrs.
Jones? ooh, no, pa, and we want a few
shillings from you for that VISIT Away
they went full Of glee and spirits, to ex-
ecute an idle an unmeaning ceremony.
| My mantle -piece is covered with visit
ing cards from Mr.. Such-a-oue, end
Mrs. Such-a- one. whom never had the
honor to SEQ, and know no more than I
do the Cham of Tartsry; and yet this is
fashion forsooth. The evil, however, is
not confined to the women; find the
men innoculated with the same folly
Thirty years ago, when friend arrived
in town, he considered it his duty to call
on me, and say how do ye do, here au
H. He would drop in at tea time, and
spend an agreeable evening; but now it
is expected, that | am first to discover,
| by some supernatural sign, that friend
| rs in town; | am then to scour the city
to discover where he lodges, and if be is
not at home, ain to leave card with
| nay address
The othc, day, walking briskly thro'
Wall street, | came bump up against an
old and esteemed friend, whom | had
not seen for several years. He returned
my cordial salutations and shake Of the
hhand with q cold and formal bow. How
long have you been in town, my fricnd"
said |. "A week. "A week, and not let
fne know it,' I lodge ct the City Ho-
tel said he. Another cold bow.
Now, how the devil was to discover
that my friend had beena whole week
in town, when he neither called upon
me, nor gave me any -intimation of the
factp And I am censared for want Of
hospitality and pohteness to a friend
who has afsgitimate claim to attention,
lnhen the fault is attributable to his for
NAL stiffness and close adherence to III
gid etiquette. In total stranger, | al
NIT that these preliminaries are necessa-
| ry, and even thsn thew are carried to
extremes In female intercourse, this
jehqustte ia every way contrary to their
hatczal inclinationS; for women are in
clined to be sociable with each other,
and would be so if they were not tram
melted by the imperative rules of fashion
One lady calls upon another, talks of
the weather, the Springs, the theatre,
and thousand other topic, Of the day,
rises, makes her curtesy, sand walks of.
The lady returns the visit, talks of the
very same things, makes her curtsey,
sails off, and hare the intercourse cea-
ses. Here the friendship ends, even
before it commences. No time or OPP
portunity offered to cultivate an acquain-
lance, to discover each others virtues,
TO enlarge and improve the mind; lisa
visit, card, nod, and all is forgotten,
IF you wish to entertain the lady hospi-
tably, she viii not thank you for plea
SAINT evening at tea, en- tans;lIe; you must
give a party, throw your rooms open,
light your lamps, send for salmon, have
ice creams and Syllabus, plum-cake
and fruits, invite number of ladies,
dizzened out in silks and artificial flow
ers, and dandies in plums and corsets--
then the fiddlers and dance. In short,
there is no pleasure, no hospitality, un-
Tess it is found in crowded room, or in
the nlazes of cotilion or con're dance.
This was not the fashion thirty years
arn Mr. Editor and vet | call unon all