Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-06-19


The downfall of families. Instances abound in
history of The first assertion, and there are few
who, in tne walks Of private life, have not met
with instances corrobcralive Of the second -
Like Other nations, ours is rising in the scale oil
luxury Many things have become necessa>
r,es of life, the uses Of which were scarcely
known a few centuries ago; and the common i
dea is, that our men are not improved IN either
strength, activity, or courage. Far he IL from
me to asperse the courage OF Engllsnmen'
their orowess is pretty well known and aPpre>
ciated in every part OF the world, Out inc men
that fight our battles are not such as lhau'ge
themselves in luxurious habits, or suffer their
bodies or minds to become weakened oy the
want Of exercise.
we have been led into these reflections from
hearing very pitiable remarks made upon some
children who were travelling barefoot through
the streets Of Liverpool "Poor things! what
thew mustsuffer from The cold? their poor feet
and legs must be starved! 1t is enough to pro-
duce cholics and ultimate death. And now
their poor feet must be lacerated by the stones!
What pity that some charitable persons 40
not relieve them! II would be well To establish
a society 10 furnish poor children WITH shoes
stockings through the winter months. Let 1t
be suggested TO the editors Of some OF our pub
lie journals, x we shall soon have subscription
opened, then, what a pleasure il would be to
see these children with warm shoes and stock
ing 10 their feet, and how much more comfors
table would they find themselves" Gentle,
considera,e men? you were never more mistak-
en- i'm YOUR lives. True indeed, in a town like
this, where the great ma ori'y OF the people
have been used to shoes and stockings from
their infancy, the want Of them appears shock
ing, and is well calculated TO excite the sympa-
thies of the feeling part oe he community; but,
gentle sympathizer,! were you never in LELAND
whence these barefooIed natives chiefly come!
Were you neve" in Sto,land, or in the country
parts Of the Isle Of Man? Ia these countries in
which particularly the two latter and the
northern parts of Ireland) the weather is as
cold as il is here, the want Of shors anc. stock
ings is commons, and no Inconvenience is telt
from 1t. In these places the sons OF res2ecla'
BILE tradesmen and farmers are frequently 10 be
seen barefoot; and this not because the parents
cannot afford to supply them VITA shoes and
stockings, but because they are looked upon as
supertluous. 1t rs no uncommon thing 10 meet a
traveller on the road walking barefoot, with his
shoes put into his stockings, and hung over his
shoulder in the form of belt. This ne does for
greater ease in walking; for, 10 person habi'u-
ated TO do without these articles, the trouble OF
wearing them is as great as the inconvenience
of being without them would be TO one who
had been used ID them.
Nor is it uncommon for country girls, who
have to go, perhaps, some miles 10 church,
when, being dressed ia all their Sunday hnery,
they must, of course, have shoes and stockings
to carry them In their hands, TILL, being come
near the place OF worship, they 6" behind a
hedge TO put them on, and OF coming out oil
oh sob hon, nE Al bnr hoyp he
greater ease in walking home. These facts are
sufficient TO prove that shoes and stockings are
mol a necessary of life: and If not a necessary,
ry or through habit, and to those only who have
been long used 10 them.
The use Of tea, which was almost totally un-
known to our great grandfathers, like other
things which former ages prove to be dispens,
able has become, Of late years quite Necessary
article of iie and II the children evenof the low
er orders OF The people have,by any accident, 10
GO without, their tea in the evening. i, is looked
upon as great privation. THAI tea is cheer
ing, agreeable and refreshing beverage, all will
allow, and, in its immediate effects. does not
seem TO have any deleterious operation upon the
constitution. Yet if memory deceive us
not, it said by the late D.: Curie, Of Liver
pool, that "tea destroyed more than The sword"
We suppose the doctor did no, mean in its inn
mediate, out in its continued effects, in wesk,
ching the nervous system from one generation
TO another.
Queen Elizabeth, ii is said. used 10 go to par.
lament mounted upon pi!lion behind the pre-
mier. Few of our quality can now go out Of
doors, in cold weather, without being covered
up in close chariot: Such indulgences do not
tend to strengthen the human frame; and here
are few ofour nobility or gentry new who Can
boast Of strength of body superior to that Of o.
Their men, a circumstance which was once
thought to be Distinguishing mark OF nohii'y.
Corporal strength is now chiefly confined 10
The peasantry who, from their peculiar circum
stances, have to apply * thereby improve it,
Time was, even since the introduction Of
stage coaches, when traaesmen living a, dis
lance of two hundred or Two hundred and fifty
miles from London. and having business to do
there, would prefer going The journey on foot,
for ;he sake of saving time. True, indeed, the
roaCs were not good, ant. the coaches did
no, perform their Journeys then as they do
4 I..s Al.