Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-10-06
COMMUNICATIONS.
FOR THE LANCASTER GAZETTE.
OUR OPINIONS----NUMBER VII.
DRESS.
1t is not dress that makes the difference
Between Gods creatures on the earth"


1T is not dress that makes the difference
Between Gods creatures on the earth"
We think it a shame that girls should give
so much of their time and attention to deco.
rating the exteriour, as if nothing but dress
had power to rivet the mind and soul. More
devoted and undivided attention is given tc
it than to any useful occupation, and instead
of reading useful books and boarding. up in
formation that may at future hour be Of
service, we find them bending over the toilet
as if they were created to be automatons
delighted with their own motions. They
should know it is vain trouble to throw a
beautiful garb over perishing frame, neg.
Letting the immortal mind within. Can they
be presumed to think the fnery of the exte-
riour ennobles the heart, as if the richest
pearls that lie in the bosom of the ocean are
buried in the most beautiful shells? Can
the simple lily that outshone the splendoul
of king in all his glory teach them moth
ing? "Their beings end and aim" is moi
answered by the gross folly we deprecate
they evince species of ingratitude, in
wasting thus the golden moments of their
youth and girlhood in the frippery of dress
The greatest happiness is not created by SC
doing, and any law of morals will bear us
out in saying they are shamefully nngrateful
1t is indeed melancholy thing that she, tc
whom God hath given the power of welding
and, in measure, controlling the moral des.
tiny of man, should dip her golden cup in
the waters of life only to trouble and embit.
ter them.
This exclusive attention to dress is too evil
dent to stifle remark, or to be evaded by
denial. 1t is forced upon us from glarine
navarinoes and leghorns, and the innumera.
Bile extravagances in the dress of young men
which they think inseparable fram = Eeapec-
table or elevated stand in the world. 1t i:
appointment subject of tea-table talk and fire
side conversation among girls. What i:
more common-we put it to every rejecting
unprejudiced person-than to hear girls ask
when speaking of an individual, "What
bonnet did she wear? How was she dress
ed?" Ifyou are unable 10 answer these ques
tions-and if they are not posers to nine per-
sons in ten we should like to be informed
what are-the reply is, 81 wonder you did moi
notice her dress" They then launch into
praises upon Miss Such-a-one's blue pelisse
and broad new leghorn hat, and try to con.
vince you how very plain the dress of anoth.
er is. Such talk as this, and much more in
perfect keeping with it, indicates weak
and frivolous mind, and, in any female, is
shameful in the highest degree. 1t shows
an attention to dress and trifes that deserves
censure, as one of the most prominent fol-
lies of the day, and we are sure it is one
that operates most unfavourably to female
in an estimate of her character.
We read Of a Sicilian King who babe his
daughters, upon presenting them with some
magnificent and costly articles of dress, not
to come before him in their beautiful robes,
for their countenances would be ugly, from