Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-09-01
WOMAN

Wsmen are empha,ically the crca-
lures cf imitation. II they knew
their own power. If we would allow
them TO know IL, if they would ONLY
take the trouble now aud then 20 think
Tor themselves and To judge for them
selves, their influence aud their pow
or would be ten times greater. How
entirely they are the creatures of uni
iation, A modest woman-mar,icd or
unmarried, maid. wife, or widow-a
young. trembling. sensitive girl, she
she would not for her right hand be
out Of the fashion. or expose even the
tip Of her little finger in way not au.
thoriZed by fashion-O,a Of the fashion
will do any ,hing-any Thing that
fashion requires. And who sets the
fashion: French miIliners. And who
are the French milliners: Let the
women of America answer that aues
ton for themselves. Are we too Sc
we're? Are we urjus,s Lot us try
the question in a way that will decide
AZ; Ask the tirst pure hearted girl who
sings love song in company, TO say
over the words to you, or even To read
them aloud TO the same company. or
IN the presence of her father or mo-
iher, or Of any woman she respects
what She will do in crowd of strap.
gers, she will want courage To do Al,
home. She will go To the Theatre
aye, or TO the Church-and listen 10
the language without trembling or
blushing, upheld by the presence of
other women, all keeping each other in
countcnance, which at home by the
table or the firc-side of her own father,
IN the presence Of her own mother, she
c0ald not hear without blushing, and
could not repeat for her life. And
Why? Example supports her. Fashion
regulate. her modesty, her bushes and
her opinions. There are preachers
who will read any thing aloud from
the pulpit which they find IN the Scrip
lures. sand they wilt continue IN do
so. unless they are rebuked, not sy
men merely. bnt by women. There
are actors who will sly any fhing-in
terpolate any thing upon me stage-,r
long as they are unrebuked by modest
women. The cOarsest illusions will
be hazarded, the worst pcryer.ions of
an author. by tone, or look, or gesture
so long as womcn-young. beautiful
and modest women, are 20 blind to
their own interest.And so indifferent TO
their own power as to put op with
them.
Another thing vii, dc
form themselves for fashion sake
Laugh at the savages who pull down
their cars with weights. who Hattcn
their heads, wear drum-sicks and hu-
man sca!ps in their noses: why IL their
folly greater than that Of a welI-nade
girl. who doubles the breadth of her
shoulders, pinches her feet out of all
proportion, like the Chincse,) wears a
hat which at the end Of elesmonih
would frIghten her with it's shadow,
and spolls her clipsome waist. 10 oblige
a worthless. unedncatetl, unprinciplcd,
vulgar French milliner. Yet more. -
Look at our fine free hearted. pure.
hearted girls. equipped for ball room
OF root, and see how entirely they
are the creatures If fashion. eren 10
their rnodeSfy. A dress which they
would not venture to wear amcrg their
f'ieods aud family al bome-not be-
cause II the material. but because #
the fashion--cut low in the BOSOM
falling of the shoulders-opening ~
front 80 asto show The corset and shirt
-; not tie naked bosom Itself 10 an
extent iir beyond wha' their owu .ntcr
est vii bear. leaving mot much u,ys.
tety for the nup'Ial night" ~ poor
'err NyrsU sass --Svtn ma; dress
thcy vail weat. with short psttic oats.
and flesh colorrcd stocking. land
why shnf' peiticoat.- and ilcsh colour.
ed -tockings- AID "pcG bosoms-riyP
let them answer II they cau.l MO =
mob Of a thousand persons. made OF ~
pfoaigstes. glos'ing sensUallsts. foolish
mothers, AMI Vulgar siarers. With here
and there a few we.i behaved. modest
women. Who would call =, immode.i
20 20 ungloved and bare armed and
sef Il the fashina Of guing bare legged
we're 10 arrive to morrow from France