Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-05
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE

We make the following extract from Mrs.
Trollope's domestic Manners of the Ameri-
cans"
Their large evening parties are supremacy dull;
the men sometimes plsy esrds by themselves, but
il a lady PLAYS, it must not be for money; no
ecarte, no chess; very little music, and that little
lamen,ably bad. Among the blacks, | heard
some good voices, singing in tune; but scarce
" ever heard white American, male or female,
90 through an air without being out OF tune be-
fore the end of it, nor did ever meet any trace
Of science in the singing I heard in society.
To eat uncomfortable quantities Of Gaze, ice, and
pickled oysters--and to shew hall their revenue
in silks and sstns, seem to be the chief object
they have in these parties.
The most agreeable meetings, was assured
by all the Young people, acre those to which no
married women are adssss.ed; Of the truth Of
this statement ( have not the least doubt. These
exclusive meetings occur frequently, and often
last To late hour, on these occasions, believe,
thew generally dance. At regular balls, married
ladies are admitted, but seldom take much part
in the amusement. Tie refreshments are always
profuse and costly, but taken iD a most uncom-
Portable manner have known many private
balls, where every thing was on the most liberal
scale of expense, where the gentlemen sat down
to supper in one room, while the ladies took thelrs,
standing in another.
What W. call pic.nies are very rare, and when
attempted. DO not often succeed well. The two
sexes can hardly mix for the greater part OF
day without great restraint aud ennui; tits quite
contrary to their general habits; the fa'orise IN.
diligence of the gentlemen Smoking cigars and
drinking spirits. can neither be INDUCED IN with
deceucy, nor resigned with cumplacency.
The ladies have strange ways OF adding TO their
charms. They powder themselves tmmoderate-
ly. face, neck. and arms. with pulverised starch;
ne effect is indescribably disasreeabeb by day light
and not very favorable at any time. They are
also most unhappily partial to false hair, which
they wear in surprising quantities.; this IL the
more to be lamented, as they generally have very
fine hair of their own aspect this fashion to
sriss tram aa s.doleGt :ncav OF tsaniag taeir tor
let. and frum accomplished ladies' maids not be-
lug very abundant: il is less trouble to append
bunch of waving curls here, there, and every
where. than to keep their native tresses in per-
feet order.
Though the expense of the ladies' dress great:
~ exceeds, in proportion to their general style OF
living, that of the ladies' in Europe, it is very tar
excepting in Philadepha) from being in good
taste. They do not consult the seasons IN the CO.
Iours or in the style Of their costume; have Of
ten shivcred at seeing young beauty picking her
way through the snow with pale rose-colored bon
net, set on the very top of her head: l knew one
young lady whose pretty little ear was actually
frost bitten from being thus exposed They never
wear muffs or boots, and appear extremely shock.
ed at the sight of comfortable walking shoes and
cotton stockings, even when they have to step to
their sleighs over ice and snow. They walk in the
middle OF winter with their poor little toes pinch
ed into miniature slipper, incapable OF excluding
as much moisture as might bedew primrose. -
must say in their excuse, however, that they
have, almost universally, extremely pretty feet
They do not walk well, nor, in fact, do they ev-
err appear to advantage when in movement. l
know not why this should be, for they have album
daoce Of French dancing masters among them,
but somehow or other il is the fact. fancied l
could often trace mixture Of affectation and of
shyness in their little mincing unsteady step,
and the ever changing position of the hands. -
They do not dance we'll; perhaps should rather
say they do not look well when dancing; lovely
as their faces are, they cannot, in position that
exhibits the whole person, atone for the want OF
foarnure and for the universal defect in the for
nation of the bust, which is rarely full. or grace
fully formed.