Litchfield enquirer., 1832-01-05
Extract from Review in she London Chris,ian Ex-
 aminer for Sopiemher. ss

,J aminer for September. t T Social Life.ss The existence of a e;y
 en state of society, which they who live ii 1 it may alter at their pleasure, implies sat EIsfaction which secures it's continuance.4 ! But many of its institutions remain, Do because they are approved, but because nc
 one is bold enough to hreak through them
 They are ancient, and have custom and fa-
 miliarity on their side; and the risk of at- tacking themis too dangerous to be lightly essayed. We have no royal cdict to change them, and no popular representa- ton which has authority to reform fIsem, and they continue by force of antiquity even against the inclination of an approv- ed age. .@
 Hence the spirit of society may not keep its appropriate place. It should do SOL + should not be- allowed to finger behind the Improvements which learning and ax- pcrience may introduce. It should be kept up 10 the expectations of ail intelligent and educated peopls and he a,ade to advance the moral chakRctsr and promote the hap- piness of the cnmhsunity. \
 Next to the general tranuuiliiy. by which our society is distinguished, the most obvious appearance is its perfect O. quality.s No one class has any special im- naanities. Perhaps it might be more cor rect so'say there is but one class among us. Dihefences exist to be sure in wealth, tal- cnts, education, taste, and by leisure for liberal or necessity for laborious pursuits 1: but society has no distinction in law, and no separation by caste. Every thing may be had by any body, who can acquire the means ofprocurihg it; and the. means are open to the efforts of each and all. These means are acquired too by chances and ap- parent accidents of extraordinary charac-. ter, and the continuance of them beyond one ortwo generations of the same family IS so efficiently prevented by our statute ot distribution, that, though tllero arc a- mong us rich men, and always will be, so long as our prosperity continues, the class, as t exists in Europe, is here wholly un- known" MO -a
 "The tone of our society is, we confess it with regret, too much ragulaied. by the key note of wealth. The open aud Rross- or marks which in oiher places are exlil.l ited in base bribery and shameless cusFups tion, have not,gwe trust and believe, IT vet made tlzSir anpearanee among sus; lii H Ill tliis respect we have s0methinG lSEt 6 Il6 proud U, we cannot commit our institus tions to the operation of the feeling, witch has already been developed. os be salisIi- ed that in its extension it would bs found compatible with a republican government. Omnia venGlin swat Rome cannot safely be inscribed on the portals of free peo- pie. ',* ss In our community, weaIt, is pursued not SO much. for accumulation as display not to be hoarded up for future employ ment, but iavished in present profusion i; and the consequence is, that though wees- cape the degradation of avarice, we arc subjected to the inconveniences of extrav- agance. This disposition comes from an- other of our republican feelings, which, eminently honorable on the whole, may be liable to the beautiful observation of the heroine of Midlothian, that "there is al- 1 ways veal and wo with the worlds gear.' Notwithstanding the perfect equality ol
 our institutions, there is a constant impulse 1 in the community, to get each above the
 rest. We are all placed on the broad lev Tel ofpcrfsct equality, but we are not con
 tented to remain there long. We forbid
 indeed, any artificial assistance from birth , or government, or Hereditary rank, but tl,
 strife goes on, nevertheless, among our
 selves. Some succeed, and some appea I to succeed, butsralher by their pccuniar,
 success than in any other way. Tbe eyi
 dence of this success is given outiildisplay
 in costly expenditure, h luxurious sindnl
 gence, in extfavagance when it exceed
 reasonable limits, and in generous libefali ] ty when it does not pass ihcs6 bounds.
 l The consequence of this is passion fo
 dress, magnificent buildings, and sfoRy en ] tertainmenis. The first is almost univers al, and, like most other dispositions of. tn,
 human mind, has its advantages ass well q I it's evils it's positive and desirable benefit
 when regulated by sound judgment {; it's Ia
 mehtable mischiefs, when t snaps the rein VI of discretion. It is beneficial, no doobi by Encouraging honest industry as th means of lawful indulgence it gives em ployment to numerous useful classes, .wia minister in the saloons where fashion hold her court 8 it encourages elegant anduse | fal arts, and gives our population . neal q ness and decency of appearance, wlic generate kindred valuable qualities. Thes 1 is a self-tespect inspired by ! cfeditabl , personal appearance, which has an efie, on the manners, and even tks cbaFarte i ! Of tic thirty thousand people of all ago ! I and sexes and conditions of life, VI thronred fbe streets of Boston on the .,