The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-05-24

able MIND. her structures upon the Selnshness oil
Fashion, are not less just than Such sub
ject is not simply TO be looked at It must be handled;
and fair correspondent has shown no fastidious-
in shrinking from the contact, when to touch il
was necessary to dissection. We bid her God speed
in her praiseworhy undertaking; and il she should
fail to attain her object, she cannot fail OF her re-
ward the consciousness ofhaying discharged thank
less, but patriotic duty.
FOR THE msDIsoNIAN.
One of the most lamenlable errors of society, as
we'll as one OF its most prominent characteristics is
It's extreme selfshness
"Self interest" says French writer "appears to
me to resemble dust which the demon throws into
the eyes of men, in order TO make them blind to
Justice, Duty honor, and friendship. 1t is interest
hat stiles the natural sentiments ofrelatons for each
other, embroils man and wife, sows the seeds of
hatred among brothers and sisters and extingushes
friendship among friends In public, it assumes the
name Of prudence; but in private it stoops to any
meanness or injustice that promotes its ends" The
painful effects Of this passion visible in all classes
and grades Of society," but perhaps it exerts its most
unhappy influence in the higher classes Among
those, whose rank or station ene them 10 eminence,
where the young are too apt to look for moral excel
ence forgetting that individuals owe their rank and
standing in society fortuitous circumstances and
that many persons are really lop, who yet high
insrank and afuent in fortune. With the gay world,
personal worth is entirely disregarded, while they
are busted in searching after titled distinctions birth
or fortune. know Of no more Insignificant per-
sonages than those who servilely court the atten-
tons of the great and not unequently the anteorthy
great those lady-courliers, who conceive it the
greatest possible privilege TO leave their card at such
persons door, TO receive low bow of recognition
from my lord and lady-foreigmcrs of distinction
and to shake hands with some other of their fancied
dignitares In the meantime they overlook and de-
sert their other acquaintances seek them only to
relate how many calls they have had from dstin-
guished personages, "that no sooner had Mrs. rs
livery driver lef their door, than Mrs. l. and
daughter drove up" When they chance TO meet
their associates in the society Of these great people,
they either treat them with supercious selt-conse-
quena air of cold indifference, il not of utter ne
gect; or by their peculiar afaby, bestow caresses
which, to young ingenious minds, are as insulting
as they are assumed.
If the selfshnesS Of such ladies gives them any
pleasure, il must be only that which they derive
from the qualification Of their pride and vanity;
while the persons whose society they court too often
admit their visits and accept their attentions only to
despise their weakness and condemn their meanness
Such ladies will tell you that they do not court So
ciety, fashion, and custom Even common civily
require them be attentive TO those who are their
superiors in rank
Does common civility, does a proper sense of du-
ty authorize them to aspire at high life at the expense
of all their social and domestic virtues Does it
teach them to treat with cold indifference their equals
in station; to sacrifice true dignity to form connec-
tons which never elevate, but rather serve to de-
grade them in the estimation of all sensible people
II is not wonderful that such females, Ito whom |
am willing the old Grecian definition of woman
shall be applied an animal delighting in finery,)
leave sick room or lone parent TO fatigue them
selves in vain pomp and show And when the
weary days and nights of such empty vanity are
over and they are thrown back upon themselves,
what are their reflections? Alas could we but hear
their sad confessions, having neglected to do any
worthy action in prosperity, their adversely is EN-
Filtered by the saddes reflections. As they have
neglected to keep either their acquaintance OF their
own heart they are without counsellor. Agitation
and anxiety give place TO detection and i'll health; and
they would now give more for the spirits they were
wont TO assume in gay society, for the health they
have wasted, the conscience which might have been
to them good conscience, than for all the fancied
pleasures that civil honors worldly prosperity can
bestow. No longer
... ... In naughty mood
Gods creatures they Cypress!
Or else regecing a that's guild.
They riot in excess!
Bath careless and fearless
OF either heaven or hell.
Eseemng and deeming
.. It's a an idle tale" E... IS .,.'
Selfshness has been called the spring Of all our
activi.y-the prime minister of all our designs and
passions-but certainly the influence it exerts over
virtuous minds, early instructed in sound and ra-
tional principles is comparatively feeble. Those
whose early years are improved BY good example,
and whose youth is spent in reading good books and
forming good habits, conduct themselves with rea-
son, moderation, and kindness. How much happier
the quiet unobrusve lady of good sense and good
education than the would b. lady Of rank, fashion
and folly. The one is the quiet lake which is only
ruled 10 display the variety of its beauty and to SET
tie again into calmness, while the other is the
dashng of the tumutuous torrent, all sound and
foam till disappears in the or destroys itself
BY its own impetuosity.
Let those who have embarked upon the stormy
ocean of seshness seek shelter in some port where
they may commence anew more prosperous voyage,
Let them acknowledge their former course delusive
and unsatisfactory, and try il merely for expert
ment. the different effect Of that self esteem which
arises from the consciousness of having acted from
motives of generosity, liberality and usefulness
Let young ladies, whose beauty and talents secure
them admiration be careful that their scfsaneS does
not lead them into error-let them weigh wen 'ne
different ends they have in vicw-let them examine
their own hearts and see If they be influenced BY mar