The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-09-25
NIHSC RE4ElAzlVEds us.
From the DenoCrdttc ReDie,o.
THE ALTAR OF FASHION


becoming tired of the cares of her fantastic and
maynard empire. resolved 10 Choose a4syice
Queen to govern in her name, ana preside over
the caprices of her wide spread dominion Ac-
cordingly, arraying her person in all the colors
of a rainbow she seated herself ON a.throne, be-
fore which was erected an altar, where all her
-votaries were accustomed,to come and offer up /
their sacrifices. -.sat.tt.} q. .3.ssl 81! "a, 4
on but the connoisseurs in female charms, one
and all, denied that she was beautiful for when
they came to examine her critically 1t was
found that her face had aded, harassed, and
sckly appearance: that her color was not nat'i-
raj her Vivacty assumed her smile all arti-
fice--and though her actions seemed graceful at
first, yet a little close observation betrayed the
study aud art. Affectation, they said, always
runs into extremes--grace never.
The attire Of the Goddess gorgeousiy fan
sastical and instead of setting off the beauties
which nature had once prodigally bestowed up
on her, was only ca culated to distort them in
deformities. Her waist was compressed into a
span :; her bosom hattene6 with an artificial pres.
sure, until that loveliest of all the attributes oil
womanhood seemed to be transferred to her
shoulders, which projected behind in the most
unseeming manner, calling forth none OF those
touching associations, which one sex may aWak-
en- without blush the other cherish without Of
fence. Her sleeves were wider than her boey,
and had they been made to resemble wings,
might have given the behoder the idea OF an an
gel hut they shaped like balloons, and
created no other impression but that OF dispfo-
portion, which, whatever the canons OF fashion
may say, is allied to deformity. Indeed all her
arts seemed to have been devoted to repress the
ordinary functions Of nature and Nature, VINO
never permits these violations with IMMUNITY (;
had revenged herself by branching out into va
rious unseemly exuberances, which produced
the effect of caricaure on the eye of the behold
er. All the harmonious and graceful outlines OF
the female form were lost in the chaos of mis-
placed ornaments and the tyranny OF compress
nnI fron 81
fl action, and scorning all the rules OF proper
ton, without which nothing can be really beau-
tilnl. ,- .....tg at.r ~ .s-. 4t
The throne Of the Goddess though gorgeous
iy decked with fantastic fnery, and gterng
with gilded ornaments dazzled rather than
pleased at first sight. But when it became more
familiar TO the eye it seeneda union OF disc ords
rather than harmonies. There were neither
taste congrnity in the disposition of the parts
and the effect of the whole was fhtiguing and I'M
satisfactory. 1t tired by lis glare, rather than
pleased by its splendor! and it was observed by
those whose taste had been refined by
the habitual contemplation Of the beauties of q
graceful simplicity. that the longer they looked
the more tiresome it became The altar was
placed at the foot Of The throne, and covered
with profi,sion OF bonnets, caps, shawls, GUNS
drills, flowers, corsets worked handkerchiefs
and other paraphernaa, almost as high as
sieepie. lN e i,
Having seated herself on the throne, aroun'
which WINS a crowd of attendants, scattering
thousands Of artificial perfumes that overpower
ed the bamy fragrance of bright May morn
ing, the Goddess commanded that proclamation
should be made by sound of trumpet, that sht
was about to choose Vice Queen from among
her votaries. The notes of the brazen instru
4nent penetrated the reccsses oil drawing rooms
dressing, and boudoirs, roiising all sthe occu
pants; and what was specially remarkable the.
echoed fn the royal Wales and recesses OF lhe
country, when the peaceful inhabitants heart
the sonorous brawling. g., III r-tH ts3 'sftt
Atthe sound OF the trumpet the ole worl'
of fashion was in motion ; the mllners shop
Ayere ransacked for the newest finery, to enabl
Ahe devotees TO appear to advantage in the pre-
sence Of their Goddess; and full surely did tn
pockets of many worthy cluzen rne 70
awangiug of that brazen instrument. Ina It'll
while might be seen a vast crowd OF fe males, Q
all ages, hastening from every part OF the IaDito
te world, dressed in their gayest attire, ana ma
king their way to the throne of the Goddess
White, black, tawney and copPer-coloreu, III
pressed forward, oil sailnated by the hope oil dc
coming the representative of the Goddess, an
swaying the sceptre Of her universal empire.
little Indian maid, from the forests OF III
Far West outran all the Others and arrived mrs
Mt the foot of the throne. Her face was paint!e
with q variety of colors her head covered VIII
coronet of feathers-her nose and ears ofna
tnented with copper washed rings--her sslres
consisted of a rare assortment of skins and finer
derived from visit to Washington her noccasli
were beautifully embroidered with porcuIn
quilts, and her whole appearance betrayed a 8,
cret that Fashion had her votaries in til
depth OF the prmeyal forest, among the chdre
of natuIe. The Goddess having decided ,h
no choice should he made until all the CLAIM
should be presented motoned the little maid
~ stand aside, and in few minutes she became
intentIy employed in viewing herself in the gre
looking glass OF fashion, that she paid no a
teniion to what was going on afterwards.
At this precise instant, there was seen ut di
tance over the wide expanse OF the ocean, {
the borders Of which the Goddess had erectt
her throne, il order that she might receive q
earliest fashions from abroad, a little hla
speck, which on nearer approach proved to
a canoe. Darling along the waves It bound
10 the snow, white sands, and there stepped for
a claimant from the far distant region of Pol