The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-06-08
FASHION.

We take the following most excellent remarks
from the Newark Daily Advertiser. Good ideas,
and elegantly expressed. The foolish ambition
to ape the splendid miseries of the more wealthy
has plunged many young women, who might
have been bright ornaments in the humble domes-
tic circle, in the very depths of degradation and
ruin. vs..
1T is an undoubted fact, that hundreds and
thousands of young women, as well as young
men, are ruined every year Ill our country by the
same or similar temptations to dress and other ex-
travagance.
''Nothing, truly, can exceed the folly of those
misguided creatures who strive to be fashionable
with inadequate MEANS and thus spend life of
drudgery, sacrifices and modification, which Sissy
phus and Tantalus would not envy. Their labor
is renewed, their hopes continually tlisap-
pointed, and, just as they fancy having touched
the robe of the flying goddess, behold! she has
changed her dress, and they grasp but her second
hand old clothes. They turn from the fair and
refreshing face of Nature--from the atainable
and wholesome pleasure of domestic lfe--aban.
don the elevating pursuits of rational creature,
to follow the steps Of any one who derides their
efforts, and who can scarcely be- caught by those
who pursue her in coach and four.
''Many young lady to whom, as economy is
"a duty, simplicity of dress would be moral as
well as personal grace, tolls long and late to re-
model bonnet, or gown, to initiate the dress
of her superiors in rank and fortune, and to dash
out in costume always inappropriate and gener-
ally unbecoming-while fond and foolish mothers
praised the misdirected zeal. The sacrifice of
time, the growth of frivolity, the facilitating eff
feet of petty views, petty emulations and petty
devices on minds intended for nober pursuits, are
not taken into the account. Scores there are who
exhaust their spirits and neglect their families to
be in the fashion, fret curtain which is not
in the mode, and purchase perjury and restrictions
for year in order to give one gay party. And
how many iull-grown men soured, irritated
and ruined in the same pitiful and absurd pursuit
"But it is needless to multiply examples of
Fashions fools. They are around us in all direc-
tons, of all conditions and ages, absurdly anxious
about triAes, and forgetul of the emptiness of the
gliuerng bubble they pursue. True it is, that
this tickle divinity sways an almost universal
sceptre; and its votaries are necessarily exposed
to the bewderng fumes of her tripod Her fan
tastic DEGREES override Reason and Taste, and
rule the day-which begins and ends Just when
she peases. Nor is she less despotic as TO the
dimensions of bow or bonnet than as to the
mode of our wonder or worship Our virtues
rise and fall at her command; she determines the
character OF our modesty; and our maideus are
ready to show their arms and shoulders at her
pleasure or to mnffle themselves like their grand
mothers Our furniture, food, habits, are all I'M
der her control. When we travel, she points the
way, and prescribes when we are i'll. Devotion
and benevoence learning and patriotism are me-.
rlts or dement's, as it pleases her. Literature
bows at her footstool; and Milton and MARSHALL
grow dusty on shelves, when she tells us to.
admire Marryatt.''