Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-01-19

be a dancing mar " in Europe, where peo-
pie dance till their knees fail them, he knows
that in this Iiastc.lo- grow-old country ii would
be commented harshly upon, especially if he
has wife, for whom it is expected his over
flow of spirits should be reserved. As he
don't dance, he would like to converse
The old ladies' talk Of no,hinebul their daugh-
tiers, and the daughters, if not dancing, think
it would repel probable partner TO seem
mucl, occupied in conversation. He looks
around for sofa and lady who don't dance.
Sofa there is none, and in clair in the COR
ncr perhaps there is one lady who is nei'her
young nor old-rdra aris lie approaches
undertakes IA conversation not audible (Ie
standing and she siing) unless kept mp at IA
scream. Aflera half hour of this, the Lady,
if she be discreet, remembers that I" it looks
particular" to be engrosscd more than half
an hour by one gentleman, and looks or says
so. The middlc-agcd man slides along the
wall. gets back into the crowded reception
room, talks a lulc to the clapcrous, comes
back and looks on at the waltz, and so passes
the three. hours till superior his legs. The
ladies take an hour to sup, and, about three
o'clock, he gets corner for some oysters and
champagne, and between that and four o.
clock gets home to bed lie IS a business
man and rises at eight, and by three o'clock
the next day he looks and feels as IA man
naturally would who had burnt his candle at
both ends-.tor nothing.
1t is not wonderful that there are no con-
venences for conversation in society, for
there really is no conversation to provide for.
The want would create the supply. 1t is
ono of the most peculiar of our country's
features that conversation is not cultivated us
pleasure. When American women leave
off dancing they think they have done with
society till they rc-appcar to bring out their
daughters. All the agreeablencss of their
middle life-thc most attractive and delight
full portion of life too, pcrhaps-Is expended
on an apprecialive husband who wants and
uses it all ! Not at all as ii disparagen,ent
to this state of things, perhaps You will allow
me 10 mention u case, that maV be somc-
what parallel, which has turned mp in my
geological reading "Thcsr liIl" insects
<.i.. .occus, of the IamIIy saHinsccta) are
remarkable for many pecuiarlics in their
habits and conformation. The males have
long large wings The females have no
wings, but at certain period of their life at
tacli themselves to the plant or tree which
they inhabi,, and remain thereon immovabc
during the res, Of their existence" As
soon as the eggs are produced, they pass inn
mcdia,cly under the fcma parent, whose
body becomes their stationary covering and
guard. BY degrees her body dries up and
llauens, and forms sort Of shell, and, when
life is quite extinct, the young insects leave
their hiding-place." Whether society has
not some claim on ,hcm-whethcr their
minds would not be kept from narrowing by
conversation with agreeable mcn-whc,her
the one exclusive GRAND ofthe lovclicst por-
ton of humanity is TO rear children, arc qucs-
tons which in this county must be handled
very emgerly-at least in print. may he
permitted TO go on and say" low they do in
Spain," however. --s'"
A middle-agcd man in London may OF
may not be dancer. There is no commen
either way-but he must be somcthing--d
Ger or good convcrsalionist, or he is dropped
as numbering up the party" Few mel
can afford 10 be seen by the mistress of til,
house to be unamused and unamusing. A
cultivated man, then, who don't DANCE, get
an hour or two Of pleasant society in the ear
ly part of the evening at the opera. If,her
is small party afterwards he prefers il to
ball but if he goes to the ball, he finds TIN,
the plcasantesi people there are the marric
women. They do not sit together wi,ho,
room for a gentleman between them, bu, cy
cry lady is bodily npproachable, and with
lutte management he can get comfortable
oS"' oIo''' WIG W. IIc nay KNOW an
prefer. If he find her interesting, and tai
10 her the whole evening, there is no scanda
unless there are other corrobora,ing circun
stances: indeed, the openncss of the after
ton would rather dscredit any unfavorabl
: comment. Ii there is II new lion present, {
any attraction peculiar to one person, ii sn,a
u circle is formed IN corner, or group stan
" around and let the conversation be manage
. by the persons most interested, like lislcni,
y TO music. Yon could seldom 60 to "A par
- in London without hearing something wor
I" telling to person not there. and society IN
the newspapers) has the first use and EMO,
y ment of all news and novelties of every d
y scriplion. Newspapers arc stale 10 mi
o actively conversant in the best society
20 London. People collect news, and see sigh,
:" and invent theories, and study and think