Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-12-04
FOR TIE ADVERTISER,

MIR. EDlToR: fecllnS ocep interest IN the
community in which you live, and being impclled
q trust) more by desire to correct, possible,
the evil of which you SO justly complain, than to
rank myself with the learned competitors for
the prize offered, tender you my humble views
touching the question proposed. That there is
an evident decrease of sociality in your commu-
nifty, many worthy individuals, comprising an
exceptional part Of it, would wish to deny but,
the fact is so palpable TO outsiders" that the
community is not only accused OF being unsocal,
but it is often denounced for want of true
potcness. The proposition needs no argument
to sustain it. The very fact of the question
being proposed through the medium of your in
valuable paper, sufficiently proves the existence
Of the evil, while at the same time, it appeals
earnestly to all good men to arrest, if possible,
its pernicious tendency.
Many very different causes could be mentionz
ed which might result in the same hateful effects
upon society; but all the causes, seem to us,
(aftcr little rehccton) to concentrate in one or
both of two primary and fundamental causes.
False pride and pure selfsAncss Man is a
social being, and woman being acknowledged,
all over the civilized world, as the " better half"
of man, however ungallant it may seem, it is but
too true, whenever there is want of sociality,
that the better half of the blame, may with pro-
priety be laid at the door of woman. MORGAN
our fair friends deny the proposition, or construe
it into wanton disparagement of the sex, since
they themselves, the world, and the rest of
mankind" must acknowledge that woman
exerts tenfold more powerful influence upon
society than sterner and more selfish man.
However strange it may appear, it is no less
true that fashion is directly opposed to soeialty
And woman from the peculiarties Of her nature,
being in much greater degree the deyo,ee Of
fashion is more exposed to its pcrnicious efforts
and more liable to those very excesscs which
prove the destruction Of socality The more
fashionable lady is, the moro formal stiff life
less and unsocal she becomes-the more fash
ionable-the less hospitable, warm-hcarted and
sincere. In order to be fashionable, many ladies
naturally possessing the most social qualities,
deny themselves and their friends, all the plea
sure that can possibly be derived from society
freezing every thing like social intercourse free
and easy conversation, and neighborly friend
ship, into stiff, formal, ill-timed ten minutes
fashionable pops In other words calling upon
friend but few minutes, just before dinner,
simply to make display Of the mos. digniRed
formally. Who can deny that this is the effect
Of false pridc' There is still another evil
springing from the same fatal source, which has
tendency to decrease and destroy sooiali!y.
1t is proud emulation-a spirit Of rivalry in
fashionable display-which carries its deyotees
to such excuses asresult invariably in jealouscs,
hatred and strife, and eventually destroy the
warmest friendship.
But what shall we say Of stern-more selfish
mani Why is he not more sociali ALI he
has other hsh to fry" He hears the money
jingle in his neghhor's pocket-he feels in his
own and comes. to the conclusion that there is
still room there for more, and it is for that he
must labor, tug and toll. lie hns no time to be
social-his family must not starve-his wife
must have the pherewith to outshine her neigh
bors-and so he must strive, not caring straw
for society, nor cent for any thing but the
qualification Of self. Hence we must conclude
that the solution Of this important question lies
in the
FALSE PRIDE OF WOMAN and the PURE Sell
FIsHNEss OF Man. MEMO.
Dec lat 1851.