Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-07-28
Getting Into Society.

The Philadelphia Ledger seems to be resolved to
reform society at the North. 1t has the largest cir
culatinn of any daily paper in the world, and may
succeed Its last article Gil the subject is as follows
GETTING INTO SocIETY.-H is related, by Bayle
ST. john that when the cholera made its appearance
in Paris, in 1849, it was confined to the workmen
and others most exposed. But after while, 1t be-
gan TO attack the Weather class. One morning,
while Bayle ST. John was making call at an ars-
tocratc mansion, bear-eyed croaking old countess
hobbled in. 'Ths is dreadful was her breathless
saluation, 'the pestience is making progress. When
the people only were attacked it all very well,
they were punished for their SINS But the matter is
now becoming serious. The disease is begin
ming to invade the ranks of society. Monsieur lie
Marquis died this morning" We naturally
laugh at the terror of the old countess, who firm in
her belief that her order made OF different stuff
from the mass of the people, almost paralyzed
to find that, nevertheless, it could not escape from
the cholera. But little observation will convince
that similar spirit of caste exists even IN our own
Republic, though not perhaps, in quite SO extrava-
giant shape. There Americans who talk about
s'beng in society,", just as compacently as the most
arrogant aristocrat of the Faubourg st. Germaln.-
Nor is this all. There are ten times as many, who
without being members of our self constituted excn-
sVeness do all they can practically, to noursh this
feeling OF social cast, OF intriguing 10 achieve loot
ing in what they call society" The naughty airs
of the first, SO incompatible with the spirit of our
Institutions is censurable enough but the cringing
servllty of the last, disgraceful to human nature
itself, is thousand times worse
| 1t is principally with the female sex that this ma
MIA RACES. young man marries halt-educated
girl, both being, perhaps, not worth thousand dol
lars. In time, partly by good luck, and partly by
good management, the husband amasses fortune
Now all once the wife, hitherto anxious only for
money to bring up their children properly. and to
smooth their age, begins to talk about g posi-
ton. But, instead OF seeking that position, by cnl.
vating the mind and manners, she thinks to obtain
ii by securing admission into this that set of arb
frnrv xol, H. "A
balls, or TO have Mrs Pretenson her visiting list,
is what the deluded believes be getting in
to g society," What slight she endures what mean
ness she descends to, what inrgues she undertakes,
in order to achieve these ends She follows Mrs.
POtlphan to Newport, and takes box at the opera
behind Mrs Dash. She puts her coachman into liv-
ery hires French nurse for her children and pur-
chases pew al the Church of the Rev. Mr. Cream
Cheese. BY and by she fatters herself, because she
knows all these silly people, that she has obtained
poslton,'' that she has got into society,"" AnG
yet she is, perhaps, just ilIterate as mean and
vulgar ever for her French dinners do not make
her less selfish, or less polite at heart In truth, she
is often hard to her servants, the slave of
envy, and altogether less worthy than when she was
comparatively poor, and when she thought more of
her husband and family than of getting into So
cety.''
If there really such thing as " society," here,
in the in which the word is used abroad, the
folly OF these unhappy intrguers could not perhaps,
the enjoyment Of competent fortunes, and that pecu-
liar social and intellectual culture which hereditary
wealth and rank are found to give, throws around
what is called soci Ety." distinctive character rot
ten enough at heart, doubtless, but nevertheless hav-
5 ing superficial polish, often very alluring. But
here, where no laws of prmogeniture exist, where
7 no distinctions of rank are permitted, where the
most prominent persons are the architects of their
own wealth. and where the largest fortunes scarcely
ever last for three generations, there is not and
| nof ho thIn in fho frno
r Of the word. Said the late Nicholas BiddIe than
!. whom few more competent to Judge in
matters of taste, talk of society in Philadelphia
where is it, pray" dozen clQues, in fact, dis
pute for social ascendancy. One proscribes the
Scottish, and another permits it; one is literary
another scientific boasts of gentality, because
it's ancestors old tories and another prdes itself
its wealth, lis fashion, and its foreign acquan.
J ances. The most cultivated, probably, do not &C
3 into society" at all Thus, the poor dupes who
labor 10 get into society follow ignus fatuus
and, they think they have grasped the prize
find it a miserable cheat