The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-06-16
mAssrns avn rasmioxs


rrhe following extracts arr iassn
from an article Ia late number Of tho
Hsanisaer Rssas~, and ever, reader
will Acknowledge their tre,hfalness
Manners originate by imitation ol the
behaviour pursued io'saris the great.
Fashion originates by imitation Of The
hchasioar ef the ereat Willis, the oae
ha. its derivation IN the titles, phrases.
and salui,.s usri % those in power, the
other Is derived from the habits and APP
peafsncc exhibited ~ those IA power.
The Carrib mother who squccEos her
chlld's head into shape IKE that of the
chief. the young savage who makes
marks on himself similar 10 tho scars
carried by tho warriors of The tribe.
(Which ia probably The origin OF tattoo
ing). the Highlander who adopts the
plaid worn by the bead Of his clan, the
conrtiers who affect ercynoss, or limp,
or cover their necks, in imitation Of
their King, and the people who ape the
oour,iers, are alike acting under kind
Of government connaie, with that of
Manners, and, like il too, primarily be-
nefcial For notwithstanding the num-
berless absurdilies into which this copy.
ism has led people. from nose-rines TO
earrings, from painted faces to beauty
spots, from shaven heads 10 powdered
wigs, from filed teeth aud stained nails
to bell-eirdles. peaked shoes, and brerch-
es stuffed with bran, Il must yet be con.
cluded, that as the strong men, the sue
cessiul men, the men OF will, in,olli-
gencc and originality, who have got Ia
the top, are. on the average, more like.
ly to show judgement in their habits aud
taste than the mass, the imitation oi
such is advantageous. BY and by, how.
ever, Fashion, corrupiing like these
other forms OF rule, almost wholly ceRs
cs TO be nm imitn,ion of the best. ant
becomes an imitation Of quite other thar
the best. As those who take orders nr,
not those having special fitness for th'
pries,ly oflio,, but 'hoec who see thci
way to living by il as legislators mn,
public fnnctionnries do not become sucl
by virtue Of their political insight an,
power TO rule, but by virtue Of birth
acreage, and class influence so the self
elected clique who set the fashion, gait
this prerogstive, not by their force o
nature, their intellect, their higher wort
or better taste, but gain il solely b,
their unchecked assumption. Amongs
their initiated are TO be found neithe
the mobiles in rank, the chief in power
the best cultured, the most refined, no
those Of greatest genius, wit and beau
ty; and their reunions, SO far from be-
ing superior TO others, are noted 70
their inanity. Yet, by tho exam
pie Of these sham great, and not b
that Of the truly great, does sociei
~ hv" h' EbillEN
comings, its hours, It's dress, ts sma
usages. As a natural consequence, thes
have generally little or none of tia
suitableness which the theory Of fashio
implies they should have. But instea
of continual progress towards create
elegance and convenience, which migl
be expected 10 occur did people cop
the ways of the really best, or folio
their own ideas Of propricty, we have
reign Of mere whim, Of nnrcason,
| change for the sake of change, Of wal
ton oscillations from either extreme
the other--a reign Of usages wiihoI
meaning, times without fitness, dre
without taste. Aud thus life Ia mod
| instead of being life conducted in ii
most rational manner, is life regulate
by spendtbrifts and idlers. miliners an
tailors, dandies and silly women.