The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-15
MODERN PILGRIMS,
Extracts from George WOOD. fo,,bcor;rr

-~s|o"'Scs 1'SW 1UNs
MODERN PILGRIMS.
Extracts from George Woods forthcoming Work.
CHAPTER X
OfBabyson and its Society.
1t was said of ancient Nineyeh, "that great
city, in the days of Jonah, as significant of
the greatness of its population, fiat there were
six-score thousand who could not tell their
right hands from thsir left" Sow, in BABY
lon, though not so great a C " as ancient
Nineveh, and with all the imprt aements made
by statists, no reliable census Mould ever be
made of this class for, the nuD Der increased
from noon to night aud diminis, ed from dawn
to noon, and was an invariable aw of change
stituted class of innocents peel liar to modern
times.
Babylon was the great mart of commerce
and the monetary centre of the Continent Mer
chant princes and bankers had built up the up
per section of the city in palaces of red sand
stone and patent brick, and their countryseats
were seen lining the banks of the river-peeping
out from every shady nook, and browning every
height around the city, for a wide circuit of
miles.
The ruling passion of these people was
money making, and this was followed, as it
must ever be, with love Of money-spending.
And here lay the test of classes existing among
Babylonians. AT the mart, they made no dis.
tinction by what means money was made
whether in rags imported from Smyrna, or
these rags nicely made into thin paper, bear
ing vignettes Of naked women and Indians.
and duly signed, which thence took the name
and style of money-the very Ting sought for.
And although this was Of all gother methods.
the most successful way to wSalth, yet it re.
CURED sleight Of hand which nly few could
command. But money, when acquired, must
be spent; though some few ontented them
selves with investments in real state and State
stocks, despising every other wy of being hap
Ply. In spending money lay tbs touchstone of
gentility and many, who fou Id no difficulty
in making money, were at th.ir wits end to
spend 1t, In such way as should secure them
position in the best circles of fashion and re.
| tinement. These two circles, fashion and re-
finenent, were not one and the same but, like
orbits of other bodies moving in elevated
spheres, though lying along the same plane,
they cut each other. Money was a REQUISITE
for both-essential to the one, and very desira-
bic in the other. 1t was possible to be refined
without money, but it was not possible TO be
fashionable. 1t was confess. which of these
circles should outrank the other But, mas
much as the circle of refne.aent had pre.re-
quistes which money could ms command ari-
sing from birth, education, Pre- essonal distinc-
ton, scientific and sometimes literary eminence,
which money could not buy il, demanded to be
recognised as the best; a Claim acknowledged
by those who most earnestly d sputed it.
Among this second circle O. the aristocracy
Of wealth. there was az intens., jealousy of any
one entering and taking rank in the highest
walks of social life in Babylon, whose only
claim was founded on the charms of intellect
and manners. Especially was this true of wo-
men. 1t seemed as if each ope felt such intru.
der taking something from herself, and, in some
way, shading her individual brightness. 1t was
rare occurrence; but yet such achievements
were most conspicuously and beautifully accom-
plished, as when, for example, at the time of
which we write, Miss Gray, an orphan of a revo-
lutiouary colonel, rose to eminence by the force
of talent, and by charms of intellect acknowl.
edged by those who could admire what thew
had no power to initiate for grace and good
ness do make themselves felt everywhere It
was by such power Of fascination this Young
lady drew around her men of genius, men Of
literature, and lovers of art. These men, one
by enc, acquired knowledge of home, always
bright with unaffected courtesy and with the
presence of minds who here found an atmos-
phere congenial with their taste; where it was
study, circle in which all sought to please,
and none to shine.
Wehave said the tests of gentility in BABYLON !
were the manner in which the possession of
wealth was made manifest to the world. the
style of their houses, their furniture, pictures,
plate, vases, mirrors, and last, not least Their
libraries. In pictures, the odd masters - were
mostly preferred. Indeed, lady of eminence
told visiter from abroad, who was admiring a
fine old picture, "that she and her husband
thought alike in oil such matters, and never
would hang up in their parlors any but old |
masters, and intended going to the continent
next summer. with their two girls, expressly to
be painted by the old masters" The libraries
were for the most part massive creations of the |
cabinet-maker; and the old authors very like
prisoners bound, appearing at the plate-glass
doors.
But, above all things else, the highest ton
was expressed in their notions of piety. Pietism
was the rage and the centres of fashion were
the gorgeous, spacious, splendid churches of the
apostolical High Church of Babylon. In this,
as in everything else, they sought to be very
"re-churcha," as that eminent person, Mr. John
Brown, sexton of Grace Church, was wont to
say. This gentleman was equally distinguished
by his position as leader Of tom, at parties, at
balls, at weddings and funerals. Indeed, his
services were in constant request; and it was
his favorite phrase, when called upon to employ
his talents by some ambitious lady or gentle
man, "It shall be done neat and very re-
churcha." We will give single illustration of
the power exerted by this distinguished gentle.
man over the circles of the moneyed section of
the aristocracy in Babylon. By some accident
in putting up his sign as sexton on the chnrch,
the bar on the shield on which his name and
street was emblazoned was painted sinister
and, without further investigation, magnificent
palaces, along the Fifth Avenue and elsewhere,
all bear, carved in the rich entablatures over
the entrance, shields like those of Mr.. John
Brown with bar sinisters thereon and. unless
erased, there they stand to this day.
On Sunday morning, if the weather was
fine, it was beautiful sighs to see these votaries
of fashion, in elegant costumes, attended by
gentlemen as faultless in dress as themselves,
going to church, and then to witness their |
demeanor in church. Piety is always beauti-
ful, and the aAectation of piety is very pretty
for it affords the sweetness of contrast-the ,
levity of the last ball. with its waltzes comes up
to the mind, in sweet relief to the serenity Of
devotion, Transforming the Gree, with her
witching smile and significant glance, into the
loveliest Magdalen. These contrasts whether
defined or not) are not the less captivating, and
felt most by those who themselves are most i
innocent. II
In the haute monde, as we have said. and as I
was BETTING, the piety was that of the high
church. Topics the most delicate to be treated {