Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-08-02
A Cut at Society.


The following capital articles are extracts
from new work entitled "Our first families
a novel Of Philadelphia good society,"" II
hits the nail on the Lead frequently, and talks
right out in meetini
"Society, with all its grand pretensons,
teaches tho: oughly but one lesson to her sub
jects--dupl.city The sum Of that 'practica!
educa,ion,' SO blndly Wanted by all, is not
to purify the heart or the conduct, but u seem
| to do SO; to live, in short, double h:c-one
iOr society and one for yourself and your oW n
world Of appettes and desires. All that the
world requires, either in religion or morals,
is conformity, not belief; propriety, not pur-
ty. Let man pay his debts punctually-
and lie may obtain the money to do SO by
what devices Of extortion, imposition, or de-
ception he pleases-he will stand well with
the world, and every one will endorse him g.
give him an unimpcachable character, though
they may kno~ of bis hardheartedness, his
ext rtion, his oyerreaching, his actual dis
honesty. Let him fulfil all his conventional
blisations--supPort his family, pay his rent,
appear at church or theatre with his wife and
daughters, dine at home on Sundays, and ex-
change merely the ordinary forms Of civility
with other wonderland he will be quoted s.
pointed at as model husband and father
though every man and woman of his acuua.
intance is aware that he keeps mistress or
gambles like blackleg in secret. Whence
proceeds this universal charity among men!
Simply from mems universal need OF its ex-
ercise towards themselves. Aud the inhex-
ble severity with which the world punishes
and pursues those who overstep convention
aity and openly violate its itrms-whence
comes that! From the dread lest, il they
do no, disown such monster, atte ltion will
be awakened to themselves and theit own
conduct, and then the whole miserable. cow
ardIy lie upon which society is conducted be
laid bare.''
X
"lf YOU were called upon to make up q
delegation of the talent, learning, genius, and
virtue OF the country, You would no more
dream of making your selection from the sol
disant 'arstocracy' thar you would think Of
choosing representation of our material
! greatness and wealth from among the men Of
genius and intellectual or personal istnc,ion
Never were the two elements Of material anc
moral superiority SO widely separated as in
this COUNTRY. Our aristOcracy, as general
:aci, have not even good taste, go'd breeding
| or good manners. They dress badly, they
speak badly, they eat, drink and sleep badly.
The women, for the most part, have coarse
| features, Hat feet, and vulgar hands. They
wear goudy dresses; they talk loudly, and
giggte, and affect false modesty in public;
they are lonj of slang, scandal, and low
| literature; they are rude and insolent to their
| interiors, and mean and oppressive to their
domeslics They always take pains to Hcri
themse rcS, which a truly high-bred person
never does, except BY the unconscious quiet
ness OF his dress, appearance, language, unt
manner; and they exhaust their lives ans
fortunes in idicu!ous attempts to outdress
outturL;sh, oulbuilj, and outshine one anolh
er. In a word, that which passes itself OF
as the aristoeracy Of this country would o.
deemed only the snobbery of another. G.
TO Washington in winter, to Saratoga IN sum
mer. or look in at any time at a tashionabl
hotel or an 'exclu5ive' party; see the airs ,th
prctensions, the grimaces; listen TO the sub
jects of conversation, and Il tone of voice
the language, and the manner in which the,
are treated; criticise the dresses, the iceus
of talk among the young men and women
the loud laughing, the So ui;ning and perpetu
al giggling; study the manners and measur
the personal nc c:ompllshments of the compan
and you would :hink that shawls, yello'
plush, anu Measter Jeames had marshalle
forth the hosts of high life below stairs for
grand holyday."