The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-16
THE BALL SEASON In NEW YORkN

L
| Vhs Firth Avenue Jam-rAe Bal Costums-
The Soaree, the Matinee and the Converse
tion-Thc Democratic sieish shang Party and
tho PHbnc Rall-Tho Whole Ssb5ect, Pny-
sicaIIy, Morally, Philosophic ally, Socially
ana financially Considered.
From ths 18th Of November to the l5 Of March the
fashionable and the questionable the gay sud fhs dia
Pated the wealthy merchant ana the tnrivns ndcrsu-
dent mechanic the parveau srisoxacy OF the Fifth
nue., and the subssantsi, Solid middle casscsil pros
sons, ali trades ann ,oitcss the n,er
camille tho literary the % all conditions Of
hS ana OF al grades n the social scale are engaged In
one sonunueG round O. pleasure and jcJmeut. II ~
the SEASON OF narth snd nerriment Of public dinners
parties and bals-it the season, above al. Others
true social enjoyment, anG with all the mnseriAiism
which ic said to belong 70 the character 81 Nev
Iorkers, there ia no city whose people enjoy
themselves than ours, who rse more Avtxk
OF their in the pursuits of such Amusemests -
winter only knows. New Y,rksrs ars particularly
fond Of dancirs, and hberay rnronizs ard enco~sss
puDi.s balls and private parties. In fAcr the puons
ball has become settled institution among us-su inst
tuition too which financial revuscns and tho gressssk
depression in stocks unable to overthrow 1t is
institution which requires for its maintenance millions
OF dollars yearly AID which gives employment thoa
sands Of srsons. Regarding jusS therefore,
o. the meas important IN city end who per-
nsnence is .nsepsrAby dependent upo1 the existence II
society ITSELF we propose TO consider ~ socially rhyA-
osly phiiosophicauy, morally and last q ALL 6nAne any
1t Is entirely unnecessary for the purpose. Of this
arscfe to 20 alto historical account os the orgia Il
ba4s or learned 6squi uisition upon thcverpschoreaa
art. 1t is enough that they not only exist but
that they form a prominent and Indispensable part
Of oar social lie. The ball season, Gs we have
stateas extends from the 18th of November
to tho 10th Of March, and is In the full tide OF success
in the Months Of January and February A,ost every
assocssion political, benevolent, literary leslsi 1. in
1t to gvo bell during the r,~son 6r
the amusement OF Its menbers or the incresse OF IL
unds Ere and military companies, Odd Fellows saA
Free MSsens, hard sAells and soft shells, straight
out and Seward wings, Christians, infdels, Jews
abohtion.,tS and negroec, Foaxserites free loves
and socialists, all have their balls for ali re-
gard them as essential, both In financial a.A
social aspe to their very existence Their cnarassr u
varied society itself and the srada.ions from ths
fashionable full dress Of the F.Eth avenue to che
twenty five ISN'T ball of tia Bowery, are rs nioe,r
marked the degrees on thermomesor;
Among the upper ton, bail is of the n.
auibe guidos by which rlsA's standing society d
fIed and to be passed over among the invitations c
sidered sart Of social piso.ion. For bess
the affair off the greatest excitement psevaas
among the ee, and those whose position is not firmly
established arc as anxously awaiting the result pod
tcian bis appointment to Office Mrs Sophtpate has Do
termiDed to give full dress bsH TO maintain her position
among the bon on and for that purpose her hos
band, who is q wealthy merchsnt in South street. 81
who equally anxious with his wife preserve the stand
ing Of the family, of agrees to the proposiaou
She immediately goes to work, and in tn first place
makes ont list of her friends and acquantanses.
ignoring the existence Of 81, who can not STRICT
" be regarded as fashionable. In this lsberiou
duty che has the assistance OF two more who
are supposed TO know every in fashionable society,"
and who sit an judgment the qusItcatons Of an
whom It IL proposed to invite.
81 have spoken to my husband says Mrs. SophtpAts
to her confidential advisers "and he has given me
magma charta TO get it up In tho best style.
she meant to say carte Nance, but Latin and Frend
were al the 10 her and it did not mako the elirA
est difference to her friends which she used Mrs HsutS
who generally admitted to bs or the leaders Of the
fashion, Il Of course invited and her presence considered
necessary to give character to the ball But Il Is dereu
with Mrs. Dosghtphu' who is regarded very dubisus
sort of personone whose position has not been rssox-
pissd and who Is probably because she doss us4
belong to that 'set'the word ''set in this connee-
tion signtfJing the particular class or clique
OF which Mrs. s Is o duly established rssu-
bsr When the list is fully mado out, the invitations
are sent and preparations made for the occasion
The note Of invitation Informs the recipient that Mrs. g.
ia at home at nine o'clock but with proper regard -
etiquette and fashionable disregard punctuakty the
recipient doss not make her appearance till ten rha
palaisl mansion Of Mrs. holds about one hundred per
sons comfortably and two hundred very uncomfortaby
but Is comfort has nothing to with fashion, Mrs. g.
with negligence that Ia highly refreshing and emipeat-
y fashionable issues eight hundred invitations
In justice to her. however, We must say sha docs not
expect ono half that number, which four hundred ana
this Ia sufficient under the circumstances and with the
accommodations to constitute what Is called "a Fifth
aver JAM. The ball room is crowded. are the oon-
tguoas apartments, the entries the parosa
the whole house is crowded, and everybody trisa
to enjoy himself herself well he can uu-
der the circumstances. The JAM" whatever may bs
its advantages in lessening the dstance d
eIsnt members Of tho company, rather unisvorabs in
respect While the jams fashiona Sle hoops are
aso fashionable and too much of the ormsx 10 det-
mental to the latter the dres5os Of the ass lose their
barrelke rotuAdity, and before the "ja over pre-
the appearance of N treated an badly damaged
hat
The dansesat the elite the cotilOn, the nazurks
the redows sAe polka to schottsehe and the waltz Ths
waltz has, within the st few years, lost caste with the
ashionath world, but is phase Is than supplied hy
the ''GsTsan," which is grand amalgamatisn of Al
and which takes frora hour tot hour and half to-
dance thoroughly. a7he German" IL confined to the e
Of tho elite, and the greatest secresy il observed
- prevent 1t fom being vugarxed by reaching tho -.
called ower clssses." We heard Of number Of fAur.
ioaablss who sat themselves In two or three
hOurs day. during three long weeks the sxpyss
purpose Of learning this ianoe and IL required oil ths
ability to master its inircaeles It Ia generally tho A1
on the programme, saA like the country dance, all W
company can join In T. The sst figure somewhat
bles tho Virginia rsoi and the remainder consists Of sch
tisshe pokAs &c, a mixed together like thacopOv en
parts Of mince pie.
The full dress ball Of oa aristocracy IL wstAal verv
brilliant affair and displays sxtravagance that would
sstonsh even that Of tbs old world with ~ it's wealth
and msgaiheenes. 1t 10 nothing unusual TO LADY
wearing adress that COST thousand dollars and know
OF one whose jevslry alone valued at hundrS
thousand. Estimating the cost Of dresses and jewel
exhibited at fashionabe ball given recently In this ci 4