The Nevada journal., 1856-09-26

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gets off the following sensible remarks
on the follies of the times which are as
prevalent here as elsewhere and to
which the observations of the writer are
quite as applicable
The Newport correspondent of the
Providence Journal, repeats Belle Brit
tain's" complaint of the scarcity of
beanx at that celebrated watering place.
This is not surprising when girls are
covered with diamonds and jewelry and
hounces, it matters not how beautiful
aature has formed them. A sensible
man will inquire how he can maintain
such style of life-whether he can sup
port such a one, if he adds her to
household establishment, and such an
answer comes back upon the mind that
they will be avoided. 1t is quite evi-
dent, if he is not immensely rich, that a
fashionable wife can live and indulge
her fancies only by crime on his part or
hers--by robbery or shame. The bet
ser class of young men, even in easy cir
cumstances, will not visit the watering
places for fear that in an unguarded
moment. they may commit the indis-
cretion of contracting for such useless
article as fashionable wife-they know
it would be their ruin.
The follies of fashion, and the evils
that spring from them, among which
perhaps the greatest are celibacy or
late marriages-are not confined to up
per tendon, but have invaded all the
ranks of life, and are to some extent,
and perhaps more rapidly than we
imagine, changing us from the old Eng
hsh to French modes of life. There is
too much dress and show and extrava-
gance-too much wasting away of life
and the means of life, on all hands and
too much weakness and folly and crime
as consequence. Economy, virtue
and happiness are inseparable extrav-
agance, vice and misery are their op-
posites, and always go hand in hand
The foundation of all virtue is in home,
and the cultivation of the social and
moral powers by the freside and what
ever will increase the number of happy
homes, will increase the virtue and hap
piness of the nation. The habits of
these times tend rather to decrease
them Many young men-and those
the most sensible too-are making up
their minds that marriage is an expen-
sive affair, only to be indulged in when
wealth has been secured-that wives are
not "help meets" in any true sense of
the word, as very many girls are now
educated, and must be dispensed with at
least till late in life; and the children,
instead of being blessings, as in all vir-
tuous society of all ages they have been
considered, are terrible burdens.
We can't help thinking this one of the
evil signs of the times and it is quite
as necessary socially to go back to the
fathers, as it is politically to form par
ties forthe re- establishment of the Wash
ington and Jefferson policy. Some day,
and before the evil is too great, we hope
the community will awake to this sub
.ject-that the young ladies, instead of
getting up "Jeesie picnics,' and enter
ing into political schemes, will seek rath-
er TO encourage domestic industry, and
ptOltCL uolneSlIC lHuuoliy py q iCoo use
Of foreign silks and jewelry and fashions,
that consume the products of the land,
and beggar and enslave themselves and
their fathers-that mothers, if they do
not discontinue their anxiety about the
saving of little negro and Indian children
in some far off countries that they know
little about, may get up maternal associ-
ations for promoting industry, modesty
and economy in the families; and when
the Kansas troubles are over, perhaps
the pulpit may take look in that direc-
ton. John Wesley, the great founder
of Methodism, who was one of the wi
sest and best men of modern times, had
sermons of this character, and one upon
dress was considered so important that
it was an established usage for every
minister of that church to read it to his
people every year. OF late there has
been no distinction between them and
others; but when extravaganza, more,
perhaps, than any other sin, is breaking
down the churches and corrupting socie-
ty, they may all yet have to revive the
preaching of John Wesley upon this
subject.
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