The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-05-16

~ There 10 80 much truth in the follow.
inc criticisms Of the Philadelphia Gazette,
that we consdcr il worth the space, and hope
the reader will run hts OF her eye over it:
sAams.
This is emphaticaily lineage Of cheap fns-
ry. We are all running away after appear
ances. Instead Of striving to obtain the best,
we are content with the nearest cheap imita-
ton Of it. We have abandoned realities,
and are graspng at their shadows. We say,
what is the use Of paying great price for
sterling article, when we can get something
that looks Just like it for little one? So,
we take the sham and reject the genuine, and
then nat ourselves on the back for our shrewd-
ness and economy. We have got the glitter;
who cares for the gold? The old proverb is
musty and behind the ago. We have run so
far ahead of its fogyism in our fast way of
doing things, rs to have discovered that it is
the glitter which makes the value Of the
medal, and not the solidity and purity Of the
gold.
We build houses with fine brown stone
fronts made Of brick, and covered with paint
ed and ssnded plaster, marked OF into sham
blocks; we enter them through oaken or wall
nut doors made OF grained pine, and pass
through vestibules hoored with marble mo-
sale made of baked clay, and sit down on ve-
neered sofas before scAgliola marble CHM
ney pieces and mantles made OF cnameled
iron. Over such nantes We place mirrors in
gilt frames, enriched with elaborate carving
made OF compositions pressed in moulds and
stuck on with glue. In ono recess We hang
hundred dollar water color drawings, that is
to say. printed Initiatives which cost five
and in another, handsome book cases with
mahogany faces and pine bodies, filling the
lower shelves with books and the upper with
richly bound blocks of wood, of assorted
sizes.
Our daughters wear expensive point lace
adornments, 1--WE do not know their names
nor do we know much about point lace, ex
cept that il 10 some sort OF net work OF fabu-
| lous cost), made of some more economical
material, and washed in some way which is q
profound secret, 80 as to give them the yell
| lowsh tint supposed to mark the genuine
article. They wear Canton Grape shawls
which John Chinaman never saw, and Cash
mere shawls manufactured at Paisley, and
India silks that never passed the Equator,
| and furs which would astonish the animals
whose names they bear, if they could see
them. When they (the daughters, that is,
are married, we give grand weddings, display
ing tables filed with extravagantly expensive
| bridal gifts sets of gold and silver spoons,
forks, fruit knives, tea services, necklaces,
bracelets, &c.; touching tributes OF affection
from dear friends who are on our visiting
list, and have been invited to the ceremony
and which, after the parade Is over, are care
fully packed up and-returned to the jeweler
from whom We hired them. This sham is
| H,tin - ~ fanhtnn IN
discreet persons exposed it, But they still
wear sham lowers in their bonnets--that il
in the little straw or velvet caps they use to
cover their back hair when in the street and
sham braids of hair on their heads in front
Of the aforesaid bonnets.
We scan the performers at the opera
through lorgnettes, hired attwenty five cent.
night, with a deposit for their safe return,
as nonchalantly as if they belonged to U.S.
We ride about in carriages hired by the year
coachnan with velvet hatband, big buckle
and large capped coat included, all got up il
the most elaborate style. We build church
es with stone fronts and brick sides, decora
ted on the outside with cary ed stone brackets
and cornioes, made Of painted wood or clay
and on the inside with wallpaper panels
and painted rocesses, aad pilasters, ant
mouldings, half of whose shadows always
fall the wrong way by daylight, and by gas
light become confusion worse confound
ed.n We stick all manner Of plaster gin.
, crackery over the walls and ceiling. WI
paint deep alcove behind the pulpit, an,
then neutralize the effect by putting asof,
against the wall where it is painted, so tina
when the preacher sits down he has the con.
Trajectory appearance of resting his heat
against wall, which is supposed to be tel
feet in his rear, and maintaining all the Will
his upright position. 1t confuses our idea
, Of proportion and perspective dreadfully.-
We show the most laudAble alucrity in AS
sisting ell benevolent enterprises, and &c
ourselves called TO preside at meetings helt
| to organize them, with the greatest enthusi
ssm. We rise with overlooking hearts Il
make few unprecedented remarks, got VI
BY rote the day before; head subscription
with liberal sums, which we are not TO b
' called on for, in order to induce somebod
+ else to subscribe similar sum, which is /
I be called Tor, and furnish tho reporters o
. the morning papers with copy os our speech
together with the proceedings Of the meet
b ing and the names of the oRcers.
We turn up our eyes with edifying con
Q scientiousness ut the idea Of shaving ten pc
Q cent. from q promissory note, and turn then
, down again, couplacently, and prick up on
0 ears at the offer Of aground rent or mort
gage at the same discount because ''yol
: see, that it 10 different thing; it is Ait
that is, you know--there is difference
when you take real estate security, you-n-a
I At $3.50, you see--a-s--" to be sure; nc
' q doubt of l.; nothing could be clearer.
!, Then, We write elaborate art-criticism,
a profuscly illustrated 10y the aid Of Clos
: sary) with learned technicalities, such a
] breadth, tone, warmth, ciaro -scuro, perspec,
j i've, lights, touch, foreground, middle dis
J, tance, atmospheric effects, interspersed wit
= a great deal Of cant about handling, styl,
$ execution, composition, idealism, lovely bil
G of distance, &C., Of the meaning of all whic
. We have rs accurate perception a. school
r boys, with imperfectly developed mnthema
+" ical organs, have OF what the dreaded Por
!. Asinorum is all about when they have e
: through saying il soft the book"
: We get up u reputation Ms ltierateurs, Wit
? regard to books, npon the advices of Dea
$ Swift-to friend, with regard to the men
d beers Of the English Peerage-s'learn the
o names, and then brag Of their acquaintance;
n and We descant upon their merits, and dis
Q course dreary platitudes concerning the
G want Of plot, their lack Of originality, the
u inartis,ic denouement, or, on the 9th,
v hand, of their independent noble tone,
: their "free, untrameled expression
J, thought" their "entrancing pictures of ii
k beautiful" the s'truthful delineation Of tn
It writer's STYLE" 1--WE copy this last, verbatim
7. from u newspaper criticism; which 10
''truthful delineation" Of "style Ply wi,