New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-01
them; and VIC warn the Governments of Europe to
be on their guard.

Ho,pt,'s. Moga-ine has an anecdote, intended to
be very witty and pupgent, about certain Western
merchant and ga fop " with an eye-glass. Inc Top,
We are told seated himself at the table oil his hotel
opro,,e the merchant and two ladies with the lat
ter ard leveed his glass frat at ole and then al
the other lady. Whereupon the merchant, from
Tennessee il was, seized tumbler, and was, ac-
coIdng to the arbter elegantiarium who tells the
story apparently on the point Of throwing the glass
"at the scamp" but no-the merchant with ex'
quisite humor placed it to his eye ard stared az
"the fellow" neither breaking his skull nor kick
ibg bin fr.m the table, but so putting him out Of
ceuptenance that he retired amid general laughter
We allude to this little history as in the col
umns of cur newspapers generally there is no
class of anecdotes more esgery paraded than
those holding "fops" up to contempt, and there
are magazines il seems that follow in the wake TO
procure applause for such tid.bits of literature
But let us lCok at the op in particular and tops In
general and see with what justice they are held up
to ignOmiDy.
To persons with weak eyes, an eye-glass il an
agreeable and wholesome substitute for spectace'
Suspended, it leaves the eye free to look ut objects
requiring no examination, while it may be put on
and of instantly, as occasion requires. Among
gentlemen in Europe, glance through the eye
glass is not considered insulting, any more than
gaze through pair of spectacles; and, directed at
lady, it is held to be compliment. Indeed, with
persons who are near.sighted, the use of 1t Is
b.h and; 10 haffor a rpqtkpr of taste.
and for the eye, too, than the use Of spectac'es.
1t is probable that "the fop" in question was
well-drested gentleman, whose clothes were not
cut or cOOred like undertakers, and that he sat
down modestly, and being near.sighted, gazed
passnely through his glass at the ladies' opposite.
1t was no ibreeding, then, nor would it have been
90 considered if be had had spectaces on or looked
with his naked eye. But not being Western, it
was received as an insult.
What we need in this country is more and not
fewer gentlemen called fsps-men who dress with
taste, are scrupulOusly clean, wear eyeglasses if
near sighted, and use them as they choose do not
chew tobacco and spit in other peoples faces at
hotels, theaters, rail.cars and steamboats,. "a
fn," 10 in the United States universally we-bred.
We have never known an exception. Manners
with him are study until they become polished,
and dress pursuit until it becomes an excellence.
Most assuredly the South and West need tops.
Such men are often models of industry. If men
Of business, they are accurate, and to be relied on;
if artists or Literary men, eminent for their TASTE
No man who ever lived was a greater fOp than
Washington. He ordered his clothes of his tailor
with curiOas particularly. He dressed with ex-
IRENE care. He was exact and elegant with his
horses, carriogea and all cognate details. He was
therefore propOrtonaly accurate in other things.
Had eyeglasses been in fashion, as his age in.
creased, possibly he would have sported one, and
locked across table at the women opposite. Pitt,
Canning, the Duke of Wellington, Charles Dickens,
would all be considered tops by vulgar men.
Among the men to whom England and the
civilized world owes much is Brummell the king
of fps. He found society eutrneeOnsly dressed,
and lie left it, 60 far as it could initiate him, we'll
dressed. He laid down as rule for gentleman
-" fresh water, and plenty Of it," when hardly
house knew the luxury of bath. Indeed, 80 dirty
ard barbasous even was New. York recently, that
the ClsreLdon Hotel not long since built, was the
first hotel which Lad bathing rooms in connection
With sleeping chambers; and the idea came from
fop to our certain knowledge. We wish this
country 10 verse luck tLSn the multiplication of
fcps-of men who are clean and elegant in dress,
mild in manners, eschewers of filthy tobacco,
gallant to the EEK, aud incapable of committing an
insult. If they abounded among L" the chivalry,"
tobacco. splitting and street fighting would become
ncon,iDe ntly obsolete; if they could be established
in the Bowery and Five Points, liquor bars and
VOWS would become unknown.