Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-01-21

We give : panags iisn ! bodk -
written BY . Scotchman, who has
travelled in the United Statsa, and Who
speaks Of the
ExrRAvA0AHcE OF AMRRIcAn Wo-
MAs.-'The ladies Of New Orleasa like
their sisters Of New York, are great
dressers indeed, the dresses Of Amer
lean women, generally-at least Of the
new rich class-are something fabulous
in expense, taking into consideration
the rank and fortune of the weareu |
and their husbands. The dressenpf
ladies in New Orleans, am told, (S6d |
by New Orleans people, often equal in
nchness and expense those Of our
crowned heads in Europe. What do
you think Of creole lady's dress pow
dered over with diamonds her hus-
band, probably, cotton-broker. La
dies here think nothing of expanding
large proportion Of the profits Of
years trade in few dresses. Ofcourse
we must SUI pose that this is, in most
cases, done with the knowledge and
approval Of the husband. He works
or specnlates, and his wife wears the
spoilia opima.
There is some excuse, or at least,
explanation Of this, to us, astound-
ing extravagances, in the circumstances
explained above, Of American house
keeping. As rule, the inhabitant Of
an American city does not keep house.
He has no opportunity, therefore, Of
displaying his wealth, as our parvenu
merchants and manufacturers do, 10
fine houses, plate and equipages.-
Neither is there the same passion for
landed estate in America as with us.zE
With land vt 6vo sh;lIings An acre, its
possession cannot confer social dis
tinction. The New York stockjobber
does not lay out one hundred thousand
pounds sterling on lard, at two per
cent, to give him the entire to the
houses OF half dozen neighbors, who
drink his claret and laugh at him.
lie is making, probably, fifty, perhaps
one hundred per cent, per annum, on
his capital; and all this fast-gotten
gain he can only display it to the pub
lie in one way-by clspping it on his
wife's back. An Americans wife is
the peg on which he hangs out his
fortune. He dresses her up that men
may see his wealth she is walking
advertisement of his importance-the
sandwich announcing to Broadway or
Canal-stl Get, that her husband is a
man of money and station. All this
is very sorry work, but do not see
that it involves any greater absurbity
than those displays of plate and uphol
stery, by which our rich vulgarians an
nounce their wealth, and hide their
want of real refinement. If a
sham g6htility is to be set forth, it
matters little whether it be done
through the fundamentally Of the up
holsterer or the mlIincr. The English
man loves his house, and he decks it
out when he makes money ; the Amcri-
can loves his wife, and decks her out
for want Of a house. Neither have
much to boast of over the other it is
the same vulgar ostentation in different
FORMS
This same writer thus tells us,
How WE AMERICANS LooK.-,Some
say the Americans have no physiogno-
my great mistake, | think. To me
their physiognomy seems most strong
ly marked, bearing deep impress OF
that intensity which is the essence OF
their being. The features even Of the
young are furrowed with lines of anx-
iors thought and determined will
You read upon the nations brow the
extent of its enterprise and the intensi-
ty Of its desires. Every American
looks as ifhis eyes were glazing into
the far West and the far future. Nay
his mental physiognomy is determined
by the same earnestness ofpurpose.-
The American never plays; not even
the American child. He cares moth
ing for those games and sports which
are the delight of the Englishman.-
lie is Indifferent to the play either of
the mind or muscle. Labor is his ele-
ment, and his only relaxation from
hard work is fierce excitement. Meth
er does he laugh. The Americans, |
imagine, are the most serious people
in the world. There is no play even
in their fancy; French wit is the sparkle
of the diamond that dazzles salon ;
the American imagination flashes its
sheet-lightning over half a world.
The same terrible carnestness is, /
am persuaded, a: the bottom of that i'll
health, which is so serious curse to
American life. No donbt other things
contribute-climate, stimulants, seden-
tary occupations, and so forth-but
the deep rooted cause of American
disease is that overlooking of the
brain and over excitement of the ner-
vous system, which are the necessary
consequence of their intense activity.
Hence nervous dyspepsia, with con-
sumption, insanity, and all its brood Of
fell disorders in its train. In word,
the American works himself to death
DENTAL.