, 1862-12-17
Qbtta9o Qrtbn,te.


~
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER II, 1859. !
BccaSence Of: English Morals.
-, The Lnndon -Ao'7,ing Rst, III the following
article, gives us snnac idea Of the downward
course Of things, il, England, as regards mor-
ais; especially fashionable morals. We may
suggest that while sucl things exist the press
Of Britain has On its hands to occupy its best
efforts, and no small portion Of its time to-
wards mending the morals Of its immediate
clientele, without crossing the Atlantic to find
materials for abuse under that head: ''
"A story used to be told Of . jealous wife.
who -oycrhcariug q friend tempting her frnil
husband to attcnd some public dinner by as
sllsiny him that be would ind 'sall the deli
c:cies Of the sc.:son," interposed with the
iadelicacics Of the season, and he will be sure
to accept" The same temptation, ne fear,
would prove successful with very large por-
tlon Of the community. Day BY day the bar
rieFs Of decent behavior, in the eyes Of the
world, art being gradually broken down, with
out a T2nUnstrancc from those whose duty it
is to Keep them standing. Each year sees
some marked distinction in the OPEN habit of
unEeemly demeanor which, the year before, if
indulged in, was at least concealed from the
public gaze. The result is, unrestrained Ii
censc OF opinion, with unrestrained license of
word and action in expressing it.; and very
fragrant instance Of both--of bad taste in feel
ing and bad taste in eTtncing it-has just oc-
cErrcd in the very heart Of our fashionable
districts.
Who go conspicuous to the world Of
London for the last three or four years as
Cognita2- whose horses so flashy?
whose carriages SO dashing9 whose attire so
resplendant with every color under the sun!
whose cheeks so well supplied with two Of
them When she takes a chair By the side Of
the ."RoW," when she eanters down it on q.
.'.Etepper,'' OF draws up her pony -phaetoa at
attracts so much attention or receives so
much real homage, ag Cognita2 What mat
tiers it that but yesterday that the gay butter
Hy was a grub. What matters It, for the
present, that like a bubble from 4 quagmire;
Cognita has. been borne upwards solely by
cares now that Cognita, first rising to the
surface in the cIlaste casinos, took a boIdcr
fight to the raised groves Of Cremorne, and
thenee progressed nan increasing blaze Of os-
tentations vice 10 the races, parks, and the
operas High rank escorts her there What
cares high rank that the diamonds and satin5
Of the box on the grand tier have but just re-
placed the rugs Of the tro1lop in her attic
Sill more, What matters it that the mind at
any rate rcn,1ns incapable Of refinement, the
hammers oI Nollri1, lnu lnaL DDl1 Ftta1n thelr
native roughness? It all matters not jot.
Cognita is the fashionable Jezcbel Of tile day,
Cognita is held to be q fitting companion for
the noblest in the land, and CGgnit:l holds her
court in the open air Of London, as practical
u as any sovereign Of Europe in his capital.
It is the sfast'' thing to be able to bow to her!
Old 0toauehees 1ccr admiringly on her as she
! caught cnblings Of fashion are far more
proud Of Il recognition from her, especially if
| any other young noodles are witnesses to it,
| than1f an acknowledgement from the grand
| est Of Jrandes tFanaes- The last new dcpragity
| OF blasphemy that falls from. her lips is quo
| ted like the boa-mot Of an established wit; and
| lylades, the fool, relates ad1niringly the pre-
| cisc amount which 0restes, the idiot, contrib
utes to Ler establishment. But the Pickering
career Of IN %gnis Jtt,ns is ProTerblally short
| lived, and C1gnita, like al other noxious va
rors, soon dies out. She is compelled to seek
| The shelter Of other shores, and fires, as she
| retreats, ParthIan shot at the community,
| which she has done nothing but outrage from
the beginning, by carrying off with her a part
ner Of her guilt and her fight, and accom-
| rlis1ing thu misery Of hitherto happy fanli-
II. But Cognita, though she contriyes to es-
| cape with a good deal, cannot carry off every.
| thing The horses and the carriages, the snns:
little establishment, and the furniture and
| effects" are not easily slowed away in
| portmantcaus. Consequently the latter arc
| for sale and are on view for a day or two pre-
| rious. What is to be said for the good taste OF
| the town. when it has been seen that there
has been a perfect !" rush'' to secure s'eata-
| logucs,' and to obtain orders to view? that
| the wretched little residence, with its t.lWdry
| fittings and its gimcrack furniture, has been
| besieged by hundreds; that on the t'la5t day''
the attendance was oyerfowing, and that ex-
peetant visitors were compelled to wait out
Side until those within had gratitcd their
| prurent curiosity? THIS is NJ exaggcrltio1l
| Of the truth. The excitement on the subject
! has been coulicaIly intense, and the rouge
| pots and scent bottles Of the prostitute have
commanded FIR more careful scrutiny than
would the treasures at South kensington.
The library was siagularly characteristic.
| 1t consisted of Il few volumes Of the Court
Guide, all old number or two Of the Sporting
t Magazine, IN essay on eguestrian1snt, and
"Bnrke's Pcerage." Quite Il little stock-in-
trade. Intellectual collection! The times
are certainly degenerating, even in these
matters. Aspasi:l is understood to have been
Of real political assistance to Perlclcs; and
even Nell Gwvnne had soul enough to per
Hospital. But your modern uctaira, so that
shr be more lovely, or more depraved, than
her felluws-either will do--uay unite the
ignorance Of a savage with the coarsencss o1
4 pig. Is not the infatuation marvel? Is il
not Us disgraceful as it is marvellous? But is
it moi manifest and undeniab!e? "Serrabi
ot7o7yn4 t+StMiinc - and such llas been the i'll
tlucnce of this parsonage on the pulse Ut SO
cjety, that those who can no longer Offer thci
| abortion in person throng to the scene 0
| her iniuuities as might deVotec5 to the Ehrin
| of deity. Doubtless the sale of her "relics'
will command fabulous prices.