The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-02
Decadence Of English Morals.


lowing article gives us come idea of the
downward course Of things, in England, as
regards morals, especially fashionable NOR
ais. We may suggest that while such
things exist the Press of Britain has on
it's hands to occupy its best efforts, and no
small portion Of its time towards mending
the morals of its immediate clientele, with
out crossing the Atlantic to find materials
for abuse under that head:
A story used to be told of jealous wife
who overhearing friend tempting her
frail husband to attend some public dinner
by assuring him that he would find call
the delicacies of the season." interposed
with the startling. remark" Ask him to
meet all the indelicacies of the season, and
he will be sure to accept" The same
temptation, we fear, would prove success
full with a very large portion of the COM
munity. Day by day the barriers of de-
cent behavior, in the eyes of the world,
are being gradually broken down, without
remOnstrance from those whose duty it
is to keep them standing. Each year sees
some marked distinction in the open habit
of unseemly demeanor which, the year be-
fore, if INDUCED in, was at least concealed
from the public gaze. The result is, unre-
strained license of opinion, with unre-
strained license of word, and action in ex-
pressing it; and very fragrant instance
of both-of bad taste in feeling and bad
taste in evincing it-has just occurred in
the very heart of our fashionable districts.
Who so conspicuous to the world of Lon
don, for the last three or four years, as
Cognita? Whose horses so fashy p
whose carriagesso dashing ?-whose attire
SO respondent with every color under the
sun-whose cheeks so well supplied with
two of them? When she takes chair by
side of the "Row, 4" when she canters down
it on stopper, " or draws up her pony
ph@ton at Filtration Corner" is there
anybody who attracts so much attention
or receives so much real homage as Cogni-
ia? What matters it that but yesterday
the gay butterfly was but grub? What
matters it, for the present, that, like a
bubble upon quagmire, Cognita has been
borne upwards, solely by corruption, to
her present altitude? Who care now that
Cognita, first rising to the surface in the
chaste casinos, took holder flight to the
raised groves of Cremoene, and thence pro-
crossed in an increasing blaze of ostenta-
tious vice, to the races, parks, and the
opera? High rank escorts her there.
What cares high rank that the diamonds
and satins of the box on the grand tier
have but just replaced the rags of the troll
lop in her attic? Stillmore, what matters
it that the mind at any rate remains incap-
able of refinement, the manners of polish,
and that both retain their native rough
ness? 1t all matters not .jot Cognita
is the fashionable Jezebel of the day. Cog
nita is held to be fitting companion for
the noblest in the land; and Cognita holds
her court in the open air of London, as
practically as any sovereign of Europe in
his capital. 1t is the fast" thing to be
able to bow to her. Old debauchees leer
admiringly on her, as she losses her
saucy head at them Freshly-caught
cublings of fashion are infinitely more
proud of a recognition from her, especially
if any other young noodles are witnesses
to it, than of an acknowledgment from the
grandest of gr'd1,C1es danes. The last new
depravity of blasphemy that falls from her
lips is quoted like the bon-mots of an estab-
lished wit; and Pylades the fool, relates
admiringly the amount which Orestes, the
idiot, contributes to her establishment.
But the Pickering career Ofan igniS futuus
is proverbially short-lived, soon dies ont.
She is compelled to seek shelter of other
oh nd h.
THAN shot at the community, which she has
done nothing but outrage from the begin
ming, by carrying off with her partner of
her guilt and fight, and accomplishing the
misery of hitherto happy family. But
COgnita, though she contrives to escape
with good deal, cannot carry off
every thing. The horses and the car
riage, the snug little establishment, and
the furniture and effects" are not easily
slowed away in portmanteaus. Conse-
quently the latter are for sale and are on
view for day or two previous. What is
to be said for the good taste of the town,
when it has been seen that there has been
a perfect crush" to secure Catalogues, :"
and to ATTAIN orders to view? that the
wretched little residence, with it's tawdry
fittings and its gimcrack furniture, has been
besieged by hundreds; that on the ''last
day. the attendance was overfowing,
and that expectant visitors were COM
PEELED to wait outside until those
within had grati6ed their pruri-
ent curiosity? This is no exaggera-
ton of the truth. The excitement on the
subject has been comically intense, and the
rouge-pots and scent-bottles of the prosti-
tute have commanded far more careful
scrutiny than would the treasures of South
Kensington. The "library" was singu-
larly characteristic. 1t consisted of a few
volumes of the Court Guide, an old num-
Der or two of the Sporting Magazine, an
essay on equestrianism, and "Burke's
Peerage." Quite little stock-in-trade.
Intellectual collection! The times are GER
tainly degenerating, even in these matters.
Aspasia is understood to have been Of real
political assistance to Pericles and even
Nell Gwynne had soul enough to persuade
Charles II. into the erection of Chelsea
Hospital. But your modern Hetaira, so
that she be more lovely, or more depraved,
than her fellows either will do-may unite
the ignorance of savage with the coarse
ness of a Mig. Ia not the infatuatiOn q mar