The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-25

EKsLIsH LIFE az Tbs EIGHTEENTH CEN-
TURY-I think there we're in my time
about four or Eve of the richest and
most fashionable Of our young ladies
who took few lessons on the spinet,
and about as many more who learned
a very little drawing, in very bad taste:
but the parents Of the rest of Us would
have thought it not only extravaganza,
but presumption TO give such snowy
and expensive accomplishments 70 girls
destined for good housewives We all
learned 10 dance, however, both minu-
cts and country dances, and we'll re-
member that before our grand annual
exhibition at the masters ball, such of
us IS nature had not favored with the
high forehead, then esteemed as beau
ty, were obliged to submit to the ap-
plication of a strip Of pitch plaster
round the edges of the hair, by means
of which it was torn up by the roots.
We had no ether penance to under
20, unknown to the damseis Of these
happier days There were backNboards,
iron collars, stocks for the feet, and
frightful kind Of neck swing, in which
we we're suspended every morning
whilst one of the teachers was lacing
our stays; all which contrivances were
intended and imagined to improve the
figure and the air. Nothing was thought
so awkward and vulgar as anything
approaching to a stoOp. Hold up
your head, hold up your head miss y
was the constant cry. / wonder any Of
US kept our health; we had very little
exercise Of any kind, were tight-laced
in very stiff stays, not sufficiently wal m
ed in winter, and both coarsely and
sparely fed
The chief alloy of our social
eDioyments was the stiff and barbar-
Gus ceremonial which then accompani-
ed all the common actions of life.
From the retired life that they led,
and the awe and subsection in which
they were kept by their elders, damsels
had then a degree Of bashfulness, or
aWkwardness if you please, Of which
il is my private opinion that the ac-
COmplished young ladies of these days
cannot even form an idea. Imagine
then, what it was, in the midst OF
formal dinner, after calling for beer
and receiving it from the servant, In
cup or glass by the bye, which had pre-
viously served half the company, to
20 round the company, crying out with
an audible voice, Mrs. A, your health
Dr. B., your good health" and so on
knife and fork to be ready to acknOw-
ledge the compliment
/ have often sat almost choking with
thirst, but quite unable toasummon
courage for the operation of drinking
l remember once seeing an awkard
girl surprised by the approach of a
health as she was in the act of picking
the leg bone of fowl with her teeth
another graceful practice of that day
who suddenly dropped both her hands,
and satauite still with the bone across
her mouth, like a deaths head with
cross bones in the border to bill of
mortality
1t was even worse when we came to
the wine after dinner or supper; it was
then not sufficient to drink healths; a
young lady would often be required, in
spite of bushes and entreaties, to give
as a toast either the name of a single
gentleman or q sentiment Perhaps
some such fat affair as this: "May the
single be married and the married hap
py'-Miss Lucy Aiken8 Memoirs.