Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-12-04
MISOELLANEOUS.
The Modern Babylon,

If the city of New York were to be shaken
down to-day by an earthquake, says the Rich
mond Eran1tncr, October Both, and only
Niblo's theatre left standing, the survivors of
the calamity would flock to see the "Black
Crook" tomorrow night as if nothing had
happened. The great metropolis NAV not
deserve the title bestowed upon it. "Tbe
World of New York" )" but at any rate the
demi-nroHde inhabits there, and virtue is es-
teemed an entirely provincial quality. In
point offact, New York has broken loose
from every precedent of the social sSstem-
just as Boston has cast off from eyery ordi>
nance Of the intellectual system-and moves
on In sphere of its own, and to the music of
quite original celestial harmonies. In this
sense the great city is unquestionably
''World"
Everything in New York is done con
margin and he Cor she) is the most success
full metropolitan who can 'soperate the most
extensively upon the least capital.", Thus
the daily newspapers are conducted in the
sphere OF rumor upon the most surprisingly
small margin of truth the preachers traverse
thebroad realms of society and politics upon
the meagerest imaginable plank of gospel
fair women sport the fullest toilet of fashion
over scarcely a shift of virtue and the onlv
undoubted capitalist in the place is the devil
who seems to own stock in its every institus
ton, and to have bill of sale of the commu-
nifty in general.
1t worthy John Bunyan could come to life
again, and survive the steerage: of an emf
grant ship, and the perils of the "runners"
who lntest Castle Garden, he would assured
ly. after having seen New York, tear ont the
chapter from the narrative of his great pil>
grimage, and give us another picture of EVAN
ity Fair" Dante, were he living, would add
Wall street "corner" to the other exquisite
tortures of mtale6oge; and Jonah, sent against
such place, would not seek to hide in a
whales belly, because he would know that
his utmost prophecy would never be needed:
That New York patronizes the arts is a
liked fact Upon every corner you may see
the hand bill of a grand "gift concerto Ris>
tori fails and j Jefferson, but the "Black Crook
succeeds; Barnum's Museum opens every
day at five o'clock A. NJ; Harper's Madaziae
is sold by the hundred thousand, and Bier
stadts pictures have made his fortune.
That New York is a fountain of taste is
beyond question. She has a great park with
out trees; and Fifth Avenue without nave
ment; Mayor without authority pretty So-
men without grace, who wear splendid toi-
lettes without paying for them handsome
men without honesty; and-a Bennett n
DSSSAASA3 seventh regiment,
Paris, to be sure, has her Quarter Breda
and her Rue Notre Dame de Lorettes. but
she has also her Faubourg de st. German
and her Ruesde Rivoli; London is able to
offset Saint Giles with Saint James and even
Vienna does not open her court to questions.
bic virtue; but, in New York, nous arons
change tout celia, they say, "Miss' Lucretia
Borgia is an honored guest at all the hotels.
and Madame" Biche's palsee on Fifth Av-
enue is next door to Madame Pruae,s ssinsti-
tute for young ladies'" If Madame Biche
felt ike it she could rent the best pew in
Plymouth or Grace Church without exciting
popular indignation, and Miss Lucretia could
visit in ''society" just as she has her box at
the opera and ticket to the Seventh ball.
In other words, society is totally, Infamous
ly, beyond conception, corrupt ia New York.
and if this corruption be as they tell us itsis.-
the legitimate offspring of sudden riches, may
God continue to us our present poverty.
"A modest minister out West marries for
drink of whisky, a dozen eggs, and the first-
kiss of the bride.
The art of bookkeeping taught in one