Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-06-15

III MhAAEAs
THE TYRANNY OF FAsHIoN.-The
following essay was read by MissAnnie
Tuggle, Of Greenwood, at the commence
ment exercises of the State Female col
Iege. on Wednesday evening last
Odious as tyranny is, it has existed
in al ages mankind have ever been
g~roaning under its onerOus eXactiOns.
At times they have msde heroic resist
anee for deliverance, but as q general
thing. no sooner has tyrant released
his grasp than another has seized the
reins Of power. In the records of the
past you may see tyranny depicted in It's
every phase; but whilst history elc-
quently portrays the character Of Nero,
CaIiruIa and DracO, vino shock US by
their crueltfes, be it OUTS TO describe a
tvrant Of the ge1tler class, whose u
! tenance IL dressed in fascinating smiles,
who tyrannizes e you without you
even suspecting it. Her sway is more *
teusive than that Of Queen Victoria
! or Louis Napoleon, or the ear of all the
Russias. Invisible, intangible, and it
might almost be said Omuipresent, she
rules society at her pleasure, controlling
the movements of vast crowds ef
men, women, and even children. At
| the command Of this tyrant, people bow
themselves down with the utmost
%suavity, and, strange to say, with the
greatest pleasure. In fact, they seem to
| fad as much delight ia the chains which
bind them, as though it were an honor
to wear them. Does any one inquire
"who is this tyrant2" 1 can but reply,
" this tyrant is perhaps your sovereign,
I and you her slave. The name Of the
/ tvFant-shaIl I call it ?-or do Won anti
! cipste ana understand that it is EusbiOns'
! The origin Of thts tyrsnt-whO can
give it2 Where Is the pslaGs-Rpd
where the throne of fashion She is a
queen whose dominion stretches from
! pole to pole, and from sunrise to sunset,
and whose sceptre is swsyed over all
races and tribes of men-the most civil
lied and refined, and the most barbar-
Gus and debased. But where is her
palace, her thrOne-wbere the chief seat
Of her authority, whence she issues her
ediets to the whole World ? The rustic
fancies she lives in the nearest village.
The village goes to the city to End her.
The dweller in the city expects to see
her in tne metropolis Of the country.
The resident o. the metropolis crosses
the oceaRran anticipation Of an inter-
view wiBEher majesty amid the aplen-
doris and gsities Of Paris. And hnally, |
if reports can be ereagpi ba b2a8f'f :
and Madame say Sbo have Ell
on earth receive hsCaD ~ directly
from a region not to a. he "a hearing |
of ears polite, even< sHsr moral or
adorn a tale.u Fashion always displays
the traits which belong to tyranny, and
time would fail me to enUmerate those
traits and do justice TO their dement's.
However, in nothing, perhaps, does
fashion show the tyrant more clearly
than in the fact that her reign is arbi-
trsry and capriciOus in the highest
degree. and has no foundation in reason
or the htuess Of things. Fashion turns
day into night and night into day songs
through the hours which belong Of right
to business, and dances away the night
amid the glare Of gas, when NOR
tails should be counting tired ma
lures sweet restOrer, " balmy sleep.N
Fashion assumes all shapes, making short
people long and long people short, and
measuring ali upon the bed Of PrOcmstes.
Fashion effects all cOlOrs which compass
the rainbow, rejoicing in every variety of
light and shade, but falling ia the blended
beauty Of that glorious creation Of na-
ture. Fashion yesterday swept the cross
iugs of the streets with her magnificent
trail, and to-day parades the pavement
with her picturesque shOr dress. Fash
ion calls quite hurriedly and briefly dur
ing one short hour at a score of doors
opening into brown fronts-glRd TO dnd
a dear friend " not at home" and happy
to leave her card. Fashion "hastens
slowly to Gods house now and then on
a beautiful Sunday, when it is neither
dusty nor muddy, snowy or rainy, sunny /
or cloudy, sweeps grandly along the =,
aisle, seats herself in q cushioned
pew, spends an hour, not
in prayer and praise, nor in
hearing Gods Word, but in sightseeing I
and staring with admiration for our I
amusement at a strangers pepLuHg, or a {
neighbours bonnet. Bonnet did l
Oh! what would our grandmOth-
ers say if they could come back and see !
one Of the little things" bOnnets, " So 4,
called-ifI may be allowed to repeat :
the phrase by giving loyal credit to the ,
cOnquerOrs. All methinks they would .
say, No wonder the doctors have been !
under the necessity OF i~3Ueptiag a name !
for a new disease-one unknown in our !
days-Do wonder our grandchildren are !
troubled with neuralgia ~ But there is ,
20 end to the tale Of Fashions tyranny. y
Upon her alter she demands the sacri- Z
fee of. beauty, fitness, comfort, hap !
piness, goodness, and I might =
add Of heaven itself. Only the :
other day two elegant ladies We're return :
.ng from 3 stroll through the bazaars Of l
in the city Of their residence, :
when one OF them exclaimed, 40, sister. !.
lid you ever see such ugly bonnets. I :
they are hOrridl What shall I :
10? / must have a bonnet Of the latest Z
and they are so ug{y.n why :
inquired a friend, purchase {
bonnet which would become
yoH, even though it should not be
a Ia mOdesV "Oh,u replied
he lady, ~ would much prefer a FASH /,
enable ugly bonnet than a pretty or a i
Tery love Of q bonnet out of style. - :
20 goes the world. And so too it Il
s with the gentlemen, as well as y
he ladies but as the gentlemen are =
'eyond hope Of amendment, I do not 81
to waste time in criticisingthe vapi- n
les and follies which they display in the =,
.evOtion to the Whims Of fashion: and =
will only add in reference to their Whim- "
zeal opinions that ladies are the chief
at the shrine Of fashion. the a,
gell-known couplet Of Burns. ri
"Oh wad som power the gift te gle US. sy
To see ourselves as others see US. di
IL would iran mnnFa "a hlumanr Eaawr -