Woodville Republican., 1867-05-18

the great moral law Of nature that only
BY performing bis duty can be look for
present aud future happiness. The tes-
deney Of our present philosophy cfsociety
is to assist In making men yirtuous ard
happy, by making them comfortable 10
keep them eqailably governed, and 10 lit
I she miserable. II is noble, nay, d.
y philosophy; aud Upon the press Of
Us NSntry, far niors than upon either the
ito isr rostrum, rests the task ofits sue
AL udon me, gentlemen, when. in 7
We grand mission Of the press, |
q kNO' sVt your Individuality should be
= PNasS Ssits work.
Iley, ot eAe made, and srs making prog.
iaaial aeon. In the uaeiultAings life. But
have We made equal progress IN manners ! I
Have we progressed in the agreeabiei 7
Man Is naturally monoganist. Though !
he have fifty wives he win love one better
than the others; so,hat in this matter we
have improved upon some Of the ancients
only by making municipal correspond with |
natural law. Husbands and wives love no
more tenderly, or quarrel no more fierce
" than they ever did. Servants are ser
wants still : 1t has always been hard TO
sind one faithful, Children meet pretty
much tho same Old treatment, | do not
mean for their little bodily ailments,) and
every mother still thinks hers the prettlest
and best. 1t is true, some mothers used
to throw their children into the fire, or IN.
to the Ganges to the crocodiles, but they
loved them Just as tepderly as she who
now casts her darling into a vortex Of dis
sipation in which IL is destroyed--hoth
act as they think best for their dear ones
and work to their own credit. Friendship
did not die with Damon and l'ythias, Da-
yld and Jonathan. The Graces still clasp
each other aruund the waist and look for
admiration. The Muses. arc cultivated
still though they have changed their in
strurnents TO suit the spirit of the age
the soft Tyre for furious piano the grace
full. gliding dance for the full galloppolga
and the doubles shuttle lancers; the great
epic for machine doggcrcl, and gilt.
edged album.
Owing to suspenders and tight breechcs.
leos. dandies do not bow 50 low now as
good manners required in the time oi
Abraham. | wonder II the fop nowadays
knows that when he martyrs the letter
ar" in calling for the "waitaw," or do
scanting upon the "supewiau pcwlorw
nance at the opewa,' he is positively
classic that the fops Of Athens hated il
and changed it to an IL and those ofthe
time of Louis XIV, and of the ".ieunesst
| do,eo prescribed 1t altogether Docs ht
/ not knew that torturing the hair to the
front and twirling the moustache are onl,
fashions first cousin to the old Roinai
dandisGal custom Of scratching the heat
The ancient man OF fashion would hav,
been as much horror-struck at finding him
self in public with any other than hi
broidered Tyrian shoes on, as would TIN
modern to find himself at tho opera with
out his white kids. And as for still highe
flights Of good manners, the Egyptian gen
tleman of three thousand years ago coalr
swear as roundly by the sacred cat or th'
Immaculate puppy, and the Greek hat
thirty thousand gods to swear by, and usa
oaths of such learned length and thun
dering sound that those of the present
day are nero penny whistles beside
them. Poricles WIS fop; so was Julius
Cesar---but they we're fops from policy
for it imposed upon the people. The
sncbs Of the present day afe not snobs
from greatness Of wisdom, for they impose
upon no une- unless It be their tailors.
The ancients had institutions, like
those Of the present day, called clubs for
The exclusive cultivation Of brotherly love
where they paid large subscriptions for
the incstimable privilege Of gossipping, or
gambling or getting roaring drunk vii a
select crowd Of warranted gentlemen. The
bar room and grog shops are inventions Of
more modern date, improvements. in fact,
upon the old aristocraiic, exclusive ays.
ten; for in this age Of equality the gen
temen cant have all the good things to
themselves.
The old times were great times for os-
tentation. Superstition and ostentation
have always been two chief instruments
by which power has been gained and kept
over an ignorant people knowledge OF,
and mower with the invisible gods an af-
fectation Of great sanctity, glittering pro
cessions the mysteries Of the altar, and
tbe solemn sacrifice. have, through the
abuse Of tho mcst noble faculties Of Their
souls, bowed mems bodies in civil bon
daee. Separation from the people, hne
eouiuare. liyericd ietaigcrs, rich dress,
and lofty words. have ever been means py
which encroachm have bcen made upon
the rights Of the people; and when then
rights we're all gone they have looked on
in awe and admiration, and wed win o.befs
IN initiating their masters General o.,
tentation Is sign not only OF wealth and
neace but also Of decaying nationality.
iIad we the wealth and the pesce, as mat
ters stand. we would be the most ostenta'
tious people on earth. shoddy could new
or vie with u.s. for the reason that our o.
teptations should be elegant. II
Though in this country society is based
upoD the natural equality snd individual
sovereignty Of man, man Is essentially
comparinc aninal and human vanity ana
pride are very subtle things. Inc il.ls
child will clap It's hand at some ianclea
superiority 1t has discovered IN It's Toy ana
when be grows up, hs imagination VIII
clothe him and his With a superior halo
Dress, equipage, alnu.ements; and all the
little eIsgancies Of life are charming and
proper 10 their place; but suppose that y,
this representative democracy, q u Is s.;n s.lIi
themselves as nigh my Lad and ny
Lady, as people can be IN this odlously
vulgar country--try to adopt manners and
marks to distinguish them from their
nelahbors. 1t would be. like seeing some
bu1y savage upon the coast Of Africa
strutt;ug about 10 the envy and admira-
tIou Of sbe girls aud little children u %
~ "a -.at IL, h.a efoIen from British |