The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-02-21
rConlMuNIcArEp. |

Mr.. Editor win you pardon the impudence
Of the reviewing In your own paper OF your own
lecture? Let me just run over the points as II
you were not concerned. 4h
D. Mackey lectured at the Court House. Fri
day nights subject ''The lrrepressible conflict
of Fashion governed by Foliy-,and Common
Sense" The lecturer adopted the direct practical
method of speaking. or talking AS he called II,
instead of reading, in substance as follows: N
Tho fOy of fashion Is apparent In oil the
ayocations and circumstances of life. Half the
children that are born into the worldas statistics
show-dle, before reaching five years of age
They are the victims Of fashionable folly. Many
of the diseases that take them of might be avoid
ed. They are dressed In manner that would kill
men. Inmatters of education practical instruction
Is crowded out; the lower, useful branches Of
education are neglected for hifalutln; the heing
mother tongue is neglected for the dead Ian
guages The mathematics that are needed In
practical life are lightly regarded while the higher
and less practical are crammed into the student
who Is expected to lead business life, Love
affairs may as well be practical II young people
love each other ardently they may as well sag 80
but they talk Of everything but the subject at
heart. A wldower, though he is old and ugly Is
soon married again, because he makes q business
of marrying; and goes about 1t In q common
sense way; and he Ia very apt TO make good
choice. As to folly In the matter Of dress 1t is
mistake TO charge 1t oil to women; but for the
sake Of fashion they submit TO Inconvenience (as
coming out tonight with long dresses trailing In
the mud) illhealth and death and that which Is
plainly the result of fashiOnably folly Is charged
to the mysterious dispensation of Providence.
Irrational and hurtful amusements are substituted
for healthful exercise. Honest labor Is avoided,
because not fashionable. Professional men for
the same reason avoid exercise that combines
usefulness and health. Morning walks are better
than midnight reyelries Hours that ought TO be
given to sleep are devoted to illy-yentillated
billiard rooms and money is useessly spent that
might be devoted to better purposes; Ill health
and bad habits result. Young men aud ladies so
delicate that they cannot endure the fatigue OF
labor, spend eight or ten hoursln violent exercise
In the ballroom and contrary to common sense
recklessy violate tue most common laws ofhealth;
sickness and death follow, and Pr0ridence Is again
arralgned. In this town, the physicians saw of
thirty lve deaths, twenty eight were from con-
sumption Fashionable folly, and neglect of the
dictates Of common sense In matters OF clothing,
exercise and fresh air, have not little to do with
all this. Strange as 1t may seem, common sense
Is crowded out Of literature Much that IL called
poetry has neither the merit of beauty nor com.
mon sense. Much Of 1t Is mere verbiage--sound
without sense. Whittier says beau tifui and sensl-
bic things In plain words Wendell Phillips
(leaving out the consideration of bis unpopular
sentlmgnts) Is model lecturer; for he says great
things In nanner that oil can understand; yet he
Is good scholar. Blackstone, perhaps thegFeat-
est of law-wrlters writes In the plainest simplest
style--thOugh of course, the techncalltles of law
cannot be avoided. There are exceptions We
do not ignore the good, the beautiful the true In
human life we inslst that this should be part of
right education. We do not desplse the hight of
learning. We say commence to build nc the tOaad-
alton then build us high Us you can but don't
ne QIegt practical common sense. = -
The writer regrets that he failed TO hear the
lecture Of Mr.. Mayo, said to be excellent and
beGHtVaL ...... .,.,l.. .,.