The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-05
BABY SHOWS.
From the London Saturday Reuez)


And D}oa. are WEAKNESS to the flesh, though
fhey. ma. b. of some practical good az
means Of comparing the different degrees OF
nrn0re-s. according to varieties OF method: but
1f baby shows not favorable word can pc
said. Not only is there no good whatever tn
fiiem. no use or value, SO lar as the ordinary
purposes o exhibiiioh' 20, but they are posi-
lively harmful IN som, senses. and disgushna
in all. Imagine q mum GER OF babies OF the
scorer classes-which means doubtful clean
Enees aud exceedipely doubtful decencV-
small creatures having large lungs vary.
ing rom three weeks to tUo years OF
age, cooped mp together oo broilng
day in stufy tent with an African
Temperature aud detective ventilauon, with
q crowd of people passing and repasslng De-
fore them. their mothers nursing .notners
chiefly) hot. e1ated. weary, set ont like doclle
what kind OF good there eau be In 1t at all. Not
tho most enthusiastic lover OF babies can tnd
asiy beauty or grace m such show. and assur
edly no physician would approve 1t; while ss
TO the comparative snatomiet and psychologist,
II any one wishes to see how easy 1t ID to de-
grade man to the level Of the lower ANIMALS,
and how, very slight is the barrier OF artlhcial
dignity and individuality which separates HIM
from his 1our.footed. relatives, he has only to
20 to such an exhibition as that got up at
North Woodw1ch this last week. he Will then
be brought to proper state OF suthr9poIoH1.
csl humility, and be disposed to accept the
theory of our poor relations and progressive
DEVELOPMENT, and 10 shake hands with bis
COUSIN the gorilla without more ado. For
baby show 10 SIMPLY an exhibition OF animals
of 4 certain kind, neither more nor less; and
the truth had better be said OF it at once.
Save that they are handled little more ten
derly, the babies are treated by the visitors
for al the world hike the beasts In cattle
Show. They are poked at and telt, and their
points rem6ked aud their flesh assailed. much
a n they were COWS and hvlees, but OF an ex-
oeptiOnaIly fragile kind. Their mothers share
In the ruling spirit, and turn. up grmy LAYERS
OF smal petticoats to show the shape or fne-
ness Of the limbs beneath. The bresdth OF
backs snd the dimensions Of athigh are points
OF Vhich they boas, with quite uuch0us com.
placency; and when . knot Of coarse men and
gross womeD stand before Que OF the chairs
Ne ought tesay psns-and discuss the look OF
the fesh and general development for the q &c,
the elearness OF the eyes, the strength Oh tne
limbs, &C.. of the sman occupant, the mother
takes 1t oil in as good part as hearth rug CAV
when you stroke her kittens, aud apparently
with much the same sensations. All the mys.
teries OF the nursery, generally held sacred
from the prying gaze OF the profane world here
70 in primitive simplicity; and any wavenng
young bachelor may realizs to the lie
loved oSj ct on ANAL meApe, and put 1T
TO himself whether this ID the kind OF thing he
likes or. not. To be cure, paternity may make
some difference, but the facts OF baby nature
are the same in both cases. and We are bound
to say that baby nature and nursery mysteries
IRE not particularly; appetiMng 70 the great
maiorlty OF men. Whatever poetry or beauty lies
around the cradle of the hrst-born-aud poets
and artists make out that great deal does lie
around it-is.here vulgarlzed out Of exlsteLce;
md. # anythlng could make q man sworn
celebate for life. 1t wopld be careful scrutiny
OF baby show, such as we saw at Woolwlch.
As one Tpsssed char after chair Of acllvely.
nursing mother and plaeidly-fe ding child. the
finer sbades Of distinction got lost, and Ole
came Ut last TO regard the babies as 30 many
apimalS 10 be cared for By the n cru ale il
stinct OF maternity truly, but having no claim
to DO tic sentiment. and very little more lndl-
Tiduality than 60 many sparrows or sheer,
save to their respective mothers. When
asleep or sucking, they all kicked. a. d
screamed aud fought wildly iith space. with
more or less passion or vIgur; they at utca-
ed vaguely at somebody's beard, or tried TO
put out their own ewes, or to choke themselves
with their fists; some. laughed II they were
tickled, and some broke out into howl; all
stared; and allswere very wet about the luouth
and chin; aud the great mass Of them seemed
10 sleep away the hours wien not 10 ding. and
when asleep they we're at least quiet. though
they looked hot and Very uncomfortable. Ihe
atmosphere of the tent was very ciose and VI
pleasant, and as positive in ITS own way, II
not quite so nasty, as the atmosphere OF
cow.house or q kenuel. But the women SEEM
ed To- ike it.; and perhaps nature, which tenn
pers the wind to the shorn lamb, bunts Their
senses to thin which sicken strong men. In
this show prizes were offered for the biggest
aud anestb babies OF various ages, classified ac-
con3ipg to certain conditions. And among
these prizes was one offered for ''triplets."
According the demand, though 8 queer one,
found corresponding supply, and one poor.
wretched cre ature, only three wceks confined.
came 10 the snow to bs s;ared at and COM
misal ated for the three nnserable aborrions
she, hetd In her arms. This seemed to US The
most Disgusting part Of the exhibition That
. woman 80 -aY ully chastised by fate AID an
unfriendly nature shoulc be helped out Of coz
passion Is Que thing. but that prize should
bs offered tor monstrosity Is another We
do not wsut o IL @. Ut tripk ts. Cert nuly NOT.
II they were to De nke those at North Wool
Hich, Which had a Illuminating likeness TO
small monkeys, and for which the best thing
one could wish was a speedy release from a
cruel world. where whole men and women t.Id
it hard 10 ffsnt tn lr wa, but where MAI or
woman divided BY three wOu be nowhere In
the struggle. They were fearful things to re-
gard ss potential fathers and mothers-scmc
" humar, they were so small and dark ami
dwnd,ed; weighing only three pounds each
when they were born and apparently hot any
thing more -n,w.- Yet these Miserable little
abortiops, With their weak aud hasgard mo
ther, were! sci up IN suf ng tent for all the
days thls precious show lasted, for the cha6ce
OF prize a., rew4ri tor moustrosity.
Bui, indeed. what Was 70 be galued by Offer
ing prizes at 'al,2 What eau they do? lucy
encourage no better bred Of bauies, however
well des rved they may be. Given the best
producer aud uourisheT of the hum IN animal
TO De fund, and how will o prizs either en-
courage or enable Others to compets with her
Beslde- wh tsre the grounds TO 60 upon?
The judges do not write up the place of hylng
Sge race. condition and 10 I'd OF the fatner aud
mo her; and If they did how woul that AFT ct
others Abe whole thug is too absurd 10 be
argued about. 7, ach Wo,uen few elementary
Physiological truths about themselves and
tle r oalidrea, aud some good might be done;
but q prize for what is o mere matter OF
bind cnanee-for eer,sn chemical propor-
tions unkno"n, aud therefore not TO be
attained by olhers-is the most foolish OF
the many foolish acts Of the peeudo-phi-
Lnthropy that we know OF. And Though
1t is. mater OF fact that certain wo-
men produces e 9 children. aud certain
others pvOr a.d wr.uched Little crea-
lures how 10 baby show to mend mat ers
II they are bad. lor toclrry them further If they
arc favorabeP We presume no one would 90
50 Tar % 10 advocate means hike those .adop;-
81 BY pigeon fan1crs aud stock raIsers.
Is there al! power or law to deny The right