Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-25
THE soRosus.
A Chapter of ITS Inside HistOr,
The Criticisms of a Friend.

New York of a club OF clever women
soon after and now known by the namt
Of "The Sorosis." The first idea was Il
make it a sort Of Masonic order, the mys
teries of which were to be as profoundly
concealed as those OF any Royal Arcf
Chapter. The nucleus of the organize
tiOn gave promise Of excellent results
Those who first undertook the work were
most zsalous in building up their new 30
ciety. aud their success was fisttering
Had they adhered with Roman-matronly
firmness to the ideas first proposed, there
might have been to-day one of the mos
charming societies-or half dozen, per
hsps-that ever ameliorsted the con.
dition of the SEX"
The original object of the association,
according to our understanding, was tC
| gather 8 select circle of kindred spirits,
for purposes Of recreation only; to sci
| apart certain days on which these con-
| genial friends should modestly initiate
| the lords Of creation in "having good
| time" A quiet lunch (st the insiguifi-
/ cant price Of one dollar esch) an after
noon Of innocent gossip; the possible
| extension OF the idea to private recep-
! tions-that was all. For three or four
months this plan worked very we'll.
The dear creatures paid their dollar each
! for Delmonico's sandwiches and coffee,
and felt hsppy-for they were secluded
from the tyrannical lord of creation, and
disported in supreme contempt of his
likes and dislikes. But secrecy was out
Of the question-the married Soro rushed
franticaIly to her home and told her hus
band the whole story of her experience,
who were there, and what they were,
and what they did, and what they said,
what they proposed to do. Then the
horr,d man put it all in print, and in less
than ninety days from the first meeting,
the Sorosis and their dOiDgs were as well
understood IS the open proceedings Of
the Board of Aldermen. So much for
wOmsn's power to keep q secret.
Still, had they barred the door to GER
tain baleful Influences, they might have
grown pale on weak lemonade and poor
oysters, ard the horrid tyrsnt would
have smiled at the innocent folly, pitied
their greenness in gastronomy, aud bid
them go ahead and be happy. Toe fun
might have seemed silly, but it was
harm less, aud no one would have seri-
ously criticised the actors had they kept
close to the original IDEA. Their success,
however, created great interest, especi-
ally among their own sex. OF that sex
there is, unfortunately for mankind, a
formidable army, whose main stldy
seems to be to make other men and wO-
men miserable class neither fi5h nor
fowl, nor good red herring class of re-
formers, whose brains have been STEPPED
in sociology, who can see no good discon-
nected from utility" and have no Shi-
boleth save "htilize utilize pa These
wOmsn's-rights advocates, lecturers, phi
lOsOphers, and utilitarisns in general,
were attracted by the SOrosis, ss nAtur-
ally as honey attracts insects. They did
not Join in any considerable numbers,
but they brought to bear the influence of
their reforming idess, and, almost before
the playful 9lrosis suspected it, the utili-
tarians were right in their camp, The
innocent lambs who went TO Delmonico's
once month to sip tea and prsttle small
talk, and "have d good time" found
among them the ideas il not the persons
Of these restless reforme-s.n
So it came about that tea and toast
were mixed with modern idoae,u and
the real enjoyment Of their meetings
rapidly passed away. One wanted the
s )rOsis to establish q school for the edu-
cation OF servants; others wanted stated
preaching, ia the form OF an essay, at
each meeting, and some of such, We be-
lieve, were resd foundling hospital
was another idea; reform stion in dress
intellectual culture, the independence of
wOmRn-in short, almost every notion,
except female suffrage and riding veloc-
ipedes, was proposed as fit and proper
object for the Slr0ais. With these strange
id as came differences of Opiaien, and
ciQues, and very nearly general dis
rupuOn.
Far be il from us to inveigh against
the female reformer. She has function
and q field; she has che Press at her
dngers-ends; and the public ear at her
tongues end. But is it not hard that
dozen or two of quiet women cannot
meet in a friendly way to enjoy an after
noon OF leisure, without having their
privacy broken by the intrusion OF these
rampant roarers for reform and
"utiIity?" May not one sip her chOco-
late without being bored by lectures on
the rights of women, the equality of the
sexes, the extravaganza Of dress, or some
schoolgirl recitation Of drOwsy prose or
prOsy poetry?
These intrusive people have pretty
nearly done for the SOrosis. Barbara
Mauley waves her cotton umbrella and
shrieks "reform % and the hope of social
enjoyment vsnishes on the instant. The
SOrOsis must come back to its original
platform or very soon fall to dacey. 1t
was meant to be cosy little society OF
cOngenial spirits, who would throw off
the cares of the hour and enjoy that pri-
vate recreation of which women are so
fond and of which they have so little.
The entertainment Of idess Of reform and
utility such as We have alluded to, was
never contemplated, and the sooner the
sisters turn such ideas and their advO-
Gates from their doOr7, the better for
their peace and prosperity. Most wo-
men have cares enough, lectures enough,
and philosophy enough at home. Their
lives are too much occupied with the re-
alities OF life. 1t is no more than lust
that they should eDjGy some share Of the
Inquiries Of leisure, Of whicn the lords OF
creation have Gbundance-the privilege
of private enjoyment in their own way, |
IN some place free from intrusion. Let |
them smut out ineXOrably all philosophy |
and reform let them prohibit, on pain |
of expulsion, the mention Of anything in |
the wsy of business, and to make sure |
they should Include anything that saw
Ored too strongly OF com mon sense let |
them make politics, religion and seciolo- |
gy subjects not to be alluded to ia the re-
motest manner. 50 may SOrosis return |
to the true path, bring deal of real en-. |
joyment to her Nom mbers, extend pleas
ant intercourse, and make charming |
friendships, and thereby serve to smooth |
the rough and l)nely paths that 30 many |
women are compelled to travel.
RAYARn.