The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-19
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS.
To III Eitor of Tie State Joaunol. !:
"Said Aaron to Moses
Let us cut off our noses.
Said Moses to Aaron
;'ris tho ia shiou to wear 'pm :;

'Sad Aaron to Moses
Let us cut off our noses.
said Moses to Aaron
It's the fashion to wear 'em.''
The dialogue III the above quotation Is
evidently of modern creation, and great
SANDER perpetrated upon Gods amounted.
However absurdly Aaron's proposition may
read, there is no doubt Of its being followed
out to the very letter, if only promulgated
by the fashion-mongers Of the present day.
Fashion comes no longer to us in the char
acter of suggestion-it is an absolute mon
arch, an extortioner of time and governs its
subjects with despot's sway. Its demands
are known to be vain and frivolous, but
being absolutely irresistible to large ma
iority (weal in the upper story the better
class of thoughtful and conscientious minds
are compelled to suecumb.
It is a sad and humilating confession,
and never could be made, save by a true
penitent. Yet, why should we make our
selves willing slaves to the kings of sin and
iniquity, who are enthroned in the high
places OF the land to dictate to fawning
fools? We have some gifts; let us use
them wisely, improving upon them, as God
has enlarged our desires and capacities
But the great obstacle to woman's intel
lectual advancement seems to lie clearly i'll
her slavery to dress. There is a golden
mean, and in its generous limits there Is
room for taste, beauty, richness and ele-
gance. Woman is necessarily entrammeled
With more work and care than is possible
to be accomplished, without risking all of
her aspirations for spiritual growth, and at
last coming to death with the bitter consc-
BUSINESS of a wasted existence.
If women would only take this home to
1,,1 aud In
follow fashion, and style so far as it con-
forms with a reasonable and becoming
standard. consenting to follow in its wake
no farther. there would soon be an end to
this worse than wicked nonsense. Men
dress well, and even elegantly, yet expend
very little time or thought upon their toilets ;
/ contend that woman may do the same,
thereby gaining time for the cultivation of
her mind. and contributing more largely to
home happiness and the individual demands
of her family. Woman is grooming under
her load of care, and yearning for release.
There are those who are endowed by ma
ture and education to adorn any position,
and whose words upon this subject
would be like "apples OF gold, in
nictures of silyer.o Those who are
seeking for the elevation of woman, and
her intellectual endowment, will find the
love of dress and display no feeble barrier
to progress. but the real enemy of all their
peace. have given scarcely an outline of
thought upon this subject. 1t is one that
should command the serious attention of
every woman who regards the higher inter-
ests of the soul, or has any outlooks beyond
n mere animal existence. We have read
some fearful pictures of sociable and fash
ionablc life in Paris, the result OF excessive
vanity and fashion, little dreaming these
were but the mad preludes to scenes Of
horror and death, which should deluge a
city of splendors, in blood!
Tod forbid that we should furnish similar
n;ctures for them to refresh their own MEM
Dries upon, and yet, there is an absence of
conscience, and principle, now associated
with fashion in "high life" and Tempo
rum STYLES I" that is appalling,
O The bondage and the care
Ia what these bodies wear
And how we dress Our hair
The hdtttestr style and air,
Would drive one TO despair,
But for the hope and prayer
To heaven (where all IS fail}
n, keeD ont Etsdtoa herei
And thus we'll think of heaven
The sweet release there given
To sorrow pain, and sin
Which enter not therein.
But ftirer visions rise
Before my woman $ eyes
when we come at last
TO see life 3 book unclasp--
Released from lives OF passion
From vanity and fashion,
ven 0Hfy need one dTeSs
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