New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-16
az OTHEPS SEE Us,

Here is pretty state of affairs! travel
| ing Frenchman has gone home, and, according
to custom, written book about us, or rather
our fashionable society, which is hardly CRATE
| full, after its devoted fealty to Napoleon and
| his court during the late fracas Whether he
| hits the nail on tue head our readers mus
decide by their own senstiveness, and how
far it is hurt. On the matter of fashionable
religion he is very plain-spokcn. "The Amer
cleans accept nominalIy the Christian religion;
"but their real affections and homage are
"placed elsewhere; glass of liquor or pipe
"of tobacco is oftener in their thoughts than
"the sacred mysteries &C their faith. They
"bring their infants, handsomely clothed, to
" the font, but without any apparent motive
cor subsequent zeal TOR their salvation. But
"whle thus dull and biockish in matters of
"religion they are extremely subtle and ex-
"pert in all that concerns trade or profit"
As regards dress, our author asserts that the
men are properly clothed, but the women are
neither decent nor clearly. "They grease and
"stffen their hair, inserting flowers and feathers
" in the nasty mass, and daub their faces with
various earths and paints. In their public
"feasts and dances, the exposure Of their
"persons is shamefuliy lcwd." Of the treat
meht of criminals, he says: "These barbarians
delight in the torture of those condemned to
"die, tho wretches being forced to look at
"the preparations for days beforehand. When
the execution takes place, it is made kind of
"raree-shOw or holiday for the whole nation,
"and talked over with all its details of horror
Gin every family. This is for the purpose Of
giving to the children the taste fer blood
"and human torture" We bewail our dead,
he says, with vehement and unseemly outcry,
burying costly garments with them 'and
performing the ceremony Of burial with the
display of such wealth as we have, so that it
is apparent we believe the rich stuffs and
ornaments will give pleasure to the dead in
the future world, $50 british and besOtted
care their opinions of God and his Kingdom"
Men. he asserts, are exceedingly I'M
"chaste, often keeping more than one wife,
"though unacknowledged; marriage is in
"fact among these classes only q
"ciyil contract made on the grounds
"of expediency or ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, rather than
"afIection. There are certain among them who
"think it hardship to be compelled to con-
"tinue married to the same person for any
"length of time" Our friend has evidently
fallen in with the Woodruff brigade of the Adj
yanced Female cohorts, and states their argu-
ment very fairly: al How is it possible they
Gay to me, for man to be subject to the
"bonds of marriagef Don't you see how
"'little reason you haveT My wife is not
"pleased with me; neither am at ease with
"her. My neighbor may like her better, and
al may like his, who does not care so much
"'for him. Why should you Oblige us to live
"'like cat and dog, when, by only changing
"one with another, We can live at quiet :"
"Thus their argument proceeds in favor Of
"their brutishness." There are certain Jug
slers also among these people. he says, who
profess to recall tho dead. But on turning to
the next chapter We find it treats OF canni-
balism. Surely We reformed, in that particu-
| lar at least, some centuries ago.
We have been mistaken, it appears. The
book is by LIZ. Sieur DC " Sale. and Was printed