Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-03-01
As Others See Us.

Here is pretty state Of affairs A travelling
Frenchmsn has gone home, and, according to
custom, written book about us, or rather our
fashionable society, which is hardly grateful,
after its devoted feslty to Napoleon and his
court during the late frscas. Whether he hits
the nail on the head our readers must decide by
their c.n sensit;veness, and how far it is hurt.
On the mstter of fashionable religion he is very
plain spoken THE Americans accept nomin-
silly the Christian religion; but their real sfIec
tions sud homage are placed elsewhere; glass
Of liquor or pipe Of tobacco is oftener in their
thoughts than the sacred mysteries Of their
faith They bring their infants, handsomely
clothed, to the front, but without any apparent
motive or subsequent zeal for their salvation
But while thus dull and blockish III matters Of
religion, they are extremely subtle and expert in
all that concerns trade or profit
As regards dress, our suthor asserts that the
men are properly clothed, bat the women are
neither decent nor cleany "They grease and
ttilfe heir hair, inserting flowers and feathers
in tb nasty mass, and daub their fsces with
vSro .s esrths and paints. In their public feas;s
and dances, the exposure Of their persons is
shamefully lewl." OF the treatment Of criui-
inals he saws These bsrbsrians delight in
the torture Of those condemned to die. the
wretches being forced 10 lock st the prepsrA-
tons for days beforehand. When the execu-
ton takes plsce, il is made a kind Of rsree-
show or holiday for the whole patton, and
talked over with sll i;s details of horror in
every family This is for the purpose of Civ
ing TO the children the taste for blood and
human torture We bewsil our dead, ne
-2rb
burying costly garments with them and per-
forming the ceremony Of burial with the dis
plsy of such wealth a. we have, so th.t it
is sppsrent We believe the rich ttuiis aud
ornaments will give pleasure 10 the desd in the
future world, " 80 british Sud besotte1 are their
opinions Of Cod sni his Kingdom" Men, he
asserts, are " exceedingly uncnsste, often keep
iug more than one wife, though unacknow-
ledged ; marriage is IN fact among these classes
only civil contract mzde on the grounds OF
eSpeiiency or aggrAndizsment, rather thsn
affection. There are certain among them who
think il hardship to be compelled 10 continue
married TO the zane person lor any length Of
time" Our friend has evidently fallen IN
with the Wooihuu brigade Of the Advanced
Female cohorts, and states their Argument
very fairly: 49, How is i possible they
say 10 me, ior man 20 be subject 10 the
bonds OF marriage Don you zee now
little reason you have Ny wife i not
pleased with ne neither am | a, ease with
he- Ny neighbor may ike her better, and
may Ike his, who does not care so much f-r
him. Why should you obige US TO live Ike oAt
and dog, when, by only changing one with
another. We can i've at quiet Thus their
gument proceeds in favor Of their brutisnness.
There Sre certain jugglers also among these .eo-
pie. he ssys. who profess to recall the dead.
But on turning 10 the next chapter We tnd il
treats Of cAnuibslsm. Surely We reformed, 10
that particular At least. come centuries ago.
We have been mistaken, IL appears. The
book is by lie Sieur de Ia Sale, AMI was printed
in 1852, and it is not our fashionable society be
Is describing, but the mAn-esung ssvages Of
lrcquois But the mistake wss ustural, after ALL
~ J. Tribune.