New-York tribune., 1873-02-14

o.. :, .ho ro.t tasteful costumes was that OF the
Daushter of the ReSmont. with braided scarlet skirt
aud husssr jacket ana nat
fat plantation negro, with small hat perched on tne
ron Of his head was excellent costume.
A WOMANs ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF MASKS.
Fsoty. does vah sA0ai the orc like the 'ua shin"
svsgvSere"
Though Mrs, General shake her proper head,
though she insist upon q steady diet OF potatoes,
prunes aud prism" the fact cannot be denied that
Vnssked halls fl vacuum abhorred by human nature,
referrng Of course TO human nature IN state of high
moral culture. The sborigpes required no such expau-
sion for very good reason that they followed the
bent OF their inclinatons all occasions. They
neyer held IN check by rigorous public opinion. Mrs.
Grupdy Monsieur On Dit ChrOniqves SeGndoeuses came
into power when blankets, feathers and vermon went
ont A masquerade would have been pale and siokly
amusement after the whOops and gymnastics OF a
dance nor would the modern method OF taking scalps
have been fsvoraby entertained by the unregenerate
child Of the forest. The Native Americans life was
what Italians call perpetual sooo (burso but
we pOsr victims Of cOnventiOnaty, who walk Broadway
with measured tread-whO attired in the latest panier
wear sooietys smirK and utter platudes in subdued
tone OF voioe-who stand up in crowds and allow
fellow sufferers walk up the back breadth
OF the only part OF us that systematically
goes on a train--who attempt 10 dance within
the circumference OF a soupplate, OF who remain ~
home and IN the sublime character of Christian martyrs
do our allotted work until brain and body cry aloud Tor
relaxat,on-to us miserable victims Of glorious ciyii
cation claim that masked balls healthy tonic.
The impossbility Of making public masquerades
reputabe only holds good where in Paris, attempt
at resDectabity is dreamed Of PandemOnum let loose
would be quiet, proper teapary compared with these
naddest OF orgies where poison is inhaled at every
breath from cesspools that boil with Gods creatures
arrsyed the Devils livery. Absence OF characteri is
the surest passport, but the absence Of dresscoat
leaves all hope behind Morals of no consequence
but paternal government Insists upon an rreprOach
able toilette.
- The soul Of this man is in his clothes"
Spirit OF Thaokersy &c not your shsdOwy fingers long
10 tear one more mookery to tattersi
But the Balls MasQl<s of the Grand opera are e1-
o4ptional with Strauss for their leader ana tue
Cqn-Oan for their god they pretend to be as bad as
they are. That masked balls can be exceedingly enter
tainog aud dssn9tS witha Italy has proved tor many
year The VegliOn midnight revelsl OF florence anu
Rome are reQuented by the hoU Ton Of both sexes ana
although the entrance does not exceed few francs
and no surveillance whatever exercised, they are ad
snirsbly conducted and productive of infinite mrth
Good readers perhaps you are shocked al what NAV
be called plea for Old World foes Softly, Ihele De
folly aud there vice mark the difference ana make
the distinction. Folly may lead TO vice as one glass OF
wine may lead TO delirum tremens, but neither is inev
tabe Riding may doom one to broken neck, and
swimming 20 a wstery grave. but because OF possOle
evil shat there be more cakes and aef II some souls
nd vice in what others nothing worse than healthy
pleasure let them prescribe total absnence-tor them
eelyes The good Od-fashoned clergyman assures his
flock that the playhouse the center OF satans King
dom aud no doubt the reverend gentleman is right so
far as he Is individually concerned; but does 1t follow
that every one who frequent heaers the road 10
perdonl Does not the world clamOr for theatersi As
they cannot be exermnated would 1t not be wiser 10
devote ones eloquence 10 their muchneeded reformf
II you are honest. good readers will confess soto
~ OgfffQx Oh
which II cannot find harmless outlets will seek those
known by another name. The DOW cannot always be
strung; there must be reverse TO every medal. II
there he sense, must there not be nonsensei Is not
creation made up of contrastsi he who does not un-
bend suffers mentally, morally, and physically 1t
takes wise man 10 be fool" says the old saw, and the
old saw IS a concentration Of centuries Of philosophy.
Allowing certain amount of folly in the human com
position the demand for food becomes aforegone con-
slusiou. Americans DO not know how TO enjoy them
selves Business and dissipation equally well un-
fors,ood need NOT lead 20 uufortu-
eato results are not eomprehended. Unnatural excite
ment in business begets unnaual excitement IN pleasure
and when men seek relaxatOnI refer TO the majority
they conceive the glory OF getting gl0nOusy drEDK'
Morals and family laid aside nothing Is more @sthetl-
sag offensive than this national pastime and by our
own showing we Qncludng the English) are the most
Vulgar the most dlssipaed, and at the same time the
most serious people in the civilized world. Our folly is
An wee our idea of fun is as dolefu as the Dance OF
Death Women. being neither gamblers nor drunkards,
indulge IN weaknesses having no distraction but ser
wants they subside into invalides. Thanks, then TO
Ssw Gentle or German who gratis carnival fruit on
eur tree Of liberty.
There was vast deal OF wisdom in the old Roman
institution OF the Saturnala. II allowed the existence
OF animal spirits and acknowledged their right TO expires
sion Fetters might all the year round provided
borty became license the first seven days jim January
Rlaves had privileges which masters were bound to
re.peot Patrcian, plebean, aud bOndman met upon
the common ground of fooery, and losing all thought OF
dignity SORROW, remembered only to be merry Though
the manacles Of that have melted in the fire OF
Justice a great social tyrant still rules with an iron
hand aud there Is as much need OF saturnaia as
then Approaching this fact, Italy clings modified
form OF the ancient custom and no foreigners do more
70 keep alive the absurdities Of its Carnival Season
than the Americans. This proves that, gwen favor
able opportunity we quite capable Of making fools
OF ourselves. Anything more utterly senseless than
the Carnival COrsO at Rome is ncOnceiyable. To pelt
people with -four and confetti; 10 hurl flowers at the
heads passesby; to with any mask Offering
the right hand OF fellowship; TO drive up and down on
the last night Of the Carnival, with lighted taper in
one hand and wet towel in the other striving 10 put
out every approaching taper while endeavorfng 10
rescue your own similar fate, accompanying the
effort wlh screams Of Sen-a mOoeOlo " to 20 home o.
midnight singing ROssni's "BtOHa Sera," are freaks
parely dotc in themselves yet thoroughly in harmony
with phase Of human nature that rarely receives Just
treatment The Italians able to enjoy this extreme
OF liberty their instincts rarely permit them 10
oyerstep bounds OF prOpriety. Drunkenness and vu-
garty OF language and manner are speealues OF snch
nations lay claim to superior virtue.
What champagne is 10 supper, masked balls are TO Car
nvas They the Keystone 10 the arch OF folly aud
the person who has worn mask in the spirit OF
mask has failed to experience Of the most novel aud
most exharatng Of sensations There isuo its equva-
III.