The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-09-30
n, Going into Mourning.

On Going into Mourning.
When two Americans are found to agree
upon any subject whatever, or 10 nave any
ideas. Interests, or aims 10 common they
straishtway hold convention to promote
these ideas, interests, or aims, whatever they
nav be, If they were Englishmen they
would form society, with headquarters IN
London, with long list Of patrons, preSi-
dent, secretary. and treasurer, and shilling
snbscriplion.list. The English riin Is, Tor
some reasons, rather the better OF the two'
but far many Of the objects for when con.
yentions are called or societies formed ono Is
about as efficacious az the other. we nave
for example, dreSS-reform CONVENTION, o,
two or three Of them, every year, ana sun
woman's dress is not reformed. Ieere Is
society in England tor the suppression OF
funeral eXtravagance; but we haSe
not yet heard of its prodnc'he a
profound effect. What wc really need
is a society for the promotion OF common
sense and If such society did its work we
might dispense with most Of the subordinate
orcaniz itions. Common sense and good
taste. we should have said, for the two must
90 together when society Ia reformed, and
the two would put an effsctual end to The
especial object OF this new London associa-
toms reformatory effort, the wearing OF eX.
pensive mourning apparel. Civilization has,
indeed, made some advances during the
generation past. 1t has swept away, in the
cities at least, the funeral baked meats aud
cake and wine; it has driven out the mutes
and other ridiculous funeral appendages that
we have read of, and the parade OF under
takers mourning tina; we have seen; it has
made some inroads upon the outrageous eX-
trayagance OF city funerals, the parade and
show being now left wholly to vulgar
sn6bs, who may be expected TO yieid 10
time to fashion what they would not yield TO
taste. It 10 time now for civilization to take
hold of the accompanying folly. still patron.
ICED bv fashion, of women's mourning dress.
The London society wisely, no doubt, ao-
stains flom attempting any radical reVolu-
ton, proposing only certain obvious reforms,
such as that the putting on Of mourning
shall be limited to bona Jde mourners-tbat
Is. very near relatives of the departed, and
mere " complimentary mourning abandon
ed: that the period of wearing mourning
be shortened; that heavy aud expensive
grape trimmings be dSuStd, as terdug to
eytrayscanc and oStentatiop; that children
should not be put into black clothes; that
"the use of mourning stationery be in no
case deemed essential, aud that its entire dis.
use be recommended," and 80 on. This Is
very we'll as far as it goes, and a little
persistent effort among society people
might easily correct some Of the minor
abuses aimed at, such as mourning station
cry, yulgarity that ought TO be stamped out
at once, or the more serious offence OF dress
ing little children in baCk-a piece OF wick
edness that has never been as common. We
are glad to say, in this country as in Eng
land. But as long rs the custom OF put
ting on mourning" prevails wefear that any
attempt TO restrain extravaganza Is osteDta-
lion will be idle. If it were the fashion TO
dress in white muslin slip women would
coutliYc in some way 10 pile on elaborate
trimming; and if they wear black clothes,
in obedience to fashion. they will have them
lust as impressive As they eau afford, and
little more so. and why should they not:
The custom itself is one of oStcntation-no,
thing else. A woman bereaytd of one near
and dear to her will naturally Wish, when
she goes abroad, to dress plainly and
quietly, not as token Of her grief.
but simply that her dress may bar.
monize with her own feelings. There
is nothing of this modest retirement in the
ASSUMPTION Of the conventional trapplDgS OF
woe. That is addressed to the outside world,
and il has the same place in our civilization as
The painting, gashing, and taiioolng, the
how!ings aud burnings Of savagCs have III
pagan b,rbarism. "Scc how sricve," the
poor woman proclainls; and the depth OF
grief being indi'a!ed by the depth OF Tie
weeds, each feels in duty boucd 10 have hers
appear most uconsolable. 1t is difficult TO
trace any sentiment in this, but whatever
sentiment it has is certainly not that OF
Christianity. Thee is no sign of tender
thought Of the dear one gone before; TIE
Borrowing not as those without hope, Dut IN
calm, eXpectapt resignation. IL speaks only
OF desolation and woo-deep, uGm'liSateo
woe-of clouds and thick darkness with
cut a raw of hope. Ii it is not a
hollow mockery it is hollow paganism
And vet, because custom DEGREES that Wo
man shall .s 90 into mourning" for the dealt
of relative or connection, whether hei
grief be natural or heartfelt, or only conven
lioua and complimentary, she must put her
self into the hands OF the mliliners anC
dress. makers, and though her bereavement
nav have left her pennies she must invest
q small fortune in hideous weeds 10 keep bel
always in remembrance of her loss. We
clnnot wonder that so miny gentle women
break down entirely ut such time, Wher
longing to be left in quiet they are pcssereG
and narrowed with fitting and trimming, and
made to tell how they want this and how
thew will have that; and when, after the
lust rites are over. they brave themselves to
face the world again, they find the blessed
SKY itself shut out from them by IN i'm.
penetrable veil. And then consider how
lamentably this hideous custom weighs upon
the poor or those of slender means. A
woman who has pnched ard saved enough
to get herself and her family decent out fit
is suddenly compelled TO put it all aside for
an indefinite time, and 60 IN debt for new
and more expensive clothing. There must
be hundreds Of thousands of families to
whom this mourning business is an almost
intolerable tax, and yet they must sustain
it-not in obedience 10 any natural impulse
or sentiment, but only in obedience TO GUS
tom. Here is where the rich owe duty to
the poor. If a woman choose to dress in
black, aud can afford it, very well. No color
more be6ts lady in rich material, though
nothing is viler than black in cheap and
flmSy goods. And mourning, We know
is "very becoming" to many women
and if, for this reason, or for senti
ment, or for whatever motive, Sht
can honestly prefer this hue to another
more suited to our climate and to the WORT
which most American women baye to do, IL
man can say her nay. But, knowing how
absolutely custom ovcrridcs all rational ant
many lrratlonai conslueralonS, ana VIVA
positive hardship and mental and physical
suffering, as we'll as what violations Of goot
taste and Christian faith, this custom O
mourning entails upon thousands of oul
countrywomen, no man can fail to wish thai
it might be abolished altogether. Nothing
is likely TO accomplish this but the concerted
action of number OF women Of position in
society, and for this we shall doubtless have
a long time to wait. And yet we do not
despair that the march of civilization that