Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-01-31

Belgrdria: 1t is curious to observe that
good society admires art (which is sup
posed to hold the mirror up to nature), i,
what it will not tolerate, and declines TO
adopt, in everyday life. Itapplauds emo
tions of joy, mirth or sorrow, properly
rendered on the stage, or fixed on can
vas or on marble by a master hand. If
Mrs. Bancroft, playing the iRgeHue, had
TO say such phrase as ooh, to0uldH't it
be nice ?" and did say it in the old Marie
Wilton form. with clasped hands and
glittering eyes, and smile of joy break
ing like a sun-lit wave all over, and
lifting her on tip-tOe-then fiutter OF
approval would agitate even the demure
domain of the stalls. But if Miss-in-
her-Teens were guilty of similar overt
act of pleasure in a drawing room tap
on the shoulder with mammals fan and
reproof would be the reward. Miss
in-her-twenties would wink and yawn
'.JoIy; rGU,er," and TO that there could
be no objection. To be natural is to
"gush," and to "gush" is vulgar-at
present. AS test of my other propo-
sition, let me ask how many persons,
leaders of fashion, male or female, could
afford to have their portraits taken in
the clothes they usually wear, and in
positions which they habitually assume?
/ shall be told that it won't do to paint
portrait in the height of any fashion,
because in few years it will look $50
odd," and this grant; but inclegance
and-l must write it-indelicacy must
always be something. worse than "odd,"
and that which will not bear represen-
tation on canvass is surely to be con-
demned in "the round" A bygone
generation considered it vulgarity to
be in good bodily health. 1t was cor
rect to be languid, weak, dyspeptic.
Brummell thought he had once eaten
pea. Heroes of romance were pale pre-
cocious youths, and the principal charm
of their herofnes was hereditary con-
sumption or spinal complaint. 1t was
vulgar TO wear thick shoes or warm raj
ment, but you might laugh. The fashion
able defects were all physical. These
were the days of the wits, the tellers of
good stories, the sayers of good things;
of the men and women whose sparkling
tittle-tattle has become lost art. and
whose recollections form a literature of
their own. 1t was not better age than
this. The veneering bore a high pol
ish, but it was very thin. am recall
ing it simply to show what it considered
vulgar and thus demonstrate the instabi-
lity of vulgarity. They were allowed to be
mentally natural-weto bcso physically.
We may have the muscles of prize
fighter, the appetite of Cormoran, wear
two-inch soles to our brogues and ulsters
under which our grandfathers would
have tainted; but we may not laugh. Ii
a new Sidney Smith were to come among
US, he would hold the position assigned
to the jester of the Middle ages. We
sneer at the rdconteur of a party now,
and call him its "funny man. "Fel-
low stood on his head all dinner time,
by Jove ~ would probably be the criti-
icism of a second Macauley by our gold
en- youth. 1t is vulgar to be amusing;
''bad form" to be amused. Physical
force prevails. In poetry, fiction. and
on the stage gross sensualism reigns |
paramount. To be interesting, the her
Oine of the period nust have snlendid |
physique soiled by physical love-mak-