Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-17
TIE SOCIAL EVIL"
It's Alarming Influence on English So
cIety.

London Cor. Philadelphia Telegraph
The virtuous crusade against the
social evil" instituted some time
ago by the Middlesex magistrates, has
subsidized almost as quickly as it rose.
The measures taken to drive the frail
sisterhood from their usual haunts has
simply had the effect Of making them
go elsewhere. In the days OF Mabel
Gray, the fair-haired leader of the
London demi-monde, the Holborn
Casino was the popular resort of the
soiled doves. Residents in the me-
tropolis only ten years ago may remem-
Der how the approaches to this then
notorious haunt were nightly thronged
by every description of vehicle, from
the neat brougham of the titled arts.
tocrat Tor even of royalty itself to
the unupholstered, springless, and
trowsey" cab at sixpence a mile.
The nuisance finally became SO great
that the inhabitants of the district
petitiOned through their vestry to have
it removed. Such extraneous pressure
was brought to bear upon the Middle
sex magistrates that they refused to
renew the Casinos dancing license, the
result being that the place was closed.
The fair habitues then divided
themselves between the argyll " and
the Alhambra,' preference being
rather given to the former resort. The
Argyll has been closed a short
time, but the effect has only been to
increase the nuisance in other public
resorts, notably at the Royal Aquari-
um at Westminster, the managing
director of which has lately made a
very feeble effort to exclude loose
women from his establishment. An
order was promulgated that no lady
should be admitted after 6 pm. unless
accompanied by a gentleman but the
fair ones soon got over that difficulty
by getting into the place before the
hour named, and the edict has long
since been a dead letter. Now the
order is, No loudly-dressed lady ad-
mitted, and the consequence is that
Aspasia presents herself in a charm
ing costume of black satin, and, if
necessary for professional purposes,
she would no doubt be willing to
attire herself as a sister of mercy.
Though not rejoicing in the popu-
larity and noteriety it enjoys in Paris,
the demi-monde exists in London,
and its existence is a living satire on
British professions of morality and
goodness. Stand in Hyde Park in the
hight of the season, and if you are at
all behind the scenes, you will know
that many of the best looking and best
dressed women are outside the ring
fence of moral and modest society.
These would have, in spite of their
Ostracism, a greater amount of infu-
ence over society than society would
like to admit. They own some of the
best equipages in town, and the i'm
maculate get up of their coachmen
aud fOOtmen is an inverse ratio to the
habits of life of their mistresses.
There is little doubt that it is from
the upper ten" from those whose
birth aud reputation should teach
them to set a better example to the
masses, that the greatest corruption
springs. They use their wealth as a
means to this end. They blazon the
vice which others endeavOr to conceal.
They deck their victims in velvet and
diamonds they show them in public
places, and there can be no question
that the sight Of harlotry in luxury is
a source of great danger to the virtue
Of the nation.
The streets of London would not be
infested every night with swarms of
unfortunates plying their noisome
trade, forgetting everything that
women should hold most dear, were it
not for the hope Of getting even a small
portion of the luxury surrounding
these frail Hyde Park beauties. The
evil influences of the "demi-monde"
permeates all classes of English socie-
ty. Enyious, perhaps, of the infu-
ence exerted over husbands and bro
theirs by this class, ladies in the higher
ranks do not hesitate to dress like and
to initiate them. What is known as
''fastness," is simply the endeavor
made by ladies to copy the modes,
destinations and manners, which they
believe members of the "demi-mondeb
TO use.