The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-09-13
MOCK MoDEs?Y,.
"Immodostr admlts 81 ldetonse..

is a couplet containing the germs o
truth. Modesty is virtue for which
we have the liveliGst appreciation
and most profound respect. There is
however, nothing la existence that il
genuine that has not its counterfeits
and limitations. Religion, with it,
true christians, has myriads of hypo.
critical imilaters, who profess to be
religious merely because they haye
"an AK to grind" Money of allkinds
has its counterfeits, and sometimes
they are so nearly perfect in their like
ness to the original that nene but an
experienced numismatist can distin-
guish the genttine coin from the
spurious. And so 1t is with the great
virtues that 60 to make up a true
character; they often have their coun.
terfeits that are worse, and more de
serving of contempt and detestation,
than the opposing vices themselves.
Modesty, is yirLue-for 1t IS
virtne--that adorns and beauties its
possessor. But it is not of modesty
In its commone,t Specification that we
would speak, 1t is of that kind which
is initiated by "over. particular" pco-
pie, giving rise to that mocSmodesty'
of which we shall'write, and which is
contemplate in the eyes ola sensible
person. There is class of people
who are "hide- bound" in their ideas
ofpropriety. They are like the In
dams gun $50 straight that they lean
backwards" They call chickens
leg] "a limb" a dogs foot "pcdal
extremity" and put their haudker
chief to their faces to hide their
bushes when they speak of the "cau-
dial appendage" of kite. These per-
sons never fail to put the worst con-
struction upon an ambiguous sen-
tence. They are monomaniacs on the |
subject OF "propriety," and they |
imagine that every one who is not
like themselves but who prefers to
be governed by common sense-is a
foul mouthed black guard. They |
see "smut" where sensible person
would see nothing buta plain state
ment OF facts. Young ladies OF this
class, send their grani-mothers to
purchase their hose, and blush |
when q shoemaker takes their meas.
ures.
If there is anything, which in their
strict ideas of propriety, is the least
bit indicate, they are sure to hear it,
or read it if it be in newspaper. A
lady OF this class once remarked to the
eminent DR. johnson, doctor, L do
not like our dictionary, it has ugly
words in it." "Madain," replied the
great scholar, perhaps If you had
not looked for them you would not
have found them" Thus it is they
are sure to look and listen for such
things, showing that their minds
run in vulgar channel. This mock
modesty, we are glad to say, is fast
passing away. 1t is now confined
principally to tho remnants of the old
school, with ideas like our ancestors
had century ago. There is no mock
modesty in science. Young ladies
who have studied physiology, anat.
omy and similar branches know that
science recognizes no such nonsense
as mock-modesty, but call things by
their right names. Tho physician
puts away all such foolshncss when
in the performance Of his professional
duties Tho Bible-the Book of
books-recognize no such mock
nodesty as some people would haye
practiced. While oil this is true, the
press must bear the censure of these
people, il things are called by their
right names in giving the news Of the
day. They forget that while they
would have all item suppressed be-
cause of its indolicacy, twenty other
readers are anxious 10 know about it.
They forget that while they throw up
their hands in holy horror at o
harmless joke, that other readers will
read 1t before anything else. Let
these fanatics throw away the die. |
tionary because there are bad words
in it. Let them wipe out science be-
cause IL uses plain terms. Let them
close the lids of the Bible because
"truth unadorned" is there. Let
them tear down the pulpit because
ministers interpret the Scriptures &C.
cording TO their meaning.
Let all this be done before the press |
is called upon TO suppress news items
because of their indelicacy. But
these things can never be done. This
mock-modesty is fast passing away
and common sense is taking its place.
In the meanwhile let the truth be
told though the heavens fall, and
"evil be to him who evil thinks"
H,ndsJa{nr' nnNs ~ nnf