The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-12-12
A Protest Against Nudity.

Mr.. EDITOR: Let me call your atten-
ton to q recent case before the municipal
court OF Atlanta. It was the picture of
Antony and Cleopatra posted upon the
walls Of the city, against which certain
ministers of the city protested as inde-
cent. To test the matter, Chief Conolly
made case of 1t before the court. It was
finally thrown out of court as "ugly but
not bad" and the note Of triumph now
was that "the glaring. figures OF pretty
women can be spread broadcast on the
stand that the pretty women Of the South
of this Goth century can present their
faring figures on our streets as scantily
dressed as the Infamous Cleopatra, volup-
tuously reclining, and it will be only
"ugly not bad"
And yet the story OF Antony and Cleo
patra is one of the most "ugly and bad'
both, on record, and posted in history
to warn the men and women of all gen.
erations against adultery, suicide and
shame.
The fascinating Queen of Egypt. caused
her servant, Apolloduras, to take her
wrapt in course carpet before the VIC
torious julius Caesar, now in Alexandria.
When unwrapped she suddenly stood
before him as an apparition OF beauty,
and by her eloquence and charms, capt.
vated the Conqueror. A winter of dis
graceful revelry succeeded, and In due
time Cmsarion is born. Caesar carries
her to Rome and domesticates her and
the boy in palace on the Tiber. He Is
soon after nssassinated in the Senate.
James Antony Froude endeavors to
yindicate the character of Cesar from the
scandal, but concurrent history Is against
him, At Caesars death the Trium virate
sprung into existence. Antony, Pompey
and Augustus divide the Empire be-
tween them. Cleopatra retires to Egypt,
Antony follows her, deserting his wife
Fulvia. He left Cleopatra raging in
Egypt and married Octavia, living with
her for time in Athens, divorced Octa-
via and returned to the victorious Cleo
patra, INDUCED in ignominious revels
until Octavius appeared at the gates,
stabbed himself and died. His ignomin-
ious companion poisoned herself and
died.
And is it so, Mr.. Editor that we are to
be swept into legitimated appreciation
of the grossest case of adultery known to
man by the fascination of far off antiquity
and celebrated names? Are we to be
taught morals through that very common
perversion Of the pictorial art which
dresses up .voluptuousness and disgrace
in bewitching and attractive forms? A
lolling Cleopatra scantily clothed and an
infamous Antony standing in a short
tunic, like an undershirt, as one of the
witnesses before the Court testifies Is
it any wonder that certain preachers OF
righteousness, truth and charity, should
have protested against such pictures upon
their walls? "Ugly but not bad" Why,
sir, what can be ugly in this connection
which is not bad
1t was plead that Antony's legs were no
| more suggestion Of indecent thought than
the fine legs of horse. The fine limbs
of horse do not appeal to the sense Of
chastity. And what business had An
tony's bare-legs over here in Christian
country? What business were his legs
after then?
What effect had the picture upon you
it was asked of the witness. What effect
Can that insidious tracery of thought
which is scarcely perceived and scarcely
| acknowledged to the individual consci-
ence ITSELF be analyzed by court to make
palpable ofence until it has matured
into clandestine disaster? and which is
diagnosed only on the face of corrupt
society? state of things to be correct.
ed only by an early anticipation of 1t and
by the prevention Of ugly and bad pic
| lures?
It is fact very significant OF the times,
that much of our modern theatres turn
l1pon the sexual relations and that our
people are presented with pictures calcu-
lated to bewitch them with approaches
and suggestions to the most powerful and
at the same time the most demoralizine
of all the passions. See how this abuse
of the most delicate and refining OF rela'
tions dominates the earth in the unfath-
omabie polygamies of the East, stupefy.
ing and dsmning whole nations. The
most elevating sensibility bestowed on
men and women, perverted into the most
degrading and brutalizing of passions
] Does it not become US, Christian people