Evening star., 1902-03-08
MODERN VULGARITY
A BRITISH OBSERVER DISTURBED
BY BAD MANNERS.
Decadence in Language, Dress and
Even in Wor-
ship.

from the London Chronicle.
There has been more distressing sign Of
moral deterioration in the latter half Of the
past century than the gradual increase of
vulgarity in every phase OF life. Little by
little at first 1t crept into manners and
morals. into literature and art, into dress,
shows and amusements. Now with giant
strides 1t has forced itself into all the con-
Germs OF daily life 1t faces us in the pages
Of those illustrated papers or magazines
that give unblushing publicity to every de-
tail Of feminine and non-feminine attire.
displaying secrets Of the toilet that had
hitherto been sacred mysteries. What lover
Of the present day can surround his mis-
tress with any poetic fancy? Every detail
Of her toilet from the first garment she
puts on to the last she takes off is staring
him in the face from the pages Of so-called
high-class ladies' journals! How harmful
this is can be seen by any one who has
noted the deterioration OF respect or de-
cency In conversations between youth and
maiden.
Coarse Jests.
Coarse jokes and jests are as frequent in
one class as double entendres in another
Men who cannot open a paper without see
ing every detail Of woman's figure every
new shape of corset or combination, the
very hair pads that go to assist her Golf
fure the suspenders that hold up her stock
ings, the style of her lingerie, the hundred
and one details which go to make an eff
fective toilet, or aid nature when ha1r ana
complexion and figure become imperfect,
can have very little reverence or idealism
left for the fair sex. And with that loss OF
idealism gradual coarseness has crept In
to the way men regard or speak or Wo-
men. In measure, women themselves are
to blame.
They have boldly advanced from the pri-
vacy of their chambers and the domesticity
Of their homes into the glaring light OF
public duties public platforms. and public
sports and recreations. They profess to
have gained a great deal by so doing. But
what have they lost? Grace, loveliness
is obsolete. In 'Twen Cent parlance Ito
use the last slang phrase), woman is the
pal of her own or the other sex. She Is
good Sort" or "rippin' fun" or bit
fond of kicking over the traces" but she is
rarely lady. Rarely anything but noisy,
extravagant, Officious, obtrusive. She has
in fact become modern and vulgar. as al
most all modernity Is. 1t rested with her
to oppose the indelicacy which has made
the advertisements Of all the great drapery
firms perpetual affront to any modest
woman. But instead Of that she Jests over
the advertised articles with her men
friends, and buys them for herself. It Is
almost a wonder she does not give a
special at home to display the special
"comby' or corset that suits her figure
and makes her living replica Of the vul-
gar advertisement! Perhaps she does. The
strange actions and doings Of society would
fill volumes that might be read in camera!
Vulgarity in Amusements.
In amusements and entertainments the
same note OF vulgarity is struck. A great
dinner is only a big feed" where profu-
sion and extravaganza riot In place Of good
sense and good taste: where the appearance
of unreasonable delicacies Is tribute to
wealth only since forced strawberries and
Lifiputian peas and early asparagus possess
no merits apart from their price; where all
laws Of health and digestion are set at ce-
fiance by a mixture Of .viands that ought
to be relegated to pigs bucket, not sane
human stomach! A ball offers more scope
for originality, but ball to be anything re-
markable in the social world must be
floral advertisement supplemented by Law
ish cotiIlion presents; crowd of smart
people, and something novel in the arrange
ment OF supper tables. even If the novelty
should mean pewter spoons instead Of sill
yer, and tallow candles instead of electric
lights. Only a very rich person could af-
ford such eccentricities as these!
With regard to dress, vulgarity may be
defined as the introducer Of perpetual and
senseless rivalry. Quite recently daily
paper gave the varying costs Of a society
woman's toilet. It ranged from 600 to
f3. 900 a year. Yet It is possible to dress
we'll and look even elegant on an allowance
Of f1OO But one Of the rules Of social Law
prohibits woman from wearing the same
dress more than three times-in her own
"set" And SO q sum that would keep
many an ordinary family In the comforts
Of life is wantonly lavished on perpetual
changes Of costume and the attendant de-
tails which go to make UP fashionably
dressed woman.
One Dress a Year.
No wonder sensible men write regretfully
Of q time when their mothers and grand
mothers were content with one silk dress a
year, and looked gentlewomen in spite OF
it. But there are very few sensible men or
sensible women in society. Otherwise there
would never have arisen market for the
cheap and odious society Journal. with its
impertinent familiarities and senseless per-
sonal ''pars." Neither would money be the
worshiped god OF class Neither would
women ruin husbands and mothers by rea-
son Of their extravaganza by gambling at
cards and races and deals on the stock
exchange. Neither-saddest of all-would the
divorce court TEEN with shameful revela-
tions, and the word correspondent have be-
come Jest instead Of disgrace.
II such people were sensible they would
think OF the meaning and results OF their
actions. not only Of the momentary excite
ment they afford. They would see no great
advantage In helping to supply the penny
a-liner's salary, or in backing horse with
the power Of modern Shylocks, or disgrace
ing a reputation for the sake OF q passing
amour. They would reflect that to have
lived decently must always be satisfac-
ton when the day comes Gas come 1t must)
that life looks but a passing show, and
neither love nor friendship can take our
dark hour from US.