American essays -- 19th century; Short stories, American
The New York male exulteth in fast horses, stylish women, long-legged
hounds, a coat-of-arms, and liveried servants. Beside, or behind him,
may be seen his servant, with folded arms and white gloves, driven out
daily by his master, to inhale the gutter breezes of Broadway, to excite
the wonder of the curious, and to curl the lips of republicanism. The
New York male hath many and divers garments; some of which he weareth
bob-tailed; some shanghai, some with velvet collars, some with silk;
anon turned up; anon turned down; and some carelessly a-la-flap. The New
York male breakfasteth late, owing to pressing engagements which keep
him abroad after midnight. About twelve the next morning he lighteth a
cigar to assist his blear-eyes to find the way down-town; and with his
hands in his pockets, and arms akimbo, he navigateth tortuously around
locomotive “hoops;”--indefatigably pursueth a bonnet for several blocks,
to get a peep it its owner; nor getteth discouraged at intervening
parasols, or impromptu shopping errands; nor thinketh his time or shoe
leather wasted. The New York male belongeth to the most ruinous club and
military company; is a connoisseur in gold sleeve-buttons, and
seal-rings, and diamond studs. He cometh into the world with an
eye-glass and black ribbon winked into his left eye, and prideth himself
upon having broken all the commandments before he arrived at the dignity
of coat-tails.
THE BOSTON MALE.
The Boston male is respectable all over; from the crown of his glossy
hat to the soles of his shiny shoes; and huggeth his mantle of
self-esteem inseparably about him, that he may avoid contaminating
contact with the non-elect of his “set.” The Boston male is for the most
part good-looking; and a stanch devotee of starch and buckram; he
patronizeth jewelry but sparingly, and _never discerneth a diamond in
the rough_. If, as Goethe sayeth, “the unconscious is the alone
complete,” then is the male Bostonian yet in embryo. He taketh, and
readeth all the newspapers and magazines, foreign and domestic; and yet,
strange to say, sweareth by the little tea-table “Transcript.” When the
Boston male traveleth he weareth his best clothes; arrived at his
destination he putteth up at the most showy hotel, ordereth the most
expensive rooms and edibles, and maketh an unwonted “splurge” generally.
He then droppeth the proprieties--_pro tem._--being seized with an
anatomical desire to dissect the great sores of the city; fancying, like
the ostrich, that if his head only be hidden, he is undiscernible.
The Boston male is conservative as a citizen, prosaic as a lover;
hum-drum as a husband, and hath no sins--_to speak of_!
MY OLD INK-STAND AND I;
OR, THE FIRST ARTICLE IN THE NEW HOUSE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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