I wonder women's cheeks do not burn at the sly contempt for
themselves, displayed in this constant description of their dress.
It hardly needs an illustration, though just now one comes to hand,
of which a word. A beautiful, noble girl was married, last evening,
in a neighboring city, and the Boston newspapers, of this morning,
are full of the wedding. In the first place, we have a long
description of the young woman's underclothing. Every article, worn
upon every part of her person, is described in elaborate detail,
with the number, style, make, trimmings, etc., etc. Running over the
description of the trousseau, my eye falls upon: "French exquisitely
daintily invisible finest delicate exquisite princess elegant
coquettish grace jaunty lavender reliefs stylish coquettish Parisian
stylish pretty striking tea-rose bouffant Cluny graceful
Valenciennes jaunty nondescript becoming square broad high tiny
stunning tiny China silk finest Valenciennes rose elegant
beautifully lovely unique elegant heliotrope artistic perfection
grace delicate rose-buds lovely exquisite finest delicate gossamer
airy fairy.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Reception at the White House. From "Our Washington Correspondent."
Senator A., General B., and Vice-President C. said and did so and
so. Mrs. A., Mrs. B., and Mrs. C. said nothing, did nothing; but
half the letter is devoted to gorgeous descriptions of their dress-
maker's spread. This silent contempt of the woman, and elaborate
detail of her dress-maker's style, must cut every proud, sensitive
woman to the very quick. It is another piece of what is called
"ladies' man," and "ladies' small talk." It is of a piece with this
taking off the hat, this excessive bowing and smirking to women,
while they are paid for equal services but one-third a man's salary.
We had a capital illustration of this gallantry and injustice, in a
speech made by a leading member of the American Homoeopathic
Institute, at its great meeting in this city.
A resolution was introduced inviting educated woman physicians of
the Homoeopathic school, to become members of the Institute. An old
and most respectable member of the Institute, from----, spoke very
warmly against the resolution.
He said: "I am a ladies' man; I never pass a woman with whom I am
acquainted without raising my hat. I do not keep my seat in the cars
while ladies are standing, as I see gentlemen do in Boston.
"Yes, I am the most obedient and devoted servant of the ladies,
gentlemen of the Convention, but when you would introduce them to
membership in the American Institute of Homoeopathy, I say no!
never!"
It is this making woman the occasion for a display of man's
gallantries, with this contemptuous disregard of her claims to
common justice; it is this spirit which passes the woman, and
devotes itself to a description of her dress, to outlining her "low
corsage," her "magnificent bust," etc., etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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