 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
FASHIONS.
How fashions change in this inconstant world!
Powder and queues held undisputed sway
When I was young; anon, the hair was curled,
And, after that, the top-knot had its day.
The last, I understand, has given way
To Saunders' plain-cropt crown. So much for men—
The ladies—bless their pretty faces!—may
Recount a thousand changes to our ten.
There were the huge crape cushion, hoop, and stays,
To go no further back;—my mother wore them
Before her marriage;—and, in after days,
I 've heard her wish that fashion might restore them.
Short waists, and long, have had alternate sway,
Since hoops were banished, to the present day.
Powder and queues held undisputed sway
When I was young; anon, the hair was curled,
And, after that, the top-knot had its day.
The last, I understand, has given way
To Saunders' plain-cropt crown. So much for men—
The ladies—bless their pretty faces!—may
Recount a thousand changes to our ten.
There were the huge crape cushion, hoop, and stays,
To go no further back;—my mother wore them
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I 've heard her wish that fashion might restore them.
Short waists, and long, have had alternate sway,
Since hoops were banished, to the present day.
And I have prized them all—for I confess,
'T is my opinion, that the virtuous fair,
While they derive no one new charm from dress,
Impart a charm to every dress they wear.
'T is my opinion, that the virtuous fair,
While they derive no one new charm from dress,
Impart a charm to every dress they wear.
But Fashion's freaks, we know, are not confined
To the habiliments her votaries wear;
She even dictates to the immortal MIND,
And deigns to take beneath her tender care
Celestial genius, fancy, taste, and wit,
And e'en religion, too, must oft submit;
For since great Johnson frowned upon dissenters,
'T is the established church that Fashion enters;
And were each pun a diamond, she 'd not take one,
Because the doctor had not wit to make one;
Just as the fox condemned the grapes as sour,
Because he found them not within his power.
To the habiliments her votaries wear;
She even dictates to the immortal MIND,
And deigns to take beneath her tender care
Celestial genius, fancy, taste, and wit,
And e'en religion, too, must oft submit;
For since great Johnson frowned upon dissenters,
'T is the established church that Fashion enters;
And were each pun a diamond, she 'd not take one,
Because the doctor had not wit to make one;
Just as the fox condemned the grapes as sour,
Because he found them not within his power.
Mark but the movements of the goddess, through
A few short years: Moore's Lyrics were in fashion,
Till Byron's vision burst upon the view,
Scattering, from demon wings, a storm of passion.
Then fashion taught her votaries to adore
The idol which tempestuous clouds environ,
And left the sweet elysian fields of Moore,
To wander o'er the Upas realms of Byron,
With bones of human victims covered o'er,
Or to the snow-capt mountain trembling soar,
Where huge volcanoes vomit quenchless flame,
Fierce as his soul, and brilliant as his fame.
A few short years: Moore's Lyrics were in fashion,
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Scattering, from demon wings, a storm of passion.
Then fashion taught her votaries to adore
The idol which tempestuous clouds environ,
And left the sweet elysian fields of Moore,
To wander o'er the Upas realms of Byron,
With bones of human victims covered o'er,
Or to the snow-capt mountain trembling soar,
Where huge volcanoes vomit quenchless flame,
Fierce as his soul, and brilliant as his fame.
Scott was, awhile, the star of the ascendant,
(If Scott wrote Waverley and Kenilworth),
And dazzled with a glory as resplendent
As ever beamed upon the moral earth
Since Shakespeare lived, whose magic pen
Explored the very souls of men:
Like his, for painting character and passion,
The muse of Waverley was long in fashion.
(If Scott wrote Waverley and Kenilworth),
And dazzled with a glory as resplendent
As ever beamed upon the moral earth
Since Shakespeare lived, whose magic pen
Explored the very souls of men:
Like his, for painting character and passion,
The muse of Waverley was long in fashion.
With all such changes in proud Albion's clime,
Allowing, say a month, for transportation,
Their humble parasites have here kept time,
In dress and morals, taste and conversation.
'T is true, our wondrous spirit of invention
Has added to the stock of information,
And there are some improvements I could mention,
That add new lustre to our reputation.
Allowing, say a month, for transportation,
Their humble parasites have here kept time,
In dress and morals, taste and conversation.
'T is true, our wondrous spirit of invention
Has added to the stock of information,
And there are some improvements I could mention,
That add new lustre to our reputation.
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Awhile ago, and Greece was all the rage,
That is, we felt enraged against the Turks,
And every daily paper had a page
Filled up entirely with their bloody works—
With battles, massacres, heroic deeds,
And self-devotedness of patriot men,
And cruelties at which the bosom bleeds,
When memory calls the picture back again.
Wives, mothers, maids, compelled to slay themselves,
Or yield to these infernal turbaned elves.
That is, we felt enraged against the Turks,
And every daily paper had a page
Filled up entirely with their bloody works—
With battles, massacres, heroic deeds,
And self-devotedness of patriot men,
And cruelties at which the bosom bleeds,
When memory calls the picture back again.
Wives, mothers, maids, compelled to slay themselves,
Or yield to these infernal turbaned elves.
One general burst of honest indignation
Was heard throughout the land; our public halls
Echoed to strains of lofty declamation,
Or sweeter strains of fiddles—for our balls,
And every other pastime, were intended
To aid the cause which Grecian arms defended.
To save their sisters from such cruel foes,
Our patriot ladies danced with ceaseless ardor,
As some say masses for the sake of those
Whose destiny below is somewhat harder.
Whole families were doomed to starve for weeks,
(Who had no banker whom to draw for cash on),
For splendid dresses worn to aid the Greeks!
But, recollect, the Greeks were then in fashion.
Was heard throughout the land; our public halls
Echoed to strains of lofty declamation,
Or sweeter strains of fiddles—for our balls,
And every other pastime, were intended
To aid the cause which Grecian arms defended.
To save their sisters from such cruel foes,
Our patriot ladies danced with ceaseless ardor,
As some say masses for the sake of those
Whose destiny below is somewhat harder.
Whole families were doomed to starve for weeks,
(Who had no banker whom to draw for cash on),
For splendid dresses worn to aid the Greeks!
But, recollect, the Greeks were then in fashion.
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Fayette, who helped to make Columbia free,
The man whom free-born millions now revere,
Great Lafayette, the friend of Liberty,
Has been in fashion more than half a year;
And will be so for centuries, no doubt,
For millions yet unborn shall shout his name,
And seek the dangerous path he singled out
To reach the summit of immortal fame.
The man whom free-born millions now revere,
Great Lafayette, the friend of Liberty,
Has been in fashion more than half a year;
And will be so for centuries, no doubt,
For millions yet unborn shall shout his name,
And seek the dangerous path he singled out
To reach the summit of immortal fame.
Canals are much in vogue at present, though
'T was once the fashion to oppose them;
From Maine to Georgia now, they 're all the go,
And half her real wealth Columbia owes them.
E'en Darien, whose adamantine throne
Still dares two kindred oceans to divide,
Is doomed to see its empire overthrown,
And commerce o'er its ruins proudly ride.
'T was once the fashion to oppose them;
From Maine to Georgia now, they 're all the go,
And half her real wealth Columbia owes them.
E'en Darien, whose adamantine throne
Still dares two kindred oceans to divide,
Is doomed to see its empire overthrown,
And commerce o'er its ruins proudly ride.
But there 's one fashion I must not forget
On this occasion—one that's worth commending,
And justly venerated, you'll admit,
For its antiquity;—'t is that of sending
To some one we esteem on New Year's day
A short, familiar, tributary lay,
Such as I now address to you,
Deficient both in sentiment and passion,
But ending with kind wishes, warm and true—
Accept it, George—for I must be in fashion.
On this occasion—one that's worth commending,
And justly venerated, you'll admit,
For its antiquity;—'t is that of sending
To some one we esteem on New Year's day
A short, familiar, tributary lay,
Such as I now address to you,
Deficient both in sentiment and passion,
But ending with kind wishes, warm and true—
Accept it, George—for I must be in fashion.
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May every bliss that Heaven can give be yours,
While the brief term of human life endures;
Domestic joys, a moderate share of wealth,
Contented mind, vivacity, and health;
Friends that are faithful, able, and refined,
Children obedient—consort true and kind;
The will and means the child of want to save,
And thus secure a fund beyond the grave.
If these be yours, there can not be a fear
But you will hail with joy the infant year.
While the brief term of human life endures;
Domestic joys, a moderate share of wealth,
Contented mind, vivacity, and health;
Friends that are faithful, able, and refined,
Children obedient—consort true and kind;
The will and means the child of want to save,
And thus secure a fund beyond the grave.
If these be yours, there can not be a fear
But you will hail with joy the infant year.
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |