University of Virginia Library

REASON VERSUS CUSTOM.

AN APOLOGUE.

Once on a time, a man of sterling sense
At Fashion's whims and shams took such offense,
He vowed, at last, that not another day
Would he submit to her despotic sway;
Thenceforth, he said, do others as they might,—
He meant, for one, to follow Reason's light!
“A brave resolve!” his laughing neighbors cried.
“Well, well,” he answered, “you shall see it tried
In practice; thus—when Fashion disagrees
With Reason (as in life one daily sees)
I mean, henceforth, in all things, great and small,
As you shall note, to follow Reason's call.”
And so it came to pass; from that day forth,
He judged all things by their intrinsic worth
Or seeming fitness; furnished his abode,
And wore his clothes, regardless of the mode;
All things discarding as a foolish waste
Which seemed discordant with the laws of taste,
Or clearly served no profitable end;
Whate'er, in brief, his reason might commend
Of old or new he took into his plan
Of living,—like a reasonable man;
In Fashion's mere despite rejecting naught,
Nor at her mere behest accepting aught
Which Reason interdicted. Who can say
He was not wise, or name a wiser way?
A scheme like this should surely prosper well;
But if you ask me truthfully to tell
The sequel,—I must candidly confess
'T was what the reader may have chanced to guess.
With every step our bold reformer took,
By just so much—consider—he forsook
The common path. “The oddest man in town!”
His neighbors said, at first—then set him down
For “half-demented!” By and by, they vowed
Such wild, strange actions should not be allowed;
The man was clearly “going to the bad.”
At last, his dear relations proved him mad,
In open court, and shut him in a cell;
Where long he lived with lunatics, to tell
His doleful tale; and earnestly advise
Against the foolishness of being wise
Where folly is the mode!—“I tried to steer
My course by Reason, and she brought me here!”