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Article WISDOM AND FOLLY: A VISION. ← Page 4 of 7 →
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Wisdom And Folly: A Vision.
greatest distortions of countenance , was one person , who , my guide told me , was quite deaf ; another , who , having devoted his attention exclusively to music for two ' years , found out that , 'Bobbing Joan and JVater parted from tbe Sea' were different tunes . I was surprised at the pleasure produced by the music , as it appeared to me merely quick shifting of fingers—not melody of sound , harmonious -combinationor pathetic expression .
, My guide , told me that the Wise relished music more than the Fools ; but that the Fools affected to relish it more than the Wise . The Fools , really ignorant of music , regard merely difficulty of execution : the Wise , the expression and effect on their own ears and hearts ; quick shifting fingers not being , in their opinion , music , any more than any other species of manual dexterity .
We passed through sundry apartments , through rows of persons , many of them dressed with the most splendid and glaring finery , though evidently Avithout any regard to the comfort of their person or the exhibition of their shapes . Costliness , and not convenience , seemed to be their principal object ; and next to costliness , imitation . If one Fool was fantastic in ihe mode of his habiliments , hundreds
more followed him , ' as dogs , & c . ' The ladies had their faces and necks bespangled with jewels , which made no addition to their beauty , if they were beautiful ; and if ugly , no more concealed or lessened that ugliness , than a nose-jeAvel in a certain quadruped renders its features more lovely and attractive . Fashion , I foundAvas so prevalentthat to it beauty and grace
, , were sacrificed . I sa \ v many ladies , whom , from their motions , I discovered to be finely shaped , encumbered by gorgeous habits , which confounded and lumped together the tvhole economy of the female figure ; and who , by daubs of stucco , had done all they couid to conceal loveliness .
' Nothing , ' my guide told me , ' more delighted Queen Folly than the sacrifice of beauty to fashion . Did Lady Broome or Lady Charlotte Campbell environ themselves Avith large sacks , hoop their lovely limbs in ponderous petticoats , shovel loads of gipse on their faces , crisp their flowing ringlets in the form of hedge-hog ' s quills , their attempts , though unavailing to deface beauty and disfigure symmetry , would charm her Stultan Majesty . "
We were at length ushered into the Presence-Chamber , Avhere , high on a throne above surrounding crowds , containing fops , fine ¦ ladies , Sellers , dilettanti , dancers , harlequins , amateurs , connois-¦ seurs , milliners , antiquarians , shell-gatherers , butterfly-hunters , fanatic-preachers , romance-writers , buffoons , blasphemers , and moblecturers , <} ueen Folly exalted sat , whilst these , ancl many other
loyal subjects , paid their humble , but sincere homage ; and many of them recounted their exertions in extending her Majesty ' s influence . As her Majesty rose , those who were her greatest favourites were admitted to - the hi g h honour of saluting that part of her person , which , as the most glorious , had been next the throne . The personages so dignified were , in their turn , solicited by the most hum-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Wisdom And Folly: A Vision.
greatest distortions of countenance , was one person , who , my guide told me , was quite deaf ; another , who , having devoted his attention exclusively to music for two ' years , found out that , 'Bobbing Joan and JVater parted from tbe Sea' were different tunes . I was surprised at the pleasure produced by the music , as it appeared to me merely quick shifting of fingers—not melody of sound , harmonious -combinationor pathetic expression .
, My guide , told me that the Wise relished music more than the Fools ; but that the Fools affected to relish it more than the Wise . The Fools , really ignorant of music , regard merely difficulty of execution : the Wise , the expression and effect on their own ears and hearts ; quick shifting fingers not being , in their opinion , music , any more than any other species of manual dexterity .
We passed through sundry apartments , through rows of persons , many of them dressed with the most splendid and glaring finery , though evidently Avithout any regard to the comfort of their person or the exhibition of their shapes . Costliness , and not convenience , seemed to be their principal object ; and next to costliness , imitation . If one Fool was fantastic in ihe mode of his habiliments , hundreds
more followed him , ' as dogs , & c . ' The ladies had their faces and necks bespangled with jewels , which made no addition to their beauty , if they were beautiful ; and if ugly , no more concealed or lessened that ugliness , than a nose-jeAvel in a certain quadruped renders its features more lovely and attractive . Fashion , I foundAvas so prevalentthat to it beauty and grace
, , were sacrificed . I sa \ v many ladies , whom , from their motions , I discovered to be finely shaped , encumbered by gorgeous habits , which confounded and lumped together the tvhole economy of the female figure ; and who , by daubs of stucco , had done all they couid to conceal loveliness .
' Nothing , ' my guide told me , ' more delighted Queen Folly than the sacrifice of beauty to fashion . Did Lady Broome or Lady Charlotte Campbell environ themselves Avith large sacks , hoop their lovely limbs in ponderous petticoats , shovel loads of gipse on their faces , crisp their flowing ringlets in the form of hedge-hog ' s quills , their attempts , though unavailing to deface beauty and disfigure symmetry , would charm her Stultan Majesty . "
We were at length ushered into the Presence-Chamber , Avhere , high on a throne above surrounding crowds , containing fops , fine ¦ ladies , Sellers , dilettanti , dancers , harlequins , amateurs , connois-¦ seurs , milliners , antiquarians , shell-gatherers , butterfly-hunters , fanatic-preachers , romance-writers , buffoons , blasphemers , and moblecturers , <} ueen Folly exalted sat , whilst these , ancl many other
loyal subjects , paid their humble , but sincere homage ; and many of them recounted their exertions in extending her Majesty ' s influence . As her Majesty rose , those who were her greatest favourites were admitted to - the hi g h honour of saluting that part of her person , which , as the most glorious , had been next the throne . The personages so dignified were , in their turn , solicited by the most hum-