Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Poem
August 4, 1800
Jenks's Portland Gazette
Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
What is this article about?
Excerpt from Matthew Prior's poem, applied to critique modern women's discard of simple, modest dress for cropped hair and masculine attire, emphasizing nature, propriety, and reason.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
The following charming lines from Prior
will apply to those modern belles, who have
discarded that simplicity and modesty of dress,
which Nature, Propriety and Reason dictate.
Ye nymphs of cloudy hue,
Muse leave the habit and the zone behind.
No longer there the comely tresses break,
In flowing ringlets on the snowy neck;
Or sit behind the head, an ample round,
In graceful braids with various ribbon bound,
No longer shall the bodice, aptly lac'd,
From the full bosom to the slender waist,
That air and harmony of shape express,
Fine by degrees, and beautifully less.
Nor shall the lower garments artful pleat
From the fair side dependent to the feet,
Arm their chaste beauties with a modest pride,
And double every charm they seek to hide.
The ambrosial plenty of each fair one's hair
Cropp'd off and lost, scarce lower than the ear,
Shall stand uncouth, and horsemen's coats
The taper waist and comeliness of side.
will apply to those modern belles, who have
discarded that simplicity and modesty of dress,
which Nature, Propriety and Reason dictate.
Ye nymphs of cloudy hue,
Muse leave the habit and the zone behind.
No longer there the comely tresses break,
In flowing ringlets on the snowy neck;
Or sit behind the head, an ample round,
In graceful braids with various ribbon bound,
No longer shall the bodice, aptly lac'd,
From the full bosom to the slender waist,
That air and harmony of shape express,
Fine by degrees, and beautifully less.
Nor shall the lower garments artful pleat
From the fair side dependent to the feet,
Arm their chaste beauties with a modest pride,
And double every charm they seek to hide.
The ambrosial plenty of each fair one's hair
Cropp'd off and lost, scarce lower than the ear,
Shall stand uncouth, and horsemen's coats
The taper waist and comeliness of side.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Satire Society
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Prior Satire
Female Modesty
Fashion Critique
Dress Propriety
Modern Belles
What entities or persons were involved?
Prior
Poem Details
Author
Prior
Subject
On Modern Belles Discarding Simplicity And Modesty Of Dress
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
Ye Nymphs Of Cloudy Hue,
Muse Leave The Habit And The Zone Behind.
The Ambrosial Plenty Of Each Fair One's Hair Cropp'd Off And Lost, Scarce Lower Than The Ear,