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Poem
March 9, 1819
Elizabeth Town Gazette
Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey
What is this article about?
Satirical epilogue poem by John Howard Payne mocking extravagant fashions of 'she dandies' and 'he dandies,' critiquing French influences and artificial beauty standards in British society.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
From the London Courier.
THE SHE DANDY AND THE HE DANDY.
(From the Epilogue to the new Tragedy of Brutus.)
By John Howard Payne.
But bless me—what, two nondescripts together!
The she a pile of ribband, straw and feather;
Her back a pillion, all above and on it—
A church bell? cradle? tower? No faith a bonnet!
Aye, and an actual woman in it—able.
Rouse but her tongue to make that tower a Babel.
Now for the he, the fellow nondescript—
Whence has that mockery of man been shipt?
Have Ross or Buchan brought him to console
The quidnuncs for a passage to the pole?
While on her iceberg howls some Greenland Squaw,
Robb'd of her pretty monster till next thaw!
No; Paris has the honour. "Ah gue oui"
"Voila"—the air, grace, shrug—smack of Paris!
France gave his step its trip, his tongue its phrase,
His head its peruke, and his waist its stays!
The thing is contraband. Let's crush the trade:
Ladies, insist on't—all is best home made.
All Britain, from your shoe-tie or your fan,
Down to that necessary brute—call'd man!
Now for the compound creature—first, the wig,
With every frizzle striving to look big;
On the roug'd cheek the fresh dy'd whisker spread.
The thousandth way of dressing a calf's head.
The neckcloth next, where starch and whale-bone vie,
To make the slave a walking pillory.
The bolster'd bosom, ah! ye envying fair,
How little dream you of the stuff that's there!
What straps, ropes, steel, the aching ribs compress,
To make the Dandy—beautifully less!
Thus fools, their final stake of folly cast,
By instinct to strait waistcoats comes at last,
Misjudging Shakespeare—this escap'd thine eye—
For tho' the brains are out, the thing won't die!
THE SHE DANDY AND THE HE DANDY.
(From the Epilogue to the new Tragedy of Brutus.)
By John Howard Payne.
But bless me—what, two nondescripts together!
The she a pile of ribband, straw and feather;
Her back a pillion, all above and on it—
A church bell? cradle? tower? No faith a bonnet!
Aye, and an actual woman in it—able.
Rouse but her tongue to make that tower a Babel.
Now for the he, the fellow nondescript—
Whence has that mockery of man been shipt?
Have Ross or Buchan brought him to console
The quidnuncs for a passage to the pole?
While on her iceberg howls some Greenland Squaw,
Robb'd of her pretty monster till next thaw!
No; Paris has the honour. "Ah gue oui"
"Voila"—the air, grace, shrug—smack of Paris!
France gave his step its trip, his tongue its phrase,
His head its peruke, and his waist its stays!
The thing is contraband. Let's crush the trade:
Ladies, insist on't—all is best home made.
All Britain, from your shoe-tie or your fan,
Down to that necessary brute—call'd man!
Now for the compound creature—first, the wig,
With every frizzle striving to look big;
On the roug'd cheek the fresh dy'd whisker spread.
The thousandth way of dressing a calf's head.
The neckcloth next, where starch and whale-bone vie,
To make the slave a walking pillory.
The bolster'd bosom, ah! ye envying fair,
How little dream you of the stuff that's there!
What straps, ropes, steel, the aching ribs compress,
To make the Dandy—beautifully less!
Thus fools, their final stake of folly cast,
By instinct to strait waistcoats comes at last,
Misjudging Shakespeare—this escap'd thine eye—
For tho' the brains are out, the thing won't die!
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
She Dandy
He Dandy
Fashion Satire
Paris Influence
British Society
What entities or persons were involved?
By John Howard Payne.
Poem Details
Title
The She Dandy And The He Dandy.
Author
By John Howard Payne.
Subject
From The Epilogue To The New Tragedy Of Brutus.
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
But Bless Me—What, Two Nondescripts Together!
The She A Pile Of Ribband, Straw And Feather;
No; Paris Has The Honour. "Ah Gue Oui"
The Thing Is Contraband. Let's Crush The Trade:
For Tho' The Brains Are Out, The Thing Won't Die!