It's clear they don't know what they are talking about! Lamentably, even intelligent men such as Jay Leno, have done this of late, with the limp-wristed implication that "the Vapours" was just a southern belle ploy for attention, instead of the actual serious part of genteel manners that made up a number of generations of our forefather's society. Back when men rose when a lady entered the room, and removed their hats without being told to, and forebore to curse or swear in mixed company, thereby keeping women from having to tolerate that which is distasteful. Back when bodily functions were a personal and private fact of life,and not simply fodder for ill-conceived humor. In that era,these beautifully dressed women who felt inner conflict going on, would excuse herself,or themselves, from the group,and take a walk, or a "turn around the garden" if you please, in order to allow the " Vapours" to escape her body,and fan the scent away from herself, and whatever company chose to be with her...(brave souls that they were!)...instead of inflicting the sounds and smells upon all and sundry in the house! It also made it easier to make a bee line for the privy, if such was necessary,rather than make a public spectacle of herself,having to...run to the bathroom,as we so often have to do now, that we no longer understand the warning signs and are no more allowed that latitude of personal alone time, by simply saying,If you will excuse me, I feel an attack of the vapours coming on! Just because these ladies chose to dress it up, making it a little mysterious, and feminine, by fluttering their fans and maybe batting their eyes at their beaus does not mean it was unimportant.The fluttering of fans and the batting of the eyes were signals that the lady had not lost interest in her gentleman caller, but had to take care of something personal, and she was lady enough to be able to keep the ghastly details to herself. Our present society could learn something about keeping our conversation clean with such a practice.
However, I suppose it is hopeless to seek any sort of privacy today,even though there is so much emphasis upon this very subject everywhere you go, there is less and less of it. Everyone is demanding to know everything about you, whether it is any of their business or not,and if you don't care to tell someone,it is because you are "Hiding something!" Well, excuse me, but unless we are talking criminal behavior, of course I am holding my cards close to my chest! My life is my own affair, and I really don't want the whole world thinking they know all about me. Since when is a person not entitled to have some private, personal things about themselves or their loves, say, unsullied by the world's crudities? Truly, I have shared some special and timeless moments with the world in my writings, but only that which I was prepared to give. In response, there have been some wonderful, inspiring and uplifting comments given me which are so touching and affectionate that I was glad I shared what I did, and equally glad to have a platform, and a high enough profile to be able to share them. Yet, there is a part of me that bemoans the loss of anonymity, personally, and the loss of our society's innocence as a people.
And only to think,there was a time, not so very long ago,when a man could look upon a pretty young lady with a sense of wonder and mystery,and respect her,rather than the knowing look that same young thing gets now from comics like Jay Leno, who laughs because a lady has gas,and thinks it funny that she would prefer to call it" the vapours"!
Not funny, Jay. Really, not funny at all.
OUI?
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