At the time appointed for the hearing and decision, the demoniac
competitors again assembled before their imperial arbiter; not this time in
secret conclave, but in the presence of thousands of congregated fiends,
who, having been apprised of the new plan about to be presented for
peopling the Commonwealth of Hell with recruits from earth, had come up in
all directions from their dismal abodes, to hear those plans reported, and
witness the awarding of the prize for the one judged most worthy of
adoption. Lucifer then mounted his throne, commanded silence, and ordered
the competitors to advance and present, in succession, such plans as they
would lay before him for his consideration and decision. They did so; and
one of them, a young and genteel-looking devil, to whom, from a suppose
congeniality of tastes and feelings with the objects of his care, had been
especially assigned the duty of supervising the fashionable walks of
society, now stepped confidently forward and said:

"I present for your consideration, most honored Lucifer, I present FASHION
as one of those social institutions of men which might the most easily
become, with a little fostering at our hands, to us the most productive of
vices, under a name least calculated to alarm. It already holds an almost
omnipotent sway over the wealthier, or what they call the higher, classes
of society, who hesitate at no sins that can be committed with its
sanction; and the disposition is every day growing stronger and stronger,
among all classes, to fall in with its behests. Encourage its progress,
make its rule absolute with all, and the world's boasted morality would
trouble us, devils, no more. This would be the direct and natural result
among the most wealthy, who would leave no vice unpracticed, no sin
uncommitted, provided they could excuse themselves under plea that it was
fashionable. With those of more limited means the effect would be still
better; for devotion to Fashion would beget extravagance--extravagance,
poverty--poverty, desperation--desperation, crime; so with all classes, the