The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-23 00:00:00

CONTENTS OF THE GLASS PAIACE.

CLOTHING.
Immediately over the south transept, on the right
hand us you enter, is the gallery devoted to various im-
provements in clothing, some of them are well worthy of
attention, and all indicate great advance in that branch of
our manufacture. There are court suits of a new device,

various articles of ladle.' apparel, and shirts of all fashion.

and qualities. J. F. Piper, of Bishopgate-street, exhibits
a very ingenious spring corset, well adapted to the relief of
spinal deformity. In this article elasticity is secured by
various mechanical contrivances, which, although &arnica-

hip adApted to their purpose, in no wap interfere with the

ea-Varna-1
appearance of tit. corset.

But the most important collection in this branch of industry
is that otlfadanie Caplisheastaining corsets in which a very
mitioturatteropt it mods W %Wee these post enemies of
female health and due development as little injurious as
possible. Madame Caplin has had to assist her the scientific
knowledge of her husband, who is a professor of anatomy and
physiology, and under his guidance has paid every possible
attention to the requirements of human form and funCtioa.
Of course, the most desirable thing to be done with articles
of thisdescription would be to give them the fate ot the
carefully dressed cucumber, that is, throw them away '
altogether ; but so long us European ladies will insist on
using a restraint more absurd and painful than a Chinese
shoo, so long as they will believe these the best way of
securing the free play of longitudinal muscled is to
divide them with a light ligature in the middle,
so long as they will insist that the surest way
of securing the healthful action of the most vital
organs is to keep them in a state of constant and pain-
ful compreseion, everything that may tend to alleviate these
voluntary martyrdoms must be hailed us a benefaction to
society. In this sense Madame Caitlin's collection is well
worthy of attentiou, as everything that mechanical art
iarected by science could du to render the corset con-
sistent with health has there becu brought into requisition,
so us to render it an object not merely of fashionable bu: of
sanitary interest. While on this subject a suggestion
occurs which perhaps may not be thrown away on some of
our sculptors. Suppose some one of those who delieht in
the delincatiou of the female form in its perfect proportions
were to place side by side in the Exhibition a figure such as
nature intended it to be, and tine which had under-
gone six or seven years of a rigid discipline in
whalebone. We conceive that that would be devoting
high art to a high purpose, and would have more effect in
cueing females of their delusion than all that euuld be said
or written iu a century. There are comae other eases ul
these elastic corset. in this department, which give satisfac•
tiny indications that this most important subject is begin-
ning to receive some attention from our modi,tc,!. It is high
time that it should be sue fur we believe that if taliks of
all the lives sacrificed in the crusades, and of those who
' have sunk under this cruel fashion, were contrasted, whale-
lane would be found to have an immense pre-eminence in
• slaughter.

Madame Devy exhibit. various articles of the same de-
scription, for the use of those ladies who nurse their own
children. Under the antic class of articles, the registered
folding bassinettes or cradles, exhibited by Messrs. Captor
and Sun, 60, Gruceehurch-street, will be found well worthy
the attention of persons about to marry." They arc ex-
ceedingly Imuidsigue, portable, and convenient, and eau be
got up at a utoderate coat, considering the material
mid workmanship. The great shirt interest is r•prsented
by several ambitious inventors. Mr. Ford, lifi, Strand,
cries out "Eureka," while he exhibits his highly orna-
mented inner garment, which is eelually creditable us a
specimen of cutting and needle work. This manufacturer
has devoted much attention to the architecture of the shirt,
and in the article exhibited seems to have attained a very
reason.ilile amount of success. Nicoll, Regent-circus and
Lomltard-street, constructs in a new material. This maker
exhibits a shirt of silk, which has an exceedingly neat and
elegant appearance', but whether it is expected to supersede
linen nut calico the ticket dies nit state. There is nu
doubt but that if silk should turn out as wholesome as linen

or calico, it will have a great advantage in lightness and
durability. The question, however, is not vital to Mr.
Nitsdl, us lie exhibits several very handsome specimens in
the mar, orthodox material. la outer garments Mr. Callan,
of 371, Strand, exhibits trowsers, the mane of which alone
is sufficient to excite a good deal of public curiosity.
Ilc calls them the "Anaxyridiait," but even with-
out the assistance of so portentous an appellation

they are worthy of consideration as dealing with
one of the great difficulties iu male clothing.
We em oily say, that if they look as well, in wear, as they
do in the Exhibition, they will deserve a very considerable
share of the favours of fashion. Mr. Calmar has experi-
mented much in this branch of costume, and professes in
the article under consideration to have realised the perfec-
tion of nether integuments. White and Son, 63, Cheap-
side, boldly attack the hat abomination, and although they
have not moral courage to abandon the abhorred cylinder,
do all in their power by lightness of construction and Inge-
nious contrivances fur ventilation, to bring its miseries to
their minimum. As far as we could judge by looking into
1 their glass case, the articles exhibited are very beautiful
specimens of the helmet of peace. Walker and Babb, 306,
eheapside, have invented a summer overcoat, which is a
perfect miracle of lightness and portability. It is made of
alpaca, is waterproof, and may be carried in the coat
pocket, without ineonveuience. The public are beginning
to recognise its merits, us we have perceived several of these
coats on the promenaders in the nave. In hosiery, Peart
toad Dossetur, l! and 13, Poultry, exhibit a great variety of
articles. There are various handsome stocking specimens, but
'the novelty is a shirt fleeced with silk, in the Russian manner,
fur winter wear It its auk us that the notion was a good
one, as silk is known to be the best article for retaining
heat. Gleuny, 33, Lombard-street, City, has a very
attractive case of hosiery, all made at Balbriggar, Ireland.
'l'he great beauty of these delicate fabrics is in itself a suffi-
cient recommendation, but the fact of their manufacture
being one of the very few in which the sister country has
obtained a name, gives them an additional claim to the
careful inspection of the visitors. They are certainly quite
as beautiful as silk, and we believe more durable, and to be
purchased at much less met. Bradshaw, 103, Bishopegatc-
street, exhibits an excellent article in drawers for rhea-
' matie invalids, and a simple but very useful novelty in the
application of an elastic material to the fast ' gof gentle-
men's stocks and collars. Those who suffer under the pre-
! seat apoplectic contrivances of strings an I buckles, well
know bow to value this little invention. Road-
ney, 17, old Bond-street, and Lombard-start, exhibits
one of the most elegant articles of clothing we have seen.
l It is au over-cloak, of waterproof Irish poplin, made ex-
pressly for the purpose, and which claims an equal dura-
bility with stronger and coarser materials. The article
seems admirably adapted for light over coats and cloaks.
The last ease which we can find room for iu this notice is,
that of Messrs. Bethel, Ware, and Co., the (mint:lt dealers
iu straw plait, of 6!, Aldermanbury. Every variety of
• ornamental straw plait may be found in this stand, and will
I bear an advantageous comparison with the Swiss plaits in
I another part of the gallery. Many of Messrs. Bethel's spe-
ICaucus have great beauty of design and delicacy of work-
I mansh.p, and their conspicuous position gives great facility
I of inspection.