The Sun.
London, England, 1822-01-18 00:00:00

FR I DAY, JANUARY 18, 1822.

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

(N o. LV.)
MODES FRANCAISES, &c. ; i. e. French•FashionB, their
Origin and Variations up tp'the Present Dayy, Bvo. Paris,

:)tihy have the .bistorians of France, even the
most esteemed, attached so little importance to
its fashions, their origin and chanzes ? hit diS-•
dais on their part, or inditference In 'either case.
they are inexcusable, for it is very, strange they
should think of writing the history of their coun-
try without speaking of its fashions.
Yet what useless things these historians tell.
us ! They will give you, when you want it,
the precise date of yan.,edict of the good king
Dagobert; but if yon ask them, What every
reader, in search of solid instruction; would like
to know, in what year hoofis were worn, or who
introduced the fashion of whiskers, they, cannot
inigrrnY;ou,; for though they treat •al.,Jkngth on
the ancient laws of France, they do not say a
single word of its ancient fashions. Do they

think' hen that the Capitularies of Chartemagne
possess as much interest as the dresses of the

ladies in his time ?
Again, what a'number of discoveries, some of
little utility and others of injurious consequences,
are mentioned by these historians ; while
they observe the strictest silence on the most
agreeable inventions, on that of the furbelow for
instance, which formerly effected a complete re-
volution in thetoilei ! But what is still worse,

the head-dress, so worthy of -their meditations
and researches, has been treated by them
with equal'indifFerence and slight: I have read
attentively some of their works, and what will
scarcely be believed, I could not discover in them
the origin of the curl .behind the ear. This is,
however, their way -of writing history ; and be it
observed, the history of a country where fashion
exercises so great, an empire, not only over the
toilet, but also over more serious matters, and
where political opinions are frequently subject
to its laws.

Too long did the French ladies neglect their
dress. Nothing could be more plain than their
clothes : nothing less studied than their head-
dress. This remark has ,not escaped the notice
of the author of French Fashions; and if the his-
torians had maturely considered it, they would
have given a more correct: idea of theflrst periods
of the French Monarchy when-Society, like the
toilet, was in its infancy ; for men of reflection
do not require to be told that we may always
judge of the civilization of an age by its bonnets
and caps.oj,
It was very late, and not till the fourteenth
century, that ladies of. quality thought proper to
adorn their robes with their own coats'of arms
and those of their husbands. We may think,of

it what we please ; but it must be admitted,
that those escutcheoned robes had something im-
posing in their appearance which inspired re-
spect ; and truly, it was no very prudent thing
to offer them an insult: Besides, at a time when
family titles were preserved with difficulty, theie
heraldic robes were very useful, since they might,
in case of necessity, be produced instead of the
Keeper of the Patents of Nobility. It would
be enough for the Nobleman whose origin was
disputed, to shew the wardrobe of his great-
giandrnother, and his proofs would be as good
and as valid as if ,Sir George Nayler had affixed
his seal of office to it ; yet this invention has not
found favour with the author of French Fashions,
to whom it appears highly ridiculous.
Yes, doubtless, now that robes and ranks are
confounded, now that a notary's wife dresses
like the Judge's Lady, and the wife of a mem=
ber of Parliament for some insignificant borough
like a Peeress ; now, indeed, when we cannot
easily distinguish, especially on• Sundays, a Du-
chess from her dress-maker, escutcheoned robes
would no longer be deemed in good taste ; and
I can easily believe, that if a lady were to ap-
pear thus habited in a drawing-room or on the pub-
lic promenades, we could scarcely help laughing
in her face, and our Curiosity would go to work
to ascertain the name and address of her jnilliner.
You may laugh at the dresses of your grandmo-
thers ; but believe me they would pay you off in
return if they were to see yours, and particularly,
if they observed respectable Dowagers dressed
like a girl of fifteen, and their heads u la Ninon.
These robes of former days had, however, one
imperfection, and that was a very serious one :
they covered every thing from the feet to the
chin ; but a woman, whom this invention has im-
mortalized, conceived the happy idea of sloping
off the upper part,,which discovered at least the
throat and shoulders. We know what has since taken
place; but you• must allow this was very well. for
a beginning. Necklaces and frills were the con-
sequence of this novelty. Then. Agnes Sorel (do
not imagine that:l think of praising her now for
having contributed to the safety of Frimce, by
rousing Charles VII. from his shameful indo-
lence; it is a more brilliant service I point out
to the national gratitude), Agnes Sorel, never
forget it, brought into fashion bracelets and ear-
rings.
From that moment, the taste for dress made
rapid progress in France, and fashion resolved to
make it her favourite residence ; and what could
she do better ? Where could she have found a
people more disposed-to listen to her instrections
and follow her caprice ? Moralists have exclaim-
ed against-duels these many years, but' do not,
attend to them. They condemn our most esteem-
ed fashions, our most amiable follie's. To please
them we must always be wise and prudent : so
there is no chance of their becoming fashionable

among us.
The head-dress has pr'►ncipally' moved the bile
of these censors; but their vain declamations have

not discomposed a single curl, nor a single tress.
The head-dross has resisted all their attacks ; and
let not that surprise you, for in its defence,
beauty was defending its principal ornament.
For this reason the wisest legislators never at-
tempted to reform it. Solon himself respected
it, and he did well, for he would soon have suf-
fered the punishment of his temerity. " All the
Athenian ladies, with their heads full dressed,
would have instantly assembled in the public
square, and there, communicating their rage to
the multitude, would have raised an insurrection
against the impious reformer who dared to med-
dle with sacred things. Solon, for having wished
to overturn the edifice of their hair, would have
then seen the edifice of his laws shaken to the

ground.
I have 'not space left to enumerate here the
revolutions of the head-dress. It seems, how-
ever, that the art has now exhausted. all its re-
sources, and that }he circle of ideas and peruques
is run mit, for we see the ladies retracing their
steps, at all events in Paris, where I understand
their heads are again dressed a la Grecque.
Fashion, however, has not only subjeeted to
its laws the heads of the ladies, but she has done
with those of the men, which, we fancy much
wiser, almost whatever she pleased. Gon knows
in what a variety of ways she has curled their
hair ! As for bags, IL is all over.with them. T,
be sure they are to be seen on court-days, but at
other times not a single one is 'visible. The
taste of the town is decidedly against them, and
we must conform unlesi we wish to appear ridi-
culous. Therefore, farewell to bags.
This history of 'French fashions contains a
number of useful hints, to which,,every man of
the world ought to attend. The author, after
treating•on the head-dress of women 'and its dif-
ferent ornaments, passes in review all the cos-
metic preparations which render to beauty itself
those services she knows so well how to appre.-
ciate. He then speaks of the fan, the sash, and
garters, and finally, of the shoes, &c. There
is no subject, however hacknied, from which ta-
lent cannot extract novelty ; and the author has
proved it, especially in hiS chapter on shoes,
slippers, &c. which will not appear less agreeable
to delicate minds than to pretty feet.
The ladies will also be delighted to find in this
work several historic anecdotes, the fruit of a
galant erudition, which they will in cases of
need make use' of to justify the expences which
are rendered indispensable by a refined toilet,
the object 'of which is besides so noble that these
expences ought never to be the subject of the
slightest discussion. How many husbands find
fault with the extravagance of their wives, and
exclaim that they shall be ruined in jewels, dia-
monds, . .. as if they ought not to esteem
themselves very happy—to—be ruined in such a
good cause ? No matter, let them complain, the
ladies will know 'what answer to make.' They
will remind their husbands that, according to
the testimony of Seneca, the Roman ladies, who
are not equal to ours,, often wore two or three
patrimonies suspended from each ear. They will
add,- but only to frighten their • husbands,
that the Queen of Cake, the Princesses of
her, blood, and the Duchesses of her Court,
have their ears loaded, with an enormous
weight of precious stones, which acquire, in a
short time, an immeasurable length. At Calicut
long ears are considered a great ornament ; but
we do not envy them, and every thing indicates
that with us the fashion of long ears will never
take,thotigh we occasionally see a few succeed
very well.,
" The taste in dress, for which we arc famous
in France" says the author, " renders all the
world our tributaries. At London, Vienna,
Petersburgh', and Philadelphia, all wait with im-
patience for the last fashions front Paris." This
was the case, .but -is now no longer so. Yes, thanks
to our P—ms, our B-------sls,OUTS'k—s, Lon-
don has long taken the lead in costume, and
Paris has ceased to enjoy " the glorious supre-
macy" in Fashion, which for centuries has been
her boast. C.

'REDUCTION IN TITHES AND RENTS.—The re-
preSentatives of the late Duchess of Not'fork
have reduced the rents of the tenants, in this
county, 20 per cent. The Earl of CO'Ontry
has kindly intimated his intention of allow-•.
lng his tenants 15 per cent. on their rents
due at. Michaelmas last, and also on those
due at Lady-day next. On Monday, ,at the
tithe,audit of the Reverend J. F. S.. F. St.
John, held at the Rectory, Severn- Stoke,
Worcestershire'. the Reverend Gentle Man very
kindly returned his tenants a part of .their
paymentS, in such -proportions as .appeared
most just,. according to the value of, the
several' estates. This is the second abatement
Mr. St. John has made. At the Rev. Mr. Ingram's
tithe.:audit, fdr the parish of Sc. Peter's,. in Omit-
'with,_a considerable deduction was made out of
the compositions paid in lieu of tithes. T. Whit-
more, Esti,,Of Apley Park) has liberally allowed
the occupiers of lands in the parish of Claverly,
Salop, 10 per cent. on the amount of their year's
'tithes. Thomas NV ILK INSON, Esq., of London,
returned 20 per cent. during the last year, to his
tenants upon the Gatten estates, in Shropshire..
'the Rev. PrObyn, Rector of Longhope,
Gloucestershire, at his tithe-audit on Tuesday
last, returned to his tenants 20 percent. upon.
their respktive tithes.--(Hereford Journal.) •

Ploughing and seed-sowing have very gene-
rally commenced in this neighbourhood, and the
country people seem anxiously engaged in their
several avocations, which is certainly a strong
indication of returning, coiet, and is a very pleixs-
ing circumstance,(Linicreck Poper.)

•
RivE SEVEN .OPaNC:q,

` THE KING'S COURT, &c.

Yesterday niornirig; at- eight o'clock, `skis M:A=
jESTY left his Palace at Brighton, in his traVel-
- carriage, and 'arrived et -his. Palace iu Pall=
mall; London, at about twenty' minutes before
one. At twO o'clock • the KING held a Conk,
which Was attended by— _
The Lord Chancellor, the FirSt Lord of the-Treasury,. the
Chancellor of the Exthequer, the Secretaries of State forth::
Home, k'oreign, ancl,Oolenial Departments, the First Lord p(
the AcliUirilty, the Master Ocneral of 'the Ordnandi; )Che
Dtil:e of Perset (first time) as Master of • the Ilor4e, -.the
Duke of -Montrose, (first time) as LOrd Chamberlain, the Mitt-
quis of Copyugliam (first time) as the Lorcl..Stevard, the 'Free-
Surer of the Household, the Vice-Chamberlain the Lord Cirief
Justice of the Court of King's Bench, the -Recorder 0f,41n.
don, Mr. R.. Peel, Air. C. Wynne:-
The KING received the'Recerder of LondOr."l;s
Report in Council of the convicts: capitally con-
victed at Justice Hall, in the Old Bailey, at the
last December Sessions.—On the conclusion of
the:Report, -his Majesty held a Privy Council,
at whiCh Charles Watkin Wy"nne, Esq. M:P.
was introdOced and'sworn in' a Privy 'Connell,
lor,,a.nd took his seat at the Board accordingly.
, WilliaM Henry Fremantle, Esq. M. P. was also
introduced and sworn in. Privy Councillor-, and
took his seat at the Board.—Lord ViscourrtSid-
,mouth had a closet audience'of his Majesty, end
resigne'd his.spals of Office as Secretary of State
for the Home, Department. The Right Hononr-
able Robert Peel was introduced to his Majesty,
received the • appointment as Secretary of State
for the Horne Department, kissed hands, and
his Majesty was_ graciously pleased to invest.frirn
with the seals of office.—The Right Hon. ChOes
W,atkin W. Wynne ‘was introduced to his Ma-
jesty, kissed hands, and received the appOrut-
-ment of President- of the Board of, ContrOul.—
The Earl of Liverpool, the Marquess of Loadpn-
derry, and the; Duke of Montrose, had audiences
of the King. Lord St. Helens ;was the Lord in
Waiting. The-President of 'the Board of Trade
was also at Court.