Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-08-12


For the benefit of all concerned, Mr.. Oldschool
thinks it bestto publish it in the Port Folio. 1t
y as follows
-----T'anta est quorends c1ira Ciecoris.
Juv. Sat. vi.
So studiously their persons they adom.
There is not so variablea thing in nature as a
lady's head-dress. Within my own memory, I
have known it rise and fall above thirty degrees.
About ten years ago itskhot up to = very great
height, insomuch that the female part of our spe-
sizes were much taller than the men,. The wo.
men were ofsuch an enormous stature, that we
appeared as grasshoppers before them" Atpre-
sent the whole sex is in manner dwarfed, and
sunk into of beauties that seems almost ano-
tler species l remember several lad es, who
were once very near seven feet high, that at pre-
sent want some inches of five. How they came
20 be thus chrtailed I cannot learn whether the
whole sex be at present under any penalce which
we know nothing of, or whether'they have cast
their head-dresses in order TO surprise us with
something in that kind which shall be entirely
new or whether some of the tallest of the sex
beng too cunning for the rest, have contrived
fhis method to make themselves appear szcable
IS still secret; though find most are of opinion
they are at present like trees new Topped and
pruned, that Will certainly sprout up and flourish
with greater heads than before For my own
part, as do not love TO be insulted by women
who are taller than myself, admire the sex much
more in their present humiliation, which has re-
duced them to their natural dimensions, than
when they had extended their persons and length
sned thems elves out into formidable and gigantic
Figures. I am not for adding TO the beautiful edi-
hces of nature, nor raising any whimsical So
pcrstructure upon her plans ! must therefore re-
peat it; that am highly pleased with the couture
now IN fashion, and think it shows the good sense
which at present very much reigns among the
valuable part of the sex. One may observe that
Ill ho,..
men to adorn the outside of their heads; and in.
deed very much admire, that those female ar
ohitec.s, who raise such wonderful structures
out of ribbands, lace, and wire, have not been
recorded for Their respective inventions 1t is
certain there have been as many orders in these
kinds of building, as in those which have been
made Of marble. Sometimes theyrise in the shape
of pyramid, sometimes ike tower, and .Gome-
times Ike steeple. In Juvenaps time the build
ing grew by several orders and stories, as he has
very hunorously described it:
Tot preHat OrdiHi5ts. tot adhus sompegi6lS
.E$6cot cGpH'S .indromGcden Gfronss vid.-
6is5
Post minor est i. 0Evm crsdus. -
JUv Sat. vi. sol.
With eurls on curls they build their head DO.
fore,
And mount it with formidable tow'r;
giantess she seams, but look behind,
And then she dwindles TO the pigmy kind.
DRTpEE.
But I do not remember in any part ofmy read
3ng, that the head-dress aspired to so great an
extravaganza as in the fourteenth century: when
itwse built up in acouple of cones or spires which
stood so excessively high on each side of the
head, that woman who was but pg my without
her hesd-dress, appeared Ike a Colossus upon
putting it on Monsieur Peradin says " that
these old fashioned fontsges an ell above the
head that they we're pointed like steeples, and
had long loose pieces of Grape fastened TO the
tops of them, which were curiously fringed and
hang down their backs like streamers."
The women might possibly have carried this
Gothic building much higher bad not famous
monk, Thomas Connects by name, attacked it
with great zeal and resolution. This holy man
travelled from place TO place TO preach down this
nonstrous sommode and succeeded so well in
81, that the magicians sacrificed their books to
the flames upon the preaching Of an apostle, ma
ny of the women threw down their head.dressesI
IN the middle of his sermon, and made a bonfire
Of them within sight Of the pulpit. lie was so
renowned, as well for the sanotity of MS life as
bis manner approaching, that he had often a con-
ETsgation of twenty thousand people his men
placing themselves on one side ofthe pulpit, the
women on the other, that appeared TO (use the Of