The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-10-08
From the N. Y. Ersning Post.

LONDON Fashions. The habit of copying
from the London journals the monthly varia-
tons of female fashion, has become pretty COM
mon among the American newspapers. The
changes of the modes Of dress among the rough
er sex being of no consequence in themselves
and generally no more than the substitution OF
one deformity for another, have not been thought
worthy of being recorded in the same manner.
However, in order that the ladies here who
may not have had the pleasure OF seeing Lon
don dandy ofthe present season, either IN town
or at any of the watering places, may form some
idea of his looks, we subjoin description of his
integuments. 1t is not quite so precise nor so
technical, to be sure, as the monthly reports OF
the ladies' dresses, but on that account will be
more Ineligible to the uninitiated
.AoreitieS in GeRtlemeR'S Dresses, sc. The
most fashionable have left off wearing stays
but the waistcoats descend very low and are
laced behind like corset The waist of the
frock coat is now so long that where it is buck
led it wrinkles up and forms paits across
Coats, whether merino or cloth, have collars OF
rather large size. The part which turns back
is narrow, fat and very long. The waist is
broad, and the flaps are so large that they not
only oauar the hips, bA< thO- eiaiOf part uf the
thighs. Any gentleman who wishes to be
thought really fashionable ought to wear in the
q
dress parties this bud should be placed between
his shirt and his under waistcoat The waist
coat descends so low, that the taiors hollow
them on each hip; without that precaution
they would ruck up. There is kind of wash
ing material for pantaloons, which is double
twilled, and of different colors-green and gray,
blue and gray, or yellow and white. Pantaloons
of this kind are made in the Russian fashion,
without any plaits. When dasher is walking,
ne puts one hand in his pocket behind, and
brings :he flap of his coat forward on one side
1t used to be remarked in trifing conversation,
that a tail, thin, ungraceful female resembled a
camel-leopard. Now they say, that TALL thin
man, with his waist pinched in, and if he is
withal very fall, looks like grasshopper in an
asthma Gentiemen's Magazine Of Fashion,
NEGRo PRAoTicEs. Upon one estate, ne
gro, named Homer, was employed in rat catch
ing, and when he came home in the evening
his -" small deer" met with quick sale among
the other slaves. This astonished our neo-
phyte He asked negro girl who had
bought part of the game, why she came to eat
rats: She exclaimed 8 Dey good haymn FOR
him meyer, massa p At this time Marty was
told dinner was waiting, when he entered the
buckra house. Shortly after the cloth was re-
moved, he mentioned what he had seen, and in
quired if rats were in general eaten by the ne
groes. Being informed that they were, the
oVerseer remarked, that he could perceive nc
reason why rats should not be good eating
though, from our education we may entertain a
disgust OF them. Rats in towns are filthy feed
ing animals, but these fed in cane plots live
upon the sugar plants, the most clearly of all
kind of food and why, then, they should moi
form good eating | cannot conjecture. But, as
/ never tried mess OF them, am net a proper
judge, and only once saw white man com
mence eating a roasted one, (he was French
...au,] thon / Cell sick, aud had to retire. The
Frenchman afterwards declared it was excel
lent, and that it equalled, if it did not excel a
fine fed chicken, or an excellent young rabbit
The negroes, however, who have none of those
prejudices of our education to overcome, are
very partial to rats.
Marty, or a Planters life in Jamaica.