New-York daily tribune., 1844-07-01

IL.
and the dress Of politicians had become as dis
| orderly as their principles. The fortunes Of
Whiqisn. too had run low and the velvet coat
and embroidered waistcoat, the costly trimmings
and gold buttons OF better days heavier drains
on the decreasing revenues of the party than
oad be long sustained with impunity. Fox had
already assumed the sloven-the whole faction
followed and the ghosts Of the old opposltionsts
in their tie wigs and silver-laced coats, would
have been Mortified by the sight of the shock
headed, leather-breeched, and booted generation
no howled and harangued on the left side Of the
Speakers chair from 1889 to 1906. All was
canaLc Fox could scarcely have been more
shabby, had he been the representative OF popu
lation of bankrupts. The remainder Of the party
might have been supposed, without any re-
markable stretch of ina gination, to have emerged
from the workhouse. All was sincere squalldness,
patriotic pauperism-the an nwashlng principle
One of the clevcrest carcatures OF that cleverest
Of caricaturists, the Scotchman Gllray, was his
sketch of the Wings preparing for their first
Ievee after the Foxite accession on the death o
Pitt. The title was. Making decent" The
whole of the new ministry were exhibited IN all
the confusion Of throwing off their rags, and
putting on their new clothing. There stood
Sheridan, half smothered in the novel attempt TO
pnt on clean shirt In another corner Fox.
Grey. and Lord Mora, strainlng to peep into the
same shaving glass, were ali three making awk.
ward eff1rts to use the long-forgotten razor.
Others were gazing at themselves IN sort Of
savage wonder at the strangeness Of new. washed
faces. Some sans culottes were struggling to
get into breeches; and others, whose feet were
accustomed to the ventilation Of shoes which let
their toes through were pondering over the
embarrassment OF shoes impervious to the air.
The minor apparatus Of court costume scattered
round on the chairs, the bags and swords. the
buckles and gloves, were stared at by the groups
with the wonder and perple1lty OF an American
Indian.
Into this irregular state of things Brummcll
made his first stride in the spirit of a renovator.
The prevailing cravat OF the time was certainly
deplorabe. Let us give it in the words OF history
'' 1t was without stiffening Of any kind, and bag.
ged out in front, rucking up to the front in a
ROLL" (We do not precisely comprehend this
| expression, precision, however, we by no means
venture to doubt.) Brummell boldly met this
calamity, by sgtly starching the too flexible
material-a change in which, as his blographer
with due seriousness and truth Observes" a
reasoning mind must acknowledge there is not
much Objectionable"
and the cravat adopted by the dandics soon be-
came ercessirely starched: the test being that of
raising three parts of their length by one corner
without bending Yet Brummell, though he ad-
hered to the happy medium, and was moderate
in his starch, was rigorous in his tie. If his cra-
vat did not correspond to his wishes in its first
arrangement, it was instantly cast aside. His
valet was seen one morning leaving his chamber
with an armful of tumbed cravats, and on being
asked the cause, socmnly replied, These arc
our failures."
Perfection is slow in all instances; but talent
and diligence are sure to advance Brummell's
"tie" became speedily the admiration of the
beau rnond. The manner in which this dexterous
operation was accomplished was perfectly his
own, and deserves to be recorded for the benefit
of posterty.
The collar, which was always fixed to his
shirt was so large, that, before being folded down,
it completely hid his head and face, and the neck
cloth was at least foot in height. The first
coup d. archet was made with the shlrt-collar,
which he folded down to its proper size; but the
delicate part of the performance was still to
come Brummell standing before the glass,
with his chin raised toward the ceiling, now, by
the gentle and gradual declenslon OF his lower
Jaw creased the cravat to reasonable dimensions
the form of each succeeding crease beng per
iccted with the shirt which he had just discarded.
We were not aware of the ncety winch WAS dc
manded to complete the folds OF this superior
swathing; but, after this development, VINO snail
pronounce dandy idle ?
Brumme was as critical on the dress OF others
as he was recherche in his own, and this care he
extended to all ranks. He was orce walking up
ST. James'sstrdet arm. in-arm with young no.
|. Iad IN naf n
The beau suddenly asked him, "what he called
those things on his feet"-" Why, Shoes
sShocs, are they ~ said Brummell doub,lully,
and STOPPING to look at them " thought they
were slippers F"
The late Duke of Bedford asked him his opin-
ion of new coat "Turn round," said Mr..
Beau. When the examination was concluded IN
front and rear. the Beau, feeling the lapel deli
cately with his finger and thumb, asked IN a
most pathetic manner, &" Bedford, do you call
this thing coat z"
Somebody told him, among knot of loungers
at Whites, Brummell, your brother William is
in town. Is he not coming here y" Yes" !"
was the reply, " in Il day or two but L have re-
commended him to walk the back streets till hls
new clothes come home."
Practical Jokes are essentially vulgar, and apt
TO be hazardous besides; two reasons which
should have prevented their performance by an
individual whose object was TO be the standard OF
elegance, and whose object at no time was TO
expose himself to the rougher remonstrances OF
mankind but the following piece of sportiveness
was at least amusing.
Meeting an old emigre marquis at the seat OF
some noble friend, ,and probably finding the French
man bore, he revenged himself by mixing some
ly.powdered sugar in his hair-powder On
the old Frenchman's coming into the breakfast
room next morning, highly powdered as usual,
the flies, attracted by the scent of the sugar. IN
stan!ly gathered round him. He had scarcely
begun his breakfast, when every fly IN The room
was busy on his head. The unfortunate marquis
was forced to lay down his knife and fork, and
take out his pocket handkerchief to repel those
troublesome assailants, but they came thicker and
thicker The victim now rose from his seat and
changed his position; but all was in vain-the
flies followed in fresh clusters. In despair he hur-
ried to the window but every fly lingering there
was instantly huzzing and tickling. The marquis,
feverish with vexatlon and surprise, threw up the
| window. This unlucky measure produced only