Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-11-05

In dress. The style is so quaint, that VIC
give his own language:
'Sr Philip Calthorp purged John Drake:
the shoemaker, Of Norwich, in the time o.
King Henry the VIII. of the proud hume,
which on. people have TO be of the gentle.
mans cut. The knight bought Oh time.
az much fine French tawney cloth as should
make him gown, and sent it to the tailol's
to be made. John brakes, q shoemaker
of tina! town, Coming to this said tailor's and
seeing the knights gown cloth lying there,
liking it we'll, caused the tailor to buy him
as much of the same cloth, price to the same
extent, and further babe him TO make it OF
the same fashion that the knigh, would have
ms nude Of Not long after, the knight CO.
ming TO the tailor's TO take the measure oil
his gown, peTceivng the like cloth lying
there, asked the tailof's whose il was? Quoth
the tallor,'lt is John D9ake's the shoemaker
who will have it made of the same fashion
that yours is made Of .Welr said the
knight, : IN good time be it, | viii have
mlna made as full of cuts as the shears can
make IT, 1T shall be done said The tailor
wAercupon, because the time drew near, he
made haste TO finish both their garments
John Drake had no time 10 go to the talors
until Christmas day, for serving Of bis cusso
mers, when he hoped to have worn his gown
perceiying the same to DO full of cuts, began
TO swear at the tailor, for the making his
gown after that sort.
Il have done nothing quoth the tailor,
but that you bid me, for as Sir Philip Cal
10 /
yours by my latchet,' quoth brakes, i
VIII never wear gentlemen's fashions again
In the reign OF Charles Y. OF France, gen
tlemen were there pantaloons or breeches
as they were then called, so absurdly tgh!,
that tho king was compelled to pass an edic.
TO secure proper respect for propriety. In
the time of Elizabeth of England, the re-
verse fashion tiourshed; beaux were accus-
toned TO wear that article of clothing so
large, that rags, and feathers, were stuff
ed'm. la Ellzabeth's reign the gal!ants wore
deep rutfs and long rapiers, and he who
could display the deepest and loagcst, was
tho finest gentleman. The folly at length
became SO intolernble, tina, proclamation
was made against them, and citizens set at
different gates 10 enforce obedience, in pro-
sacutlon of which duty many serious dsas-
tiers occurred. This same Elizabeth, when
sha died, left no fewer than three thousand
different habits. In later days, even Queen
Victoria, about whom so much has been
SAID, has not disdained to avail herself of
her power to control the fashions. and intro
duc&d long dresses to conceal her large feet
and thick ankles.
The folly Of initiating these absurdlies
needs no comment. 1t would be as reason
able for all men 10 cut off their legs be-
cause one individual happened to have lost
thoso useiui members, as for all men TO fol-
low fashions only adapted for few. The
absurdlty OF such proceedings might be il
Illustrated by numerous ficetious instances
but as our efforts are for the mile. not the
dulce, we would fan draw wholesome con-
clusons, rather than make witty eomplri-
sons, the more so, as our wit is somewhat
like the young lady's drawing of her COW,
requiring TO be tckeled in order that other
people may understand what it is intended
for
proper attention to cleanliness and pro-
pretty in dress is absolutely essential to the
well beng OF society, at the same time tha,
III individuals it shows n we'll regulated
mind. Men and women should dress in tho
style which best suits them, always taking
care to AVOID outraging common sense
One man has awk ward feet and wears large
shoes to hide them, but ii lie thoroughly lu-
dlcrous for those who have small feet to
wear large shoes, merely because it is the
fashion; in like manner, all fashions that are
adopted TO hide deiormi,y or display a
beauty, are consistent only for those who
have similar beauty or ugliness. The near
est approach 10 nature, properly consulting
ease and comfort, will ever be the mos, be-
coming attire. We are improving in this
respect, yet still remain long way from
perfection. fact too plainly illustrated by
the numerous distorted shapes that pain our
sight as we walk the streets. If the Venus
de Medici be the standard of feminine sym
Enetry, how very far the present generation
is removed from ii
MANY are the mischefs attendant upon a
for some, loss Of time to others, and to not
few, pecuniary difficulties all of which a
little reason would enable us to avoid. The
good opinions Of sensible people can never
De secured by our being fashionably dressed,
and as it is only the silly and insignificant
who measure our mental ability according
TO the Cut of our coats, or our moral worth
by the texture of our vests, surely dress
cannot be Of SO much consequence as it is
supposed.
There are some people, who, in THEN
Quxotic adherence of fashionable dressing,
run into the other extreme, ofientimes de-
generating into slovenIiuess and filth, in the
ialiacious belief that utter negligence of at
tire is indicative of wisdom. 1t il almost
unnecessary to say that this evinces All i'll
regulated mind. Even if genius and sloyen-
illness were Indigenous to each other, men
may be highly useful members Of society
without either.
Men OF genius are not always the bes.
citzens-where nature bestows remarkable
abilities, she not unffequently gives garing
faults, and however we may worship genius
it generally requires 10 be done 1t distance,
"a world of geniuses would be very mis-
ersbo one. The man of good sense, cult