The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-08-14


Cuba or at Tampco. One of the Washington
papers states that FIVE hundred men of this expedi-
top, are already on some island IN the Gulf Of
Mexico, ready for immediate service. This in
telligence, it will be recollected, was Swallowed
forth in letter from one of our correspondents,
and published IN the Herald few days ago.
Progress OF FashiOn In the United States
Men MuiIDers and the mllienium-Fancy
| Balls ana Philosophy.
| 1t is sometimes very entertaining and very use
full TO make little excursion into the domain Of
history. We do so this morning We go back a
whole year in the history Of fashion in these
United States On the first page Of our journal We
reproduce sngularly interesting in the annals
of fashionable life Our readers are thus enabled to
compare the past with the present. The meanest
capacity can in this way trace the progress of
fashion for twelve mortal months, as easily as
chirurgeOn watches the rise of boil, or a vege-
table gardener traces the growth of a cabbage. A
year ago, they gave magnificent, astounding,
superb, elegant delightful fancy ball at Saratoga
| In day or two, they give another, which is to be
still more magnificent, astounding, superb, elegant
and delightful. The report Of the former we give
this day-the report of the other will appear in
columns before another week has expired. So,
We certainly do our duty in the way Of enabling
this generation TO compare the past with the pre-
sent, and get perfect surfeit OF wisdom.
We confess that we await, with no little anxiety,
the result efthe grand preparations in progress
at far-faned Saratoga. Ii can hardly be doubted
that, during the last eventful year, the fashionable
| world OF America has made tremendous strides
towards absolute perfection. Since the last ball at
Saratoga startled the human race, and made two
or three costumers happy, many strange things
| have occurred on the face of this earth Thrones
have been overturned, and kings and princes have
been driven forth, outossts and vagabonds. Ma
tons have been born day. The blood of thou
sands Of patriots has watered the streets OF cities,
and believed many plain. Europe has undergone
the throes and agonIes Of a new birth. The world
beyond the Atlantic is, at this very moment, con-
vulsed and shaken TO its centre.
We have not been idle here in America. Our
great men have been very busy While we write,
they are busy at Saratoga and OF Newport. la
Europe, statesmen and heroes revoutionizng
systems OF government in the United States of
America, they are regulating hounces and fur
bellows.
This is serious business. We have, In this
land, attained the highest pinnacle of republican
excellence. Our form of government is perfectly
complete. Every man, woman and child, inhales
the air of freedom. Butwe want pollsh-so say the
oracles Of taste and refinement. We are some
what vugar-so say the clcgantes who rule the roost
at Saratoga. Even Massa Greeley is oppressed bya
sense Of our want of aristocratic refinement for he
has commenced a series oflecures on good manners
at watering-places, and threatens the most despe-
rate chastistment unless we pay more attention to
good beed ding and decency But the great reformer,
Dir. James Brooks, member of Congress elect,
from this ciiy-hs is a perfect Lamartne in mllll-
nery-the Ledru Rolin Of pcrruquiers and fancy
costumers. Last year, as will be seen from the re-
port which republsh. Mr. Brooks was zealously
engaged in the same field. lie returns to II now with
enlarged experience, fresh ideas, new suggestions,
and absolutely boiling enthusiasm. Brooks is a
perfect martyr in the sacred cause of fashion.
What to him are the results Of the recent cleo
tons Is his spirit to be disturbed by visions of
evil at next session OF Consressl Mono. Brooks
understands the age. lie has fathomcd the swollen
current Of passing events he knows what's what.
Dull dogs fancy that this is an age Of the world
in which the minds Of menare emancipating them
selves from the and preJudices of the pas,
and in which humanity, aroused to a consciousness
OF s own strength, is gIrdlng itself for final and
decisive struggle with the powers of darkness and
despotsm. But Brooks looks little farther ahead
Ills millennium is a millennium Of millinery. Brooks
gives new reading to the motto
! HONS suw mail W, aiienVa pu,o"
] We translate it, 81 am a man mner, and
nothing that relates to millinery can be Indifferent,
TO me - Brooks has gone to Saratoga-he has. lie
will give the whole world an account Of the grand
fancy bsll-he will. Brooks Will be there him.
self-that he will. In what character That
Of an old lady, Of course, who know,
I every mystery of the toilette-understan
every hook and eye-is up to all tricks of the man.
tusmsker-and can calculate to a fraction the cost
| OF every costume from that Of Swiss peasant
| firl, with very scant petticoats, up to that Of
suliana, with thick encles, and an cxtravagant
display Of diamonds and lace. With what burning
/ anxiety the whole world of fashion must wait
/ the bulletins Of the second Admirable Lrichton'
Of fashion and millinery this Mr.. James Brooks,
member of Congress elect from the metropolis of
this wonderful nation, Then there Is Greeley
the accomplished, decent, amisble, polished Massa
Greeley lie, too, will doubtless figure at the
grand fancy ball. lie will represent the great I'M
washed. and open his batteries on all the poor
washerwomen Of doomed Saratoga What a mag
nifcent affair this grand fancy ball will be, to be
suie,
Our arrangements for reporting this wonderful
Jete are very perfect and will enable us to give
account of all the incidents, characters, dresses,
and so on, m advance Of all our contemporaries.
1t will be extremely interesting to note the pro-
gress Of fashion, which this affair will disclose.
Everybody wall be DESTROYS to ascertain what
improvement has been made by the baya-
d,rs, Spanish mule. drivers, knights, harequins,