Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-06-23

sons Even if woman had been made as ugly as
we, she would still, no doubt have been the OBJ
ject Of our highest intellectual devotion; but wo-
man was made exceedingly fair" creature
not only fitted for all the Difference and homage
our minds could bestow, but obviously intended
for the most elegant wardrobes and brilliant
trousseaus our pockets could furnish. But how
ever we may fall short of our duty to the sex in
this latter respect, let woman, therefore, sup
pose that any man can be really Indifferent to
her appearance. The instinct may have been
deadened in his mind by slatterny negligent
mother, or by plain, maiden, low-church sisters;
but she may be sure it is there, and, with little
adroitness, capable of revival. OF course, the
immediate effect of a well-chosen feminine toilet
operates differently on different minds. In some
it causes sense of actual pleasure; in others
consciousness of passive enjoyment. In some it
is intensely felt while present; in others only
missed when gone None can deny its power
over them, more or less; or. for their own sakes,
had better not be believed if they do.
Such being the case, the responsibilities of a
wife in this department are very serious. In
point of fact she dresses for two, and, in neglect
ing herself virtually wrongs her husband Ma
ture has expressly assigned her as the only safe
investment for his vanites; and she who wanton-
ly throws them back from their natural course,
deserves either to see them break out on his own
person, or appear in that of another.
But, independent Of the plain law of instinct,
there is one for the promotion of dress among
ladies which may be palmer still to some-and
this is the law of selnterest. 1t is all very well
for bachelors to be restricted to costume which
expresses nothing beyond a general sense of their
own unftness to be seen-since they can be
safely trusted for publishing their characters to
the world with that forwardness which is their
chief eement-but Heaven forbid that the spin
sters should ever take to the same outward neu-
trali fbair haLi al; of ,pJ
and reserve of manner, dress becomes sort of
symbolical language kind of personal glossa-
ry-a species OF body phrenology, the study of
which 1t would be madness to neglect. Will
Heney-eomb says that he can tell the humour
woman is in by the colour of her hood. We go
farther, and maintain that, to proficient in the
science, every woman walks about with pla-
card on which her leading qualities are adver-
tised
LII, for instance. you meet one, no matter
whether pale or rosy, fat or thin, who is always
noticeable for something singular and outre in her
dress-a hat with all tie colours of the rainbow,
or of new colour never imagined before-a
gown so trimmed that she cannot lean back upon
ia cloak so cut that she cannot walk upright
in ia kind of quilting which scratches
her and scratches everybody elsa new pattern
which blinds the eyes to look at--a berthe
string Of beads from Nova Zembla-a boa wo.
ven of feathers from New Zealand-and if, fur
Their, she wears them all with piteous detected
look, as ii she martyr to the service,
you may be sure that this is shy, timid, weak
SOUL who, while she is attracting all eyes to her
costume, has no other thought than how she may
best escape observation. The truth is, the very
fear that would keep others back is the spell to
draw her on. She is so afraid of being out of the
pale Of the Mode, that she plunges into the most
singular extreme to be perfectly sure she is in it.
AT the same time she looks upon Fashion as sort
n ayyfi,I yrho 10 iropo RI
with any comfort or convenience to ones self,
and is accordingly never satisfied that she is per-
fectly fashionable unless she feels herself perfect
ly miserable too. This is prize to the mil
liners, whose insight into human nature through
the garb it wears, is all for our argument, and
who, seeing Immediately that she has neither
taste nor judgment OF her own, can always per-
suade her to lead some forlorn hope, called ssthe
very last fashion," but fashion in which no one
else would have courage to be first.
Again, if after this unfortunate has passed on
her way you meet another equally as extrava-
CANT in her STYLE only with this difference, that
she has opinions of her own, and those of pro
nonce kind If she wear the largest pattern and
the gaudiest colours upon the most ordinary ma
terial-or the highest founces upon the richest;
If, being poor, she has quantity of sham-lace,
mock fur, or false jewelery-showing that her
object is not economy but display or it, being
rich, she mixes up the best together-pearls on
uedu, CalneOS Gu neck, ana diamonds on SCOm-
acher:lt she disposeS her hair in inordinate long
curls, or extraordinarily curious braids;-and if
beneath skirt which covers an incredible cir
conference of ground, or beneath body which
hardly covers any space at all, you catch Gimp
ses of subtextures neither neat, clean, nor fine
you may guess that this is very vain and vu-
gar zoon, and probably bold one too.
Thirdly, if another confronts you, more dec-
ded still in her outward language than either of
the foregoing-who seems to have no rule of fash
Ion except that of departing from the prevailing
one-who has her gowns always short when 9TH
er peoples long, or cice uersa-goes about
holding them up above the highest water-mark in
fine weather, and is sure to be always drabbled
IN wet-has the vanity to sport black velvet band
clasped across her forehead-the sluttery to
leave her gloves unbuttoned-or the audacty to
brave dingy black or dull green next her skin
wears her hair in crop, being forty years of age
or no cap, being bald or grey-puts on turban
to drink tea with two people, or an innocent
white frock for party of two hundred-she is
what is called woman of ''strong mind, " in 9TH
er words, of rather 6r1tsque manners-probably
radical, certainly a dissenter, and very likely
somewhat of sceptic.
But now female form of very different
character crosses our path--we follow it with
some uncertainty. A powerful straw bonnet-or
massive black velvet one. A knitted shawl of
coarse materials, or what was once black scarf,
Win deep frlll added to make 1t mantla-
A gown of no deScribable type, which hangs
emptily, and slopes in towards the feet-a stiff
squirrel boa and cotton gloves. This figure is
puzzling. 1t is not maid servant, for the
clothes are too expensive, made with too little
taste, and too we'll put on 1t is not an old wo-
man, for the step, though demure, is elastic It is
not vulgar woman for, though ndescribably
dowdy, she is scrupulously neat. 1t is not other
wise than lady, though there is not the slightest
wish evident of being thought one. We look in
her face this once, though we shall never require
to do so again; and there, at the very bottom of
that vault of hat, we discover the cold mild eye
and headachy complexion, indicative of the lady