Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-05-08
THE BLUES.
Oh trust not, ye beautiful creatures, to hue,
Though your hair red your stockings arc bI
4 anNS NJ "a ID

| Oh trust not, We beautiful creatures, to hue,
Though your hair were as red As stockings blue
| Byrons Ecloque Of the Bues.'
| Commentators of the Byronic text as remote
from the times of its author as we from varro
or Horace, would probably be as much puzzled
with the opaque innuendo of this passage, as the
Latin scholar with the obscure illusions of the
old classics.
The n. York Observer sheds some light ON the
origin of the term sc Blue stockings as applied
to literary ladies. .. ..,s-s
The &c Gems de Lettors," Or 's Blue Stocking"
as they were commonly denominated, formed a
very numerous, compact phalanx in the midst of
London. Mrs. Montagu was, according to Sir
Nicholas Wraxall, the Madame de Demaud of the
English capitol and her house constituted the CEN
trial point of union for all those persons who al
ready known, who emulated to be-
come known, by their talents and produce
tons These assemblies continued in their bril-
liancy for about fifteen years, from 17I0to 1888,
and were held not only by Mrs. Montagu's mag
ni6ccnt house, where the full dress and parade of
the day were required, but also in a more simple
style at the house of Mrs. Massey, who Was more
desirous of assembling celebrated literary char
acters beneath her roof, and of becoming one
herself. These parties, according to Madame d.
Arblay, were originally instituted at Bath, and
owei their name to an apology made by MIR. Still
neglect in declining to accept an invitation to
literary meeting at Mrs. Vassey's, from net be-
ing, he said, in the habit of displaying proper
equipment for an evening assembly. "Pho,''
cried she, with her well known, yet always origi-
nal simplicity, while she looked inquisitively at
him, and his accoutrements, "Don't mind dress !!
come in your blue stockingsn With which words
humorouslv repeating them as he entered the APP
partment of the chosen cotore, Mr.. Stillnghfet
| claimed permission to appear. and these words,
ever after, were fixed in playful stigma upon Mrs.
| Vesscv's associations. Of Mrs. Montagu's par
| ties, Madame d. Arbay observes: Sc While to
Mrs Massey, the Bas Bleu Society owed its origin
and its cpithet, the meetings that took place at
! Mrs. Montagus were soon more popularity known
by that denomination, for though they could not
be moro fashionable, they were far more splendid,
and Mrs. Montague was dubbed Queen of the
. Blues"
correspondent adds the following sugges-
! ton:
In the days of small clothes, when stockings
were a very obrio9S part of gentleman's
| dress q Frenchman in London was invited
to meet Bishop Porteus, Hannah Moore, and
others, in 4 literary cOterie He expressed unea-
sness about the state of his wardrobe, and was
answered that the circle was literary, not fash
ionabe and that he need not hesitate to come
even in blue stockings--wh:ch phrase was design
ed rs figure of an inferior style of dress. But
| he misunderstood the joke, and took the blue
stockings for badge of membership in the
society. Hannah Moore took up the word and per-
! petuated the laugh. c. H.