The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-10-22
I'll / srfl nu y .
Things One Hundred Years Ago

in1DGS one dunQreQ ears Ago.
II is amusing and instructive to look
back upon the batits and customs Of an.
tiyuity ard note the progress or the de-
terioration f society, by contrasting the
rast with the present time. The fol.
loving extract. from al excharge, will
show the modes # dress and ,lic customs
Of life in England one hundred years
ngo
Dress WIS an important item with all
classes. The different ranks were dis
tingushable by their attire. aud it was
thought rresunptuous for one to affect
that of the other. Poor Pcpys oven when
be got rich and when he was almost daily
at court, found people talking # he gold
lace on the sl,ev Of his new coat. and
so wen, humhlv to his tnilor to have it
removed. Wien leriwigs came into
fashion, it was a long time before ho
could make up his mind. thnt it was
proper for him to wear one He men
iions his wife having one subsequently
of light hair Every few weeks. while
he wore his, he had to have his head
shaved. The ladies wore vzards. and
some Of them mems waistcoats. The
materials IF their dresses we're often
cloth, laced with silver or gold if they
were people Of meats Pcpys notes his
having paid, on one occasion, five pounds
for a tetticoat for lis wife, and as the
pound was then worth twice as much as
OF the present, he expended what would
be equivalent to fifty dollars now but
the reiticoat was displayed. as embroid.
cred oues are even TO this day. He paid
at the same time, six pounds for lace; so
the ladies loved line laces then quite as
much ss now. When the maids of hon.
or rode on horseback they wore q cos
tune like that Of men, hat, coat, waist
coat complete. and we're only distin-
guishable by the petticoat. Painting
the cheeks was fashionable. Black
patches were also worn on the face. Pc.
pys, one day, met the king and queen
riding, and says that, in her white
laced waistcoat, and crimson short pet.
ticoat, and hair dressed a Ia negligence
she looked mighty pretty" Yellow
birds eye hoods were all the rage for
the modern bonnet had not come into
fashion. Sacqucs were just then coming
into vogue. The women of the middle
classes wore high crowned hats, laced
stomachers, and yellow starched neck
crchiefs. Ladies Of quality wore trains.
The courIicrs aud gentry ruffled 10 silks
and velvets Of gay colors, plumed or
cooked hats, cravats Of lace and jewelry,
having their hair long, and curling their
love-locks, periwigs came into fashion.
Every gentleman carried a sword and
of course due.s were frequent.
The table was profusely, rather than
celicately served. Tea had Just been
introduced, and was still very dear, SO
that the ordinary breakfast beverage was
alo. Meat was considered underdone if
at all rare. Venison was comparatively
plenty at least with people Of means.
Fresh beef was common 10 London du.
ring the spring. summer and autumn !;
but for winter salted meat was the gen.
eral food Turkies and mince pies were
even then the orthodox bill Of fare for a
Christmas dinner. As elegant English
crockery was Of n century later date. and
porcelain was only to be had from China
and Japan at AL immense price, the or
dinary table service with even the rich
or Of the middle class, was pewter, while
the poor ate from wooden trsnchors, or
coarse earthep'ware. With people Of