Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-08-27
From the New York Observer
THE UMBRELLA.


Finger Rings, and an essay on The
Hat all of them Astounding in informa-
ton, and forming welcome additions to
the libraries of the curious. Is it not
time for some one to take the umbrella
in hand, and give its history and its poe
try? The materials are abundant, and
the preparation of such work would
afford fine scope for the exhibition Of
archaeological lore. We have, indeed,
an attempt at such a work in the Essai
MISUNDERSTANDING sur lie Para
pluie, by Cazal, a duodecimo Of about
hundred pages but it is a mere incur
sion into the frontiers of the subject, and
there remaineth yet very much land to
be possessed No little research would
be required in tracing the origin, uses,
and development of the instrument from
the commencement of its hi5tory-irom
the 'tholum retieulum' Of Pollux, the
'munimen ad imbres' of Virgil, and the
'scortea' and umbrella of Martial,
down to that latest and most convenient
modification of whalebone and silk which
can be folded up and packed away in the
corner Of a valise.
The umbrella has come to us from the
remotest antiquity. For time whereof
the memory Of man runneth not to the
contrary it has been in use among the
Asiatics. One Of the Layard bas-reliefs
in the British Museum represents king
riding in his chariot, with slave holding
an umbrella over him. 1t is Of precise
ly the pattern Of those now used in Bur-
nah. All these Eastern umbrellas were
sun-shades (parry-sol?) rather than pro-
tections from the rain. The use of them
in the latter capacity is much more mod
ern. 1t is less than a hundred years
since they came into general use in
Saxondom. Two hundred years ago the
umbrella was almost unknown in Eng
land, save as a curiosity, kept for exhibit
ton with other wonderful productions OF
nature or art. An umbrella is one OF
the articles enumerated in the Museum
TradeScantianun',' or Collection Of Ra-
rites, preserved at South Lambeth, neal
London, by John Tradescant. 1896. 1t
is worthy Of notice that the introduction
of umbrellas, like that of many other
useful things, was resisted on account o
some evil that was foolishly apprehend
ed from their use. In Moryson's Tin
erary,' A. d. 1917, is the following pas
sage:
In hot regious, to auoide the beanie:
of the sunEe, they carry Vmbrels, OIL
things like a little canopy, over theil
heads; but a learned physician to me
that the use of them was dangerous, be-
cause they gather the heate into pyra
midall point, and thence cast it dowr
perpendicularly upon the head
The earliest mention of the umbrell;
in English literature, which has comt
under my notice, is by Michael Drayton
in 1880.
OF doues | have dainty paire,
Which, when YOU please to take the acr
About your head shall gently houer,
Your cleere browe from the sunne to couer,
And with their nimJle wings shall fan you,
That neither cold nor heat shall tan you,
And, like umbrellas, with their feathers,
Shield you in all sorts of weathsrs.'
In the Dictionarium Anglo-Britann
cum, of 1708, it is thus noticed:
Umbrella or Umbrella, a kind
broad fan or skreen, commonly used b
women to shelter them from Rain
Another evidence that they were the
commonly used by women is found
Swilts decription of a city shower
The Taller for October II, 17l0:
Now in contiguous drops the food come down
Threatening with deluga the devoted town;
To shops, in crowds, the daggled females fly,
Pretend to cheaper goods but nothing buy;
The Templar spruce while every spout's abroaC
Stays til It's fair, yet seems to call al coach;
The trcked-up sempstress walks with has
strides
While streams run down her oiled umbre
Sides
In Gays Trivia, published in III
we also find the umbrella:
Good housewives all the winters rage despis
Defended by the riding-hoods disguise;
Or, underneath tn umbrellas oily shade,
Safe through the wet on clinking pattens treat
Let Persian danes the umbrellas ribs display
To guard their beauties from the sunny ray;
Or sweating slaves support the shady load,
When Eastern monarchs show their state abros
Britain in winter only knows its aid,
To guard from chilly showers the walking mai
1t was not, however, till the latter h
of the 18th century that the umbre
came into general use in England.
late as 1852, we find Lieut.. Col. (aft
wards GeneraD Wolfe writing from Pa
as follows:
GTba ,,oo,,Ia bara uca unnbrpIlas