The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-10-06
No. 666.
ENGLISH WOMEN.


The AthenGupa, reviewing Colonel Fuller's
book, Sparks from Locomotive, or Life and
Liberty in Europe says:
or the beauty Of our English roses the gal.
liant American never wearies Of course. he is
writing for a New York audience; and fair
readers on this side Of the great deep NAV like
TO hear what clever writer thinks it necessary
to insist on with his countrywomen in such
delicate matter of comparison Listen:
q" Ind 1t no uncommon thing in England to
meet unprotected females in the cars. and
the higher the social position of the ladies' the
greater IS their simplicity of dress and affabilty
OF manner. So far as health, comfort, and fit
ness, are concerned, the American ladies have
much to learn from the English, especially In
their travelling costume. We see no finery or
frippery here in the railway carriage and silks
and satins In the street are apt to excite rather
uncomplimentary suspicious of the wearers
The Balmoral' is almost universally worn
and even hery-red stockings are by no means uu-
common. Long dresses are never seen out of
drawing rooms, aud there they are worn both
long and low. The English women have mag
efficiently exuberant busts; and they 'dont
care who knows it, Full dress for dinner or
for the theatre, consists in low neck, and short
sleeves and this is observed de yigueur; while
all gentlemen are expected to appear in black
dress-coats and unimpeachable gloves. At the
Theatre Royal, in Liverpool, the other evening,
| was about entering the boxes, with lady on
my arm, who wore on the back of her head a
little love of a bonnet about the size of ia.
ponica flower, when she was arrested by an
usher, who politely informed her that the for
oidden bonnet must be left in the ante-room."
There is one drawback to his delight. or
W0uIG hp thn (NalN
which we are thankful he is not. The bnsts
are divinely beautiful-how about the feet
Look, ladies', to your Balmorals:
:" have seen but one pretty foot in England.
| used to think the old nursery story about the
Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe entirely
fabulous but since / have seen the pedestals
of some of these lovely living female statues, I
have formed a more favorable opinion of the
veracty of Mother Goose But it is very ev.
ident that large foot is not considered detri.
ment to female beauty in England as the la.
dies make no effort to diminish the size of their
feet by wearing pinching slippers On the con
trary, they wear clumsy CATERS, with heavy
soles, which make their steps anything but fairy
like. And in this they show their good sense.
One-half of the consumption cases among the
American women are owing to wafer soled
shoes, which render walking both difficult and
dangerous. And so they sit pining in satin
chairs in their over-heated rooms, sucking
coug candy, and waiting for the doctor, and
his shadow the undertaken while these buxom
English beauties are tramping about in their
waterproof boots, or darling through lanes and
parks in their saddles. To appear delicate or
lackadaisical is no part of an English woman's
ambition. Health and vigor of body are con-
sidered of primary importance, not only for
comforts sake, but as the most essential quail
tcatlons for satisfactorily and successfully per-
forming the duties Of wives and mothers. And
they dress, and eat, and exercise, accordingly.
On calling on Lady ---, the other morning,
one of the most beautiful and accomplished Ia
dies in London | found her dressed in plain.
purple.colored woollen robe, made of cheap and
coarse material, and yet so tastefully fitting her
fine figure, that | was struck with the elegance
and comfort of the ensemble. An ultra fashion.
able belle of the Fifth Avenue would hardly
come down to her visiter in SO simple cos
tune; or if she did, it would be with a con
fusion of apologize words and bushes