The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1860-02-21
Lecture at the llsiodsoa- Lola Slontss
on Fashion. s.

=
The audience, last night, d the Mslodson,
was quits - large e on Saturday night, and
the interest the psfits Countess Of Landsfsld
in the least. The lscture, however, was to
us common place and dull, containing many
attempts ct wit, but few successful ones, and
altogether lacked the sparkle which one would
naturally have been inclined to expect.
Tho leeturess began BY stating that fashion
originated In the misfortunes and vices ofman
and womsnkind, and referred to great many
circumstances mentioned In history IN proof
Of her assertion. She spoke Of saysges who
wore rings in their noses, but was not quite
sure that the fashion was more absurd than
for modern ladies to wear rings In their ears.
Religion had to be attended TO In elegant
church sdifces and decked out in silk and
brocade before II was sufficient to carry our
souls to Heaven. The scoundrel who ran
away with his neighbours wife would be sooner
admitted into fashionable society than tho
man Of intellect and culture, If he dared TO cat
with his knife instead Of hil fork.
A man onoe, having finely shaped leg and
IN excellent figure, had his pantaloons and
coat cut 90 a. TO nt It closely, and forthwith
the promenadss were filed with just such gar
ments, made tight as the skin they covered,
although they sometimes hid such awkward
and crooked pipe-stems that whoever saw
them was pained for fear that they would
break, and thus kill the body they we're dss-
tined to carry.
In China the prevailing fashion had, for
centuries, been small feet, and they were 40
pinched In childhood that In maturity persons
Wsro almost unable 10 walk. This was not
altogether bad fashion, for in her opinion
~l.-c cc - IL Il
wife's feet were too small 10 permit them to
walk, and many wives who Just a. heartily
| wished the feet Of their husbands wore ct least
| small enough to keep thsm at home at night.
The Ellsabethian age produced hoop skirtA
and high. .hesled shoes. skirts we're then worn
seventeen feet in circumference, and 1t took a
very wide street which would allow one
woman to pass through II, while two filed itup
completely. Even now, men, instead of rail-
ing at women for the space they occupy, ought
to- bs gratefully and humbly thankful that they
occupy no more; for they prevented the neces-
sity for number ofskirts, and many female
was now dead upon whose body verdic,
might be Justly rendered Of "Died Of too much
| Petticoat."
The lecturess dashed society for the semi
nude style in which Its members dressed, ant
verbally and metsphoricslly cut of ell thu
whiskers and moustaehios In the country. sh'
said the fashion in politics changed thre,
times oftensr than the ladies changed thei
bonnets; spoke Of the Cifcassian slaves, how
they exhibited their beauty to their purchas
ers, and found, In this, an opportunity to tel
msmmas that she had often seen the sam,
trouble taken In this country, for the purpoIe o
knocking daughters off to tho highest matri
monisl bidder.
The lecture was about an hour long, an,
was patiently listened to until the close. o.
Wednesday, Lola will express her opinion il
regard to "Strong minded Women" and As
will be her last lecture, va doubt not the hous
will bs again filed to replstion.