Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-12-30
Female C0stumes-Past and Present.

We do not seem likely ever to come to anv
basis OF agreement to the ridiculous in
manners and costume. 1t would appear to be
the fate Of the human race that its little clans
shall always seem grotesque and ludicrous to
each other. If Japanese or Siamese or any
Annamite ambassadors should visit this end
of Europe five hundred years hence they
Will furnish just as much food fer laughter
and, but for Oriental gravity, may ind just as
much cause to laugh as at this day Nav, it
seems to be the doom of this generation that
the one which succeeds it shall think its WAYS,
and more especially its habits, utterly ludi-
crous and absurd. What sight on earth is
more droll and preposterous than the plates
in book of fashions of twenty-five, nav, IF
teen, nay, ten years ago Look at the coats
which human beings were induced to wear
then-the boots, the hats, the neck-ties-
Can it be that rational creatures, nav, that
we ourselves, did really consent to make such
guys of ourselves; and is it possible that any
two men thus bedzened could have met with
out mutual laughter?
As for the female costume of earlier DAYS
it utterly defies description. Observe in any
old bookshop an engraving of some great
| actress as she appeared in the character of
Belvidera or Monimia, with a waist immedi-
ately under her arms, the body of dress
| represented by mereZone or bandage drawn
| tightly across and the skirt long, close,
lanky garment like bathing gown, or the
| popular costume of ghost, and marvel how
| any human eyes could ever have moistened
to the sound of pathos issuing from the lips
| of such fright Or to come a great deal
later down, let any one just glance at the en-
drawings in the earlier issues of Dickens
works. Kate Nickleby used to be favorite
| of ours once, and we thought her a charming
creature. We glanced at her the other day
as she appears in an Old volume Of % Nichola.
| Nickleby," and we felt ashamed ever to have
| acknowledged one twinge of sentiment to
wards such a dowdy. Her vast coal-scuttle
bonnet, protruding a foot and a half from bel
| forehead, like the Druse woman's horn-onl,
uglier by far--is such as Mrs. Camp of 1868
would be ashamed to put on even for mid
night visit. Her dress, perked ont behind bl
| some mysterious agency, falls after this ont
protrusion straight down in the shape of ;
sentry-bOx.
How could we of to-day feel anything bu
contempt for such a costume-we whose fin,
eyes are delighted by the charming and IA
tional spoon-bonnet, with its bocage of ever
greens and roses; whose civilized and en-
lightened taste is gratitied by the sight of the
| majestic crinoline admirably adapted TO til,
human figure, so sylph-like, SO convenient tt
the wearer and all around, so secure agains
dangerous accident, so natural and beautiful
| In its undu!ations, so marvellously contrivet
to satisfy at once grace, delicacy and com
fort? Yet, exquisite as these costumes seen
to US, and deeply as we regret that Phdia
never had an opportunity of immortalizing il
marble the outlines of a crinolined female
we cannot disguise from ourselves the melan
choly fact that an irreverent generation We
| to come will mock at the costume of to-da,
as we do at that of yesterday. All men, ant
still more, all women, think all men and al
| women ridiculous but themselves The Pa
| risans need not satirize themselves through
| the mouth of an Oriental ambassador. Thei
sons and daughters will hereafter laugh
quite simply and naturally, over representa-
| ton of the most gorgeous state ceremony
| the most bewitching costume of to-day,