The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-01-12
51tllsttllane0us.
For The Agis and Hnteiligencer.
DRESS.

"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy; rich not eaudy,
For the apparel oft proclalms the man."
Such was the advice given by "Polo-
MUS" to his son, when sending "Laertes"
forth into foreign laud. Advice which
we all may profit by, in our outward ap-
pearance, and our social happiness. No
adventurous circumstance has so much in
fuence on mankind, as the mere fact of
being nell dressed. Take two persons of
equal attractions, yet if one be negligent,
the other particular in his dress, it needs
no seer to predict which of these persons
will exercise the greater influence in their
respective stations. The reader may start
at this reflection, and deny its application
to him. A little consideration will, how
ever, convince him of its reasonableness.
Dress has a moral Influence 1t assists
man in that elevation of thought, from
which flow refinement of manner and deli
cacy of language. Look at this unshaven
this specimen of humanity-wbose COL
lar is like the shades of "Erebus," he
looks coarse, repuIslve, and his manners
are similar to his looks. Meet this same
man again, wheo his beard is shaven, and
his linen spoiless; hesis another being
His dress don't make him feel mean-so
he don't act meanly. His dress is not
repulsive--so bis uauners are not beastly
Dress has renovated the man-has con-
ferred on him the dignity of knowing
that he does not appear to the world
mere animal.
But gamblers and cheats often are most
particular in their dress. Yes, and they
are Known to the wise by their Dress
The Cape May diamond may glitter, but
conuoisscurs can distinguish it from that
precious gem which, formed in the depths
of the sea, the diver has periled his life,
that it may adorn the human form. So,
gamblers are known by their tiDsel.-
Aud, pray, what do you call being aceU
dressed! That is the very question |
made provision for, when l placed those
lines of Shakespeare at the head of this ar
hcle. In the first place, the length of
the purse is the luvariable criterion we
should take, of the costliness of our dress
No exhibition Of costly dress, however
tasteful, is pleasant to the beholder, if it
suggests The thought, GLOW could he af-
ford this -
Every one can dress we'll, in the sense
in which | use the word Perfect clean
lluess, qutetncss in the selection and COM
binng the colors Of our dress-these are
the two essentials Of dressing well, which
we all may reach. The scmpstress, in
her calico and spotless linen collar and
cuffs, l call as well dressed a woman as
yon heiress in her delicate silk and point
lace. But reverse the dress-give the
sempstress the silk, and the heiress the
calico, aud the property Of dress is over
thrown; they are the objects of ridicule
and contempt. 1t is only "Gno birds''
That become "6ue feathers" The man
of wealth and leisure is expected to pre-
sent in his dress the most faultless ele-
gaDce He is not acoN dressed, unless he
is fashionably dressed. Of tho farmer,
we only cxpsct clean clothes and clean
linen not that he should look as if he
spent every other day, except Sunday, in
pig pen,