The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-17
MODERN BEAU BRuMMELLlSM.

the French dd1din, or "ninny,v or from tb
Italian do'odoId, or toy" Hence a dand
means one who dresses himself like don
fop, coxcomb, ninny. The peculiar typ
which was especially represented by the fanop
Brummen was combined with an amount q
fastdiousness and helplessness to which there i
no paralei' de was remarkable instance of ,
man pushing himself into grade of society tc
Whlch ne nad no claim, by dint of a certain
amount OF assurance and high estimation OF
himseI' Ihere Is nothing more true tnan the
saying that the world takes man at the value
he sets upon himself. He who depreciates him.
sci f by humility, whether trne or faIee yviI,
not be esteemed by the world at large The dealer
who cnes "stinkng fish" is not likely 10 And
much custom for his wares. Let a man assert
himself, and lay claim to a certain amount of
wisdom, and talk like an oracle and Tho
chances are that, unless he is fool the world
having neither time nor inclination TO 90 into
the matter will take him at his own vaination
1t only requires perseverance, an lndomitable
viii, and mordinate selt-esteem ombined win
certain amount OF tact which i'm this instance
might almost be better called an instinct of self
preservation, which prevents q man from
showing the cards which he holds in his own
hands. Some people a1e easily imposed upon
by silence, and are apt to attribute depth of
learning and profundity OF thought to the man
who is silent, for no other reason than that he
has nothing to say. Colerdge saws. "SiIence
does not always mark Wisdom;D and goes on to
Trlale an anecdote in illustration. II was
at dinner some time ago in COMPANY with a
man who listened to me aud said nothing for a
long time; but he nodded his head. and /
thought him intelligent AT length, towards
1c1 Ihe e5u OF @ dinner some apple dumplings were
seen them than he burst forth with 'Them;s
the jockeys for mep He DESTROYED wbateVar
Presuge ne had acquired by his silence bv
showing his folly" Had he remained silent
EoleIldge might have continued to think him
Intelligent The man who is wise enoupb to
keep his own counsel while he LAYS claim to
superior gifts, will probably get credit for all he
In Brummell we have remarkable instance
OF man valued according to his own estimate
OF himself Possessing no great mental Gifts
ne worked his way into the highest ranks ~
society," until he came into the very presence IF
royalty, where he made himself necessarv bv
ne iorce OF Will, assurance, and seltconcef
Whlch nad already obtained for him so great a
reputation that to be spoken to by BuImmeli !
and to dress like him, was the ambition of an |
the candles OF the day. No doubt he possessed |
great graces of the body, as well as the natural
SnS S,9 VI au almost tauitless taste-Otherwise it |
"ouIG De impossible fully to account for the |
completeness OF hls success while ne basked in
the SUNSHINE OF royal favor. He was the very
type Of Oandies-
meat, trinity dressed.
Fresh as = bridegroom
He was perfurne,, like miiliner
And 'twixt his fnge.r ana his thumb he held
A pouncet-box, which ever and anon
He gave his nOSe4 ana sOSA AWAY akdLu'
Stories without end are told Of him, all pointing
to him as the great oracle in dress. No lady
ever required the attention of her handmade
more than Brummel demanded the assistance
OF his valet during the tedious operation Of his
toilet. The great secret OF tying a cravat was
known only to Brummell and his set; and it Is
reported OF HIM that his servant was seen to
leave his presence with a large quantity of |
tumoled eravats, which, on being interrogated, !
he said were failures" so important were !
cravats in those days, and so critical the tying |
OF them. His fastdiousness and heplessness |
are exhibited side by side in this anecdote The |
one, that there should have been so many |
failures" before ia could be satisfied; the !
other, that he should have required the assist |
ance nce OF valet, or, indeed, OF any hand except |
ms own in tying it,
The tastidiousness and helplessness are not, |
however, confined to any age. Incidence, con-
ceit, love OF dress, and elplessness, will always
exist so long as we have bodies to pamper and |
to deck. There will always be men who devote
much time and thought to their personal ap-
pearance, who 'shine so brisB, and smell so
sweet, and talk so like waiting gentlewOman;'
men who try on coat after coat, and waistcoat
after Waistcoat, that their effect may De fault
less; who consider harmony of color, and the
cut of a coat, or the ht of a shoe or a boot mat
tiers OF the greatest moment IN lite; who,
whether beardless boys or elderly men, never
pass a looking-gass without stealing sly glauces
at themselves, and never move except with care
and caution, lest the arrangement of their hair,
or some portion of their toilet should be marred.
The elderly dandles study to be 6iea con.
Se'UeS, while the younger ones care only
never to be behind the fashion of the day, be it
what 1t may. In certain listlessness of man
Der they like Brummell demand the constant !
attention of valet. They require him to stand
behind them and arrange the parting of tnelr
hair at the back of the head, and to smooth if,
to make the collar and tie tie well to tighten
the Waistcoat, and put on the coat artistically,
and press out any creases, to put the rig6t
quantity OF perfume on the handkerchief and
IN fine, to be responsible for their appearance
These dandies cannot lace or unlace their own
boots; they cannot take of their own coats;
and never for moment dream of !
looking after their own luggage when |
they travel. They look for, expect, and demand |
an amount OF attention which any, who do NOT |
happen to be somewhat behind the scenes |
would suppose none but the most helpless Of |
women would require.
1t by no means follows that they have been !
brought up in Sybante habits. Love of ease, |
love of sell-importance, or a mistaken idea that
1t indicates high breeding, have led TO this un. |
manllness. There is no greater mistake than |
TO suppose that they who have been most ac- |
customed to what are called the luxures of !
lie nom their very cradle are the most de. |
pendent upon them. Perhaps some of the !
most independent men are to be found among !
those who have all their lives been IN the lulI |
enjoyment OF every comfort, while on the |
other hand, they who have come into nos |
session OF them only recently, and by |
lucky stroke of fortune Law the most stress
upon them, and are very tenacious of them, as
If the secret of true happiness were bound M |
in them. Nothing illustrates this more than the
noble and manly way in which some of those |
who had been brought up in the very lap of
luxury, bore the hardships and adversites of
soldiers life during the war In the Crimea
Then 1t was that the true metal showed itseif