Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-11
THE CORSET AND THE CRINOIINE


utility ofcorsets az an article Of woman's
apparel, but there are few subjects which
have excited more remark, verbal or writ
ten. We are reminded Of this fact by the
appearance Of volume with the title Of
1.-THE Corset and the CrinOline," which
gives history Ofthe use of the corset, from
the eadiest period TO the present time
with numerous excellent illustrations
showing ChronolOgically the costumes worn
by ladies at different periods.
The author says in his preface that lac
proposes to give the STRUCTURES Of authors,
ancient and modern, on th corset, and will
show that modern authors who launch
sweeping anaihemas on the very stays by
the aid OF which their wives aBd daughters
are made presentable in society, almost
invariably quote largely from scribss Of
ancient datesnd say little or nothing Of their
own knowledge" and that "thOse writing
in praise Of the moderate use Of the corset
take their facts, experiences and grounds Of
argument from the everyday life and gee
eral custom Of the present period"
He claims that at the very earliest dawn
Of civilization there are distinct evidence
Of the ure Of contrivances for the reduction
"ihe taste for slender waists prevailed even
more ia the Eastern nations than in those
Of Europe" In Circassia the women wore
a corset made Of morocco and furnished
with two plates OF wood placed on the
chest Il also confines the bust from the
collar bone to the waist by means Of a cord
which passes through leather rings Ho-
mer was the frat among profane writers TO
describe an article Of dress closely resem-
bling a corset. lie tells us OF the cesius
vigirelle of Venus and of JunO, Of which
the author says that the latter "ln borrow
Ing the cestus, merely obtained from a lady
Of acknowledged elegance of figure q cOrs,
with which % set her own attractions off 10
thu best possible advantage, so that her
husband might be charmed with her i'm
proved appearance"
The Roman women sometimes wore a
broad bandage or swath, which answered
the purpose of stays. In the ninth century
the French ladies wore exceedingly tight
fitting dresses. The art of making the
corsets worn by the Roman ladies was lost,
bat peculiar cOrsage was invented, known
as cottes hardies, which was very stiff In
England the Princess Blanche, daughter
ofEdward Ill, 10 represented as thoroughly
laced, and Cover, ia describing the bellies
OF Scotland at about that period, says of
them:
Their middles were as small as wands
Tight as was the lacing practised in the
thirteenth century, a greater extreme was
reached in the following century, az is
shown, among other evidences, by the fol-
lowing remarks by Strut, who says:
"A small waist was decidedly, IA we
have seen before, one criterion of beauti-
ful form, and, generally speaking, its length
was conveniently regulated by Just idea
Of elegance, and especially in the thirteenth
century. la the fourteenth the women
seem 20 have contracted viiiated taste,
and not being content with their form as
God had made il, introduced the corset or
bodice stiff and unnatural DISBURSEMENT
even 10 its origin
The fashion extended TO France, Italy
and Austria, when the Emperor Joseph
issued an edict vigorously forbiddiug the
use Of the corset in all nuuneries and places
where young women were educated The
author adds that mo less a threat than that
Of Recommendation, and the loss Of all the
indulgencies the Church was capable Of
afiordinE, hung over tha heads of all those
evil-disposed damsels who Persisted ia
reasonable manner in the practice of cen
fning their waists with such evil instru-
ments az stays. Royal command, like an
electric shock, startled the College Of phv-
sicians into activity and zeal, and learned
dissertations on the crying sin Of tight-lac.
ing were scattered broadcast amongst the
ranks OF the benighted aud tighl-aced ladies
Of the times much "a the advertisements
Of cheap furnishing ironmongers are hurled
into the West End Omnibuses Of our own
day" la spite OF all which, open defiance
was gsven 10 imperial edicts and learned
disseri atoms. The ladies laced more tight
ly than ever, and fashion was then, as now,
supreme over good sense and medical
knowledge.
Among the Illustrations Of a somewhat
later time is one Of corset-cover of steel,
which presents truly formidable appear
snce, aud was appropriate for the Court of
Catherine de Medici, where il was uuiver-
sally worn by the ladies. Ii ia only sur.
pa ssed by a corset cover of steel worn in
Ehzabeth's reign by the English women.
The former is thus described: This formi-
dsble corset was hardened and stiifencd
in every imaginable way; il descended 10
n laug level point, aud rose stiff and tight
10 the throat, making the wearers look as
II they we're imprisoned ia a closely lifting
fortress"
10 the latter part ofEhzabeth's reign not
only did the LADIES lace tightly, but also
the gentlemen. The dresses of that period
are thus described:
s.7'boss ,,ri,-ie coats nv art r,adc str,rr
With bones, with paste, and such-hke ware
Whereby their back and sides grew long
And now they honest gallauts sro;
Were they for use against the toe
Our danes for Ama7ons might GO
Even 10 Puritan times the outrage. ON
natural proportions continued, and Bulwer.
who writes IN 1853, says OF the Young ladi.s
OF the day: They strive all they possibly
can by straight laciug themselves t. attain
unto a wand-like smallness Of waist, never
thinking themselves fine enough until thew
can span their waists.' The London Guar
dian Of 1913 also speaks Of
The NUCLEUS. who in the Minorics sweat
And massive bars ON stubborn anvils beat
Deiormed themselves yet ioTge those STAYS Of
Which arm Amelia with a shape to kim"
And Gay. ia 1920, writes:
4 own hcr taper form ~ mado &c please,
Yet nyou saw her uneonfned by sfdps p
Among the other classical revivals Of
the French revolutionary period was an
Rttemptto copy a costume ofaEoient Greece.
whose main features were loose bodies
long trains aud short waists, unlaoed.
This did not last long, however, and 10 l $40
the practice OF lscing was resumed with 81
It's former vigor. The span" was Te-estsh
lished as the standard Of fashionable meas.
urement, and female chests again had 10
suffer the evil consequences. So extensive
IL the use Of stays 10 Enelad that Once a
Week estimates the annual expenditure in
that country for these articles at not less
than a million pounds.
The author seems, on he whole, Inclined
10 iavor moderate lacing, and gives most