The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-26

orowning glory with which Mr.. Reverdy john
SON might illustrate his diplomatic career, If
be would draw up an elaborate report on the
whole subject Of court-ooats and court
breeches for the edifcation of the State De-
partment aferesaid--a kind of final despatch
upon the subject of garments
The proposed changes in the court costume
give occasion for q great deal of writing in the
British newspapers. Such discussions may be
taken to indicate at least an advanced stage of
civilization. Certainly they could not have
arisen at the primitive period mentioned by
the amiable Cowper:-
"-when clothipg sumptuous or for use.
Save their own unpsinted skins, our sires had
AS yet black breeches were not; satin smooth,
Or velvet soft, or plush with shaggy pile"
Although a philosopher might view the
whole matter with certain degree of cool
contempt, we are disposed to find in this ap-
parently trivial affair an advance in the direc-
tion Of democratic simplicity and common
sense-n0t so well marked, indeed, as we
might wish for but still an advance. In the
time of Louis XIV the tendency of any change
would have been in precisely the opposite
direction, and the minds of courtiers agitated
and racked by inventions of splendor. The
ready resource of despot is to challenge the
awe and admiration of those who do not come
to court through the dazzling splendor Of
those who do. The pensions which he bestows
upon his favorites, and which he knows will
be expended in a display redounding to his
own honor and glory, are, under the rule of
an autocrat, the merely prudent investment
Of his surplus treasure
Those, however, who have Quaker notions
of simplicity of attire will not think that the
Lord Chamberlain has done much more than
abolish coats and breeches which the meddle-
some caricaturists had already made laugh
able. People who approach her Majesty the
Queen must still do so in kind Of uniform.
| Some Of our readers may be interested to
| know that the new court suit is to be "dark-
| colored cloth dress coat, with gold. embroid-
| cred collar, cuffs, and pocketfaps, a white
waisteoat, dark trousers Of the same color as
the coat, with q gold-laoe stripe" The sword
| is to be fondly adhered to; the cooked hat is
| to be affectionally retained, and the beloved
white neck cloth by no means to be discarded.
| In moment of misguided rapture we sup
| posed that the breeches were gone forever, but
| we find that it is only at levee that the trow-
| sers may be worn. At the drawing room,
breeches are still to flourish in all their primi-
| tive abbreviation; white or black silk stock
| ings, shoes, end gilt buckles must still SYM
| bolize the awe with which Majesty is supposed
| to be approached.
1t is touching, however, to notice a tender
| ness, even while these rude innovations are
officially permitted, for the feelings and preju-
dices of those who, having all their lives at
| tended upon their sovereign in the discarded
costume, might find themselves i'll at ease in
the new. Ancient persons, to whom change
might prove fatal, are permitted still to 60 to
court, If they please, sin the gui5e of Sir
Anthony Absolute in the play" This conces-
| sion having been made, we hope within CEN
tury at least another may bs reasonably ex-
pected. Why, as the breeches are to be left
to the discretion of the presented, are the
| "cocked- hat and sword" still considered to be
indispensable When every gentleman was
expected to wear sword whenever he went
abroad, there was no absurdity in carrying
that weapon upon the thigh; but the blade
! now 1s the distinctive mark OF a soldier, and
Of soldier upon service. Why require peace
full people to put it on-staid country gentle
men who never set a squadron in field and
city grccers who never served except in the
militia? As for the cooked hat, we do not
know that we have anything to say. What
| are called reforms in hats seem to be merely
changes from one kind of ugliness to another,
and we begin to suspect that any covering for
the head is incompatible with human dignity.
| Broad brims, stove-pipes, wide-awakes, chim-
ney- pots, fur hats, silk hats, high crowns,
low crowns, hats of every hue and hats of
every con6guration, are all as absurd as swal-
low-tailed coats, and great deal more uncom-
| Portable. so far as appearances are con-
cerned, we believe that anything hiding the
brow and hair must necessarily be considered
as covering something essential to the best
| appearance of q man. Any hat after it has
been little while out of fashion, seems ridi-
onlous. The ladies have pretty much given
up bonnets, and the Improvement in their
appearance has been wonderful, although the
gain is no doubt at the cost of health. But
nobody seems capable of devising hat which
shall be at once warm, light, and elegant.
Perhaps it is as well, therefore, to fall back
upon the cocked-hat as being the oldest and the
ugliest. We are sorry that poor Mr.. Marcy il
not here to enjoy the triumph of his republi
can views of the absurdity of court dresses
Poor Mr.. Buchanan, too, If he were now in
England, might 60 to court without having
made himself the slave of the tailor. 1t is no
likely that the strictest Secretary of State will
quarrel with the new patterns at st. James
and thus fruitful source of irritation an(
correspondence is removed.