New-York tribune., 1869-03-25
an autocrat the merely prudent Investment Of

IN auCOcrat tne meTciy piuooho Ah'So'"'0Alo Va
his surplus treasure. ,a'
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 meddie-
some caricaturists had already made laugha-
bic. People who approach Her Majesty the
Queen must still do so in a 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-
az cred collar, cuffs, and pocket-faps, white
waStcoat, dark trousers of the same color as
" the coat, with gold lace strpe.n The sword is
to be fondly adhered to- the cocked-hat Is to be
affectionately retained, and the beloved white
neck cloth by no means 10 be discarded. In
moment of misguided rapture we supposed
that the breeches were gone forever, but we
find that it is only at the levee that trousers
may be worn. At the drawing-room, breeches
are still to flourish in all their primitive alb
breviation; white or black silk stockings, shoes,
and gilt buckles must still symbolic the awe
with which Majesty is supposed to be ap-
preached. ir
1t is touching, however, to notice 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 the 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 go to
Court, if they please, in the guise OF Sir An
.'thony Absolute in the play" This concession
having been made, we hope within century
at least another may be reasonably expected.
Why, as the breeches are to be left TO the dis
| cretion of the presented, are the " cocked-hat
and swordn still considered to be In
| dispensablef When every gentleman was
| expected to wear a sword whenever he went
| abroad, there was no absurdity in carrying
| that weapon upon the thigh; but the blade
| now is the distinctive mark of o soldier, and
| of soldier upon service. Why require peace
| full people to put it on-staid country gentle
| men who never set o squadron in a field, and
city grocers who never served except in the
militiaP AS for the cocked-hat, we do not
| know that we have anything to say what
| are called reforms in hats seem to he 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 dbrims stove-pipes, wide-awakes, CHM
ney-pots, fur hats, silk hats, high crowns,
| low crowns, hats of every hue and
hats of every con6guration, are all as absurd
| as swalowtail coats and great deal more
uncomfortable. 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 man. Any hat, after it has
been q little while out of fashion, seems
ridiculous. The ladies have pretty much given
up bonnets, and the improvement in their APP
pearance has been wonderful, although the
gain is no doubt at the cost of health
| But nobody seems capable of de-
vising hat which shall be at
once warm, light and elegant. Perhaps it
is rs well. therefore. to fall back upon the
| cooked hat rs being the oldest and the ugliest
We are sorry that poor Mr.. Marcy is not here
to enjoy the triumph of his republican views
OF the absurdity of court-dresses. Poor Mr..
Buchanan, too, if he'were now in England,
might 90 to Court without having made him
self the slave of the tailor. 1t is not likely
that the strictest Secretary of State will quar-
rel with the new patterns at st. James's; and
thus fruitful source of irritation and corTe-
spondenee is removed.