Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-08-18
The Names of Textures of Gar
meutg.


There are many words indicating par
ticular fabrics, which have so passed into
familiar language that they no longer
suggest any special significance, except
as a trade mark of quality. But the
etymology OF the subject is, neverthe-
less, interesting Most persons giving
thought to the matter at all would in
stantly recognize the meaning of Mech
lin, Alencon, Brussels and Chantilly
lace; why one shawl is called Paisley
and another Cashmere; that Holland
was originally manufactured by the
Dutch, and that the Fez cap carries with
it local significance. The materials
known in commerce as Circassian, Cy-
prus, Coburg, and damask equally ex-
plain themselves; and, though in to-
tally different manner, such fashions as
those of Wellington and Blucher boots,
Macintosh and Chesterfield coats, and
Spencers. But why is a shirt front pop
uiarly called dickey? Why are poplins
SO named2 Why blankets as the cover
ing of bed2 Or silk, or shawl, or jer-
kin, or maud or cravat2 1t is when we
fall amid these shadows of learning
that the etymologists enjoy their
Walpurgis dance of guesses. Thus
with blanket. There are said to have
been. three brothers of that name at
Worcester, who invented the coyerlet,
so called, and in confirmation, it is
pointed out, not far off from the antique
city, is still locality known as as the
Blanduets. On the other hand, Bristol
claims them among her medieval citi-
zens, though, for all that, they may have
been Worcestershire men as we'll. The
coarse woollens of their fabrication ap-
pear to have been eagerly adopted by the
peasantry as a substitute for hempen
cloth; then soldiers, sportsmen and trav-
elers found them useful; next they we're
laid on the stump bedsteads of the time,
and blue blanket became a Masonic
banner. This may confidently be reck-
oned among things not quite universally
known. AS to poplin, it was invented in
Papal territory though by Huguenot,
and hence called papaline, which ac-
count we may as well credit, seeing that
no other is at hand Silk may be a
Greek, Persian, an Avalic, a Tartar, or
Chinese appellation, since the lexicog-
raphers and other eruditionists might be
quoted in favor of each language; but
concerning shawl there is only single
doubt, between q translation from Per-
sian word and the town of Shawl, in
Beloechistan, whence it may possibly
have been derived, and which was
formerly famous for the manu-
r I'LL. hn
founded with the celebrated shawl
of Leybonrne. A maud is a Scotch
plaid, christened after Scottish Queen,
daughter Of Malcolm, and wife of Henry
II. Jerkin may be from the Anglo
Saxon eyrtsSlln, which good authorities
aver to be the diminptive Of cyrtel, a
coat, a presumption, at any rate, more
rational than that which traces it to the
vulrarism of Little Jerry, which is also
niaimed for Jacket. Whence came the
name Of cravat2 Was it first worn by a
Croat Cavaiisrl Because that is almost
the aolo suggestion Of the learned. Con-
cerning collars, there used to be a sort
worn in Germany which we're nick
named Vatermordern, eg fstAeF murder
ers, from the legend Of student Fho
returned to the university with such a
stiff pair that, on embracing his father
they cut has throat. There are many
testimonies to suieide=-tight lacing, to.
yit-caused by vanity in 'dresp, but we
think this is the only case Of assassins-
ton on record. In the general glossary,
cardinals, ospuchius and mantillas tell
their own story, though the olddashioned
herthas do not, and thc renowned
chapeau de paille, which SO hsrmonised
with the beauty of the Churchills Of the
last century, would be equally explicit
had il not been o straw bat at all.