New-York tribune., 1874-12-05
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

"ppoKFN CHAINs"-NEw EDITIONS OF OLD FA-
voRTTEs.
rRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNE'l
BosroN. Dec. 3.--With the earnest and we'll
ineutoped work OF earnest aud good woman like Mrs.
Abba Goold woolson one should of least deal thought
fully and respectfully, however differs from her IL
n therefore TO be hoped that Mrs woosons new volume
on Dress Reform" which Roberts Brothers are about
TO publish will not he met by the pert fppances Win
which crusty bachelors and lightminded maids nave
been wont 10 treat work OF this Sort Mrs Wo'sohs
book is entitled to a fair hearing. 1t is composed oi iec
tures delivered IN Boston, during the Spring OF the pres
ept wear four OF them by welknown and successful
dy physicaus and the other by Mrs. WooSon' herself
1t is another atemp 10 set the world rlght on matter
in which the wicked world seems very ohstinatey de-
terminod 10 GO wrong and 1t Will probably convince
few save those who always ready for sediton, al
ways prepared to believe that the is better than the
old. We have in the frontspieee. the long familiar
contrast between the Venus Of Milo and modern belle
The Venus Vcx stands there IN the changeess grace
of eternal silence. just she was in the very first
picture OF the sort But the modern belle changes her
Adornmeuts in every successive plate; and nearly
always for the better Really she looks very pretty,
even here where she is posing as an illustration OF
nsughtness only with Its long yaln is house
dress and should be beled by the coquettsh tte
hat perched upon the fluffy hair. The venus is e'l
IDENTITY dressed for the street. either; SO Mademo
sele's hat is altogether unnecessary to the contrast
NOW every mOdciu Deiio NOuiu W NVs'"' " 'N"'S' "
she coud,ho trouble is that she can't aud so she must
content herself by trying TO be pretty giT But says
Mrs Woosou let her DC pretty and healthy at the same
ume Certainly gentle lady agree with you there !;
and unless she reasonably healthy she will not long
be pretty. But how is this marvellous combination OF
happy and healthy and handsome TO be best atalnedf
There is question which Mrs. WOolson has tried
finally 10 settle and there is where are forced TO
take issue with her.
Are womens shoulders made Of cast iron any more
than their hipsi II You overweight them. shall they
rot ache . think the casts Of the female figure in
museum Of anatomy, would convince any unprejudiced
observer that feminine hips quite well calculated
10 burdens feminine shoulders Bat n one re-
spect Mrs UosOn aud her sister refOrmers unQues
tonaOiy night and that is that reasonable woman
should not allow her dress 10 be numbered by such
weight OF trimming that her freedom Of loeOmotOn
pmpeded by it, and walking is rendered unenduraby
fatgung. Oae would care to be more healthy than
the average Eugshwoman, unless one desired TO be
wandering jew outlive al ones friends and yet
the average E0GshwOman dresses, save IN two in
pOrtant particulars precisely after the model OF her
American sister except that her taste in the arrange
OF the dress is infinitely poorer. The English
wOmans walking dresses are simpler and less heavily
triumed, and her boots thicker and loOser and
broader in the sole 1t may startling proposition,
but 1 assert that nothing viii make a womans back
ache quicker than wearing tight boots. II were al
NJ. D., could doubt. enter into learned e1plana
fon of this fact-as it is. simply state 1t. Let any
woman the clothes OF the present time, made
suitably the occasion, and venture 10 believe that
her costume will be healthiul ythuS be.
short OF coats aud pantaloOus.
don't myself think that coats and pantaOOns would
make any stronger. more healthy; bat dare
not speak with undue postiveness about experiment
Ihaye never tried one brings the front Dr. Clarke
thr author Of Sex IN Education" with certain hest
taton, because TO Mrs Wools0D and the earnest ana
thoughtful women Blo SHARE her views he is such a
pete nore hut, low be IT spoken, the exeerence ~
countless other women proves HIM to be good physl
clan and 10 my mind there was much force in some
thing he said the other day TO young lady Of my &C
quantance. Looking her attire, Of tasteful skirt
aDd basque aud oyerskrt heavy freze walkngja
and soft felt hat he said see nothing harmful here
Il have 10 fault 10 find 1t could scarcely be better
But the eorsets," sad size "must we give up
tbosei"
"By % means" was the reply 81 consider them a
necessary aud useful support Because they can lie
ahnsed because a woman who weighs two hundred can
them to lace herself into def0rmity At Is no sign they
are bad IN themselves"
But ccrses are one especial object Of the anmadver-
sions OF the dressreformers They have como 70 tue
conclusion that conspicuous revolution IN Ienihine
attire is not at present possible, SO they have undertaken
that there shall be certain outward conformity TO the
Mammon OF unrighteousness, while they work all posi-
bic changes underneath. l VIII not dweH upon thS
subtIees of the internal arrangements suggested III
this volume the bewildering combinations OF buttons
and buttonhOes OF eyeets anu acngs, upon garments
which shall be nanclcss in my letter though they have
a new and mysterious nomenclature IN Mrs. Wools0ns
book Tue pages of her appendix not for the perusa
of masculine Paul Prys-ndeed man could under
stand them acquaintance with women was not as
scientific as Worhs. or as extensive as Brigham
YOung's.
for one certainly think that il women will but
wear the present modes sensiby, not crampiDg their
feet in tight boots. not using their corsets for tight
lacing overlooking their skirts with trimming, and
not walking designed for the carriage or the
salon they hardly, under any system dress better
OF BEAUTIFULLY than 1t Is III their power TO dress
now there seems to be In the inquiriDg ana mu'
tiDous human mind longing for change, restiessness
which demands revolution To form Is not enough
they must reform Men, with this besetting tendency,
free slaves. Overturn governments, mako new laws
shall deny women the lesser pleasure OF revolu-
tion in cOrsets aud pettcosts triumph in button
holesi Aud H. indeed, anybody prefers garments with
the new TO the old, orthodox hg-eaves Of our
graDdmothers they could not do better than TO follow
Mrs woosons lead. Her book well and delcately writ
ten-f to 1t seem work OF supererogation' there
doubt who Will welcome II as the herald OF
a new and better dispensation.
A book which will widely acceptable Is Singers
Songs of the Liberal Faith" oberts Brothers). 1t
IL edited by the Rev. Alfred p Putnam and is ad
lnrale selection OF Hymns aud other sacred poems Of
the Liberal Church in America with biographical
sketches OF their authors and with historical and Illus
rative notes One is surprised AZ the extent OF this
volume-more than 500 large-sized pages-when
considers that made up wholly from the productions
OF American authors. II Includes contributions from
Unitarians who scarcely crossed the line from
thodOxy; from the radical Un;arsns from RIdi
Gals ceased call themselves UnitaraDs at
all; and from Thests. But all whose words are here
printed have been believers Ia the Unity and power OF
lsod-and the book would almost well the
eds OF orthodox believers Of those who call them
selves liberal II has said that in hymns there is
little room heresy is IT, at the invocation Of