The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-27

| We have received very prettily written
letter from ISABELLA, asking these impor-
tnnt questions, and. so far as we are able,
we will give her the information she seeks A:
Vow viii, you be so good as TO answer these qnet
tons after hearing my true confession that Simply
adore men, in the abstract because they arc hgher
| type OF humanity than women: because they are 50
utterly and sensiby selfish; though in real life like
the brazen and earten pot floating down the stream
| together contact with them is not well 'or the weaker
| vessel
a. why that all civilized nations adopt French
| fashions for women
80 Is Il fact that tho fashions set by Madame De
| r,rntpour, JOSEPHINE. wi:e OF N.roLfoS l.. and
r,DF>is wife OF NArotroS Ill.,. beautiful. becom-
| iny graceful as well as useful and comfortable
- DO these STYLES OF costume Interfere with wom
ans d.s;iny-i. e. to be healthy mothers and have
healthy chidren'
| -. why have men discarded silk. satin and laces'
81 why arc men, us \ rule. clothed in woolen ma
| tcrals'
80 whv do men become artists, musicisns. poets:
-. why don't they do fancy work instead
"s Is drawn linen work. Kenslngton stitch, en-
bgoidcry poker wo.k. All expression OF artistic feel
ingE'
ISABELLA is mistaken In supposing that
men are higher type Of humanity than
women. Men and women together consti-
tute the human type. and the masculine Is
neither higher nor lower than the feminine.
They are the supplement- the one OF the
other. A man alone is of very little account.
Nor is the seltlshncSS OF men admirable.
Seltishness is never admirable. who, her it be
displayed in men or women. man who
undertakes to live for himself Is fool We
must all live for somebody else. That is
what we are here for. In women tho ma
ternal instinct compels unsellshness. but
so also does the love of women breed unself-
ishness in men. A selfish man or woman
is q monster.
Fashions in dress have to be set by some
standard. and for many centuries that
standard has been Partisan. and for the
very good reason that it is the most arts
tic. AT this particular time Paris is not
SO dominant in fashions as it was
once, but 1t Is still powerful. The
fashion in mems clothing is set by Lon
don rather than Paris. If there is an ar.
bitter Of masculine fashions at this day. he
is the Prince Of WALES. OF late years. also.
London has been forging ahead as fash
ionable model for women.
AS rule. it may be assumed that the
fashions established by Queens and
Princesses are becoming. Otherwise they
would not adopt them. They are like other
women. They want to enhance their at
fractions for men. GoD bless them.
Do these costumes interfere with wom-
ans destiny? You can't interfere with
woman's destiny. in which the whole future
OF the world Is wrapped up. The human
race is improving steadily. and it could not
go on in this advancement il the destiny
OF women was interfercd with by destruc-
tive fashions. The feminine costume at this
period more particularly is both beautiful
and appropriate. We might suggest that
the draperies Of women are longer than nee
essary. but that is their own affair. So long
as they are content to endure the discomfort
of holding them up. We have nothing to
say. When they get tired Of the business
they will probably start dress reform
movement.
Men have discarded silk. satin. and laces
and adopted woollen garments simply be-
| cause the furbeows Of the past are in their
way. The great business of men is to look
after women. and whatever interferes with
| the performance Of that noble task is an
| obstacle which they must remove. Men
wear woollen garments because. on the
whole. they are best adapted for the main
purpose of their existence.
| Some men become artists. musicians. and
| poets. but the mass OF them devote them-
selves to other pursuits. They simply work
| for women as best they know how.
| and IL they undertake to compete for dis
tinction in the aesthetic world they may
| lose the title to the regard Of ISABELLA,
which really Is the true ambition OF every
| honorable and worthy manly heart The
| sort OF clothes they wear Is u very insig-
niflcant matter. ISABELLA herself Is the
| only important consideration.
Why don't men do fancy work? 1t is a
| beautiful work. for the world OF imagna-
| ton is much more interesting than this
hard and dry world of fact. We suppose
| that the main reason why they don't do il
| is that they do not know how.
The Kensington stitch is true expires.
sion OF artistic feeling IL the woman wllo
uses it Is an artist.
We wish we could give to ISABELLA more
precise and valuable information.