The evening times., 1895-09-07

culine drese, but simply a problem Of
clothing two legs for rapid movement.
The conditions were new but the women
were always women.
Nodesty in drefs varies with climates,
but 1t can nowhere by rights he fyn-
onym for the feminine Rather the terms
are anttthetic: ard II femininity must be
disguifed for the sake of modcsty TO the
degree of inconveniencing o legitimate
sport, 1t docs not appear that VIC have yet
attained the summit OF civilization. But
instead of being true niodeety, 10 Eot this
reluctance to adopt uEeful drefs to be set
down to the sex egoif m that prevails in
communities where art Ii not greatly
developed, and has not yet influenced
the feelings or needs Of the people. 1t il
then because we are Internationally de-
fective that we see in the knickerbockers
only masculine travesties and translate
this idea into the actual drefs.
ON COMMON SENSE GROUNDS.
The aesthetic merits of the fashionable
Paris bicycle dress over the dress with a
skirt, are to be deduced in part fr0nl the
outlines 1t makes, and the relation of
these outlines To the wheel. The point OF
greatest Importance in any object, aesthet-
AS1hy 40 thC ScutSA Va It's dCtubu, anu tUC
greatest pleasure to be derived from an
object in motion Is TO see the movement
that prOpels. This point for the bicycle Is
under the feet of the rider. Here then at
the feet is tho starting point tO which all
else Is subordinate, and 1t foln.ss that the
space about the feet should be k.pt clear
OF all drapery, that the movement may be
perfectly seen. {.
This done, it Is the legitimate work Of
art to increase the interest at this inint, as
by color with light shoes, or with plaid
stockings that focus the c,,lor Of the dress.
The next point of Importance in the object
under consideration Is the center nf support
OF the rider. This support lies Detwecn the
seat and the handles.
The seat should appear to uphold the
weight, and TO this end the width and ap.
parent bulk of the draperies, rs shown by
the outlines, should lie above the line OF
support. Thus also an effect -; greater
lightness and adequacy will be giTen to
the machine. Now, a skirt .orns IN outline.
+ a pyramid with apex above the s.at and
width near the ground, and hUggests a
dragging weight instead of sustained light
ness 1t also cuts straight 1eross The center
OF action a the feet, hiding the movement
and destroying the principal teauty OF the
machine. The trousers, on the other band,
are in perfect accord with thu aesthetic de-
niands. They leave the macs of the ,irai'eries
above the seat and the ankles 'n free play
to explain the action below.
These are some of the reasons why 1t
would seem that an unprejudiced French
woman, as say former shade of the
Bois, coming unforewarned upon rider
and wheel must find the dress ideally
correct, and why when We shall finally
have adopted the dress and learned in a
mechanical way TO make IT properly, as we
will, there will linger with US a feeling
that we have followed an extravagant
fashion. 1t is the difference between gen.
erations of inherited art feeling and little
or no art feeling at all.
CYCLES EVERYWHERE.
To return to French women. do not
know the present opinion of French doc
tors on bicycle exercise for women, ex
cept it may he judged by the increase of
the sport. Four years ago French writers