1. British Costume. A Complete History of the Dress of the Inhabitants of the British Islands. By J. R. Planché, Esq. With Illustrations. A new Edition. London. 1847. 2. Costume in England. By F. W. Fairholt, F.S.A. With above six hundred Engravings, drawn on wood by the Author. London. 1846. 3. The Book of Costumes-or Annals of Fashion. By a Lady of Rank. With numerous Engravings. London. 1846. IT suited us for centuries to circulate a well- There is one fallacy, however, still curturned set of fallacies respecting woman's incapacity for keeping a secret-the motive being merely thereby to secure an innocent scapegoat, on whom to lay the shame of our own indiscretions. Now we are too happy when one of the sex will condescend to become the confidante of any secrets we may possess, and feel them honored by her acceptance, whether she keeps them or no. For centuries we agreed that education was a dangerous thing for her-only because we felt how much better use she would make of it than ourselves: and Milton taught his daughters to pronounce Greek and Latin so that they might read the classics aloud for his pleasure, but forbade their understanding the meaning of a word for their own-for which he deserved to be blind. Now, we not only make them welcome to help themselves to any of the fruits of science, or flowers of literature, as plentifully as they please, but are too happy, as all editors and publishers will testify, when we can prevail upon them to help us as well. VOL. XI. No. II. 10 rent against woman, which we must take this public opportunity of renouncing. A certain ungallant old Father, soured by the circumstances of his lot, relieved some of his spleen by defining woman toy qikoxooμov-Anglice-an animal that delights in finery and this saying, naturally soothing to disappointed laymen as well as those of the Father's own order, continued an authority even to the time of the amiable Spectator, who was not ashamed to quote it. We had, nevertheless, long ago serious doubts on the venerable dictum: and are, therefore, the more obliged to the books now enumerated especially that which being written by "a Lady of Rank," is not to be questioned-for the accumulated evidence they have produced in favor of our hesitation. We think they have made it pretty clear that in all that appertains to finery in dress, the sex to which the Father himself belonged has not only always kept pace, but frequently outstripped the other: and that whilst our poets, moralists, and clergy, have been satirizing and denouncing he can even make what is called an impres- we. Not that the exercise of taste in such matters is by any means forbidden, or even restrained, by us. It would be dreadful if it were, being, as it is, a powerful instinct in our nature. The only mistake has been, and nothing surely but the most egregious conceit could have led us into it, in imagining it was ever intended to be exercised on as ugly as we, she would still, no doubt, have been the object of our highest intellectual devotion; but woman was made "exceedingly fair," a creature not only fitted for all the deference and homage our minds could bestow, but obviously intended for the most elegant wardrobes and brilliant In this age, however, it would be difficult trousseaus our pockets could furnish; ento impugn us for any over-indulgence of titled on every principle of reason as well this propensity-the male costume being as the Bridgewater Treatises to the very reduced to a mysterious combination of the handsomest Allowances that the parental or inconvenient and the unpicturesque, which, conjugal purse can possibly afford. except in the light of a retribution, it is It is very true that our liberality is by no puzzling to account for. Hot in summer-means in all cases what it should be: but cold in winter-useless for either keeping let no woman, therefore, suppose that any off rain or sun-stiff but not plain-bare man can be really indifferent to her apwithout being simple-not durable, not be-pearance. The instinct may have been coming, and not cheap. Man is like a cor-deadened in his mind by a slatternly neglirupt borough: the only way to stop the gent. mother, or by plain, maiden, lowevil has been to deprive him of his franchise. church sisters; but she may be sure it is He-we mean the man of civil life-the there, and, with a little adroitness, capable military are not at present in question-the of revival. Of course the immediate effect pekin is no longer even allowed the option of making himself ridiculous. Not a single from the university with such a stiff pair that on From the legend of a student who returned article is left in his wardrobe with which 'embracing his governor they cut his throat. |