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.

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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-
the extravagances and absurdities of female sion--a conquest is out of the question.
apparel, we have been flaunting and strut- Each taken separately is as absurd as the
ting away, under cover of our own fire, far emptiest fop could have devised, and as
more extravagant and absurd than they. ugly as the staunchest Puritan could have
It results from Mr. Planché's History and desired. The hat is a machine which a
the other meritorious works now before us, impartial stranger might impute a variety
that in our own favored country at least we of useful culinary purposes to, but would
cannot point to one single excess or caprice never dream of putting on his head. His
which has appeared on the beautiful person stock looks like a manacle with which he
of woman, that has not had its counterpart, has escaped from prison, or his cravat like
as bad or worse, upon the ugly body of a lasso, with which he has been caught in
man. We have had the same effeminate the act. His shirt-collars may be entitled
stuffs-the same fine laces-the same rich to their name of vater-mordern (or father-
furs-the same costly jewels. We have murderers) in Germany, but certainly
had as much gold and embroidery, and never did any other execution there or else-
more tinsel and trumpery. We have worn where. His coat is a contrivance which
long hair and large sleeves, and tight waists, covers only half his person, and does not fit
and full petticoats. We have sported stays that; while his waistcoat, if a strait one,
and stomachers-muffs, ear-rings, and love- would be an excellent restraint for one who
locks. We have rouged, and patched, and can contentedly wear the rest of the costume.
padded, and laced. Where they have in- Each article, in addition, being under such
dulged a little excess in one part, we have strict laws, that whoever attempts to alter
broken out ten times worse in another. If or embellish, only gets credit for more
they have had head-dresses like the moon's vanity than his fellows, and not for more
crescent, we have had shoes like a ram's taste.
horn. If they have lined their petticoats
with whalebone, we have stuffed our trunk-
hose with bran. If they have wreathed lace
ruffs round their lovely throats, we have
buttoned them about our clumsy legs. If
they carried a little mirror openly on their
fans, we have concealed one slily in our
pockets. In short, wherever we look into
the history of mankind, whether through ourselves! Even if woman had been made
the annals of courtiers, the evidence of
painters, or, as now, through the conde-
scending researches of a Lady of Rank, we
find two animals equally fond of dress; but
only one worth bestowing it on:-which
the Greek Father doubtless knew as well as

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.