GENERAL EXTRACTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 46, 25 February 1869, Page 2

GENERAL EXTRACTS.

DRESS WORSHIP. Tbe Saturday Review, in an article under the above heading, thus accounts for the frequent changes in * these grotesque or nasty perversities which, classed under the name of " The Fashions," regulate the arrangement of women's outer clothing, and suggest somewhat different reflections to different orders of men :' — The real truth, ef course, is that the fashions have for the most part no courtly origin whatever, but are mere pretexts invented by the art of the clothesmonger and haberdasher for making fortunes dot. of the folly of women. The part which empresses, princesses and marchionesses play in 4 setting the fashions' is a veiy

subordinate one; the principal actor in the shifting scene is really the enterprising tradesman. He stands behind the curtain and pulls the strings which move the puppets. He has learnt in the practical school of commercial competition to study and to foster certain characteristic foibles bf women — their instinct of imitation, and their love of change. His •agents ransack the markets to procure him novelties, and as fast as he gets them he turns them to account. He knows that " the ladies of England," as their favourite journal is fond of saying, "are-divided into two classes— those who are, and those who are not able to be grossly extravagant in dress." The first of these classes he tempts through the love of 'novelty, pandering to their eternal craving for something different from that which they and their less "favoured" neighbours have got. In each Londoii circle, and in each country town, he finds a certain number of the " favoured," who take his tempting baits very freely. Some of the gayest, the most beautiful, the most fashionable, or the most aristocratic of these he uses as his stalking-horse to the adventurous tradesmen, which is the only relic now left to the aristocracy of their former real or •fabulous leadership in costume. This is the only respect in which they can now be said to ' set the fashions.' The game, opened, goes merrily -forward. No sooner is the 'last new thing ' snapped up • and exhibited by some 'favored' one, than the fever of bell-wetherism seizes on all the rest of the tribe. They follow like sheep in the track of the leader, still -achieving, still pursuing, some pressing closeupon her heels and others fairly distanced, but all faithfully following, all contributing' to swell the gains of the happy haberdasher. Their 'ignis fatuus is light to his feet and a lantern to his paths, never leading him astray from the way of 20 per cent., and conducting him ; finally to the haberdasher's heaven, a landed estate and a J.P.-ship. His course is as safe as it is easy. Tbe only-mistake he can. possibly make is that of introducing some costume which shall be so useful or sensible that it shall remain in vogue for a considerable period, say six months. And this mistake is one which, to do him .justice, he very rarely commits.