PEOPLE'S HATS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2115, 14 October 1875, Page 3

PEOPLE'S HATS.

There is probably no portion of huuiau cos tame which exercises such tyranny over the soul of man as the hat. It is not for us to speak without presumption of the infinite interest that may bo represented to the femiuiDe soul by those etherial structures which pass for hats in the "modes," but we arc at liberty to discuss our own masculbe head-dress as we please, and we generally please to consider it in no heavenly frame of mind. The world in general expressing itself in vague but terrorising laws, conveyed by implication in such phrases as ".Not fit to be seen," " What will people say ? " " Quite a fright," " A shocking bad hat," and the like, shows a preference for hats that are new, and glossy, and expensive, and uncomfortable. The individual man, when he unbosoms himself in the secret confidence of devoted friendship, or in the reflections of profound solitude, confess an attachment to old and battered and unpresentable hats. There never was a more sociably popular song than that with the sad refrain—" Oh, low the times arc altered, since this old hat was new !" There never was a more concentrated embodiment of popular scorn for novel display than the saying which imputed to the man who wore a white hat the crime of stealing. the donkey. It might have beeu a relic of the political scorn of a bygone era, but for the vulgarity of the charge, which suggests a nearer relationship to eostermongerdom than to the Country Party ; but it is recorded in the life of Tom t)uncombe, that " Orator " Hunt's white hat "was regarded as almost as significant as the Republican lonnet rouge in the lieien of Terror." The famous member for Preston was not the only Radical leader with a preference for the chajieau blanc, for in contemporary history the atiquc white hat of Mr Gladstone has furnished parliamentary sketch-writers with as many allusions as the Speaker's wig. White hats are not the only headcoverings that have made their mark m politics. It is not many years since «• Bockum-Dolff's Hat" was the cause of a perfect fury on the Continent, and narrowly escaped the honor of becoming a cams belli. "The late Sir James Graham's hat was the innocent cause of a ■candal on the first occasion when the House of Commons ■ received a message" from her Majesty. When Lord John Bussell appeared at the bar to deliver that message, oight-aud-thirty years ago, A^on the 21st of this month, Sir James kept W his hat on iv spite of cries of " Hats off!" and the Speaker's declaration that " Members must be uncovered," and only <- removed it after Lord John began to speak. The True Sun of that evening was very severe upou the supposed exhibition of disloyalty; and it was not unt'l next day that Sir James was able to explain that he had followed theold parliamentary custom of waiting to hear the word "Eegina " (or " Rex") before he took off his hat—as the more emphatic mode of showing respect for the crown. At least, so it is recorded by Graham s biographer, who says Mr admitted, "that the hbn. member lor East Cumberland was correct in his observance of the practice of the House; and he accounted for his own apparent deviation therefrom by his desire to preserve order and save time." According to a story told by Lord Campbell in his ." Lives ot. the Chancellors," a strayed hat did good, service in betraying the undue intimacy of Lord Thurlow with " the first gentleman in Europe." There being a Council meeting appointed to be held at ■Wmd.sor to consider the Eegency rmesHon, Ihurlow went down before any ot his colleagues. After the Council, the Chancellor s hat could not be found The chamber ■ where the meeting was held had been searched in vain, when, as Campbell records the incident, -a. page came with . the bat in hia hand, saying aloud, and with great nctivett, 'My lord, I found it Tn tic closet of his ifJoyal Highness the

Prince of Wales.' The other ministers were still in the hall, aud Thurlow's confusion corroborated the inference which they drew." For is -this the only country in which tho hat has played a political part. In the French war of classes the famous chorus of one of BeYanger'g sougs — " Chapeau bas ! chapeau bas 1 Gloria au Marquis do Carabas !" has produced as great an effect as the tradition of Gessler's hat and Tell's contempt of it has had upon the freedom of Switzerland.

It is curious enough, with these incidents in mind, to remember that the Swiss originally,.brought hats into fashion iv France. The first of these articles of clothing made in Paris were manufactured by Swiss people, about 470 years ago; though it is said they did not come into general use until after Charles VII. had made his triumphal entry into Kouen in 1440, wearing a b»t with a red velvet lining and gorgeous plume. Old Stow says the first hats in England were made here by Spaniards in 1510; and it appears that high crowns, which were first popular in the days of " good Qneen Bess," were out of fashion till 1783, since which time they have held their own, to the intense mortification of all sensible, easygoing people. In these days, -when guinea hats are thought but moderate, the student of history may morn for the sumptuary laws of " bluff King Harry," who fixed the minimum price of a hat at twenty pence. That ordinance must" have been of short life, for in the-Court of Henry's daughter, .Raleigh wore a ruby in the feather of his hat, and fixed the feather with a pearl instead of a button. That sort of headdress, if it came into use • now, might justify an embarrassed Chancellor of the Exchequer in reviving the stamp duty which was placed on beavers in 1784 and again in 1786, and was repealed only in 1811. The difficulty would be to' levy such an impost without oppression; for while here and there we may find a man who would be proud to pay a high ad valorem duty on his hat, and brag of it as some infatuated Americans do of their income tax payments, the class whose exigencies condemn them to head-coverings like Sam Weller's "patent wcntilatin' gossamer" is large enough to make as great a hubbub as the match box makers who rendered Mr Lowe's life a burden to him. — Globe.

A Little too Ukkeason able.—-We like to bo accommodating and all that, but when we* lend a pipe, then some tobacco, scratch a match for him, hold it over the combustible weed while he draws, we think it a piece of flagrant imposition on generosity when he asks us to lend him 50 cents.

Tub CoßMorotiTAN Hotel, Auckland.— Our special correspondent •writes :— Mr Rowl*nd R. Campion, 1 formerly of the Oity Club, Exohange, aud Point Russell Hotels, is now in full posseseion of those centrally situated premises at the corner of Queen and West Queen s' recta, and within a couple of doors from the Insurance Buildings, where »lie liit'o knots of brokers, agents, and business people most co congregate Since the new proprietor's occupation, enlargement, improvements, &c, in fact everything which could add to the com fovt aud convenience of bis patrons,' have been most carefully studied. From Mr Campion's well-known connection with the business, and tho number of his wall-wishers and friends, lie will bo certain, a<J the " Yank" says, to do a roaring trade. On Monr'ay afternoon I went over the building aud could not help noticing-that iv overy way the Cosmopolitan Hotrl has been fifed, furnished, and renovated in such » way as will give satisfaction to visitors, besides reflecting credit upon the calculating forethought of the nevr landlord. The new houso promises to be a favorite amongst the Aucilandors. ' .'

(For remainder of News see Fourth Fayc.J