ANGLICAN SURPLICES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 150, 17 March 1876, Page 8

ANGLICAN SURPLICES.

'■ The toilet of clergymen of the present day," says the ' Pall Mall Gazette, " must give them almost as much, if not more, trouble than that of young ladies who have plunged into a vortex of o-aiety, to judge by the advertisements of 'clerical tailors' which appear in ecclesiastical p n-iodicals. From one of these some interesting information can be gleaned respecting surplices. Of ' the pocket surpl'ce' we learn that its use has now become universal but whether it is simply carried in the pocket or worn on the shouldlrs is not stated. ' The pl.un-fatin? surplice ' is ' made to be work with or without a cassock, is of the pocket surplice shape and fits smooth round the neck, the slit with the button allowing the head to pass easily through.' There is also another ' piain-fittin<* si rphce. It is ' open clown the front, fits perfectly smooth round the neck and shoulders like the pocket surplice, and is so made that it will not fall away in front to show the trousers ' ' Short Cotta surplices are quite plain, and fall low on the shoulders' lucre are also 'slightly gathered surplices' and 'round neck gathered surplices.' The former, it is stated, ' have less fulness at the neck than the cathedral shxpe,' while the latter, which are to b 3 worn with a cassock, 'put on over the head, have a very nice appearance,' Any clergyman drawing a 'round neck gathered suipbce over his feet— in fact, getting into it the wron^ waywill m the present muddy condition of the streets present) on the other hand, a very nasty appearance, and prevent the vestment trom exciting those feelings of veneration which, if plunged into head foremost, is is calculated to produce." °