Ruffs

ïbu fashion of wearing wiue ruffs is revived ; but we trust they wiil not attain to to the dimensions ol the ruff of the j Elizabethan age. ïhe wearer of the rutf was then, it is said, in a state of ceaseless agony lest its fino inflexibility should be broken or injured, und its bewired and starched circumfereuee should haveafall. The Elizabethan dame drew back from all who approached too near, crying, " Not ocioso; thy bretith will draw my ruff" And it was ulmost as venturesome to clasp ïer in an embrace as to clusp a circular i aw. The eilief utensil for keeping ruffs i Lone up was the forking-stick of steel, . which Aatolycus hnd among his wares. 3y the a4d of this forking-stick, heated in he fire, the quills of the ruff were ironed nto the exact syrumetry, which was the jlory of the bello of the poriod. Tho 'ashion of wearing ruffs began ulwut liV7(i, according to Stowe ; and, under the fosering hands of starch and forking-sticks, hey were worn to the length of h quarter of a yard. The belles wera not the only ones who were adorned by these immense surcingles, for the dandies of that day also assuined the ruff iu its largest proportions, as all the portraits of the ancient cavaliers attest. This vast stiucture of gauze was styled, in England. "the Prench ruff," bnt ;he French, in retaliation, named it " the Ënglish monster." (úeen Elizabeth whose throat was very wrinkled and yelow with age, wore the broadest and stift'est ruff of any ono in Europe, excepting the Queen of Navarro ; and her ruffs were composed of the linest embroideries, enriched with gold and silver threads, and even precious stones were introduced into th3m. Hhe empjoyed, we are told, endiosa yards of cutwork and purple needle-work, lace, and lace of gold and of silver, onriched with pearls, and bugles and spangles in the fabrications of her threeply ruff. But she would not pertnit any of her subjects to adorn themselves in a similar niauner, and ordered grave citizens to stand at the gates of Loodon and lay hands on the wearers all beyond a certain width, in order to show her prerogative to dress more absurd than any of her subjects.