Dress

Ixwd Kal'mes reinarked, in hls '-History of Man," that "Providence hath cloitbed all anlinals that are unable to clotlue themselves. lian eau ctothe himself ; and he is endoiwed beside witlli an appetite foir dress, no less natural tlian an appefci'te tor ïood." But modern soeiologists hava have Bliown that this appetite Is not a natural, bufan acquired eme, beoauee oiríginally dress was nelther requdslte to haalth am object of dosire, lint was invented later from ■motives oi vanity. Mankin leamed to smear their bodies witi luigents as fi pratectiom against cold and hteat, next to stain oír paint them with vai-fcMifi colors, aad tlieo to decórate tliem wlBh picton-ial designs, beíore tfliiey discO'Vered tlie comfort of diress. "Jlen led the way, and avomen followed." Then, while polygamy and eeclusLou oí wives M-ere practlced togetber, mein dreeeed extravaganitly and woiaen siinply. The Median nobles, for instance, "wore loóse robes, floatlng in the air ; hatl loag hair co-vered wifclil a ricli bonnet, brncelets, chiaina oí gold, and precions stones ; ttaey painted their faceH anid mixed artificial halr wRh ■tilvat of nature." After polygamy was baai-ad tram G-reece, and the sexes wero tiras on a more equal foctting, ttee Atihenlan ladiee developc] a sttidden appebibe for sumptuoua dress, althchigh they never appeared in public. "They coiisuind I he whole moraiias at the toilet, employing puint an:l eve:-.v drug [or eleaütolg and whitening the skin; laiü red even upon Vheit II 13, and tooüs great care oi sth ; their ]uiué made u.p in bucklea vrii h a ', iion, was perfumed and spread upen t'he shoulders ; tneir dress was gant, and ;u"t;ull,v conbrived -DO' net o;ï a ïino rj'iiape." Ifc vo'uld fchus iseem ; ha t a co ed digaity stinvqlabed tihie deslr impiove Diatural beauty by art. Thiere ca.n be liltla doubt fcliat the I was the ïir.sfc part oï the body iwïiich was diressed or OTttamented. Natuff had provided flo-wens and featiiw.-; ready at hand, and ib i-j etUl a chlei object of ïeinale adou-nmefivt. Josepihufi saya tliat the JewI3.I1 ladies powdeired hair with gold diist. African prtnees do the same. In St. Gregory's time "th omen dressed the head extremely liigh ; environing it witli many tresses oï false hair, disposed ín knots and buckles, so as to resemble a regular íortification." IBtoile, in hia Jouraal for 1593, was tihe first to mentían -white powilw for the hair, and he tlls ua that tlhe nujis walked the stjreets o-I Paria ourled and powdered. This fashicu still lingera throughout Europe. But whatever ,may havo been the on-iginial moitive 'fov dress, w'hether utiaity oir vanity, we, to-day, should be guiided in its use by three causes ; Health, modesty and pleasure ; wliereas most oí us are ruled by iashton pride. We have now no Bumptuary lawe except tihose uinwriltten omes prescriibed by custoun. All are tree to obey or neglect them. But in olden Englistti times, rank or position was readidy dlscoverable by the dresB which, either by the legislature or by royal proclamation, was made ixnperative under pain o! heavy ïines. In Elizabetih's reign, tJioee who could spend L40 a year mtght wear sarctinet ia. the liniag oi their h&e, Iets, hate or caps. "Appremifces at the law," -'utter barrteters," mercluints, houeehoMars in city or town, migtLt wear a vrdlt of velvet im vlieir -ou-ïvi, jackets or coat.s. All otlier t-lase-s were also Speciücally legislated ïo.r, even to their nigtotcaps. However varioiis the cliaugca that may result from iaslüoa, all modes minimal t o healüi, modesty, and comfort, s'hould be dlscovuntenancea h tiu; sensible oí evei-y rank ei lile. I is simply riaiculous t'hat. we slwul penntb ourselves to be so much coiii,„n,,ri i,v t.iui -wluins o'L dresa era a.nd dve.ss promotors, regardlesa oï tlie comnian welfare. Thus stays ;uml tiglit-laciiig produce a uiultitude oï mLsclüeïs. Amomg otliers, tliey dtstort the body, displace the vital orgams, impede respiratieai and clrculation, cause inilige.stiooi, shortan li e, produce premature ibirths .uid stillboi-n. Tlíim soles are answerablü ïor a htost ioï pulino'ixa.ry eomplatets. Delicate wome.u and children wear hnntü n.n:l ahrkMl "WdllUl kil navvies. High heels wit! natural locoinotioii, and cripple "t'h'd best iormed feet. EoüUTvg t'he hair ■up iin.libtle tufts, leavliag patches o s;ilp exposed, induces neuralgia Ijow tlresses pi'oüuce dtoest eomplatots aml rheumatiim, and vüolate comnion modeety. Hoiv many tens oí ühouaanda oi fair womea are voluntary martyrs to tiwjse mjurlOMS methails ! Bivt t:liE most oifonalVe oí a.1 are t!h lotag skiirts whiuU sweep tlie Ktreets amd roadways, g-athering dirc axul ttlth, mucrobes and baoilli, at every st-ep. On a welt day one cees lll!' tv ri111i.n tvÍ'Í" li 1tt crr' rt_f ■ i 1 l-ili vix tliem lieking ivp the mud and sweeping' it ,axound their logs and anklee. TbSs is ome oí the ïoulest Blgh'ta that ta&hioa can offer us. In summer they aro folio-wed by a cloud of dust wliicli pofeoiLs those who ha va the misl'ortune to walk baliind them. A dress which might be harmlaae ;uid jraceful la a di-awiug-rocfiu is wora O& fhe hlgh-ways, amd shoes suitable cnly fora soft carpet are ground oo the liard pavemenjts iii oar novthern climate, and tlie vearers conslder llioimselves sane and sensible ! AVhat cari be done wheu health, movlesty, ;m 1 comfort are thus saeii.iced ingiy anti wilrully by the follies of fasliion ? AYhcu íifty times niOTe precibus lives are aanually lost to u.s fpom vanity thtan íroiu war ? "Vo eau only ask those realize t lioso tlangers to our uaticnial healtli and moráis to joln luaodis and heads iu bringing about ratlonal dress reform, and to urge all ■vithiu tL spheve oï alien1 influence to fsee tluit It be sanitary, becoming, and co-mfortable. In au old play by Ford, in wlhlcto it was claimed that women were more secreUve than men, the retort was- '■You secrete, wilieai your dn blab your vanities !"