THE PHYSIOGNOMY OF COATS. 57 



fierce it looks, even whilst he is smiling like any lamb ; but more 

 especially watch it when he is in a passion it seems instinct with life, 

 and this character soon becomes indelibly impressed upon it. Then 

 again, look at the coat of the humble-minded man, the henpecked 

 husband for example how sleek and smooth it is from skirt to collar ; 

 from shoulder to wrist, it is a perfect index of his disposition ; and 

 though there may be hypocrisy in his face, and he may look right 

 valiantly his coat betrays him : a smooth coat shows a man to have 

 no more spirit than a Bologna sausage. And again, mark the coat 

 of the meditative man, particularly if unmarried its collar is 

 twisted, it is buttoned awry, and the cuffs are, ten to one, turned up, 

 whilst one of the skirts, from a habit which the man has of carrying 

 one of his hands resting behind him, has a most curious and 

 characteristic "swirl." Then the coat of the precise man, observe 

 the contrast what mathematical accuracy ! every button breathes of 

 the man, order is legibly written upon it and as he carefully raises 

 and lays aside the skirts as he sits down, you may fancy the broad- 

 cloth is acting in sympathy with his peculiar temperament it seems 

 to lay itself out so smoothly and so gingerly. Mark the contour of 

 the careless coat hitched up here, bagging out there, collar 

 crumpled, and skirts looking for all the world as if they had passed 

 through a plaiting-machine. You never need therefore to look at a 

 man's face : if you want to know any thing precise as to his dis- 

 positions and habits, look at his coat, that cannot lie. It matters 

 not whether the coat be new or old by the wonderful adaptative 

 powers of the tailor, to which we have already alluded, he gives at 

 once a general character, the minor details being always at once 

 filled up by the wearer. 



The physiognomy of coats is assuredly one of the most interesting 

 of street studies. You cannot very well stare a man in the face and 

 read his history there, but you may without offence march soberly 

 behind him, and lo ! he has his life written upon his back, and a 

 curious volume it often is. We are, ourselves, peculiar adepts in 

 this science, and many a singular autobiography do we pick up in 

 our daily peregrinations. The poor and proud man he whom the 

 fates have thrust below his natural position, may be at once detected 

 by his coat : this is a painful subject of contemplation : we trace the 

 -decay of his fortunes, with all its sufferings and privations, in his 

 threadbare habiliment: his coat cannot lose its character, and what 

 pains and study must he have gone through to have preserved it in its 

 integrity ! all its vulnerable points have, perhaps, lost caste, but still, 

 as a whole, it is impossible to mistake cither the coat or its wearer. 

 We never come into contact with one of these subjects of reflection 

 but we are made melancholy, and are ready to chide the man for 

 thus markedly exhibiting his misfortunes. What right has he thus 

 to draw upon our sympathies? what business to hang out a sign- 

 board for pity ? He ought to discard his reliquice, and were he a 

 man of taste he would do so but wo the while ! poverty and taste 

 are bad co-mates. 



We have said that coats assume a particular character, dependent 

 M.M.No. 7. H 



