The Merry Past 



who appeared one Sunday with tight petticoats, 

 made a perfect display of muscular motion. They 

 were dressed in the finest muslins, with " curricle " 

 jackets, orange shawls over the arm, the neck fashion- 

 ably bare, the arms bare to the shoulders ; the hair 

 dressed h la Grec, with ringlets a la Meduse ; no cap 

 or bonnet on the head, but only a rich white lace 

 veil, covering the head and shoulders also. The 

 moment these ladies entered the Park they created 

 a sensation, and were surrounded. They went out 

 of the public walk in hopes of avoiding attention ; 

 but by this they created more sensation, for seeing 

 a crowd at a distance, everyone ran to know what was 

 the matter. The throng became a downright mob, 

 consisting mostly of young men of the lower class, 

 in their Sunday clothes, who rudely pressed around 

 the ladies. They were not wilfully insulted ; no 

 one spoke to them, nor did anyone touch them ; 

 but the crowd was so great around, and so closely 

 followed them, that though they bore the dust and 

 uproar with much good humour for a time, they soon 

 discovered the necessity of going home. It was said at 

 the time that two of the ladies were Madame Recamier 

 and Madame Talien, but this was not the case. 



As the century grew into maturity woman's dress 

 lost much of the grace which had been such a salient 

 feature in the preceding age. 



From about 1835 ^^ ^ comparatively recent date 

 taste in such matters was at a very low ebb. At 

 various epochs some very curious costumes were 

 popular. 



272 



