LECTURE VIII. 



IN the brilliant arena of the polite world, the entrance to 

 which is decorated by the celebrated obelisk of Luxor, on 

 that field where, in bloodless battles, the victories of 

 fashion are decided, albeit, the ground was originally 

 consecrated to the " humilite de Notre Dame" in Long- 

 champ, not very long ago resounded the question, 

 "Paletot, or Mackintosh?" For the moment the Paletot 

 triumphed, but soon to fall before the Burnous and other 

 successors, while the Mackintosh, if no longer ruler of the 

 mode, still survives. It may be worth while to ask, what 

 it really is that has given the Mackintosh such value that 

 it will still be long retained in the wardrobe, as indis- 

 pensible for certain purposes. There are, besides the 

 champions of fashion, two opposite parties, one of which 

 asserts the excellence of, the other absolutely rejects, the 

 Mackintosh. Shall we not hear them ? 



The defenders extol the lightness which is combined 

 with perfect imperviousness to water and great warmth. 

 These excellences depend wholly upon the peculiar sub- 

 stance with which the cloth is made into Mackintosh, 

 the gum elastic, or Caoutchouc. This has recently acquired 



