ISLAND OF NAXOS. 99 
high breeding, were generally Considered as CHAP. 
marks of vulgarity ; that the wives and daugh- 
ters of our nobility wore the plainest, and gene- 
rally the cheapest, apparel. Still, their curiosity 
was not satisfied; they wished we would tell 
them of what materials the dresses consisted ; 
and whether any thing of the kind could be had 
at Malta, or Constantinople ; and in the evident 
desire which they betrayed of imitating the 
London mode, we were amused in thinking what 
sort of a metamorphosis would be effected by 
the arrival of an English woman of rank at 
Naxos: what discarding of brocade, and coloured 
velvet, and embroidered vests, for British 
muslin and stuffs : what scrambling for a few 
pieces of crape and cambric, if such merchan- 
dize should arrive in the midst of the revolution: 
how all the old family wardrobes, which had 
been handed down in form and substance from 
the Justinianis, the Grimaldis, and the Summa- 
ripas 8 , would give place to the simplest English 
costume. As we had a variety of other busi- 
ness to claim our attention, during the short 
stay we intended to make, we put an end to a 
chain of inquiries that redoubled after every 
answer, by promising to send all the latest 
(2) See Tournefvrt, ibid. p. Kl. 
Ill 
