up the
sides of the dress (where they seemed to have no possible right); and
those vanished when double skirts commenced their brief reign; to be
dethroned by a severe-looking quilted ruffle marching around the hem of
the dress and up the centre to the throat; and this grave adornment
suddenly found its place usurped by an inundation of fantastic
trimmings, jet, bugles, _passementerie_, velvet or lace. So much for
skirts!

Then the bodices:--_now_ nothing was to be seen but the "square cut"
which revealed the fine busts of beauties in the days of Charles
II.,--now graceful folds _a coeur_ sentimentally ruled the day,--now
infant waists became a passion, and the most maternal forms aped the
juvenility borrowed from their babies. Then for sleeves: at one time
they were wide and long and cumbrous, forbidding every trace of the most
rounded member beneath; then they took the form of antique drapery,
disclosing the arm almost nude, save for the transparent lace of the
undersleeve,--then the close, tight fit of the Quaker left all but a
distorted outline to the imagination.

And bonnets: at one moment the tiniest bird's-nest of a hat, embowered
in feathers and buried in lace, was perched on the back of the head,
reminding one of Punch's suggestion that it could be more conveniently
carried upon a salver by a domestic walking behind; a little later, the
only bonnet admissible closed around the face like a cap, laces and
feathers had disappeared, a few tastefully disposed knots of ribbon, or
a single flower, were the only adornments: but hardly had Good Sense
nodded approvingly at the graceful simplicity with which heads were
covered, when, lo! the bonnets shot up like bright-hued coal-scuttles,
over which a basket of buds and blossoms had been suddenly upset, and
went through a variety of fantastic transformations wholly
indescribable.

So with other articles of attire. Mantles that had established for
themselves a natural and convenient length suddenly grew down to the hem
of the dress; basques, high in favor, were routed by Zouave jackets;
girdles were at one moment drawn down with tight pressure until they
barely surmounted the hips, the next were allowed to take an almost
natural round (as far as their fitting locality went), and next were put
wholly to flight by pointed Swiss belts, with enormous bows, and long,
flowing ends,--while these, in turn, were chased from the field by
picturesque scarfs.

Then as regards