riety of color and form; the human taste is
equally diversified, and the forms and complexions of men are not less
various.

It is clear to my mind that we may reason from this, that men not only
may, but should dress in different forms and colors and after differing
styles. What is pleasing to some men's taste is and ever will be
displeasing to others. Taste is an inherent quality in our minds. We
naturally possess tastes peculiar to ourselves, and no amount of culture
can make these differing tastes agreeably harmonious. Some tastes revel
in the gay, others in the grave, others in the changing. Some delight in
high colors, others in subdued; some in diversity, others in sameness.
There is nothing irreligious in this difference in taste. Each one is
equally gratified in God's beautiful and diversified works. The grave
and golden clouds, the dark and rosy tints of the sunset sky, the
gorgeous rainbow and the modest Aurora, the flashing flower and the
lowly heather, the towering pine and the creeping vine, the rich green
field of summer and the calm gray forest of winter, the thousand million
forms of the hill-and-dale landscape, and the equally diversified colors
and forms of birds and beasts, confer the richest feasts of pleasure
upon every variety of natural taste.

Looking thus upon the panoramic field of God's works, we must conclude
that he has taken especial care to gratify the varying tastes of his
creatures. And more than this; we must conclude that He himself has an
infinite taste, which finds an infinite pleasure in making and viewing
this magnificent universe of flashing splendor and somber sweetness,
this field on field, system beyond system, far off where human eye can
never reach, all shining and moving in an infinite variety of forms,
colors and movements. Moreover, we can not but feel that God is a lover
of Dress. He has put on robes of beauty and glory upon all his works.
Every flower is dressed in richness; every field blushes beneath a
mantle of beauty; every star is vailed in brightness; every bird is
clothed in the habiliments of the most exquisite taste. The cattle upon
the thousand hills are dressed by the Hand Divine. Who, studying God in
his works, can doubt that he will smile upon the evidence of correct
taste manifested by his children in clothing the forms he has made them?
Who can doubt that Dress is a matter properly coming within purview of
religion? Religion is what we learn of God. It i