DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18825#0187
LECT. VI.] OP CHARACTER. 343
incredible ; could it else ever have been thought
handsome, to wear the toes of the shoes half a
yard in length, insomuch that necessity obliged
the wearer to tie them to his knees ? or unless
this potent principle had reconciled the ladies to
the enormity of their dress, could our wise an-
cestors have had occasion to enact a statute restrain-
ing the immensity' of ruffs ?
The various dresses of mankind, perhaps, might
have their origin in utility, but they are certainly
retained by the power of custom. Education has
taught the youth to affix ideas of dignity, or of ele-
gance, to certain habits ; and willing to share the
respect paid to these habits, they adopt them with
readiness, if ever they have occasion to wear them.
This is, especially, notorious, in relation to habits
of office, which, though frequently unnatural, and
cumbersome, yet seem to impart a certain import-
ance to the wearer, correspondent to our regard for
his station: in which respect they greatly contri-
bute to character.
The ruffs and caps of our forefathers would so
effectually nn-charaflerize a modern fine gentleman,
that his most intimate acquaintance would not know
him : nor is less remarkable the effect produced by
the redundant full-bottomed wigs of our great law-
officers ; to which, if the pendent beard were added,
when Mr. Serjeant became a Judge, he might justly
defy the acutest brother of the coif to discover him.
In effect, the features of any man, who has not a
very singular cast of countenance, may be so dis-
guised
incredible ; could it else ever have been thought
handsome, to wear the toes of the shoes half a
yard in length, insomuch that necessity obliged
the wearer to tie them to his knees ? or unless
this potent principle had reconciled the ladies to
the enormity of their dress, could our wise an-
cestors have had occasion to enact a statute restrain-
ing the immensity' of ruffs ?
The various dresses of mankind, perhaps, might
have their origin in utility, but they are certainly
retained by the power of custom. Education has
taught the youth to affix ideas of dignity, or of ele-
gance, to certain habits ; and willing to share the
respect paid to these habits, they adopt them with
readiness, if ever they have occasion to wear them.
This is, especially, notorious, in relation to habits
of office, which, though frequently unnatural, and
cumbersome, yet seem to impart a certain import-
ance to the wearer, correspondent to our regard for
his station: in which respect they greatly contri-
bute to character.
The ruffs and caps of our forefathers would so
effectually nn-charaflerize a modern fine gentleman,
that his most intimate acquaintance would not know
him : nor is less remarkable the effect produced by
the redundant full-bottomed wigs of our great law-
officers ; to which, if the pendent beard were added,
when Mr. Serjeant became a Judge, he might justly
defy the acutest brother of the coif to discover him.
In effect, the features of any man, who has not a
very singular cast of countenance, may be so dis-
guised