Eustace, John Cretwode: A classical tour through Italy An. MDCCCII (Vol. 4): 3. ed., rev. and enl (London: J. Mawman, 1815)

112 CLASSICAL TOUR Ch, IV.
a black triangle (a form and color admirably
combining both inconvenience and deformity),
in other words a cocked hat! Addison has said,
that if an absurd dress or mode creeps into the
world, it is very soon observed and exploded;
but that if once it be admitted into the church, it
becomes sacred and remains for ever. Whether
the latter part of this observation be well or ill-
founded, I will not at present undertake to de-
termine ; but the first part is clearly contradicted
by the long reign of French fashions in courts,
and by the apparent reluctance to remove them.
After all, it must appear singular, and almost
unaccountable, that courts so proud of their
pre-eminence, and nations so tenacious of their
independence, should so generally submit to the
sacrifice of their national habits, and in their
stead put on the livery of France, a badge of
slavery, and a tacit acknowledgment of infe-
riority.
It was hoped at the union, that the French

Dextra mihi Deus et telum quod missile libro.
Virgil x.
Our polished courtiers choose to imitate the latter. I re-
commend to their perusal a passage of Thucydides on this
subject.—Lib. i.