DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0400
J 358 )
The Origin of the Females exposing their Bosoms.
W hen the Sicambrii, a clan in France, began to retire
and fly from the field of battle, their women met them,
uncovered their bosoms, and said, “ Strike there, ye
cowards I we wish that you would slay us, rather than ex-
pose us to the disgrace attendant on slavery This beha-
viour, and their reproaches, raised the courage of the
Sicambrii, and alarmed their- pride : they rallied, returned
to the charge, repulsed and entirely defeated the enemy,
In commemoration of the share their woinen had in the
honour of that day, they were permitted to let their bosoms
remain bare; and thus this fashion, which still prevails,
owed its origin to the undaunted behaviour of their females
on that occasion.
So far respecting a stimulus to courage, from the sudden,
and almost never-failing presence of mind, inherent in the
fair sex in al] ages, the good effects of it were here most
sensibly felt; and had our females of the present day,
waited the dreadful period of a defeat from an implacable
enemy, they would then have done well, in imitating this
conduct of the Sicambrian women.—But imitating them
prematurely, and without a cause, in the exposure of what
modesty should conceal, has left us almost destitute of any
hope to be derived from their assistance in the hour of
extremity?
DREADFUL EFFECTS OF FAMINE,
During the siege of Paris in 169Q, after the inhabitants
had eaten the straw of their Beds, old hides, &c. they
took up the bones from the church-yards, ground them,
and eat them. Upwards of 100Q persons died of famine, hut
when a search was made in the different religions houses,
flour,-biscuit, salt meat, and other provisions were found,
sufficient to support these priests eight months, procured
by begging and intrigue,—Yet the priests during this siege,
The Origin of the Females exposing their Bosoms.
W hen the Sicambrii, a clan in France, began to retire
and fly from the field of battle, their women met them,
uncovered their bosoms, and said, “ Strike there, ye
cowards I we wish that you would slay us, rather than ex-
pose us to the disgrace attendant on slavery This beha-
viour, and their reproaches, raised the courage of the
Sicambrii, and alarmed their- pride : they rallied, returned
to the charge, repulsed and entirely defeated the enemy,
In commemoration of the share their woinen had in the
honour of that day, they were permitted to let their bosoms
remain bare; and thus this fashion, which still prevails,
owed its origin to the undaunted behaviour of their females
on that occasion.
So far respecting a stimulus to courage, from the sudden,
and almost never-failing presence of mind, inherent in the
fair sex in al] ages, the good effects of it were here most
sensibly felt; and had our females of the present day,
waited the dreadful period of a defeat from an implacable
enemy, they would then have done well, in imitating this
conduct of the Sicambrian women.—But imitating them
prematurely, and without a cause, in the exposure of what
modesty should conceal, has left us almost destitute of any
hope to be derived from their assistance in the hour of
extremity?
DREADFUL EFFECTS OF FAMINE,
During the siege of Paris in 169Q, after the inhabitants
had eaten the straw of their Beds, old hides, &c. they
took up the bones from the church-yards, ground them,
and eat them. Upwards of 100Q persons died of famine, hut
when a search was made in the different religions houses,
flour,-biscuit, salt meat, and other provisions were found,
sufficient to support these priests eight months, procured
by begging and intrigue,—Yet the priests during this siege,