DOI Heft:
June 4, 1859
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16623#0231
Jo»B 4, 1859.]
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
FASHION BOOKS FOR BABIES.
here, my dear Mr.
Punch, 1 have such a
treat for you. Now,
do guess what it is!
But no, I'm sure you
can't, and so I mean
" The genial rays of spring
sunshine have called forth a
variety of elegant novelties.
Out-door dress, whether for
the promenade or the car-
riage, begins to assume the
hues which Nature loves to
wear at the present sea-
son. Accordingly the most
fashionable colours are the
various shades of green and
lilac, mauve and violet.
Among the most favourite
" There now, isn't that a treat for you! Is it not delightful to think
of even babies being dressed a, la mode, and having their small toilettes
made according to the fashion ! How nice it seems to think that the
tiddy ickle sings should have their 'robes of nansouk' and their 1 satin
stitch embroidery,' and should be costumed for the cradle as when
more mature they will be for the carriage or the concert! Besides,
who can tell how this may not affect their disposition ? As the boy,
Mr. Punch, is the father to the man, I suppose so is the girl the mother
to the woman: and by nurturing an early love of finery and fashion,
to tell you. Am I not; we may secure its ripe development in after years. You of course
kind, Sir ? Now, only j know, Mr. Punch, that to many of us ladies the employment of dressing
just read this :— j is the chief business of our lives. As gourmands live to eat, fine ladies
live to dress ; and if we wish to bring our girls up to this business, I
think we can't do better than begin with them as babies. To train up
a child in the way in which the milliners and beau monde would have
her go, let us have by all means a Fashion Book for Babies, and let
their first spelling lesson be taken from its leaves.
" I remain, Mr. Punch, your true friend and well-wisher {only please
now don't make fun of me),
" Augusta Gushington,
" {nee Jones)."
"P.S. I suppose that as the father of & family you will say Valen-
Z^mramay01beUmention0ed ' ciennes is too expensive for your nursery. But you ought to recollect
taffety moire", figured with ' Sir, the dear little ducksy-wucksys are your own flesh and blood, and
~"TT, f^^^/y^^. y^/^/!^^^^^/smallsPrigsorsPot?- striPed have as much right to their little luxuries as you have. Give up your
®Cf Ak\^n^i3s^SSSK( m sri*8*1?ate? ™u^ISi«y°^> Greenwich dinners, do, you greedy man, and then you '11 easily afford to
crees that the stripes shall, let your wife buy nice laced baby-hnen.
run longitudinally and not | " P.S. Do you notice that your poppet must wear a broad blue sash,
horizontally." I which, mind, must be ' passed across the front of the corsage,' and be
' fastened at the waist in a bow with flowing ends.' I suppose that to
give a proper shape to the corsage, it will be essential that one's babies
should wear stays. The little feet of the Chinese ladies are formed
when in the cradle, and while our small waists are in fashion the pro-
cess of compression might likewise begin in babyhood."
" There now, isn't that
delightful! Only think
of the spring sunshine
calling forth the ' ele-
gant novelties' of dress,
just as it calls forth the lovely butterflies and buttercups, and all the
other charming novelties of Nature. And how nice it is to find that
what is natural is fashionable, and that one may wear ' the hues which
Nature loves to wear '—that is to say, of course, if they suit one's com-
olexion. And 0 ! lam so glad that striped silks are 'in favour,' for I
bought 0 ! such a love of a striped silk dress last autumn when we were
in Brussels, and what ever we are to do for gloves this year I can't think,
for of course no one can dream of going abroad with all this fighting,
and it's quite horrible to think of, Mr. Punch, now isn't it ? But of course
it won't be half so inconvenient to you men, for you buy your gloves
anywhere, and indeed numbers of you now never seem to me to wear
them, excepting upon Sundays and at Blower Shows, and places where
the presence of us ladies obliges you to do so—But what was I speaking
of? 0, I recollect, it was about my striped silk dress. I am so glad
that it's in fashion, for I've only worn it twice, because you know
we've been in mourning, and it will do so nicely if I can but get it
altered so as to make the stripes run up and down instead of round
and round it. I wish to goodness Fashion wouldn't be so changeable.
It is so horribly expensive always altering one's dresses, and you know
with all one's cutting and contriving one can never make an old dress
look as though it were a new one. But after all it' s no good grumbling.
Of course, whatever Empress Fashion may decree one must submit to.
One could never dream of wearing horizontal stripes, when Fashion
has decreed that we must wear them longitudinally !
" But, dear me, Mr. Punch, how I have been running on. I'm sure
when I sat down I had not the least idea of telling you about my dress.
Of course so great a personage ought not to be troubled about t hings
so insignificant. What I wished to tell you, and I'm quite sure that it
will be a great treat to you to hear it, is that in the paper where I spied
out the above sweetly interesting passage, and it does surprise me I
must say, Mr. Punch, that you who do so much for the instruction of
the public, do not do a little more to try and edify the ladies, and make
your young men weekly write about the Fashions and such instructive
topics, instead of all those horrid politics, which we are all so tired of,
and none of us a bit the wiser or the better for. It seems to me such
a pity that your valuable space should be wasted on such trifles as
Reform Bills and things, when there are such important matters as
new bonnets to be thought of, and subjects of such interest as wide
skirts to be discussed. But all this while I'm keeping you, poor man!
from the treat I have in store for you. You will find it at the end of
the article 1 've quoted. After describing some such ducks of dresses
worn in Paris, 0 ! how it makes one's eyes water to think of them!
the dear delightful writer explains the illustrations, which have been
added by some clever artist to the article. And this is the description
which is given of—
" Fig. 2. (Baby.) Long robe of nansouk, with tablier front, formed of rich needle-
work and lace insertion. The latter is disposed so as to leave intermediate lozenge-
formed spaces, which are embroidered in satin stitch. The cap is formed of insertion
and needlework, and has a full double border of Valenciennes lace. On one side
here is a bow of blue ribbon. a broad blue sash is fixed on one shoulder, and after
assing across the front of the corsage is drawn under the arm and fastened at the
FINANCIERS AND FLEABITES.
The fact cannot be too widely known, and Punch may therefore
publish it, that the Chancellor op the Exchequer, when addiessing
his Constituents, spoke of the National Debt as being " a mere
fleabite."
Now, knowing as he does the resources of the country, Punch is
not disposed to make the National Debt a bugbear; but still less is
he inclined to view it as a fleabite. If we call things by right names,
we cannot talk of debts of some few hundred millions as being merely
fleabites. Punch has very little doubt that were it necessary to raise
the needful for the debt, our national resources would enable us to do
so. But there is no use in denying that the process would pinch
us more than a "mere fleabite;" and Punch therefore enters a pro-
test to the phrase, as being in accordance with neither truth nor
taste. If Mr. Disraeli thinks by speaking of our national expenses
as " mere fleabites " to reconcile the country to paying a War Income-
tax, when the country has no liking nor occasion for a War, and has
said and done its best to keep its rulers out of one, Punch thinks,
should this be so, that when Mr. Disraeli next " goes to the country "
he will return to town with rather a large fleabite in his ear, by a flea
bred from that by which the country has been bitten.
Advice to Those who wish to Pick up Something on the
Turf.
Young man, be moderate in your bets. Look at the Goose with the
Golden Eggs, and reflect upon his ruin, and ask yourself whether it
was not accelerated entirely by what he was in the habit of laying ?
Take warning from his melancholy fate, and bear in mind that the less
you lay, the less chance there is of your being ultimately cut up.—The
Hermit o f the Haymarket.
Lamentable Ignorance.
Some fools, who evidently know nothing of human nature, have been
trying to bribe the Swiss in Rome. What a senseless waste of money !
The blockheads deserve to have lost it, as they did, for not having
offered enough. " Parlez au Suisse " if you like, but do not insult
the poor faithful fellow by offering him a miserable sum that his coil-
science, knowing the full value of what an incorruptible nature like
his is worth, will not allow him to accept. Shame!
Non-Intervention.—So strong is Kossuth in favour of non-inter-
vention, that he intends disposing of the 40,000 muskets which were
presented to him by subscription in America, and forwarding the
ack of the waist in a bow with long flowing ends." proceeds to the Peace Society.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
FASHION BOOKS FOR BABIES.
here, my dear Mr.
Punch, 1 have such a
treat for you. Now,
do guess what it is!
But no, I'm sure you
can't, and so I mean
" The genial rays of spring
sunshine have called forth a
variety of elegant novelties.
Out-door dress, whether for
the promenade or the car-
riage, begins to assume the
hues which Nature loves to
wear at the present sea-
son. Accordingly the most
fashionable colours are the
various shades of green and
lilac, mauve and violet.
Among the most favourite
" There now, isn't that a treat for you! Is it not delightful to think
of even babies being dressed a, la mode, and having their small toilettes
made according to the fashion ! How nice it seems to think that the
tiddy ickle sings should have their 'robes of nansouk' and their 1 satin
stitch embroidery,' and should be costumed for the cradle as when
more mature they will be for the carriage or the concert! Besides,
who can tell how this may not affect their disposition ? As the boy,
Mr. Punch, is the father to the man, I suppose so is the girl the mother
to the woman: and by nurturing an early love of finery and fashion,
to tell you. Am I not; we may secure its ripe development in after years. You of course
kind, Sir ? Now, only j know, Mr. Punch, that to many of us ladies the employment of dressing
just read this :— j is the chief business of our lives. As gourmands live to eat, fine ladies
live to dress ; and if we wish to bring our girls up to this business, I
think we can't do better than begin with them as babies. To train up
a child in the way in which the milliners and beau monde would have
her go, let us have by all means a Fashion Book for Babies, and let
their first spelling lesson be taken from its leaves.
" I remain, Mr. Punch, your true friend and well-wisher {only please
now don't make fun of me),
" Augusta Gushington,
" {nee Jones)."
"P.S. I suppose that as the father of & family you will say Valen-
Z^mramay01beUmention0ed ' ciennes is too expensive for your nursery. But you ought to recollect
taffety moire", figured with ' Sir, the dear little ducksy-wucksys are your own flesh and blood, and
~"TT, f^^^/y^^. y^/^/!^^^^^/smallsPrigsorsPot?- striPed have as much right to their little luxuries as you have. Give up your
®Cf Ak\^n^i3s^SSSK( m sri*8*1?ate? ™u^ISi«y°^> Greenwich dinners, do, you greedy man, and then you '11 easily afford to
crees that the stripes shall, let your wife buy nice laced baby-hnen.
run longitudinally and not | " P.S. Do you notice that your poppet must wear a broad blue sash,
horizontally." I which, mind, must be ' passed across the front of the corsage,' and be
' fastened at the waist in a bow with flowing ends.' I suppose that to
give a proper shape to the corsage, it will be essential that one's babies
should wear stays. The little feet of the Chinese ladies are formed
when in the cradle, and while our small waists are in fashion the pro-
cess of compression might likewise begin in babyhood."
" There now, isn't that
delightful! Only think
of the spring sunshine
calling forth the ' ele-
gant novelties' of dress,
just as it calls forth the lovely butterflies and buttercups, and all the
other charming novelties of Nature. And how nice it is to find that
what is natural is fashionable, and that one may wear ' the hues which
Nature loves to wear '—that is to say, of course, if they suit one's com-
olexion. And 0 ! lam so glad that striped silks are 'in favour,' for I
bought 0 ! such a love of a striped silk dress last autumn when we were
in Brussels, and what ever we are to do for gloves this year I can't think,
for of course no one can dream of going abroad with all this fighting,
and it's quite horrible to think of, Mr. Punch, now isn't it ? But of course
it won't be half so inconvenient to you men, for you buy your gloves
anywhere, and indeed numbers of you now never seem to me to wear
them, excepting upon Sundays and at Blower Shows, and places where
the presence of us ladies obliges you to do so—But what was I speaking
of? 0, I recollect, it was about my striped silk dress. I am so glad
that it's in fashion, for I've only worn it twice, because you know
we've been in mourning, and it will do so nicely if I can but get it
altered so as to make the stripes run up and down instead of round
and round it. I wish to goodness Fashion wouldn't be so changeable.
It is so horribly expensive always altering one's dresses, and you know
with all one's cutting and contriving one can never make an old dress
look as though it were a new one. But after all it' s no good grumbling.
Of course, whatever Empress Fashion may decree one must submit to.
One could never dream of wearing horizontal stripes, when Fashion
has decreed that we must wear them longitudinally !
" But, dear me, Mr. Punch, how I have been running on. I'm sure
when I sat down I had not the least idea of telling you about my dress.
Of course so great a personage ought not to be troubled about t hings
so insignificant. What I wished to tell you, and I'm quite sure that it
will be a great treat to you to hear it, is that in the paper where I spied
out the above sweetly interesting passage, and it does surprise me I
must say, Mr. Punch, that you who do so much for the instruction of
the public, do not do a little more to try and edify the ladies, and make
your young men weekly write about the Fashions and such instructive
topics, instead of all those horrid politics, which we are all so tired of,
and none of us a bit the wiser or the better for. It seems to me such
a pity that your valuable space should be wasted on such trifles as
Reform Bills and things, when there are such important matters as
new bonnets to be thought of, and subjects of such interest as wide
skirts to be discussed. But all this while I'm keeping you, poor man!
from the treat I have in store for you. You will find it at the end of
the article 1 've quoted. After describing some such ducks of dresses
worn in Paris, 0 ! how it makes one's eyes water to think of them!
the dear delightful writer explains the illustrations, which have been
added by some clever artist to the article. And this is the description
which is given of—
" Fig. 2. (Baby.) Long robe of nansouk, with tablier front, formed of rich needle-
work and lace insertion. The latter is disposed so as to leave intermediate lozenge-
formed spaces, which are embroidered in satin stitch. The cap is formed of insertion
and needlework, and has a full double border of Valenciennes lace. On one side
here is a bow of blue ribbon. a broad blue sash is fixed on one shoulder, and after
assing across the front of the corsage is drawn under the arm and fastened at the
FINANCIERS AND FLEABITES.
The fact cannot be too widely known, and Punch may therefore
publish it, that the Chancellor op the Exchequer, when addiessing
his Constituents, spoke of the National Debt as being " a mere
fleabite."
Now, knowing as he does the resources of the country, Punch is
not disposed to make the National Debt a bugbear; but still less is
he inclined to view it as a fleabite. If we call things by right names,
we cannot talk of debts of some few hundred millions as being merely
fleabites. Punch has very little doubt that were it necessary to raise
the needful for the debt, our national resources would enable us to do
so. But there is no use in denying that the process would pinch
us more than a "mere fleabite;" and Punch therefore enters a pro-
test to the phrase, as being in accordance with neither truth nor
taste. If Mr. Disraeli thinks by speaking of our national expenses
as " mere fleabites " to reconcile the country to paying a War Income-
tax, when the country has no liking nor occasion for a War, and has
said and done its best to keep its rulers out of one, Punch thinks,
should this be so, that when Mr. Disraeli next " goes to the country "
he will return to town with rather a large fleabite in his ear, by a flea
bred from that by which the country has been bitten.
Advice to Those who wish to Pick up Something on the
Turf.
Young man, be moderate in your bets. Look at the Goose with the
Golden Eggs, and reflect upon his ruin, and ask yourself whether it
was not accelerated entirely by what he was in the habit of laying ?
Take warning from his melancholy fate, and bear in mind that the less
you lay, the less chance there is of your being ultimately cut up.—The
Hermit o f the Haymarket.
Lamentable Ignorance.
Some fools, who evidently know nothing of human nature, have been
trying to bribe the Swiss in Rome. What a senseless waste of money !
The blockheads deserve to have lost it, as they did, for not having
offered enough. " Parlez au Suisse " if you like, but do not insult
the poor faithful fellow by offering him a miserable sum that his coil-
science, knowing the full value of what an incorruptible nature like
his is worth, will not allow him to accept. Shame!
Non-Intervention.—So strong is Kossuth in favour of non-inter-
vention, that he intends disposing of the 40,000 muskets which were
presented to him by subscription in America, and forwarding the
ack of the waist in a bow with long flowing ends." proceeds to the Peace Society.