Now here, on the other hand, is a dress which, being founded on
principles, can serve us as an excellent guide and model; it has
been drawn for me, most kindly, by Mr. Godwin from the Duke of
Newcastle's delightful book on horsemanship, a book which is one of
our best authorities on our best era of costume. I do not of
course propose it necessarily for absolute imitation; that is not
the way in which one should regard it; it is not, I mean, a revival
of a dead costume, but a realization of living laws. I give it as
an example of a particular application of principles which are
universally right. This rationally dressed young man can turn his
hat brim down if it rains, and his loose trousers and boots down if
he is tired--that is, he can adapt his costume to circumstances;
then he enjoys perfect freedom, the arms and legs are not made
awkward or uncomfortable by the excessive tightness of narrow
sleeves and knee-breeches, and the hips are left quite
untrammelled, always an important point; and as regards comfort,
his jacket is not too loose for warmth, nor too close for
respiration; his neck is well protected without being strangled,
and even his ostrich feathers, if any Philistine should object to
them, are not merely dandyism, but fan him very pleasantly, I am
sure, in summer, and when the weather is bad they are no doubt left
at home, and his cloak taken out. THE VALUE OF THE DRESS IS SIMPLY
THAT EVERY SEPARATE ARTICLE OF IT EXPRESSES A LAW. My young man is
consequently apparelled with ideas, while Mr. Huyshe's young man is
stiffened with facts; the latter teaches one nothing; from the
former one learns everything. I need hardly say that this dress is
good, not because it is seventeenth century, but because it is
constructed on the true principles of costume, just as a square
lintel or pointed arch is good, not because one may be Greek and