66

learn that the women of every rank at Genoa, as well as at Monacha, affected many of the customs of the Spaniards. He says: They wore fardingals like the Spanish ladies, which are circles of whalebone about their waist, bearing out their petticoats on all sides as far as they can well reach, insomuch that when two meet in a narrow street they find much difficulty to pass.'

in

Evelyn also says: "The inhabitants of this city are much affected to the Spanish mode and stately garbe." And Lasselles describes them as wearing "broad hats without hatbands, broad leather girdles with steel buckles, narrow britches, with long waisted doublets and hanging sleeves. The great ladies go guard infantas; that is, in horrible overgrown vertingals of whalebone, which being put about the waiste of the lady, and full as broad on both sides as she can reach with her hands, bear out her coats in such a manner that she appears to be as broad as long. The men look like tumblers that leap through hoops, and the women like those that anciently danced the Hobbyhorse in country mummings."

The dress worn at Ancona, according to Nisson, is very singular. On fête-days, he says, "they wear black clothes lined with green, blue stockings, shoes whitened with chalk, and tied with coloured ribbons ; their waistcoats unbuttoned, the cuffs of their coats embroidered ; their shirt sleeves hang over their hands. The women wear head-dresses, with long fringes over their faces; jackets of red or yellow silk, laced with seams of gold or silver lace, and short petticoats of a hundred colours."

Evelyn says, that at Lucca he bought, in 1645,

gloves and embroidered stomachers, the same as those "usually worn by gentlemen in these countries." The annexed cut represents the costume of a lady of Florence.

"The dress of the inhabitants of Sardinia," says Pinkerton," is a vest of white or scarlet woollen, covered with a long coat, or a short jacket, made out of four sheep-skins; this garment is without sleeves. The woman's dress has nothing peculiar."

THE

TOILETTE IN SICILY AND MALTA.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

ARTIN thus describes the dress of the Maltese: "They are clothed in a loose cotton shirt, over which is a wide vest or jacket, with silver, sometimes gold buttons; a long twisted scarf wound several times round the body, with very

often a sheathed knife placed therein; loose trousers, leaving the legs bare from nearly the knees downwards; and very peculiar shoes, called korch, which is a leathern sole fastened with strings or thongs to the foot and leg, nearly like the old Roman sandal. The head in winter is covered with a

woollen cap of different colours, having a hood attached, and falling down on the back; in summer large straw hats are worn. The women are attached to their primitive dress, consisting of a short cotton shift, a petticoat generally of a blue colour, and upper robe opening at the sides, and a corset without sleeves."

The higher classes among the Maltese follow the French and English fashions; but we must not omit to mention the faldetta, a black silk veil, their usual coiffure when abroad, which almost rivals in grace and elegance the much - admired mantilla of the Spanish.

Denon, in his "Travels in Sicily and Malta," in the year 1787, says: "Large breeches, a shirt of blue linen, a broad sash, and the arms and feet left naked, form the whole description of the light dress and ornaments of the Maltese." Speaking of the women, he remarks: "Their dresses display more of coquetry than magnificence; elegance and neatness constitute their luxury."

The accounts given by old authors of the magnificence of the ancient inhabitants of Sicily, are truly amazing. Plato, when he visited this island, was so struck with the luxury of Agrigentum, that he exclaimed, "They build as if they were never to die, and eat as if they had not an hour to live." Diodorus also, speaking of the riches of this island, mentions one of the citizens returning victorious from the Olympic games, and entering his city attended by

three hundred chariots, each drawn by four white horses, richly caparisoned; and gives many other instances of their profusion and luxury.

Brydone, in his "Tour through Sicily and Malta," says of the ladies of Palermo, "The ladies here have remarkably fine hair, and they understand how to dress and adorn it to the greatest advantage. It is now only used as an embellishment, but in former times, we are told that, like that of Samson, it was found to be the strength and protection of the country. Their historians relate (in whose reign, I believe, is rather dubious), that this city had suffered a long siege from the Saracens, and was greatly reduced by famine; but what distressed them still more, there were no materials to be found for making bowstrings, and they were on the point of surrendering. In this dilemma a patriotic dame stepped forth, and proposed to the women that the whole of them should cut off their hair, and twist it into bowstrings: this was immediately complied with. The besieged, animated by this gallant sacrifice of the fair, renewed their defence with so much vigour, that the assailants were beat off; and a reinforcement soon after arriving, the city was saved. The ladies still value themselves on this story. The hair of our ladies,' says one of their quaint poets, is still employed in the same office; but now it discharges no other shafts but those of Cupid; and the only cords it forms are the cords of love."

In Denon's "Travels" we read: "Historians relate, that the ancient Argyrians cut off their hair to sacrifice it to Hercules, in token of gratitude for the water with which that hero furnished them, Argyrium