Paris Days and Evenings. By Stuart Henry. (T. Fisher Unwin.)
—There are many curious things in this book, and some, cer- tainly, that are not wholly edifying. Among the latter is one which nevertheless might, from one point of view, be good to read; it is headed "A Great Fashion House." This is a gigantic establishment, with returns of £400,000 and five hundred employ4s, some of whom do nothing but promenade in new dresses devised by the junior partner. (It is de rigueur that they should have waists not exceeding 194 in.) But the folly and meanness to which women will descend in search of dress are almost incredible. Some spend enormous sums, one going as far as £1,200 per annum ; others contrive to get them for nothing. An actress, "famous on bcth continents," never pays her bills, which yet she carefully demands and adds up. One thing to be noted is that the fashions of the civilised world are set by Parisian courtesans, Let the "Pioneers" who are striving for the elevation of their sex see whether they can work a reform here.
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