"The general fashion of wearing _Spencers_, reminds us of a wager laid by Lord _March_, who betted several years ago a considerable sum with some of his friends, that he would be able to introduce to general imitation, the most humiliating fashion he could think of. Accordingly he appeared several days successively about the Royal Exchange, dressed like a livery servant. The livery consisted of a blue coat, with crimson collar and cuffs; and he gained the wager."--(_Times, May 16, 1795._) The accompanying illustration by W. Hanlon (11th July 1795) is, of course, a caricature, but it is intended to show the eccentricities of dress, in which the "Crops" indulged. THE BOND STREET LOUNGE. AN IMPROMPTU. _Modo vir, modo foemina.--Virgil._ (_Times, January 7th, 1796._) When men in _Petty-Coats_ appear, No wonder Wives the breeches wear: Assuming manners quite robust, Game, swear, drive, box, or _take a thrust_. But happier far would be the case, Were each to keep their proper place: The fair ones wear the female dress, And men adorn their persons less; For such the fashion of the day, They make it difficult to say, Whether the _pretty things_ we meet, Parading through their fav'rite street, A Male or Female we may call, Their shapes are so equivocal. V. London Coffee-House, _January 7th, 1796_. "The high kick of fashion is to wear only one spur, like a postillion, and to have an assortment of long whips tied up behind the curricle, in case of wearing them all out in Bond St., during a ride in the morning."--(_Times, August 3, 1796._) [Illustration: Neck or Nothing A Back View of the Cape --1792.] [Illustration: A Spencer and a Thread Paper.--1792.] We need not go very far, any day in Winter, to see the young men of our day, doing the same thing, and looking extremely "Norse"--they never telling of the Chamois leather vests they wear. "One of the latest roads to fame that any of our young men of _ton_ have discovered, is to wrap their bodies carefully in flannel under the shirt, and to keep the coat and waistcoat quite open, to show the strength of their constitution, and set the snow at defiance."--(_Times, January 2, 1797._) * * * * *