The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword,
Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass read more

The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword,
Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th' observed of all observers, quite, quite down!

A wisp of gossamer, about the size and substance of a spider's web.

A wisp of gossamer, about the size and substance of a spider's web.

So soon as a fashion is universal, it is out of date.

So soon as a fashion is universal, it is out of date.

Nothing is thought rare
Which is not new, and follow'd; yet we know
That what was worn read more

Nothing is thought rare
Which is not new, and follow'd; yet we know
That what was worn some twenty years ago
Comes into grace again.

A fashion is merely a form of ugliness so unbearable that we are compelled to alter it every six months.

A fashion is merely a form of ugliness so unbearable that we are compelled to alter it every six months.

All this I see; and I see that the fashion wears out more apparel
than the man. But art read more

All this I see; and I see that the fashion wears out more apparel
than the man. But art not thou thyself giddy with the fashion
too, that thou hast shifted out of thy tale into telling me of
the fashion?

Nineties style isn't.

Nineties style isn't.

Fashion--a word which knaves and fools may use,
Their knavery and folly to excuse.

Fashion--a word which knaves and fools may use,
Their knavery and folly to excuse.

All the American women had purple noses and gray lips and their faces were chalk white from terrible powder. I read more

All the American women had purple noses and gray lips and their faces were chalk white from terrible powder. I recognized that the United States could be my life's work.