the ruin of scores of working girls. There ought to be a law against it.”
“There were laws in former times, madame,” I replied; “but they were an
absolute failure.”
And then I repeated almost word for word what I have said farther back in
this book, concerning reforms imposed by law. But all my arguments failed
to convince my hearer, who was blinded by her prejudices. It is certain
that sumptuary laws, even if they could be revived at the present day,
would be as ineffectual as in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. Neither
fines nor even imprisonment would put a stop to coquetry, in whatever
rank of life.
The opinions of my fair friend were probably the opinions of ladies
in the reign of Henri II., for in the exordium of an edict issued by
that king on July 12, 1549, we read that “gentlemen and their wives
went to excessive expense for their gold and silver stuffs, their
embroideries, braids, borderings, goldsmiths’ work, cords, cannetilles,
velvets, satins, or silks striped with gold and silver.” These articles,
therefore, were forbidden, except to princes and princesses. Those
exalted persons, however, set a bad example in the matter, that was too
often followed.
The chapter of prohibitions having been thus begun, arbitrary measures
became numerous. A maximum was actually fixed for marriage portions!
Fathers and mothers, or grandparents giving their daughter or
granddaughter in marriage, might not endow her with more than 10,000
livres (Tournois)! Truly a most obnoxious regulation! for was not such a
law an interference with marriage, and an encroachment on the rights of
parents?
The wives of plebeians were forbidden to wear coats like ladies, and