Page:Caplin - Health and Beauty1864 - XIII.png

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Introduction.
xiii

considering how many defective people there are in the world. But, pardon us, Doctor; that is not the only use they are of. Corsets, properly constructed, not only hide the deficiencies of Nature, but, by giving proper support where it is needed, enable her to correct them, and hence call back the figure to its normal position. This, we take it, is no little thing when so many people are im­perfect.

What is said about the unyielding substance, and the whalebone and steel busk, is perfectly cor­rect; such corsets should never be worn by those who value either their health or comfort.

Whilst upon this matter of objections, it may not be amiss to notice one more, originating, however, from another quarter. In the Exhibition of 1851, the staymakers said, "Oh, she was never brought up to the trade, and what should Madame Caplin know about it?" Now, it is perfectly true that we never served an apprenticeship to the trade; and if we had, the probability is, that we should have done as the trade does—make corsets for the body to be fitted to, and not fitted the corset to the body. What we have brought to the trade