THE CORSET QUESTION, “ Madame, —May I be permitted for once to ask admission to your Conversazione, and to plead as excuse for my intrusion that I am really anxious to endorse your fair correspondent’s, BELLE’S , assertion that it is those who know nothing practically of the corset who are most vociferous in condemning it? Strong-minded woman who have never worn a pair of stays, and gentlemen blinded by hastily-formed prejudice, alike anathematise an article of dress of the good quality of which they are utterly ignorant, and which, consequently, they cannot appreciate. On a subject of so much importance as regards comfort (to say nothing of the question of elegance, scarcely less important on a point of feminine costume) no amount of theory will ever weigh very heavily when opposed by practical experience. ‘The proof of the padding’ is a proverb too true not to be acted on in such a case. To put the matter to the actual test, can any of the opponents of the corset honestly state that they given up stays after having fairly tried them, except in compliance with the persuasions or commands of friends, or medical advisers who seek in the much-abused corset a convenient first cause for an ailment that baffles their skills? THE YOUNG LADY HERSLF does not complain of either illness or pain, even after the first few months, while, on the other hand, STAYLACE, NORA, and BELLE bring ample testimony, both of themselves and their schoolfellows, as to the comfort and pleasure of tight-lacing. To carry out my first statement as to the truth of BELLE’S remark, those of the opposite sex who, either from choice of necessity, have adopted this article of attire, are unanimous in this praise, while even among an assemblage of opponents a young lady’s elegant figure is universally admired while the case of it is denounced. From personal experience, I beg to express a decided and unqualified approval of corsets. I was early sent to school in Austria, where lacing is not considered ridiculous in a gentlemen as it is England, and I objected in a thoroughly English way when the doctor’s wife required me to be laced. I was no allowed any choices, however. A sturdy mädchen was stoically deaf to my remonstrances, and speedily laced me up tightly in a fashionable Viennese corset. I presume my impressions were not very different from those of your lady correspondents. I felt ill at case and awkward, and the daily lacing tighter and tighter produced inconvenience and absolute pain. In a few months, however, I was as anxious as any of my ten or twelve companions to have my corsets laced as tightly as a pair of strong arms could draw them. It is from no feeling of vanity that I have ever since continued to wear them, for, not caring to incur ridicule, I take good care that my dress shall not betray me; but I am practically convinced of the comfort and pleasantness of tight-lacing, and thoroughly agree with STAYLACE that ‘the sensation of being tightly laced in an elegant, well-made, tightly-fitting pair of corsets is superb.’ There is no other word for it. I have dared to make this avowal because I am thoroughly ashamed of the idle nonsense that is constantly being uttered on this subject in England. The terrors of hysteria, neuralgia, and, above all, consumption, are fearlessly promised to our fair sisters if they dare to disregard preconceived opinions, while, on the other hand, some medical men are beginning slowly to admit that they cannot conscientiously support the extravagant assertions of former days. ‘Stay torture,’ ’whalebone vices,’ and ‘corset screws,’ are very terrible and horrifying things upon paper, but when translated into coutil or satin they wear a very different appearances in the eyes of those of most competent to form an opinion. That much unnecessary discomfort and inconvenience is incurred by the purchasers of ready-made corsets is doubtless true; the waist measure being right, the chest—where undue constriction will naturally produce evil effects—is very generally left to chance. If then the wearer suffers, who is to blame but herself? The remarks, echoed by nearly all your correspondents, that ladies have the remedy in their own hands by having their stays made to measure is too self-evident for me to wish to enlarge upon it; but I do wish to assert and insists that if a corset allows sufficient room in the chest, the waist may be laced as tightly as the wearer desires without fear of evil consequences; and, further, that the ladies themselves who have given tight-lacing a fair trial, and myself and schoolfellows converted against our will, are the only jury entitle to pronounce authoritatively on the subject, and that the comfortable support and enjoyment afforded by a well-laced corset quite overbalance the theoretical evils that are so confidently prophesized by outsiders.—WALTER.”