THE ANTIQUITY OF PANTALOONS.

"Gallos Caesar in triumphum ducit, idem in curiam,

Galli bracas deposuerunt, latum clavum sumpserunt."

SUETONI D. JULIUS, '80.IT may perhaps be gratifying to many of our fashionable beaux, a race of animals for which I have a special respect, to know the antiquity of a part of their dress so valuable to them as the pantaloon. Pelontier, in his Hist. Celt., L. 2, c. 6, and Cluvenius, in his Germ. Antiq., L. 1, c. 16, plainly describe it; but not to trouble them with what Commodore Trunnion calls outlandish lingos, I extract the following passage from the valuable history of Dr. Henry, the authenticity of which on the most minute as well as the most important topics was universally admitted three quarters of a century ago : -

"It is abundantly evident from the testimonies of many ancient authors, that the ancient Gauls, Britons, and other Celtic nations wore a garment which covered both their thighs and legs, and very much resembled our breeches and stockings united. This garment was called in the Celtic tongue, the common language of all these nations, braxe, or bracce; probably because it was made of the same party-colored cloth with their plaids, as breac, in that language, signifies anything that is party-colored. These braxe, or close trousers, which were both graceful and convenient, and discovered the fine shape and turn of their limbs to great advantage, were used by the genuine posterity of the Caledonian Britons in the Highlands of Scotland till very lately, and are hardly yet laid aside in some remote corners of that country."

The etymology of the modern synonyme for these braxe has been the subject of much investigation. The Greek pialphanu and the French talons, which would make pantalons, or all-heels, were once thought to have formed it; but the languages were too foreign to each other to justify the supposition of such a compound.

Again it was suggested that if we take the words ce qui pend au talon, "that which hangs down to the heels," and then erase all but the verb and the noun, we shall retain the sound of pantalons, from which the present spelling might well arise. The word, at any rate, has been used in English since the time of Hudibras, who says : -

"And now the French we conquered once

Shall give us laws for pantaloons."

Worcester, however, under his definition of the word, gives the following derivations : -

"A word originating among the Venetians, who wore the garment, calling it pantaloni, from Pantaleon, formerly the patron saint of Venice." - MENAGE. "Originally a baptismal name very frequent among the Venetians, and hence applied to them, by the other states as a common name; afterwards, a name of derision, as applying to a part of their dress that then distinguished the Venetians, namely, breeches and stockings that were all of a piece." - SMART. "His [Pantaloon's] name is said by antiquaries to be derived from the Italian words 'Pianta leone,' as it were the 'Lion planter,' in allusion to the boastful language of the Venetians." - BRANDE.

Webster's derivation is substantially the same, adding that the word comes from the Greek ???, all or entirely a lion, a personal name with the Greeks.

How far these derivations are etymologically correct is more than I can say; perhaps some of our English-dressed swells can throw some additional light on the matter.