Page:Why the Shoe Pinches.djvu/52

 [It must, however, by no means be inferred, that the upper leather should not fit the foot with accuracy. It is absolutely necessary indeed that it should do so for the protection of the toes in going down hill. And what has just been said must only be considered as a warning against the too tight, and consequently hurtful, closing so common in boots.]

Various objections will doubtless be made to the kind of sole proposed in these pages, and the curved form will be especially found fault with, for it will be said that one cannot be elegantly chaussé in such shoes.

Objections of this kind indeed have been already suggested.

To such remarks I have to reply, that the objector must first define his notion of the word elegant.

One set of people consider elegant and fashionable as equivalents. I need only remind these, that Fashion has already had many changes, and that she brings about new ones every day. It is perfectly possible, then, that she may one day take up the proposed form, and from that