The “garment of Nessus”, as depicted, showing Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules, woodcut by Hans Beham, circa 1542-1548. |
“Customers, no doubt, sometimes allow the tailor to choose a particular stuff, but they insist upon having the coat fitted to their own bodies, and are highly indignant, if it proves too tight, or too loose; they are most comfortable, when wearing the loose dressing-gowns of the day and hour, in which they can feel as they like; you may perhaps remember, that they treated my Elective Affinities as though it had been the garment of Nessus.”