SCENES BEYOND THE WESTERN BORDER
The girls must consider as a lively feature of this dull region, (or they are not common girls). For our part, it is reported that one of them has been seen actually—that is, evidently invested with a "tournure"; who would believe the tyrant Fashion held so wide a sway!
-- Scenes Beyond the Western Border - May 1852; and Scenes and Adventures in the ArmyMELVILLE'S CORRESPONDENCE
They heard that you had begun to take to — drink? — Oh no, but worse — — to sonnet-writing. That off Cape Horn instead of being on deck about your business, you devoted your time to writing a sonnet on your mistress’ eyebrow, & another upon her “tournure”.
-- Herman Melville, May 25, 1862 letter to his brother Thomas Melville in Correspondence, edited by Lynn Horth (Northwestern University Press and The Newberry Library, 1993) page 378.
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