SYLVIA'S LETTER. THO "And ye sall walk in silk attire, And siller hae to spare." HOSE who walk in silk attire now-a-days, must certainly have "siller" to spare; for though we are constantly hearing that the reign of simplicity in dress is about to begin, all the signs of the seasons point to the increase of elaboration. The perfection to which the manufacture of silk can be brought, results in disgusting us with the inferior and cheaper productions of the loom; and, certainly, I would advise any girl who is about buying a silk dress to buy a really good one, for that is the truest economy in the end. The Black Cachemire de Soie, sold by Messrs. Hilditch, Silk Manufacturers, in Cheapside, though inexpensive, is excellent for costumes and for dinner and visiting dresses; their poult-de-soie is thoroughly recommendable. So much for their black silks. A word about black silks is always acceptable, as no wardrobe is complete without at least one of these useful, elegant, and economical dresses, which look well until they actually wear into holes. The coloured silks of Messrs. Hilditch range through such an immense variety of shades and colours, that merely to enumerate the names of these would occupy the greater part of my letter. Some of the newest titles are, Guxin, Frène, Russe, Havane, Améthyste, Lapis, Automne, Carke, Azur, Bois, Faisan, Tourterelle, Porcelaine, and Opal. Most of these explain themselves; but what words. could convey the idea of some of the shades? Quite indescribable are a certain shade of chair, with real fleshtints; a soft, yet bright lemon colour, suggesting black lace trimmings, and a dark-eyed and dark-haired wearer; a pale, creamy, stone-colour; a fascinating eau-de-nil; and the loveliest grey, with silver reflets. These must be left to the imagination; and I need only say further, that the neutral fanés colours have it all their own way, and are all manufactured in three, four, and five shades, like a musical scale. What an improvement are these exquisite shades on the dead-and-buried greens, blues, reds, and yellows of some twenty years ago! The greens made us look yellow, the blues made us look red, the reds gave us a bluish pallor, and the yellows were too yellow even for even the warm tints of our prettiest "nut-browne maydes." Now we have changed it all; and the pale, sad-looking colours brighten each other, instead of killing each other, as the old-fashioned, positive colours did; and improve the colouring of the wearer as well. The great demand for the Excelsior Trimming is now equalled by that for the Beau Ideal Embroidery, patented by the same manufacturers. This excellent imitation of Madeira work is finer in style than the Excelsior, and more perfect in finish. Being made by machinery, it can be sold at a very low price, and can be had either narrow or wide. For trimming collars and cuffs, nothing can be better than this embroidery, as it washes perfectly. For children's dresses, it is also invaluable to those who are obliged to study economy in dress. Insertions and edg ings can be had to match each other. Everybody ought to be glad to welcome this cheap trimming in these days of rising prices. One of the most important articles of dress, for many reasons, are the corsets. With well-fitting corsets, a good figure is at its best, and an inferior one is improved. This is especially true of Izod's corsets, these being made on the very best principles. They are moulded to the outlines of true proportion, and the bones are bent with the corset, so that they fit the figure at once, without undue compression or inconvenience. Some of these corsets are made in fifty different pieces, which will prove that neither time nor trouble has been spared in producing a really superior make. So perfect, indeed, is the fit that Izod's corsets can be worn an inch less round the waist than any other kind, for the reason that in other corsets, if the waist be small, all the other parts are small; but in these full room is allowed for the play of the lungs and the development of the chest. The dress-improvers manufactured by the same firm are also excellent, especially the latest novelty, which is to be registered under the name of the Princess Collaps ing Dress Improver. These are made in such a manner that they fold together into a very small compass, yet in wear they form a perfectly sufficient support to the dress. These are beautifully finished and are quite ornamental, in white and pink, grey and mauve, etc. Some of their varieties are well adapted for India and other warm countries, being made of flounces of white lace bound with pink and set into a plain band at the waist. These are remarkably light, and yet effective. Great as is the popularity of Judson's dyes, yet not sufficient is even yet known of their usefulness and applicability to ornamental purposes. I have lately seen a beautiful design in seaweeds dyed in the brightest of pinks and purest of greens by the aid of these inexpensive preparations. To those who are obliged, for economy's sake, to turn and twist their garments again and again, on the principle that one good turn deserves another, these dyes ought to be invaluable. Many a piece of ribbon or silk that would otherwise be thrown away, could be renovated and come from the dye-bath as good as new. Many a feather that we consider scarcely worth paying for the dyeing of, could then be used over and over again. In fact, a thousand little economies might be practised in this direction, with the result of decreased expenditure, and at a cost of a very little time and trouble. I will wind up with a little bit of chit-chat which, though it comes rather late, may be interesting to some of our readers. At Mr. King's concert, on Friday the 29th of January last, Sir Julius Benedict played his "Where the Bee Sucks" for the first time for seven years. The instrument he used was one of J. Brinsmead & Sons' new Concert Grand Pianos, with the lately patented improvements. SYLVIA. SOMETHING TO DO. THE advertisements which continue to appear in the columns of town and country newspapers, announcing modes of "adding to the income" without involving anything derogatory to personal dignity or social position, point to a fact which has not, to my knowledge, been in any other way publicly recognized. That fact is, that the young ladies of England are all, or nearly all, anxious to obtain employment of some kind, frequently with remuneration attached to it. Many of the letters addressed to Sylvia contain questions on this subject, and therefore it has been thought that a series of letters on the subject may prove interesting to "Young Englishwomen." The advertisements I have alluded to would not continue to be inserted if there were not replies sent in sufficient numbers to encourage the advertisers. I have had the curiosity to answer some of them, and some of my friends have confessed to me that they have answered some. I say "confessed," because this is one of the things that one does not like everybody to know about, because everybody is so sure to say: "You might have guessed it was something absurd." And I am bound to say the answers were, in most cases, something absurd." One reply suggested that potatoes should be bought at a penny a pound, baked in an oven, and sold at the corners of the streets for a penny each. This, if I recollect aright, was to bring the speculator an income of a pound a week. I do not remember that the preliminary advertisement contained anything about the occupation not being derogatory to the position of a lady or gentlemen; and it was just as well. Not so, however, was it with another, which announced a "perfectly ladylike occupation," which would increase the income by two or three pounds a week. Ladylike appearance was necessary to pursue this trade, which, when inquired about, proved to be as follows: The lady was to "introduce herself into drawing-rooms," armed with a copy of a certain work, and try to persuade the lady of the house, or any visitors she might have with her, to purchase a copy, and if she succeeded in selling one, she would pocket a handsome commission. What a charming way of making a living! Just imagine with what face a "ladylike person" could force her way into a drawing-room on such an errand! A reply to an advertisement of another of these dignified modes of adding to one's income, brought by return of post an offer to stock the parlour window of the applicant with mock jewellery for the sum of five pounds!" The commission on the sale of the jewellery was to result in an income of at least two pounds a week. Calculating the commission at twenty per cent. (and I do not think it was nearly so much), one would have to sell ten pounds' worth every week, in order to realize this sum; so, to say the very least, one's parlour window ought to be in a good thoroughfare! The lady or gentleman would also have to stay at home all day to attend to her or his customers at the parlour window. Enough of these absurd things. Let us try to strike out something which will be really useful. English girls often really long for occupation for its own simple sake. "Get work, get work! Be sure 'tis better than what you work to get," The says Mrs. Barrett Browning, and she is right. primeval curse has turned into a blessing. Really hard work is a far less heavy burden than the miserable ennui which has darkened many a fine mind, and dulled noble energies, ere now, like rust on a good sword. What would you like to do, then? You cannot spend your lives counting the stitches in a fancy work cushion, nor propelling the needle of your sewing machine up and down long seams. If Sylvia could have her way, she would have every girl's special talent (nearly every girl has a special talent) discovered and cultivated, dug out like a diamond, and cut and perfected, so that every girl should be self-dependent, and if change and dark days should come, there need then be no weary struggle for daily bread, such as is going on in hundreds of cases at this moment. There are gently-nurtured women in England. now, fainting and weary with the effort to keep soul and body together, and yet keep up their position, which means that they must teach, or be companions, since these are the only ladylike occupations that are open to women. And more than one-half of them are as unfitted to teach as they would be ashamed to beg, and they know it. If each had been taught to do one thing perfectly well-had used her talent instead of burying it under a heap of useless and electro-plated accomplishments, her way would be plain before her, and she would be saved the misery of feeling that she has no course but to adopt a mode of life as uncongenial to her, as she is unfitted for it. Can Sylvia help any one of our Young English readers to develope her special talent? I can but try, and with this end in view, will give a few hints in our next number on the initiatory processes of drawing on SYLVIA. wood. |