The first organization proper was made in 1867, when there were 352 students. Of these they found four prepared for senior grade, 18 for junior grade, 27 for Sophomore, and 45 for Freshman, there being intermediates among these classes. This gave 94 classified students, in four well-defined classes. The students were further divisible into regular and irregular. The first year all were irregular; but since then the irregulars have decreased in numbers, and the regulars increased by a steady progress. In 1867 there were 386 students—197 regular and 189 irregular. In 1873 the change had progressed until there were then 411 students-370 regular and 41 irregular.

There are now in the institution 420 students, of whom 384 are regular, and 36 irregular. The faculty has been changed only as to the department of languages. Now the ancient languages have a professor, and modern languages are taught by separate instructors or assistants. John H. Raymond, LL.D., is president. The two lady professors are Miss Maria Mitchell, Ph.D., of astronomy, and Helen W. Webster, M.D., of physiology and hygiene. The latter is ex-officio resident physician, having in charge the health of the pupils. Since 1865 there have been added three assistant teachers and a librarian.

The preliminary examination of all applicants for the classes includes arithmetic, English grammar, modern geography, and the history of the United States. The curriculum, in general, is given above in the enumeration of professorships. Between admission on the studies just named and the collegiate course there is a preparatory course, which covers two years. To the middle of the Sophomore year the studies are all prescribed, except that a choice is allowed among the Greek, German, and French languages. Latin is a necessary study. A general idea of the curriculum in detail may be had from a selection. Let us take Latin and mathematics. In the Freshman class the Latin includes Madvig's grammar and prose composition, Livy, and Horace; the mathematics, algebra, and geometry completed. In the Sophomore, Latin includes prose composition, Cicero De Oratore, Quintilian, Plautus, and Juvenal; the mathematics, trigonometry lectures on surveying and navigation, and geometry with calculus. In the junior, Latin, prose composition, and Tacitus, the mathematics being directed to astronomy. In the senior, Latin, prose composition, and Cicero De Officis, the mathematics being directed to the theory and calculation of eclipses, least squares, and applications in physics.

The degrees are First or Baccalaureat degree, which is given to those who complete the regular course; and the second degree, which is won by those who have taken the first degree, and have passed an examination in studies approved by the faculty as equivalent to a post-graduate course of two full years, the usual essay being also required. The two departments of music and the fine

arts are extra-collegiate, and in this Vassar departs from the ordinary college for young men.

The Commencement exercises, recently held, consisted in the main in giving diplomas of the degree of A.B. to 42 girl-graduates. Dr. Raymond, the president, and Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy, conducted the proceedings. The exercises consisted of the usual addresses, among which the valedictory is the most important, some essays read, and a poem. Music forms a part of all public exercises, and here, in addition to a band for stated pieces, there were exercises rendered by students of that branch of study. One ceremony seems in some degree peculiar to Vassar-the burial of the records of the graduating class. This is done in this wise: All the records or minutes of the various meetings held during its course by the class, the correspondence of the class as a class, and a copy of their text-book on trigonometry and calculus, are put into a strong copper box, and this box is sealed and buried in the ground at the foot of the class tree.

The feature that marks Vassar as peculiar is one which the sex of the students seems to render necessary-the domestic or family character of the discipline and arrangements. This matter is under the lady principal's care. This officer, in conjunction with the resident physician, always a woman, regulates the lodging, the living, the hours, the diet, and everything pertaining to the habits and hygiene of the girls. The shopping, correspondence, and exercises, both physical and mental, are regulated and managed by this close personality of the governors. The gymnasium is a prominent part of the training, and this is under the management of a suitable director.

The

Vassar is entirely unsectarian, but moral. founder especially enjoined as his wish that " all sectarian influences should be carefully excluded; but the training of our students should never be entrusted to the sceptical, the irreligious, or the immoral."

This is in no sense a charity or benevolent institution. The expenses are high. For board, which includes light, heat, and washing, the yearly charge for each student is 300 dols.; for tuition in all collegiate branches, 100 dols. The college course, then, costs 400 dols. a year. The extra-collegiate branches-music and painting, with use of instruments-cost 230 dols. a year altogether. The average annual receipts since the beginning have been 155,000 dols.; while the average annual expenses are 150,000 dols. The library contains 10,000 volumes. The Observatory is made practical; the results of observations" and calculations being regularly recorded and kept.

Other movements in the same direction seem to have sprung out of this college. Michigan University and Cornell University first, and with them some of the older New England Colleges have formally opened their doors. for the admission of young women, but Harvard College has refused to open its doors to women.

the other. Which side is to be the winner, eventually? It would be rather a rash thing to decide this at once. There are, however, promising symptoms on the side of simplicity. Most splendid tissues, plain or brocaded, of wonderful thickness, are being prepared for the winter. Brocaded damasks, double faced, stamped or brocaded velvets, striped or checked, the patterns being formed by satin lines. With such materials, no trimming is possible except lace or fringe; no

their cloth or faille dresses made after the same pattern, and will not be dressed with less elegance on that account.

For the present there is nothing very new to note in the fashions of the day. All our merveilleuses are at watering-places, or by the seaside, where they rest from the fatigues caused by worldly pleasures and occupations. There, again, they cannot make up their minds to pause in that aimless restlessness, which

reminds one of that of the squirrel, which turns the wheel in its cage without one instant's pause, merely for the sake of moving its paws. Few women deny themselves the fatiguing pleasure of changing their dress four times a day, and the consequence is they come back from their summer trip, for the most part, as weary as they were on leaving Paris.

The following are some of the toilets which a Parisian dressmaker has just sent off to some of her fair clients at Biarritz :

trimmed with two drawn bouillonnés. The second skirt or tunic, of brocaded silk material, is open at the sides, with bows of plain faille. Two pointed lapels finish this tunic, and are tied behind over the skirt; it is trimmed with fringe. Corsage of brocaded faille, trimmed en gilet with the darker faille.

Another, of prune and pale rose-coloured faille. The second skirt, which is rose-coloured, is fastened to the under one of prune faille, all the way down, by a drawn bouillonné of prune faille. The points meet

Dinner dress of pale blue faille; the front part is crossed with draperies of pale blue and of creamcoloured faille; the train, very long and quite plain, is trimmed lengthwise, with quillings of Valenciennes lace and bows of cream-coloured ribbon, corsage laced behind, long waisted, open en cœur, and trimmed with creamcoloured draperies, covered with Valenciennes lace.

Visiting or reception dress of brocaded pearl-grey faille, over plain faille of a darker shade of grey. Skirt

at the back, under a large bow of prune faille, bound with rose colour. Cuirasse bodice, laced at the back, partly prune and partly rose colour, trimmed with biais. This toilet is completed by a small drawn capote, of faille of both colours with bird's wing put on as an aigrette.

A complete costume is of havanah coloured cloth, faille of a somewhat darker shade. Faille skirt, trimmed with one deep flounce, headed with five small plissés.

The tunic is composed in front of alternate bands of faille and cloth. It is fastened down obliquely across the front with small brandebourgs placed very closely together, and finished with passementerie buttons. Corsage of havanah faille. Cloth jacket, slanted off very much from the hips, over a faille gilet; the same brandebourgs are repeated upon the sides of the jacket which. they appear to fasten down upon the gilet. Sleeves of cloth and faille, with brandebourgs upon the outer seam.

Robe de chambre of mauve crêpe de laine, trimmed all round with a faille flounce of a deep shade of violet, several times gathered, and coming up as a trimming in front, with a lace quilling.

To this list, which is already pretty complete, we may add a black silk dress, that indispensable item in a lady's wardrobe. The skirt is trimmed with three pleated flounces. Behind, a little on one side, there is a large bow of faille. The front part is trimmed with a double drapery, coming out from the hollow pleat of the train, and fastened on one side. Corsage trimmed with plissé, and black net-work passementerie.

Another black silk dress is made thus. Skirt trimmed round the bottom with narrow gathered flounces cut on the cross, three only in front, five at the back. These flounces are headed with a drawn bouillon, put on with a double heading. The tablier is gathered in front and draped under a wide quadruple pleat, forming the train. On each side of this pleat there is a double lace quilling of white lace, point d'Alencon, and black lace, Chantilly. Cuirasse bodice, quite plain, trimmed as a fichu, with opening en cœur, edged with black and white lace to match. Quilted revers of the same black and white lace upon the sleeves. This charming toilet is equally suitable to a young married lady, with the addition of a few coloured bows at the throat and wrists and in the hair, or to an elderly lady. It can also be copied in pearl grey, pale blue, and rose colour, etc.

An elegant toilet for the beach is of nut-coloured faille and nut-coloured and white striped ditto. The skirt is of plain nut-coloured faille, trimmed round the bottom with a pleated flounce of the striped silk, cut on the cross; next comes a gathered flounce of plain nutcoloured silk, a second striped flounce, and a deep drawn bouillon, striped nut colour and white, cut on the cross, and with both its headings, top and bottom, bound with a bias of plain nut-coloured silk. Tablier, gathered in the middle of the front, of striped silk, trimmed with a narrow nut-coloured plissé. This tablier is draped behind under a bow of nut-coloured faille; upon the left side there is a pocket in the shape of a reticule, fastened with nut-coloured ribbons. Corsage of striped faille, made quite plain, simply piped with the striped faille. Sleeves of plain faille, finished with a narrow striped plissé. Hat of brown straw, sloped over the forehead, trimmed with brown velvet, and at the back, with a wreath of hedgeroses lying over the hair.

Nor must we forget a very stylish and dressy toilet

of two shades of green faille. The skirt is of pale green faille, with a pleated flounce of the same round the bottom, and a bouillon of the darker silk above it. Tunic mantle with double tablier of embroidered net-work, trimmed with embroidered guipure. At the back the tunic is finished in two long wide lapels. Corsage of the darker green faille, trimmed with a plissé of the lighter shade. Over this bodice a fichu of a very new shape falls in long lapels; it is, like the tunic of embroidered network, trimmed with guipure.

We have quite adopted English fashions in Paris for children, and that is the reason we seldom speak here of their dress. Little girls up to six or seven years old wear the American frock, pleated all the way down, with very long waist, and wide sash tied half way up the body. Little boys are dressed in the same way up to five years old, after which they wear a tunic and short trousers, buttoned at the side just under the knee. Little girls upwards of seven years old are generally dressed much as reduced copies of their mammas. This, however, is a mistake, for a simple dress is far more becoming to them than the looped-up tunics and tabliers of a lady's costume.

A pretty dress for a girl ten years old is of light blue Indian cashmere. Upon the skirt there are two pleated flounces, trimmed on both sides with narrow white lace, tight-fitting bodice, with long plain basque, and trimmed all the way down with narrow bias of the material, edged on either side with the same white lace, long sleeves with plissés edged with lace.

A more simple one, for the same age, is of ecru beige material. The skirt is quite plain, the bodice is made in the shape of a blouse, fastened round the waist with a belt. There is a double row of brown pearl buttons down the front, and bias and buttons upon the long sleeves. This model is also made of white pique, and, for the beach, of brown holland.

I have also noticed for little girls frocks of striped Oxford linen, ecru and blue, or grey and pink, etc., made in the same way, with long-waisted pleated blouse-bodice and plain skirt. A wide sash of the same material is fastened behind, and is sometimes edged with broderie Anglaise, of which a border also goes round the throat. Such dresses are, to my taste, infinitely preferable to the elaborate toilets which are a trouble and discomfort to a healthy, sport-loving girl of eight or ten years old. As for her head-gear, we should recommend a broad-brimmed hat trimmed with the red worsted braid which does not fade or spoil in the sun and sea-breeze.

The child's best dress should be a white pique, trimmed with broderie Anglaise, also made American fashion. The hat to match, a broad-brimmed Leghorn, trimmed with white faille or black velvet. A feather may be added, but should be taken off whenever rain threatens.

A beige dress for cooler days and a waterproof will complete a most useful and suitable outfit for a girl not yet in her teens.

For little boys, several suits of brown holland, two of white pique for best, and one of some woollen material, will suffice for one month's stay by the seaside. The sailor's hat, with sloped-off brim, is still the most fashionable for boys. I greatly prefer it, at least, to the highcrowned hat, with narrow curled-up brim, which some unfortunate boys are made to wear, much to the detriment of their eyesight and comfort generally.

Ladies' chapeaux are of various shapes, the sloped paillasson being still the favourite for the beach and country.

I will describe a few of the most novel models I have

seen.

A black straw hat, placed very much at the back of the head; the slightly turned up brim is bound with black velvet. Torsade of black gauze, forming a large bow, fastens on two bronzed wings. A long black feather goes round the crown, and falls at the back.

A brown straw hat, sloping down in front, and turned up behind with a large bow, and lapels of brown velvet under the brim. A fichu of netted brown silk is arranged over the crown, with ends falling at the back. Large golden brown wing on one side.

Black chip hat, of the same shape as the preceding, trimmed with a voluminous scarf of cream-white silk gauze, tastefully arranged round the crown, with a panache of undyed ostrich feathers, very much at the back.

A hat of unbleached paillasson straw, trimmed with navy blue Surah foulard. This foulard is arranged in a bias fold round the crown, with large loops at the side, in which nestles a small humming bird. A large bow of the navy blue foulard is also placed under the turned up brim at the back.

A diadem bonnet of black straw, trimmed on the top,

with a broad bandeau of black velvet, two black feathers drooping at the back, and two green wings at the side and under the brim, with a large wreath of fieldflowers.

Another bonnet of the capote shape is of white chip, with wreath of Spanish jessamine and monthly roses both over and under the open border. This bonnet is put on very much at the back of the head. In fact, the two extremes are equally fashionable. Dressy bonnets are placed quite at the back of the head; while hats conceal the brow and eyes. The latter are not now trimmed with flowers, but more simply, with velvet or faille, a scarf veil, and a wing or feather.

For the autumn season, some of our good milliners are preparing capotes of drawn silk, real capotes with curtains, but of very graceful shape. But this model requires to be composed with peculiar taste. The capotes are generally made matched to the costume, with which they are meant to wear.

We have also a new coiffure to mention, which is extremely stylish and fashionable. It is the Aonda coiffure, composed of a scarf of spangled gauze, artistically twisted in oriental style, quite at the back of the head, with coques of faille and bronzed cherries forming the heading of the pins with which the coiffure is fastened on. The hair should be arranged in rouleaux in front, and in long curls behind.

Large pins, with gold, silver, or steel heads, are also much used to fasten the hair, not only with this style of coiffure, but with more simple ones. Large ear-drops to match, complete the parure. As for bracelets, the portebonheur still reigns supreme, and is made in all materials more or less costly, from plain wood to gold enriched with precious stones.

No. I. VISITING DRESS OF GREY CHEVIOT.-Short train skirt, with deep flounce at the bottom. This flounce is trimmed with two crossway bands of blue faille, piped, with a darker shade. Tunique with square-cut tablier, divided at the sides, and drawn up in pleats behind, trimmed with crossway band of net faille, piped with the darker shade. Pocket at the side, trimmed with flat bows of ribbon to match. Cuirasse, with peplum-shaped basques, trimmed to correspond. The fronts are turned back with revers. Bonnet of grey felt, the brim bound with dark blue, with torsade of pale blue damassée silk, with tinted roses; the crown trimmed with blue silk, and grey feathers.

No. 2. COSTUME OF LIGHT-COLOURED CASHMERE.— Short train skirt, trimmed up the front with bouillonné, with double-ruched heading on either side. At the back it is trimmed with a flounce, headed by bouillonnés. Tablier pointed at the side, drawn up at the back with bows of black ribbon, with pouff of the cashmere. The edges are bordered with a flounce of black faille, and a bow of black ribbon is placed upon the extremity of the point. Drawn pocket, trimmed with cord and tassels. Cuirasse bodice, striped with black braid. Drawn sleeves of black faille, with cornet of cashmere, and band of black faille.