de sa toilette à sa femme de chambre, tant sont variés es caprices du ciel.

Il n'est pas de nuit où l'on ne puisse compter plusieurs bals brillans; mais à quelques variations près, ce sont toujours les mêmes toilettes. Force turbans en tulle à la juive, turbans d'angleterre doublés de satin, turbans de gaze blanche brodés d'or, mêlée à de la gaze de couleur foncée, également semée d'or, Beaucoup de chapeaux de velours, à l'espagnole, portés par des femmes qui ne dansent pas; toujours une multitude de bonnets à jours, ornés de plumes de couleur, et de bonnets à barbes.

Les bas de soie que les femmes portent aujourd'hui au bal, se font remarquer par leur richesse; la plupart sont appliqués de blondes riches sur le coude-pied.

Beaucoup de femmes remplacent les coques de rubans, qui se placent au haut du gant long, par une petite guirlande de fleurs en harmonie avec celles de la toilette.

Les pieds d'alouette de Nattier sont en ce moment fort adoptés pour les garnitures de robes de bal

Les femmes élégantes préfèrent à toutes les fleurs, des bouquets de petites têtes de plumes placés dans les cheveux crêpés à la neige.

Aux concerts, nous avons remarqué de nouveaux satins damassés, couleur sur couleur ; celle du fond est toujours d'une nuance plus claire.

Nous avons cité dans notre dernier numéro plusieurs robes de cachemire que nous avons remarquées au bal: nous en avons aperçu plusieurs noires et de couleur foncée, un des jours de cette semaine, au bois de Boulogne: une capote de velours, ornée d'une plume de la nuance de la robe complétait ces toilettes, remarquables tout à la fois par leur simplicité et leur élégance.

Les robes les plus recherchées pour toilettes de promenade, sont en satins à dessins nouveaux, façon de ceux de mousseline; la couleur vert-prés couverte de dessins foncés, nous semble la couleur préférée.

Dans les équipages, on remarque beaucoup de capotes de satin couleur paille et citron, ornées de plumes ou de fleurs, de nuances pareilles.

Au bois de boulogne, les femmes remplacent leurs manteaux par des mantuas de couleur claire, bordés de cygne.

Quelques dames fashionables adopent le turban-dentelle, orné de deux écharpes; d'autres portent des turbans en satin broché, de chez Richer.

Un petit chapeau castillan en crêpe neige, rose glacé, orné d'une aigrette rose, était d'une grâce et d'une forme ravissante.

Des chapeaux Isabelle en velours noir, la passe penchée à gauche et ornée d'une longue plume blanche, posée droite, sont aussi en assez grand nombre.

Les bonnets les plus élégans en blonde-dentelle, ornés d'une guirlande-chevreuse et enrichis de longues barbes.

Les coiffures en cheveux à la Berthe, à l'anglaise, à la Sévigné et à l'antique, sont ornées de chaînes, diamans ou pierres de couleur.

Une robe à la Maintenon, en satin gris broché ; cette robe était ornée de ruban mais formant tablier; le même ruban était mêlé dans ses cheveux.

Nous avons vu à l'Opêra des bonnets de tulle-illusion, ornés d'une double mancinis de jacinthes blanches et roses mêlées.

Dans les promenades, les velours bleu d'Ecosse, noir et vert émeraude dominent pour chapeaux et capotes; les premières maisons de modes les ornent d'une seule plume, et placent sous la passe un petit bonnet, mêlé de ruban rose ou cerise.

Aux concerts et réunions, le chapeau de satin blanc à biais est le mieux porte; on pose un bouquet de roses sur le côté et de roses-thé sous la passe.

Les femmes ont totalement abandonné les châles tartans, elles les remplacent par des châles égyptiens, qui sont maintenant fort en faveur.

En toilette du motin, une élégante se coiffe alternativement d'un petit bonnet d'Angleterre ou de petite blonde rehaussée sur tulle; les bonnets de lingère ne sortent plus de la chambre à coucher.

Les tabliers nouveaux sont en satin imprimé; les plus recherchés sont en satin clair uni et entourés d'une bordure imprimée qui se répète aux poches et á la cein

ture.

Les bals de l'Opéra ne peuvent pas donner une idée des travestissemens adoptés cette année, puisqu'une femme comme il faut ne veut y aller qu'en domino, et il est bon d'observer qu'elle se couvre la tête d'un camail, et que la barbe de son masque est en satin; les barbes de blondes et les bonnets qui laissent voir la couleur des cheveux sont du plus mauvais ton. Mais au petit nombre de bals travestis qui ont déjá eu lieu, nous avons pu remarquer que les femmes connues par leur élégance n'ont aucunement adopté les costumes de cavaliers, mais bien des travestissemens de fantaisie.

La chaussure a toujours été fort recherchée par les élégans? mais on y attache aujourd'hui une prétention qui met cette partie de la toilette au premier rang des modes: nous donnerons donc à ce sujet quelques détails.

Les fashionables portent maintenant au bal des chausettes en tulle de soie noires, avec un coin brodé au plumetis sur le coude-pied; à des chausettes semblables souvent la broderie est orange.

A la ville, ils portent des chausettes de soie, écossaisses, oranges et noires; celles-ci sont de la dernière nouveauté.

Le bal donné chez le président de la chambre des députés était beau, brillant, animé par un grand nombre de femmes élégantes, et par un assemblage complet de toutes les autorités de Paris, Il s'y distinguait des toilettes de très-bon goût, et pourtant rien d'écrasant comme parure pompeuse ou bijoux. Jamais on ne vit tant de têtes de femmes couronnées de fleurs. Des bouquets de fleurs sont placés sur le côté du jupon de beaucoup de robes et descendent jusqu'au bas; au lieu de bouquets détachés, ce sont quelquefois des guirlandes. Nous citerons un costume composé d'une robe de crêpe blanc, ayant ainsi sur le côté cinq bouquets de fleurs de différentes couleurs, mais d'une seule nuance par bouquet ainsi l'un était composé de roses, l'autre de jacinthes bleues, un autre de clématites, etc., etc.; enfin on eût dit un parterre tout mélangé et jeté sur cette toilette de bal. La coiffure répétait la garniture de la robe c'étaient des branches de toutes ces fleurs en tremêlées dans les cheveux en manière de couronne et posées avec une grâce charmante.

La plupaut des femmes ont, en entrant dans uu bal, des polonaises dont nous avons si souvent parlé, les unes en satin rose garni de cygne, d'autres en satin blanc doublé de taffetas rose et garni de marabouts.

MISCELLANEA.

Anecdotes of Ude.-Ude was, we are informed, originally intended for the church. His destiny was aftewards strangely altered. An abbé, who was his instructor in his early years, became an object of popular hatred, which, as usual, extended itself to all connected with him. Passing along the street, Ude was recognized, pursued by a host of assailants, and took refuge in a baker's shop. The man, touched with com. passion, concealed him in a cold oven, and assured the pursuers that he had escaped from the back. Ude remained for safety with the baker, was initiated in the system of his craft, and transferred to a son-in-law, a cook, in the Rue St. Antoine. Hence he was removed to the royal kitchen, and became chief cook to Louis the Sixteenth.

The Pâté d'Amour.-The pastry-cook of Bagdad ruined himself by omitting an unheard of ingredient in a cream tart. Our old friend Ude is said to have had sad work when in Paris, by the insertion in a páté of an article at least as strange. Ude had fallen in love—a frailty incident to gods and cooks— and matters were nearly brought to matrimony. Previous, however, to his taking this last measure. Ude prudently made a calculation (he is an excellent steward) of the expenses incidental to the state of bliss, and in the estimate put down madame's expenditure at so many louis. Now it was customary with Ude to convey his billets in the envelope of a pasty work; and having made up his mind to commit marriage, he wrote to his intended, with an offer of his hand and heart, and this note was intended to be shrouded in a Pâté d'Amande; unfortunately, in the confusion of love and cookery, the estimate of housekeeping was sent instead of the proposal. The next day M. Ude was apprised of his mistake by the receipt of an epistle from his mistress, stating the high estimation in which she held M. Ude; but that as-lonis were too small an allowance for a woman of fashion, she must decline the honour of becoming Madame Ude. The story got wind, and, by a sort of lucus-à-non-lucendo analogy, the equivocists of Paris changed the name of Pâté d'Amande into Pâté d'Amour.

The Sea-Nettle.-When the sea nettle, or animal flower, a well known sort of zoophyte, changes its place, its motion is as slow as the hour-band of a clock, and, of course, is imperceptible to the eye. After it has swallowed a small shell-fish, it voids the shell by turning itself inside out; but, if the shell be too large and unwieldy to be managed in this way, it has the surprising faculty of splitting asunder at the base, to afford the shell a passage; or rather, the muscular contraction of the mouth and upper parts of the zoophyte, forces the shell through the soft yielding substance of the lower portion.

Length of German Words.-The English language presents some few words which the short-winded race who adopt it, as the medium for expressing their thoughts, are apt to consider somewhat long. Of these prothonotary is not perhaps the very shortest. Polysyllabic as it is, however, it forms but a member of the following word in German:Viceoberappellationsgerichtsprotonotarius.

In English:

Appeal courts-chief prothonotary's-deputy.

A Military Award.-Captain 8, of the—regiment, during the American war, was notorious for a propensity not to story-telling, but to telling tong stories, which he used to indulge, in defiance of time and place, often to the great annoyance of his immediate companions; but he was so goodhumoured withal, that they were loth to check him abruptly or sharply. An opportunity occurred of giving him a hint, which had the desired effect. He was a member of a courtmartial assembled for the trial of a private of the regiment. The man bore a very good character in general, the offence he had committed was slight, and the court was rather at a loss what punishment to award, for it was requisite to award some, as the man had been found guilty. While they were deliber. ating on this, Major- -, now General Sir- suddenly turning to the president, said in his dry manner, "Suppose we sentence him to hear two of Capiain S 's long stories.

shall meeting him as he was being led to execution, said to him, "What a miserable fool you were, to risk your life for five shillings!"—" General,” replied the soldier, "I have risked it every day for five-pence." This repartee saved his life.

Elysium in Spain.-In Spanish Estremadura, a person who has 100%. per annum may support a family of four or five in number with great comfort, and enjoy the luxury of a carriage. The finest bread is at little more than one halfpenny per lb., good wine at one penny per bottle, small lambs and kids about eighteen-pence each, and vegetables cheap, and in abundance. Labourers in husbandry are to be hired at less than 7d per day, and a female servant for about 27. sterling, per anuum, aud occasionally a few cast off articles of clothing. There is good pasture for cattle almost for nothing; and the sweet acorns, which make the pork so delicious in parts of Spain and Portugal, grow wild, and are to be had for the gathering. Such is spanish Estremadura, and yet nobody thinks of emigrating thither.

Great Results from Small Beginnings.-The possibility of a great change being introduced by very slight beginnings, may be illustrated by the tale which Lockman tells of a vizier, who, having offended his master, was condemned to perpetual captivity in a lofty tower. At night his wife came to weep below his window. "Cease your grief," said the 66 sage, go home for the present, and return hither when you have procured a live black beetle, together with a little ghee (or buffalo's butter), three clews, one of the finest silk, another of stout packthread, and another of whipcord, finally a stout coil of rope." When she again came to the foot of the tower, provided according to her husband's commands, he directed her to touch the head of the insect, with a little of the ghee, to tie one end of the silk thread around him, and to place the reptile on the wall of the tower. Seduced by the smell of the butter, which he conceived to be in store somewhere above him, the beetle continued to ascend till he reached the top, and thus put the vizier in possession of the end of the silk thread; who drew up the packthread by means of the silk, the small cord by means of the packthread, and by means of the cord, a stout rope capable of sustaining his own weight--and so at last escaped from the place of his duresse.

Hospitality of the Irish.-Those who do not know Ireland, have no conception of what an immense quantity is given away there in charity; not so much in money, however, for, except in the large towns, they have not money to give, but in meal, milk, and potatoes, particularly the last. The Irish peasantry when his potatoes are placed upon his rude table, secured from rolling off by the rim of a seive, or some such conveniencefor, alas! he has no dish-would no more think of denying a meal to the wandering vagrant that passes his door, than he would of arguing with the priest. A stone of potatoes in the week is taking at a very low rate indeed the estimate of what the smallest farmer probably gives away in this manner, that is, six and a half hundred weight in the year, and he never feels that he gives any thing; but fasten a tax, or poor rate, of ten shillings a year upon him, and he would feel it, as an intolerable burden-probably he would confer with his neighbours upon the policy of laying violent hands on the collector, and pitching him head foremost into the nearest lake or bog hole.

Roman Nicknames -The Romans address each other by their Christian names, or by their nicknames, which are so general, and in such current use, that they often supersede the Christian name altogether. The Romans, however, find nothing offensive in these characteristic appellations, and answer to them unhesitatingly. Thus, one is called Signor Baffo, from his beard; another Signor Biondo, from the colour of his hair. A gossip is called Mezzoprete; a bulky man Gigante; and a wearer of spectacles Signor Occhialini. The Roman detects with wonderful accuracy the oddities and pe. culiarities of every one, and nicknames them accordingly, but without ill nature or attempt at wit; and not unfrequently an individual receives the same appellation from different persons; so effective and true is the universal sense of criticism in this respect. Foreigners, especially, whose names are often too barbarons for Roman utterance, afford no little occupation for this nicknaming propensity of the natives. At the hotels and tables d'hôte, every stranger has his peculiar cognomen, which is inscribed on his dinner bill at the bar; and when the waiter delivers it, he generally tears of the nickname, lest it should prove offensive to the party indicated.