DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.

(No. 23.)-BALL DRESS.-Dress of white tulle, with a double skirt, worn over white satin corsage uni and a-pointe, sleeves short, in plaits at top, the lower part in a small single sabot; the underneath skirt is ornamented with a very deep flounce of rich blonde, the outside one only reaches to the sides (see plate), where it is looped up, quite in the style of the ancient costumes; wreaths of small but richly variegated flowers form. a heading to the flounce; a garniture of the same is upon the sleeves, and down the seams of the front of the corsage (see plate); a trimming, likewise of flowers, runs along each side of the second skirt, and terminates at the looping up of the same by a bouquet. Hair in thick ringlets, with a guirlande (wreath) of mixed flowers. Necklace and ear-rings of pearls, gold armlets placed immediately below the short sleeve (see plate). Half long kid gloves, with ruches of satin ribbon at top; white shoes; antique fan.

The dress of the sitting figure is of pink satin, the back hair twisted en tor'sade.

CHILD'S DRESS-Frock and trowsers of white pou de soie, the corsage plain, with crossed draperies put on (see plate). Short tight sleeves, finished with ruches of tulle; coloured sash; bows on the sleeves and in the hair.

(No. 24.)-TOILETTES DE PROMENADE ET D'INTERIEUR.-Satin redingote, lined and wadded; the corsage tight, with a revers, or kind of small cape of velvet, coming down in front, and only forming a small falling collar at back; facings, or revers, of velvet, reaching down the entire front of the dress (see plate), which is fastened at distances by nauds (bows), likewise of velvet. Sleeves brought low upon the shoulders in flat plaits (see plate); the lower part of the sleeve is also tight, and the intermediate in a single very deep full puff, or sabot. A bow of ribbon is placed at the top of the sabot, or full sleeve, on the outside of

30-VOL. II. DECEMBER.

TOILETTE D'INTERIEUR. . Dress of white cashmere. pelerine open in front of the neck, and Corsage tight, with tight at top and bottom, with two frills, falling collar of embroidery.

Sleeves

the remainder full. Cap à-la-Fanchon brow, with a ful trimming coming down (see plate). This cap is plain across the each side of the face, and a kind of half kerchief with long lappets put over the wreath of light flowers goes across the head, which quite conceals the cawl; a front of the head, and descends a short way at each side (see plate). Satin apron, with pockets on the outside; each side of the apron is trimmed with a narrow, and the bottom with a wide fall of black lace. Black shoes of drap de soie.

Paris, November 23, 1887.

TA silence m'a causée une véritable inquiétude, chère et belle comtesse, car c'est aujourd'hui seulement que tes lettres me sont parvenues. J'attendais avec une vive impatience des nouvelles du banquet de Guildhall. Tu y étais, et tu ne m'avais pas écrit-méchante! et tu sais bien qu'à Paris ta jeune et charmante reine est aimée presqu'autant que par ses sujets en Angleterre. But a truce to scolding, and let me thank you, chere amie, for all the interesting particulars you have given me. I shall never give M. de F- a moment's peace until he promises to take me to England in the spring, to be presented at the court of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. I shall absolutely die of vexation if he refuse. I mean at least to threaten him, et je sais qu'il m'aime trop pour risquer une vie qui lui est aussi précieuse que la mienne; so consent he must, bon gré mal gré!

I purpose making a long round of visits to-morrow, and shall take your letter with meit is so agreeable to disseminate news, to have it said of one, "It is quite true, for the Comtesse de

F related it in the salons of the Duchesse d'Oor chez la Marquise de R.” One gets talked of, and nothing is so agreeable. One becomes quite an object of envy at being enabled to state particulars unknown to or overlooked by the public papers. Ainsi, encore une fois, je te remercie. You ask, have I heard from Cécile since her marriage? Oui, ma belle. They are still at Lyons. Cécile's mother utters nothing but complaints. She says the Vicomte and his wife pay very little attention to her, and that she actually believes Léon has fallen in love with his own wife. She would not continue her journey with them to Florence, but that she wants to procure one of those beautiful Italian greyhounds. She has been wild for one since she saw a beauty belonging to an English lady who died here a few months ago-a Miss C. This creature had a regular toilette adapted to every season; in the height of summer only he appeared in "nature's garb."

In autumn he wore a fur boa twisted round his neck. In winter his dress vas a manteau of fine kerseymere lined with silk, wadded, with silk tassels at the corners. In spring he wore a lighter cloak, and in summer he threw off all his mufflings. His mistress left him, and 3001. per annum, to her femme-dechambre. To procure one of these animals is then the real cause of my sister-in-law's journey! M. de F

is

very angry at her complaining of Léon's attention to Cécile; he says she ought to rejoice; but I believe the true cause of the young couple agreeing so well is, that about ten days after their marriage, the disconsolate widow, to whom Léon was so long attached, consoled herself by accepting Cécile's cousin (whom I mentioned to you in my last letter), "for better for worse." This marriage was certainly registered in heaven! for it is a singular one. Whilst talking of marriages, I must tell you, that an advertisement has just appeared in several of the French papers, from a young English lady, aged 22, of good connections, agreeable physiognomy, pleasing manners, accomplishments, &c. &c. &c., who wishes to find a husband-of course he must be a person in all respects suited to her; but the principal clause is, that he must be a Pole. Perhaps

you might be able to assist her, chérie ; you know some Poles, I believe?

I have been aux Italiens to see the

début of Madame Persiani in the part of Amina in the Sonnambula, and was much delighted with her; to the talent of a first-rate singer she unites that of a most accomplished actress. She is a great acquisition to the theatre.

Were you not sorry to hear of the death of the celebrated Hummel? He died at Weimar on the 17th October; his music has always been much sought after in Paris, particularly since his visit here some few years back. Horace Vernet, the painter, has set out for Constantine, where he is to commence his picture of the siege, which has been commanded by the King of the French. The death of the brave General Damremont is to form the subject of a second painting, I suppose by the same artist; both are destined to the Royal Musée of Versailles. It is said that the Duke de Nemours was close to the general at the moment he fell. The garde nationale of Paris purpose giving a splendid ball to the courageous young prince on his return from Africa. I forgot to say that the body of General Damremont is to be brought to Paris for interment in the vaults of the Hôtel des Invalides; preparations are already commencing for the funeral ceremony: they talk of regilding the dome of the chapel. Amongst the on dits here they mention a marriage between the eldest son of the Duke of Modena and the young Comtesse de Rosny, the daughter of the Duchesse de Berry. A marriage also, between the Duke de Bordeaux and the daughter of the Emperor Nicholas, has been spoken of. For peace sake it is to be hoped something will intervene to prevent the latter.

Nous allons valser cet hiver, ma belle-M. Strauss fait fureur à Paris! On Sunday last he performed his "stock of waltzes" at the Tuileries; the king was so pleased, that he sent him a diamond pin valued at 2000 francs. No doubt this highly talented composer will honour the salons of the English nobility with his presence next season. The English have the reputation of filling the purses of quacks and foreign musicians, whilst they leave their own countrymen to starve. If I wanted to make

my fortune as an exhibitor of rarities, I would procure a couple of dancing bears and take them to London as an appendage to the valses of !!!

Mais avec tout ce bavardage, j'oublie nos modes. Two days ago I accompanied two of our friends, the Duchesse de Land Madame Charlotte de Bto every magasin of note in Paris; it was quite delightful to be enabled to make our selections at leisure; you know these ladies are both passablement coquettes; in fact, they study nothing but their toilettes, and are always au fait as to where the newest and greatest variety of fashions are to be seen. Nous avons vu de bien belles choses, ma chère amie; entr'autres, we saw a kind of vêtement, neither cloak, shawl, nor mantelet, yet partaking of the qualities of all three. It reaches about as far as the knees, is wide enough to wrap around one, has large mussulman sleeves, a capuchon or hood with oreillettes (a revival of the modes of the thirteenth century), which not only covers the head, but likewise shades the face, at the discretion of the wearer: quite a delightful thing, in short, for going out at night; it is made of satin lined and wadded, with velvet hood and velvet riband trimming. We purchased a mantelet à-revers (the lining turned over the fronts) of rich velvet, the colour flamme d'Enfer, and trimmed with ermine. I purchased a polonaise of pink satin, wadded and quilted; this is a kind of short pelisse, in general trimmed with swan's-down, with loose sleeves and a hood. We also saw a beautiful brown velvet shawl trimmed all round with a deep fringe made of chenille. All the new articles in embroidery are done en tulle application: cambric flowers put upon tulle; dresses are embroidered all over in this manner, either in detached sprigs, spots, or bouquets; flounces are also done in the same style, as are likewise caps, canezous, fichus, collars, ruffles, &c. This embroidery has become so fashionable, that it is even adapted to pocket-handkerchiefs. The handkerchief is first surrounded by a rivière à-jour of drawn threads; you understand, no doubt, that a rivière is several rows of veining or other open work-stitch; the cambric flowers or

sprigs are laid on and sewed over with fine thread; the handkerchief is trimmed outside with a deep Valenciennes.

Madame Charlotte ordered a ball dress of white tulle, to be worn over satin; the skirt is to be ornamented with fine narrow flounces, finely gauffred, each flounce surmounted by a small satin rouleau. These flounces are all to commence and finish at the same spot at the left side (a little above the knee), where a bouquet of white roses is to be placed. I saw another which I preferred to this one; it was of blonde, the skirt quite plain, but looped up at the right side by a bunch of white currants formed of pearls, with artificial foliage-l'effet en était délicieux.

Another was of tulle, the skirt en tablier, mitred at each edge, and at the point of each mitre was a bunch of geraniums, variegated, white, pink, and red, and beautifully made in velvet. For morning wear I saw dresses of satin de laine, of cashmere, merinos, and mousseline de laine, embroidered in worsteds or silks (the later not so numerous), and done in tambour-stitch-au crochet, as it it called.

The hats are rather low-crowned; the fronts large, long, and square at the ears; the garniture underneath the front is of blonde, and à-la-Marie Stuart; the lappets tied under the chin. Artificial flowers are on the decline, but a new description is coming in, made of velvet, they are very rich and beautiful. Some, however, prefer three feathers, placed quite at the side, one upright and two drooping. Velvet and satin hats are more worn than any others.

The shoes are worn narrow and pointed at the toe. Brodequins are much esteemed in walking and carriage costume; they are made of velvet, satin royal, and drap de soie.

The colours most generally adopted for hats, are greens, browns, and black, in velvet; pink, cherry, and dark blue, in satin. The prevailing shades for dresses, mantelets, &c. &c. are flamme d'Enfer, browns of various shades, marron, and fumée.

Voilà, ma toute belle, que je vais te souhaiter une bonne nuit.

Adieu donc, je t'embrasse très-tendre-
Ton amie,
L. DE F.

ment.