Exhibitions; an enclosure devoted to American | we hear that the refreshment department promises plants; an aviary is projected; and a maze of ample provision-an essential addition to an hornbeam and holly, after the fashion of Hamp- attractive place of information and amusementton Court, about a quarter of an acre in extent. such as the South Kensington Horticultural Added to these attractions for general visitors, Gardens promise to become.

THE TOILET.

(Especially from Paris.)

FIRST FIGURE.-Walking dress of light | style is generally reserved for grand toilets, or green silk, ornamented with plaitings about four evening-dress. Sleeves vary much in form and inches deep, between rows of black lace. Body fashion, and yet there is nothing absolutely new: high and round. Sleeves open, half large, what were worn last month are worn this. The trimmed like the skirt. Lace epaulets, and principal fabrics are French moires (plain or Duchess bow of lace at the waist. Long Indian striped), moire antique, taffetas gros grain, or cashmere shawl. Mauve crape bonnet, trimmed sprinkled with bouquets, with plain and fancy with feathers and black lace. silks. These latter offer an extreme variety.

SECOND FIGURE.-Silk robe of a checked pattern, claret and black. Body square in front, à la Raphaël. Sleeve half-wide, slit up underneath. The whole bordered with black velvet. Long jacket of pearl-gray woollen poplin, trimmed with a plaiting of claret ribbon; and finished with pockets, and lappels on the body. Muslin chemisette and under-sleeves. Bonnet of white spotted blonde tulle, and claret silk. On the right, a tuft of flowers of the same colour. Inside the front, a tuft of similar flowers with loops of black velvet. White blond down the cheeks. Parasol of claret velvet. Spring-time and autumn are the seasons most favourable for the shawl. It is therefore impossible to overlook it in my present letter; for of all vestments the shawl is the most aristocratic. Only there is an art in wearing it which all women do not possess. N'importe, so that it is attached at the throat and falls lightly over the shoulders. It comports at this season with every kind of dress.

and

For simple walking-dress, black silk alpaca robes are much in vogue. The skirts are frequently trimmed with narrow flounces, graduated and varying in number from a dozen to fourteen. Others are only trimmed with little flounces placed en tablier in front. Corsages remain high and buttoned, and are worn either round or pointed, though this latter

Bonnets remain a mixture of shades and materials, and in general are very varied in their ornaments. For instance: one model is of white tulle-blond spotted with black, the bavolet and the front of plain mauve velvet. On the side of the bonnet, a bouquet of mauve feathers, fringed with white; in the interior a bandeau of mauve velvet flowers, with brides of mauve velvet. Another is of mingled white velvet épinglé, and plain velvet rose Trianon, ornamented at the side with a bouquet of roses de Trianon. Bonnets for the theatre or concertroom are generally of crape or lace; sometimes of crape and silk, ornamented with flowers or

plumes.

Flat ornaments of passementerie were never so beautiful and varied. Buttons-oval and round and lozenge-shaped-are all in favour. Lace is greatly worn, and fancy buttons in silk and velvet are frequently surrounded with it. Quilted bonnets, I should have told you, are still in favour. In some of the gored dresses, where each separate breadth of a plain skirt is gored, one edge of each breadth is trimmed and made to lay over the next: it is a pretty style in some materials, but few persons like to waste the material and prevent all future alterations by turnings upside down-at least, few persons with whom economy is a consideration.

PASSING EVENTS RE-EDITED.

bon Balls a success, will induce our fair and zealously charitable countrywomen to return to that prettiest of all spring fashions the simple straw-bonnet, trimmed with lilac, primrose and other light shades of ribbon, which, to maintain their freshness and delicacy, frequently require renewal. We are reminded by a lady correspondent that, by this means, employment might be given to another suffering class of workers-the straw-plaiters.

Once more the great bell of St. Paul's has pealed its solemn burden above the city, in token that another august head has put off royalty, and succumbed to the common lot of mankind. Full of years and honours, the Duchess of Kent has passed away, leaving a debt of gratitude in a loyal nation's heart, to be repaid through many years we trust in faith and devotion to her sovereign daughter. She, whose name sounds like a trumpet in her people's ears, an augury, and let us be thankful as yet the seal of victory. It is the fate of children to see their parents pass out of life before them; but those who have suffered the irrevocable severance, know how bitter, under any circumstances, is that final parting-how large a share of our own life seems taken from us-and what a blank remains that on this side of existence can never be filled up again! It is the sympathy with this common grief, joined to the knowledge of how large a share the wise and careful training and womanly counsels of her illustrious mother have had in forming the character of our revered Queen, that in this hour of her first great trial, places a people in mourning, and moves then, as with one heart, to condole within her. Outside the precincts of the palace, in many ways the event is felt as a calamity. A season of mourning puts a present stop to all the promised gaieties of the London season, which it will necessarily shorten, and upon which, the well-doing of so many tradesmen and artizans depend.

Amongst other novelties and improvements in the metropolis, we notice the formation of a London-book Union, which will be to literature what the Art Unions have been to art, diffusing the love of its possession among classes hitherto satisfied to depend on book societies, and lending libraries, without a hope of possessing one of their own. By this scheme working-men will be enabled to pay their subscription in twentyone instaliments; and, as the association will be under dependable literary auspices, the class of works will be of a superior order, and conduce to an improved taste amongst a wide and increasing class of readers. The past month has witnessed the introduction of street railways

The

London, the first experiment in which took place on Saturday the 23rd ult. with success. The cars commenced running from the Marble Arch, in the direction of Bayswater, from 10 o'clock A.M., and continued to run every ten minutes throughout the day. concourse of spectators was immense, and the greatest interest was exhibited in the undertakCoventry, too, where the distress has beening. The projector (Mr. Charles Francis Train), alleviated by subscriptions exceeding a million with true American hospitality, inaugurated the sterling, and whose trade in commercial parlance proceedings by a turtle-lunch at the St. James's gave signs of looking-up as the demand for Hall, to which invitations were liberally dispensed. ribbons progressed, must again be brought to a It is, however, a question, whether such a mode temporary stand-still. Let us hope, however, of locomotion can be safely introduced into the that the same resolution to assist this branch comparatively narrow and overcrowded thoof manufacture, which has rendered the Rib-roughfares of London. C. A. W.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

POETRY accepted with thanks: From A. A. F., "Sunlight upon Snow;" "Thy Dying Girl." We are becoming nervous at the repetition of this subject. Declined with thanks: "To the Snowdrop." The poetical conceptions of our correspondent are at present in too rudimentary a condition to be available in our pages.

"The Sick Child."-The author is thanked for the offer of these verses, which exhibit poetical feeling, but are not sufficiently finished for our acceptance. "The Curse Removed."Will our esteemed correspondent kindly exchange this poem? We do not admire the subject.

FASHION.-Subscribers to the Ladies' Companion and La Belle Assemblée, are informed that the non-appearance of the coloured fashion-plate

on two occasions since Christmas is solely due to the late gales in the Channel, which have prevented the arrival of our Paris parcel till after the publication of the magazines. Subscribers who desire them may have the plates for January and March on application to Mr. Alger, 246, Strand.

CORRESPONDENTS are informed that we can in no case undertake to return MS. unless stamps are forwarded for the purpose. We must also, as a rule, refer them to this column for answers to their inquires. Our correspondence, averaging fifty letters per month, makes it impossible that we should personally reply.

PROSE accepted: "The Broken Fuchsia." Merrivale. We cannot use the articles sent, till we have our correspondent's answer.

Printed by Rogerson and Tuxford, 246, Strand, London.