No. 334.

FROM OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT.

BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS, September 28th, 1858. CHERE AMIE,-The long continuation of fine and warm weather, during the whole of the month, called for no particular change in outdoor toilettes; nevertheless, Paris has not been idle in preparations for the coming season. Dresses of dark blue silk brochés, in flowers of sombre tints, are ornamented by numerous nœuds of fancy ribbons in rich designs; dresses of narrow taffetas with double skirts, the upper being ornamented at the sides by small scarfs of the same silk, forming lengthened noeuds, terminating with checks of velvet of the same colour and fringe; the bodies closing in front, also ornamented with nœuds; wide open sleeves, edged by a biais of taffetas, with two plaits lengthways, meeting behind, and closed by a scarf noeud, which drooped on the skirt. The bodies of dresses are always a good deal ornamented, fringe laid across or braids made for that purpose, and tassels with guimpe. As slight materials are beginning to disappear, fancy taffetas in stripes, checks, or figured, or plain, replace them, ornamented by moutants or tabliers; and for simple toilettes, popelines. The favourite colours for the season are deep blue, or iron grey. The bodies continue to be made high, and button with or without basques; round centures are worn in negligé.

The skirts of dresses continue to be worn very long, which, though elegant in effect, is often inconvenient, in their materials, which so easily lose all stiffness, to obviate which, in Paris, they have been bound round the edge by a white cotton braid, nearly two inches in width, and the widest part outside, which gives support and strength to the hem. Dresses have been made with low bodies, and pelerines of the same, trimmed with lace or otherwise, forming at once a high or a low body; a style expected to become very general this autumn. Many of the jackets termed coins de feu, are in preparation; the casaque zouave of velvet; drap de soie, embroidered in gold, or trimmed with gold or silk braid; the small Polonaise, etc.

Dresses of very rich taffetas in plain colours are beginning to be worn entirely plain, some are merely ornamented by several rows of buttons; the bodices high, and pagoda sleeves. Many dresses have been worn of Persian, with large casaques of the same; the Persian covered with large running pattern, the more they resemble the old fashioned furniture and curtains, the more recherchée they are considered.

Though flounces continue decidedly fashionable, some prefer the double skirts; flounces are more elegant, and when the former are used, the upper skirt should be very full so as not at all to compress the under one.

The large casaques sometimes termed Polonaises are much worn, the same as the dress; those in white are no longer admissible, except with the skirt also white; black is, however, an exception, and the Polonaises of black taffetas, will later be replaced by those of cloth or velvet. The form of fichus remains much the same; a pretty style for demitoilette is high, forming point before and behind to the waist, it is made of black tulle, striped with narrow velvet, taking the form of the point edged by a row of tassels falling on a frill of lace; on a pink or lightcoloured dress it has a pretty effect, another more dressy was low, in points, before, behind, and on the shoulders, and entirely composed of ruches of tulle illusion, separated by narrow blue velvet, and noeuds of blue velvet in front. In negligé the fichus cross in front, lying behind, or terminating at the sides with long ends or round pelerines, which are much liked.

It seems almost decided that white sleeves will not be worn this winter; cuffs, turned back over the wristband, seem to be in contemplation; in the meantime, very pretty sleeves are worn, and in negligé many ladies wear sleeves and collars to match, embroidered in colours, but white are more elegant; there is no change in the shape, the collars continue very small, and the sleeves very wide, with small cuffs; in demi-toilette a pretty style of sleeve is a large bouillon, closing with wristband, the bouillon of spotted tulle is crossed lengthways by bouillonnés, with ribbon through, the colour of the dress;

VOL. 31.

large, formed of large bouillons of tulle, with or without trimmings of lace. Another sleeve for muslin dresses is full, with small jockey trimmed and placed at the top of the sleeve, the folds only commencing at the bottom of the jockey; this new form of sleeve will be very pretty in taffetas, and will also look well in velvet. It is rumoured that the gigot sleeve will be worn this winter, in which case the under sleeve will be replaced merely by a cuff.

The autumn bonnets are very pretty with their trimmings of velvet and lace; the heron and cock's feathers will be very fashionable; the Belgian straw, with its bandeau of field flowers; the Antoinette is quite a new form; and the pretty capotes with soft crowns, on which lace, flowers, and ribbons, are intermixed, all are pretty. The weather has continued warm, and straws are always worn. A pretty bonnet of Leghorn had a bavolet of black velvet, with pipings of pink and Bengal roses, mixed with black velvet, rising as wreath on the front; the strings were pink and black, and bunch of roses inside; this style of trimming is very pretty, with green taffetas and black roses; strings of white and green. A bonnet composed of white crape, and white taffetas, had a plume of cock's feathers, white and gold colour, spotted with black, and strings of gold colour. Velvet is expected to be much used for bonnets this winter; one of green velvet was ornamented with black and white blond, inside were touffes of foliage in green velvet of two shades, such a mixture of colour seems to be fashionable. Bournouses will be much worn this autumn; the new forms are prettier than those of the last season; the original bournous is not used; hoods not so long and less pendant are preferred, they are no longer made with seams on the shoulders, and are rather pointed at the bottom. Manteaux with sleeves and hoods are also expected to be fashionable. A new material has appeared in Paris for the burnous, not considered so pretty, but distingué, it is a kind of coarse flannel, in stripes or checks of green and blue, the hoods round, bordered with velvet, and ornamented by a tassel or noeud of the same material. The winter cloaks will all be made very full; some burnous with sleeves; also a kind of shawl, with deep frill of fluted velvet; manteaux of drap cachemire, others of plaid velvet, of black velvet trimmed with lace; or of velvet without trimming, with Arabian hood.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.

PLATE I.-Little Girl's Dress.-Frock of taffetas, with square body, edged by black velvet and guimpe trimmings across the front; sleeves rather short, composed of frills edged with fringe and nœuds of black velvet; skirt with three flounces, edged with fringe and nœuds of velvet up the sides; guimpe and long sleeves à bouillon of muslin. Child's Walking Dress.-Frock of popeline and paletot of muslin with large square sleeves trimmed with plissés of ribbon. Bonuet of white silk.

Young Ladies' Riding Dress.-Skirt of cachimere, and casaque with sleeves and revers trimmed with plissés of ribbon. Hat of black felt with feather.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of checked taffetas, and paletot of Nankin finished in scollops, and buttoning from the waist upwards. Leghorn hat with wreath of flowers.

PLATE II.-Carriage Dress.- Robe of checked taffetas, with high body buttoning up the front; double skirt, the upper open at the sides, and trimmed with black lace, and plissé of ribbon; mantelet of black taffetas, trimmed with very wide lace headed by a plissé. Bonnet of white satin and lace, with white roses at the side.

Walking Dress.-Robe of deep blue taffetas with double skirt, edged by a bouillon, with headings and noeuds of ribbon at intervals; paletot of the same, with wide sleeves and jockeys trimmed as the skirt. Bonnet of fancy straw with feathers.

Public Promenade Dress.- Robe of barege, with flounces and full body; mantelet of pearl grey taffetas, trimmed with tassel fringe. Bonnet of white crape and lace.

PLATE III.-Dinner Dress.-Robe of lilac taffetas, with double skirt, trimmed with plissés à la Vieille of ribbon; pointed body, with sleeves composed of a bouillon and frill; fichu of spotted tulle, trimmed

Ball Dress.-Robe of white tulle over pink satin in double skirts, ornamented by bouillons of tulle, ribbon noeuds in loops at intervals; pointed body with berthe of bouillons, and noeuds in the centre and on the shoulders; coiffure à l'Eugenie, with feathers tinted with pink.

Walking Dresses.-Robe of plain green taffetas, with full single skirt and moutants of velvet; high body, closing with buttons, and sleeves looped up in front; mantelet shawl of black taffetas with frill, headed by a ruche and hood with three tassels. Bonnet of white silk, with fauchon of lace and lilac flowers.

PLATE IV.-Boy's Dress.-Full skirt and trousers of Valentia, trimmed with braid; open jacket of the same, rounded in front, and rather short sleeves with cuffs; under body, sleeves, and collar of cambric.

Public Dejedener Dress.-Robe of white muslin, with tucks and full body; mantelet of silk, trimmed with rich lace and ruches. Bonnet of taffetas and lace with flowers.

Carriage Dress. -Robe of moire with double skirt, the upper one open at the sides, and edged all round with a ball fringe; high pointed body closing with buttons, and very wide hanging sleeves, edged with fringe as the skirt. Bonnet of paille de riz, with wreath of velvet flowers and foliage.

PLATE V.-Pelerine of dotted net, trimmed with lace and blue satin ribbon crossed at the waist with long ends.

Morning cap of lace, trimmed with pink ribbons edged with black.

Dress cap of blonde, trimmed with yellow satin ribbon and bunches of clematis blossoms.

Evening cap of white tulle, with lappets of black lace, trimmed with bows and ends of scarlet ribbon and bunches of white flowers. Carriage bonnet of pink satin, trimmed with black and Michaelmas daises.

Second ditto, of fancy straw, trimmed with lavender ribbon and pink roses.

Promenade bonnet of grey satin, trimmed with feathers to match. Second ditto, of purple silk and fringe, trimmed with narrow black velvet.

White sleeve of jaconet, drawn up with a ruche and a bow of lavender ribbon.

Second ditto, of book muslin made in puffs, trimmed with pink ribbon.

Third, white sleeve cambric, with a blue bow.

DESCRIPTION OF MODEL.

The model of this month is of a high body closing with buttons and basque behind; the sleeve, suitable to it, is merely a large pagoda, it admits of any style of trimming that may be required.

PARACELSUS.

He asserted that the physician was a servant of God, and was bound to do his work from charity and love, and not for riches. Chemistry and astrology were the columns that supported it. In seven books of defences, he attacked the false doctors, his enemies, with reproach and sarcasm. He says they are mealy-mouthed babblers, only desiring gold and popularity, hiding truth by a subtle jargon, slanderers, and full of intolerable malice.

Affecting plain rude speech adapted to the people, Paracelsus derided the rhetoric of the doctors, and their poetical receipts. The doctor's tongue could not cure, and he did not care for wheedling compliments and mean flatteries.

He introduced simple forms of receipts and used fewer ingredients, much to the annoyance of the apothecaries, whose drawers remained full. He also invented new and better defined names for diseases and for medicines, and referred proudly to his cures as a proof of his knowledge. His arguments are of eternal efficacy against the Confucian maxims of unenlightened conservatism. Everything, he said, was changed-the sky, the sea, the earth; and to-day was not as yesterday. Changes of manners, and increase of population, produce fresh diseases; and on all new discoveries he claimed a right to confer accurate and closely-defined names. For fools, he left it to determine the sizes of galley-pots, and the question of whether the antepenultima in paralysis was long or short.

When they called out that this man was a cheat, who used poisons and corrosives, he asked which was the poison-the medicine that cured or that which killed. He showed that anything used in excess is a poison, and denied that God had created anything entirely evil. He reminded them that God was at once the medicine and the doctor, and that drugs did neither good nor evil without his permission. When they accused him of prescribing vitriol, he sneered at their mercurial ointments, and defied them to deny that in his medicines the bad was separated from the good by chemical purifications.

To acquire knowledge he travelled again over all parts of Europe, conversing with barbers and old nurses, and craftsmen of all grades, learning secrets of the pulse and symptoms of diseases, local or general. All his life, indeed, he acquired the name of a vagabond from this restless desire of practical and tangible knowledge. For art and natural beauty he cared nothing; scraped the Venus de Medicis, perhaps, to see the character of the marble, and observing the Apollo, to see if it contained the right number of muscles. No man, he said, was ever well educated at home; arts, science, were local and antagonistic, and truth was a virgin who must be visited and wooed in her own habitation. Printing was still young, we must remember, and books of travels scarce and inaccurate. For what Paracelsus wanted there was no book much more modern than Pliny's great encyclopædia. As diseases migrated, and medicines were affected by climate, it was necessary to observe and watch them in their own countries. "I knew," he said, "if I left any place unvisited I should be unworthy of the name of Theophratus." Observation strengthened his belief, evolved his knowledge, and verified his reading. He despised the bad person who would not share his sweat and danger for the common good. They looked upon him as a

robust madman, pursuing a vision and abusing all who would not follow him. They did not see that the doctor had any mission but to make money; that he was intended to advance science they did not acknowledge, much less than mere drudging and money-making was shameful and degrading. They hated the restless reformer, who would not let things be.

"Arts," he said, "have no feet, and are not winged; they travel slowly from one country to another. The true philosopher must verify what he reads, and learning must be sought out and not waited for." To illustrate his opinion Paracelsus uses a clever simile: "The food of one must," he says, "come from many countries; our figs from this place, our wines from another, our salt from a third; so must mental food be sought and carefully collected; manners must be observed in their own countries, and the differences of things observed and compared. The chemist is bound to visit mineral countries, and observe the matrix of ores, and converse with those who spend their lives in mining."

He desires those who are not afraid to relinquish ease, to imitate him, hoping that whatever toil, dangers, miseries, or fatigue he had met with from his ardour for knowledge in many varied pilgrimages, may be set down to his honour. Then he grows the despiser of dogma, the innovator, and the original thinker, as he continues :

"For I testify in this to the face of nature, that he who wishes to be learned must tread books under his feet. Petty arts may be contained in books, but the book of nature is broad as the sky and wide as the sea, and every country is a leaf, and to be wise we must turn over many leaves of this great code."

PERSIAN GALLANTRY:-The following specimen of Oriental discrimination, and opportune homage to female beauty, is translated literally from the original :-" Abon Hassan Mirza, of Ispahan, devoted slave of the Monarch of Persia,-to the fairest luminary of terrestial beauty!-When by the fiat of Alla, the Oriental earth became impregnated with the germ of future felicity to Man, it was divinely decreed, that as the Houris of Paradise are the promise of eternal bliss to all true Believers, so should the Faithful, even in this sublunary sphere, enjoy the presence of Female Divinity! RowLAND'S KALYDOR was then reserved in embryo, that in due time it might come forth as the Bestower of BLESSINGS, by creating, sustaining, and enhancing, the personal graces of female loveliness. That auspicious period has now arrived-ROWLAND'S KALYDOR, paramount in cosmetic excellence, is famed throughout the mighty extent of civilized empire, as an infallible renovator and preservative of beauty! Deign, absolute Queen of Abon Hassan Mirsa's affections! sole arbitress of his destinies! immaculate emanation of celestial effulgency! to accept of thy adoring slave, the benign yet potent auxiliary of loveliness-ROWLAND'S KALYDOR; that when thou returnest from the hospitable shores of Britain to thy native land, thou mayest by this all-powerful specific, irradiate still more brilliantly the galaxy of Persian beauty; and expand the knowledge of a cosmetic, which to the attractive though transient daughters of earth, imparts the semblance of the Angels of Immortality."