FROM OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT. BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS, 26th April, 1859. CHERE AMIE,-White taffetas, spotted or striped in light colours, glacé silks, chiné, brochés with miniature sprigs, with bareges, jaconets, muslins, gauzes de Chambery, etc., and many novelties, are seen among the materials for Spring wear. The pattern of the cambric muslins are quite new; small checks of every colour on white ground, the same style as the narrow stripes and checks of silks; they are termed pereale taffetas, on account of this similarity. A verv favourite colour is sea green or celadon, another is nankin, others are blue, pink, lilac. Poil de chèvre, a new material, is both light and durable, firm and clear, also. The Chambery gauze is used in demitoilette, for dinners, or country fêtes. Printed jaconets and cambrics will be very fashionable, but they will not be made with the large casaques; and for walking, the mantelet will be of the same material, with a deep frill or plissé à la vieille, the bodies round, with ceintures or very small basques. Medicis, bareges, and mohair dresses, will be made with double skirt, or with flounces. Stripes are fashionable, but this season they will run lengthways, not across. The moutants (trimmings up the skirt) are always used, not as quilles, which are out of favour; but some simple trimming at the sides is worn, particularly on the double skirts.

Guimp trimmings will be much used on spring and summer toilettes, and the pelerine of guipure for low dresses will form an advantageous addition for young ladies and for demi-toilette; fringes and plats will also be fashionable. Tassels, grelots of chenille or twisted silk, and fourragères, which alone form an ornament. They are placed in several rows, on high or low bodies; a large ornament of guimp confines these plats on the shoulders, and a long tassel falls on the arm. Dresses are worn so much trimmed that the bodies are covered with guimps of every kind; plats will be more worn than ever, as well as fringes, ribbon ruches, which are pretty, on dresses and mantelets, the taffetas dresses of white ground, with small sprigs, are mostly made with low and high body; at the same time, for demi-toilette, the high one being formed by a pelerine attached to the low body, which will be very convenient for summer wear. The sleeves are similarly arranged, particularly when tight, a half sleeve is attached to the short one, bouillonné, which can be ornamented at pleasure.

A pretty and novel addition to a body is a kind of bretelle (braces), crossing, with ends made of lace. The little fichus, Louis XIII., and others, continue to be worn.

Many of the ball dresses are made with large noeuds of velvet or satin, in cerise, pink, or ruby, mixed with black taffetas; the coiffure often corresponds. Choux of black taffetas, pinked, and bouffantes of the velvet alternate with the black. A dress of tarlatane, with three skirts, was made, with trimming and coiffure in this style. Another dress of white taffetas, with small pink stripes, was with three skirts and border of pink Terry velvet, the upper one being square and ruché; the low body had two berthes of taffetas, trimmed as the skirts. During the winter season, in Paris, many ladies adopted a style of body which, while preserving the old form, was certainly an improvement on it. A small bouillonné of tulle or white gauze, trimmed with a very narrow ruche, made it higher, and was very becoming. Ruches continue to be very much used on ball dresses. On those with skirts bouillonnés, they put long drooping flowers, sometimes mixed with cords, fringes, or nonds, platted with gold, the same style repeated on the body. Generally speaking, the bodies are made with waistband, and the sleeves are infinitely varied. In full dress, those with hanging lace are much in favour. Some dresses are being made without separation at the waist; the skirt is en biais, forming point and eventail. This style is considered to give height as well as slimness to the figure; and the only trimming is large buttons of velvet, closing it the whole length.

A very pretty par-dessus is a double shawl of black taffetas, the corners rounded, and trimmed all round with a handsome guipure, headed by a narrow fringe. The manteau Georgien is composed of

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with heading of a narrow black chenille fringe. For negligé and morning wear, very long confections are worn, in plain fancy materials. The mantelets for very young persons are small and covered with ruches or full trimmings, pinked on one side and narrow. They are made in light colours, green, sky blue, or pink.

Mantelets will supersede the bernouses, which are longer worn for walking, but are reserved for open carriages or country wear. Various forms of par-dessus will replace the bernous for negligé wear; some of the pelisse form, not only in silk, but in cambric, muslin, or other thin material, trimmed with a plissé à la vieille, or very narrow frill. The mantelets will be fashionable, made of the same material as the dress. The large black casaque is preferred to the black mantelet, for young persons; but for summer dresses the mantelet will correspond with the dress.

Many very elegant Parisians favour the jockey style again, having sleeves the same as those of a gentleman's paletot, with small tight casaques, closing with a waistcoat of jean or nankin. Some have been made of black taffetas, embroidered in blue or shaded chenille, with white waistcoat attached to the casaque by buttons and blue grelots. This casaque may be worn with black skirt. Many are made of crimson, violet or green velvet; these are very elegant, with the dresses of white taffetas in small sprigs or stripes.

The new bonnets are all pretty, whether of Leghorn, paille de riz, crapes, tulle, or gauze, encircling the face with the pretty flowers of spring. White crape with pink honeysuckle, paille de riz with green, white taffetas with bunches of lilac, Belgian straw with Guilde roses. and paille de riz with branches of the young green foliage. Capotes of taffetas and straw intermixed will be much worn; the soft crowns are very fashionable; it is sometimes used with the bonnets of crape or tulle. This year violet and light green of a bluish tint, not the apple green, are the fashionable colours, as also lilac. Bonnets are made of paille de riz, with noeuds, and the same confining violets and blond. Tassels of feathers, mousseux, or of straw, will form one of the ornaments of the bonnets.

Very pretty spring bonnets are made of white crape, mixed with lilac taffetas, ornamented by white and lilac periwinkles; of pink crape, with two pink feathers under a wide white blond. Mixtures of black lace and celadon green, with bunches of roses without foliage; Brussels straws, with plats of straw forming nœuds, which confined a bunch of poppies; black lace prettily intermixed with taffetas or crapes of the palest colour, is much approved.

The new spring capotes are very simple; of taffetas, mostly lined with crape, trimmed with thick ruches of crape, the bavolet the same. Some have no ornament on the front, others have large anemones at the side; white, green, violet, are the favourite colours. At the beginning of the season, and every year we see revived the capotes of spotted tulle, lined with lilac, pink, or blue taffetas; this season they have ruches of white tulle, some of taffetas of corresponding colour. The form of bonnets continues small, advancing on the forehead, and inclining back at the sides.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS. PLATE I.-Promenade Dress.-Robe of checked green silk; the skirt is ornamented up the sides by bands of green velvet ribbon; the body is high, with velvet down the centre, and buttons; the sleeves are of one large bouillon and epaulet, ornamented with ribbon to match. Bonnet of white crape, edged and ornamented with lilac velvet and flowers.

Walking Dress.-Robe of light blue glacé silk, with triple skirt, each edged by a fringe; high body, with small pointed basque, edged by a guimp; bell sleeves, with two rows of guimp. Straw bonnet, trimmed with lace and mais ribbon.

Dinner Dress.-Robe of pink taffetas with double skirt, open in front, and trimmed with a chicorée of the same; black velvet and tassels in a dice form up the sides of the upper skirt; high pointed body and bell sleeve with bouillon above, and trimming to correspond to the skirt; small pelerine of black tulle and velvet edged with fringe. Coiffure à

PLATE II.-Carriage Dress.-Robe of moire antique, with double skirt, and high body. Mantelet of black lace, with double frill of lace and four rows of plissé ribbon. Bonnet of white crape and lace, with roses at the side.

Little Girl's Dress.-Frock of green taffetas, with three flounces, a ribbon velvet on each; low body, with pointed berthe and small basque, with velvet as the flounces. Hat of fancy straw, with feather.

Little Boy's Dress.-Jacket and skirt of blue cloth; the jacket is open, meeting only at the throat, with noeud and bell sleeve, the whole edged with velvet, white under body and nankeen trousers.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of mohair, with flounces and full body. Polonaise of grey silk, ornamented with brandenbourgs of velvet, edged with black lace; loose hanging sleeve, looped up with cord and tassels, similar to model given this month. Bonnet of crape and taffetas, with wreath of roses across the forehead.

PLATE III.-Public Dejedener Dress.-Robe of barege, with three flounces, à disposition; full body, with brandenbourgs and ceinture with noeud and ends; a half long sleeve with jockey, and full under ones of tulle in bouillons. Bonnet of paille de riz, with lace reversed from the edge, and puffings of ribbon across the forehead.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of moire, with full skirt, ornamented at the bottom by a band of velvet, edged at each side by narrow black velvet. Pardessus of the same, similarly trimmed with small pelerine, edged with fringe, and long hanging sleeves. Bonnet of white Terry velvet, and lace with lilac flowers.

Carriage Dress.- Robe of glacé silk, with double skirt and high body with small pointed basque. Mantelet of black silk, with double frills, edged with lace; two bouillons of silk edged with lace, on the body of the mantelet. Bonnet of paille silk, with fauçhon of black lace, and paille feathers.

PLATE IV.-Evening Dress.-Robe of white taffetas, and second skirt of tulle, ornamented with ruches, the under one with bouillons of tulle; high body, with berthe formed of two bouillons of tulle and half long sleeves with ruche and bouillon, under ones of tulle. Coiffure of lace and flowers.

Ball Dress.-Robe of satin, with bunches of flowers put on at intervals, and double skirt of tulle, edged with blond, open at the sides and tied with noeuds and ends; pointed body, with berthe, and nœud with long ends edged with lace.

Court Dress.-Robe of satin, with front covered with flounces of rich lace, headed by bouillons; pointed body, with stomacher of lace and pearls; train of moire antique, with plissé of ribbon all round, and noeuds of ribbon and foliage up the sides. Head-dress composed of lappets and feathers, with small tiara of precious stones.

PLATE V.-Bonnet of fancy straw and pink silk, trimmed with ribbon to match, white lace and narrow velvet.

Evening cap of black and white tulle, with broad primrose satin ribbon, and a bunch of spring flowers on each side.

Bonnet of white chip, trimmed with green ribbon and feathers; the cap of this is ornamented with clusters of pink may.

Cap of black lace, trimmed with violet-coloured ribbon. Young lady's hat of drab-coloured straw, with trimmings of blue satin ribbon and feathers; it is bound round the edge with velvet of the same colour.

Evening cap of black and white lace, trimmed with pink ribbon and roses.

Bonnet of white satin, with bunches of heather bells on each side. Dress cap of white tulle, purple velvet, and white flowers, tipped with orange-colour.

Promenade bonnet of green satin, trimmed with velvet and lace, and bunches of pale green oak leaves.

White sleeve of embroidered muslin.
White sleeve of jaconot with a worked frill,

DESCRIPTION OF MODEL.

The model given this month is of a large hanging sleeve, in the same style as in the third Plate. The largest curve is the bottom of the sleeve, and it loops up to the bend of the arm with cord and tassels,

REVIEW.

An Odd Volume extracted from an Autobiography. By Sydney Lady Morgan. London: Bentley.

A CHARACTERISTIC Preface so aptly describes the scope of this "Odd Volume," that we extract it :

"The following pages are the simple records of a transition existence, socially enjoyed, and pleasantly and profitably occupied, during a journey of a few months from Ireland to Italy.

"They were not written for the special purpose of any work, but were mere transcripts of circumstances incidental to that journey, which was delayed in its progress by all that could interest the feelings or gratify the mind. I lingered in this path of dalliance,' this ' delicate plain of ease' (as dear old Bunyan calls it), with the same careless enjoyment as Little Red Riding Hood' must have had on her way to her granddame's hut, pausing only to pick a flower here or a pebble there, insensible to the proximity of the grim wolf who was waiting to devour her. I, like Little Red Riding Hood, loitered to pick up a flower or secure a pebble that lay in my way, whilst the proximity of that grim wolf, TIME, which sooner or later devours all things, was unheeded. But the flower gathered still retains its fragrance for me, and the pebble, like the scarabæus found among the antique rubbish of Egyptian tombs, bears the divine impress of genius.

"During what was then deemed a perilous journey to Italy, I followed up my old habit of occasional diary; and one still older and dearer, a constant correspondence with my dear and only sister. These homestead letters-these rapidly-scrawled diaries, written 'à saute et à gambade,' form, I believe, the material portion of this volume. The more spirituel and interesting part will be found in the letters of some of the most eminent men and women of the times they illustrated by their genius, their worth, their cultivation of letters, and their love of liberty.

"Egotism is the sin of autobiography, and vanity naturally takes the pen to trace its dictation. The vanity, or, to give its better name, the pride with which I give these letters to the public, with the permission of, alas! the few survivors, and the concurrence of these most interested in their posthumous reputation, is attributable to the enduring friendship and support with which the writers honoured me, foremost among whom I place General La Fayette, Baron Dénon, and Catherine, Countess of Charleville.

"The genuineness of the little work lies in this irrefragable

testimony of the autograph letters, from which uncopied they have been printed; amongst the rest my letters to my sister, which frivolous and domestic as women's confidential letters generally are convey some idea of the habits, times, and manners when they were composed. There they are! records of the passage of more years than I am willing to reveal, with their old horrible post-marks of two-andsixpence and two-and-tenpence (which now would be a penny a head), or the franks

"By many a statesman, many a hero scrawl'd.'”

As may well be imagined, the "Wild Irish Girl" is true in every page of her Diary to that character of rambling raciness which she has made so essentially her own. Chit-chat, anecdote, repartee, and drollery are the staple materials of the work.

MUSLIN EMBROIDERY, BRAIDERY, &c, continue to form a considerable portion of the general ornamental part of Ladies' dresses. The combined elegance and durability of these admired articles will cause them to remain favourites both on this and the other side of the Channel. The present season has produced some new and beautiful varieties, which may be selected of the well stocked house of Mrs. Wilcockson, for whose address see advertisements.

HOUSEHOLD NAMES.-In England we have an especial fondness for "Household Names" some of which become "Institutions" among us: and there is one which the advent of Summer always brings forcibly to mind—namely, that of the Messrs. Rowlands. Their preparations are acknowledged to be indispensable in order that youth and beauty may appear to the best advantage at a time when the brightness of the atmosphere renders defect so obvious. The Macassar Oil has the effect of causing the hair to be soft, lustrous, and luxuriously rich: the Kalydor is to the complexion-the face, hands, and arms-"the lost Kalon"-a certain means of unsurpassable loveliness: and the Odonto (fragrant and pearl-producing') is the only desirable preparation for the teeth. No wonder then, that the originators of these "Tresors de toilette" (as the Comtesse de la Bergerie calls them :) are registered among our "Household Names!"