Jones. He is, however, closely watched by the inquisition, which has already prevented the publication of the translations of several important works, as for instance, the Encyclopedia and Robertson's history of America. The month proofs of an increasing refinement of taste, and of the human heart. His dreams have been translated into several languages, and frequently imitated. He has also written several works on historical, political, and theological subjects. The most eminent modern authors are, Vego, Sarmiento, Flores, Buriel, and Isla, all of them eccle-ly publications which appear display also many siastics. Isla has written a keen satire upon indifferent preachers, under the title of Historia del || enlightened understanding. The best historians famoso preditator fray Gerundio, in which he attempts to reform the Spanish preachers; but his excellent plan was frustrated by the persecutions of ignorant and fanatic priests. Many of the latest writers display a considerable degree of good taste. The most distinguished of them is Yriarte, who has translated several English works, amongst which are, the Spectator, Rambler, and Hume's History; besides some others of the amusing kind, as Clarissa Harlowe and Tom of the Spaniards are, Mariana, Solis, and Herreras. None has, however, distinguished himself by a philosophical spirit. Father Isla has written the best compendium of the History of Spain. The Spaniards have done much for typographical beauty. The most splendid works are, Mariana's History and a Translation of Sallust, by the Infant Don Lewis. The price of the latter work is an ounce of gold. SINGULAR FASHIONS. to put their girls in possession of this singular accomplishment, the mothers fasten strong rings round the legs of their female infants, below the knee, and above the ancles, which they wear all their life. These rings, obstructing the free circulation of the blood, force it to extend that part of the leg which they confine; whence the calves attain a most astonishing size, which affords to these Indian belles a charm whose all-conquering power no young Indian gentleman is able to resist. The beaus of the ladies with these bulky calves wear enormous wigs made of feathers, which in size completely correspond with the protuberant charms of the belles. An assembly of this nation, consisting of naked men with enormous wigs of feathers, and of girls with calves of such an unnatural size, must exhibit as ridicu lous a sight as a party of French ladies and gentlemen of fashion in the 16th century, when the former wore enormous artificial posteriors stuffed with horse-hair, and the latter bellies of an astonishing size, consisting of cushions filled with No female Indian in America would be so indecent as to go abroad naked; the women in the interior of America being invariably compelled, by the tyranny of custom, to appear in public || completely dressed, which they perform by besmearing the whole body with oil, and painting on it a great variety of figures in different colours; and travellers protest, that when thus arrayed they appear to great advantage at a distance. Another article of their dress consists of large teeth of fishes, suspended from their ears, which hang down to the shoulders, the tips of them being pierced by their mothers in their earliest infancy, and the holes gradually extended so much, that a hand might pass through. They wear rings in their nostrils, which hang down to the upper lip, a necklace composed of monkies teeth, and bracelets consisting of shells; ornaments which render them objects irresistibly bewitch-tattooing with it the figure of a pair of whiskers ing in the eyes of the young men of taste and fashion. The women of a certain Indian nation in America consider a very bulky calf to the leg as one of the greatest personal charms, and in order I husks. The Achaguas reckon it one of the most charming ornaments to wear large artificial whiskers, covering one half of the face, and uniting on the chin. These whiskers are so durable that nothing is capable of removing them. The mother takes a fish's tooth as sharp as a lancet, on the lips, cheeks, and the chin of the child, and after having wiped off the blood, rubs the incision with a black powder, which produces the figure of a pair of whiskers nover to be effaced. The Omaguas, a nation of the kingdom of Quito, make small syringes of gum elastic, one of which is presented to each of their guests when they give an entertainment. The omission of this act of civility would be looked upon as a mark of an utter want of good breeding, and the application of a clyster, in the presence of the whole company, before they sit down to dinner, is reckoned by them as necessary for the purposes of cleanliness, as the washing of hands on the same occasion in the eastern countries. The ancient Romans are known to have taken a gentle emetic during dinner, in order to make room for an additional quantity of victuals, a custom of which the fashionable world at Vienna are likewise accused by several travellers, though we have great reason to suspect that this charge is utterly unfounded, and nothing but the effect of a foolish desire of saying something new, though at the expence of truth. SABINA; OR, MORNING SCENES IN THE DRESSING-ROOM OF A ROMAN LADY. [Continued from Vol. II. Page 128.] Scene VI.-Droso fetches the Robes; Washing of Hands; View of the Wardrobe and of the Apartments of the Slaves; Presses for Clothes; Shoes; the Tunic. THE interruption of the officious Zenothemis, and Myrrhinetta's unexpected delivery had protracted Donna Sabina's breakfast to such a length, that double diligence was now necessary in arranging the other necessary parts of her dress. One of her maids had long been waiting for orders to that effect. Her name was Droso and to her the chief care of Sabina's wardrobe was committed. She now advanced to ask the important question whether her mistress would wear the gold flounce, or that which was festooned with pearls, together with the state dress in which it was necessary she should appear at the solemnity. "The maids," added Droso, "are all waiting in the wardrobe for your orders. The clothes are taken out of the presses and every thing is ready." The question is obviously of considerable importance, and requires a mature, but at the same time speedy consideration. Sabina was going to a review and was likely to be herself surveyed by a thousand eyes; she was going to see and to be seen, exposed as she would be in an open balcony from head to foot, to the inquisitive eyes of jealous rivals. "What is your opinion, Kypassis said the lady to her favorite attendant who has already been introduced to the notice of the reader. With the utmost respect the brown Kypassis replied: "Who can presume, most excellent mistress, to direct your taste which all the Roman ladies implicitly take for the standard of their dress! But, some weeks since when you sent your cousin Saturninus the beautiful bandeaus of pearls for the chest and head of his charger, did you not say that, on this day, you would wear the new pearl dress a-la-Cleopatra which your husband lately brought you from Alexandria? You certainly only wanted to put my memory to the proof. For that dress must likewise be accompanied with the pearl flounces." Sabina turned to Droso, with a look of severity on her brow from which the name of Saturninus pronounced by Kypassis had scarcely been able to disperse the gloomy clouds which again be gan to gather there. "You have your answer," said she. At her nod Kypassis brings a wet sponge in a silver wash-hand basin. The slave had just dipped it into asses milk, and now gen ly rubs with it the hands of her mistress. A maiden standing by her side, holds the soft towel ready for drying them*. It was not for nothing that Sabina had cast her eye on the golden and silky locks of the page who was still waiting in the corner for her command. At her beck he advanced and the haughty lady wiped her hands in the beautiful ringlets of the fair bovt. * These were linen towels, the stuff of which had been so beaten both in the thread and web, as to be perfectly shaggy, but extremely soft and pleasant to the touch, like cotton wool. This was a refinement far surpassing our modern towels of the finest damask. In Petronius c, 27, we find Trimalchio doing the same thing. It cannot be doubted that the history of the fair sinner in the Go-pel who washed the feet of her respected teacher and dried them with her hair, ought to be taken in the same manner. Droso meanwhile flies back to the wardrobe, and accompanied by two other maidens brings the Domina's dress. But let us first attend the swift footed slave into the wardrobe-apartment, situated in the left wing of the house, near the rooms of the weavers, the embroiderers and the dress-makers, and which promises to afford our curiosity for a few moments abundant gratification. pellation, and were called restiplice (folders of clothes.) As etiquette forbade the Roman ladies of distinction to appear in public in any other costume than that appropriated to matrons, excepting the purple flounce, and the stripes of gold in the tunic, this dress admitted of no other colour than white for the upper garment, and no other material than the finest woollen or halfsilk; and no pains were spared to give these white garments the highest degree of smoothness and brilliancy of which they were susceptible. For this purpose they used particular presses, beneath which the clothes were kept, till they were taken out for use. Before they were put into this machine, they were folded with the greatest care, and this practice was also extended to the garments of the men of Rome, when they became as effeminate as the women. From this employment then these slaves received their appellation, and in this apartment we observe se veral presses and smoothing machines, for the above mentioned purpose. In the exquisitely contained all the treasures of our Domina's wardrobe. The inscriptions afford some idea of the multiplicity of the garments kept here, for Sabina in private parties of pleasure was fond of imitating the coloured fancy dresses of females of easy virtue*, and had a distinct wardrobe for each particular festival and for every Figure to yourself the back part of the spacious place where Sabina resides, swarming like an ant's nest with slaves of both sexes, who have no other employment than by the exercise of every kind of art and profession to supply in the cheapest manner every want of the Domina, to gratify her every whim however impracticable it may appear. Here a whole wing is divided partly into small chambers in which the female slaves are obliged to make a wretched shift, and partly into Jarger rooms where certain occupations require the joint labours of many. The first apartment backward is the spinning and weaving room. This we may know from the singing of the in-polished chests ranged round the room are dustrious weavers and spinners; for thus these poor creatures who are obliged to work late and early in order to execute their allotted tasks, beguile their tedious labour. The spinners are superintended by a very severe task mistress, and some of them by the commands of the Domina are even compelled to do a double portion of work as a punishment. Near them are the weavers who are employed in weaving a kind of fine muslin after a new pattern for a summer dress for the Domina. Formerly in the more virtuous and happy days of Rome, the mistress of the family occupied herself in spinning and weaving in the great hall, in the midst of her female slaves. This practice had however been relinquished long before the days of our Sabina ; and it was regarded as mere affectation in the Empress Livi, that she was determined to make all the ordinary clothes worn by her husband, the Emperor Augustus. Now a Roman lady of fashion had scarcely time to revise the accounts of her overseer once in a decade, and to give her a new pattern for a torment to her wretched spinners and weavers. The next apartment is occupied by the dressmakers. Though a rih Roman lady might perhaps purchase the most costly stuffs of Syrian and Alexandrian merchants, they were always made up by her own slaves kept in the house for that particular purpose. Close to this was the apartment of the embroiderers, of whose skill and ingenuity we shall soon see a specimen; and next came the room containing the war 'robe itself, where some slaves especially employed there, awaited with eager expectation Droso's return. These females had also a peculiar ap season. "Dorcas!" cried the half breathless Droso, as she entered the apartment containing the wardrobe, to one of her companions, "make haste and get ready the train with the flounce festooned with pearls! The Domina has chosen that dress for the day!" Dorcas had fortunately received an early intimation from Kypassis, and had already sewed the purple train decorated with pearls, to the most beautiful new and brilliant white tunic. The other garments has long been ready; and the little troop of clothes-folders instantly set off with the different parts of the Domina's dress carefully laid over their arms, and carried them, exhaling the most costly perfumes into Sabina's dressing-room. Karmion had just put on the feet of her mistress the shoes of the finest white leather, paying particular atten *Though in Ovid's Art of Love and other poets, we find mention made of as many different colours for ladies clothes, as there are among the patterns of modern times; it should not be forgotten that they are speaking only of that class of dressy and good-natured females who were called at Rome, libertine, and not of matrons, who wore no other coloured stuffs than gold and purple, unless they chose wantonly to degrade themselves. tion not to give an unfavourable omen by any mistake*. The mere putting on of these garments cannot take up much time. Sabina had already put on her shift on her first entering the dressing room. This is a delicate tunic.with sleeves, which cover only half of the upper part of the arm, made of the finest cotton, and till she is completely dressed, fastened under the breast with a narrow girdle. Kypassis, who alone has the honour of assisting her mistress in this operation, unties the girdle, and first winds a small purple ribbon round the breasts, by which means the ladies of antiquity obtained in an easier manner those advantages which the females of modern times seek to procure by means of elastic corsets. This done, Dorcas reaches the tunic, properly so called, which Kypassis helps the Domina to put on. As this tunic, the uppermost of the undergarments, constitutes the principal article of dress and displays the greatest luxury, it may not be amiss, while Kypassis is thus employed, to take a view of it for a few moments. This garment is made of a stuff, the warp of which is composed of the finest Milesian wool, and the woof of cotton, of a brilliant white. It has short sleeves, which only reach to the elbow, and which after a fashion common among the Dorian Greeks, are cut longitudinally, and fastened together again with gold clasps. At the bosom it has a border two fingers in breadth of double-dyed purple, call dibaphon, which was not only twice as strong a colour, but also twice as expensive as that which had only been once dyed. Of the same colour is also the lowest part of the train, which was considered as characteristic of the tunic of the Roman matrons. The white tunic, properly so called, descended only a little lower than the knee, and was not worn so short by any but females of no reputation, of the class of libertines, who did not fail to wear gaudy and expensive sandals with gold chains, buckles and other ornaments above the ancles. But the tunic of a maron had a peculiar kind of traint, with abundance of folds, which reached so low as scarcely to suffer any part of the fee to be seen. This train was usually decorated with all kinds of ornaments, and what the French term agrémens and appliqués, and also with embroidering. Fine || plates of beaten gold, or gold threads were likewise frequently sewed to it: but in general it had at the bottom a wider purple border. The tunic of our Sabina had such a border, which was still further embellished by a bandeau of pearls fastened to it with great art. As the ancients had a particular shoe for each foot, consequently a right and left shoe, any mistake in putting them on was looked upon as a sign that every thing would go wrong during the whole day. This silly notion was sufficient to give uneasiness even to the first of the Roman Emperors, who in many respects was a man of a Bery little mind. Kypassis now girds this long tunic-chemise with a simple white ribbon, as any other decora tion would be completely concealed by the mantle which is to come over i', or by the bagging folds of the tunic itself. The whole art of the sleeve in this operation consists in drawing up the train, which otherwise would fall upon the ground and prevent the possibility of walking, so far as to shew only the toe of the foot, and to form a handsome fold all round above the girdle. Sabina is now completely dressed except throwing on the long white mantle which Droso holds in readiness. But the most important thing of all still remains to be done. The pearl orna. ments which Sabinus recently brought his wife from Alexandria, are still to be hung on. The bracelets are not yet fastened, nor the rings put on her fingers. Spatale already stands waiting with the open jewel casket. In a few moments our Venus Anadyomene will go forth perfect from the hands of her busy maidens. THE LADIES' TOILETTE; or, ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF BEAUTY. CHAP. XII. History of French Fashions, Continued. THE farther we proceed, the greater abundance we find of materials relative to the different changes of female dress in France. On entering upon the epoch of Henry the fourth's reign, we might introduce very circumstantial details concerning the fashions; these, however, would not only occasion too great prolixity, but would be uninteresting to the reader. All the existing monuments exhibit representations of these costumes. I shall therefore pass very li htly over the reigns of Henry and his immediate successors, confining myself to a few anecdotes and the principal traits, which will give some idea of the ridiculous taste of the females even in the most enlightened ages. It will be seen that the fashions of the age of Louis XIV. Louis XV. and Louis XVI. were infinitely more extravagant than those of the early period of the monarchy. Henry IV. perceived the necessity of assigning limi's to a luxury that kept continually in- || creasing. Of all the sumptuary laws enacted at different epochs, none was so judicious as the edict of 1604, in which Henry, after prohibiting the wearing of gold and silver upon apparel, adds, "excepting, however, women of pleasure and rogues, for whom we are not sufficiently interested to do them the honour to pay attention to their conduct." This ordinance was perhaps the only one that produced a speedy effect; the women of pleasure and rogues durst not avail themselves of this exclusive permission, though they had paid very little attention to the repeated prohibitions which had heretofore been issued: so true it is that these brilliant superfluities are held in no higher estimation than the example of the great procures them. But this law acted upon the women only as a rebelleut, if I may be allowed to use that expressive term of the medical art; that is, the fair sex being restricted in the employment of exterior ornaments, concentrated the science of the toilette and of dress, and invented a fashion which || certainly no law could have touched, because it was out of sight. We shall briefly illustrate it by a passage from St. Foix's Essays on Paris :"The Marchioness d'Estrées, mother of the beautiful Gabrielle, was killed in a sedition at Essone, in Auvergne. It appears that her body was left in the streets very indecently exposed, and furnished an opportunity of observing a fashion which had been for some time introduced among women of quality. It was not only the hair of the head that they adorned with crimp ribbon of different colours." To obtain the fa vour of a lady, was an expression that might then be taken in a literal sense. During this reign likewise appeared the prodigious ruffs invented in Spain, to conceal the wen, an endemial malady in that country. The hoops became larger than ever, to judge from the portraits of that age which are still extant, and among others, from those of Queen Margaret, which brings to my recollection the following anecdote of that Princess: Margaret of France, the first wife of Henry IV. was inordinately addicted to gallantry. Henry himself often rallied her smartly on this subject. She was married to him in 1572; the marriage was annulled in 1599; but still she was always called Queen Margaret. M. de Fresne Forget being one day with that princess, observed, that he was astonished how men and women with such enormous ruffs, could eat soup without spoiling them, and especially how the ladies could be gallant in their prodigious large hoops. The queen made no reply, but a few days afterwards having a very large ruff, and bouille to eat, she directed a spoon with a long handle to be brought, so that she dispatched her mess without soiling her dress. Having finished, she turned to M. Fresne." There," said she to him, with a smile, you see that with a little contrivance, a remedy may be found for every thing."-" Certainly, madam," replied he, "as to what relates to the upper part I am perfectly satisfied." Let us now pass to the 17th century; the fashion of wearing hoops ceased, and the lofty head-dress disappeared for some time; the latter, however, returned at the conclusion of the century more ridiculous than ever. It is true they changed their name, being then denominated fontanges. Figure to yourself a vast edifice of wire, some times two feet in height, and divided into several stories. On this frame was put a great quantity of bits of muslin, ribbon, and hair. At the least motion the whole fabric shook, and threatened destructions which was extremely inconvenient. It was nevertheless asserted that the husbands liked this fashion, and that it guaranteed the dis |