and Daniel Webster; of painters, Lawrence and Wilkie; of chemists, Cavendish and Davy; of musicians, Handel and Mozart; while of natural philosophers we have three-Newton, Gassendi, and Franklin. The names we have mentioned, and others equally famous which complete the list, are a warrant of the interest of the volume, which is not only a delightful gift-book for young people, but a serviceable work of reference, containing as it does much condensed information. It is beautifully got up, and enriched with eight charming illustrations by Birket Foster. The greatest praise we can give the book, is to say that it is worthy of its motto -the lines from Longfellow's exquisite "Psalm of Life," commencing "Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime; Footprints on the sands of time." THE FOREST QUEEN AND OTHER POEMS. -(Windsor, Brown, Castle Street; London, Grant and Griffith.)-The capacity to write for children is a far rarer gift than people who have never essayed the task are apt to imagine; and it is long indeed since we have met with any verses so thoroughly appropriate for the nursery as those forming this little brochure. Though published anonymously, we are able to announce that they are from the pen of Mrs. Shiptonbetter known for her many graceful contributions to periodical literature under her maiden name of Anna Savage-and such of our readers as may remember her productions need not to be reminded of the keen observation, high tone of mind, and at the same time playful fancy by which they are distinguished. These same faculties are brought to bear in the composition of these charming poems for children; and whether they be fairies or birds, cats, squirrels, or pigs, whose histories are told, or whose selves are set to talk, we are sure to distinguish the flash of imagination, or the genial lambent humour which lifts the childish interest above puerility. The longest poem, "The Forest Queen," illustrates the history of a certain squirrel of Windsor Forest, who growing sufficiently tame to be handled, and being decked by a little girl with a silver chain, returns the next summer to her friends, and introduces to them her young family of" Squirreletts," the furry little matron being identified beyond dispute by her silver adornment. We have but space to extract a few verses of this poem, and they can convey Then bolder grown, she paused, and smoothed While like a bold Field Marshal's plume With paws so light and delicate STORIES OF SUMMER DAYS AND WINTER NIGHTS. BUDS AND BLOSSOMS.-(Groombridge.)—The latest numbers of these two excellent series contain respectively, "The Story phy), and the pretty little tale of " Peepy," the of Wellington (an admirably condensed biogralatter being suitable for very juvenile readers— or listeners. THREE TALES: Mary Barker, History of a Prayer Book, Andrew Lockhart. By Miss H. M. Rathbone. - (Liverpool, Deighton and Laughton; London, Seeley.) - Three moral and religious tales, always well intentioned, and often truthful and powerful. FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. By Samuel Hare, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, &c. &c.—(Churchill.)—This appears to cordingly heartily recommend to the perusal of us a very valuable work, and one which we acchildren. Mr. Hare's benevolent aim is to premothers, especially the mothers of delicate vent rather than cure spinal and other deformities; and his observations display so much good sense, and are so corroborated by facts, that they bring conviction of their truth with them. We would especially draw attention to the chapter on Exercise, Gymnastics, &c., which robust may be most pernicious to the weak and shows how a system admirably adapted for the ailing. ETRENNES AUX DAMES ANGLAISES. By Mons. Le Page.-(Effingham Wilson.)—This is a Key to the French Pronunciation in all its niceties, and one which ably carries out the promise of its title-page. AMUSEMENTS OF THE MONTH. THE HAYMARKET. A new farce, under the title of "To Paris and Back for Five Pounds," was produced here on the 5th ultimo. It is a bustling, rattling piece, from the pen of Mr. M. Morton, and is full of broad humour, practical fun, and grotesque situations. The scene is laid at a railway station, to which arrives Mr. Charles Markham (Mr. Howe), who is on his way to Dover to escape the consequences of a duel. Dreading pursuit and detection, he leaves at an hotel a paper stating that he has drowned himself. This paper falls into the hands of Mr. Samuel Snozzle (Mr. Buckstone), who, ashamed of his own plebeian name, and desirous of making an impression on a certain fair lady, assumes the more romantic appellation of the supposed-to-be drowned man. A succession of bewildering mistakes and embarrassments without number occur, Snozzle being arrested as a duellist, while Markham improves his acquaintance with Fanny Spriggins. Buckstone's comicality kept the audience in a roar of laughter, and this trifle is likely to have at least its hour of popularity. More recently Sir Bulwer Lytton's comedy, "Not so Bad as we Seem," has been produced with the most complete success. Our readers will remember that this is the play originally acted at Devonshire House in presence of her Majesty, by a distinguished band of amateurs; and subsequently both in London and the provinces, for the object of founding, by the proceeds, the Guild of Literature and Art. Thus a natural curiosity was felt the first night to compare the powers of the professional actors with those displayed by Dickens, Jerrold, Mark Lemon, &c., &c. The latter had proved themselves, indeed, such good actors, that the rivalry was by no means an unequal one; and whether Messrs. Webster, Leigh Murray, Keeley, Buckstone, and other of the Haymarket's strong staff, piqued themselves to outdo the amateurs or not, certain it is, that they threw their talents into the cause with hearty good will; and it is very long since the public has seen so rich a combination of good actors in one piece. We are aware that one objection was made to this play as unfitting it for general representation, namely, THE the deficiency of female interest: but the author has slightly altered the conduct of the piece, to remedy this fault, and in our opinion it is redeemed from it. Miss Rose Bennett acted Lucy very charmingly. From beginning to end this comedy never flags: there are in it no tame speeches or dull situations; but the wit is of the genial, rather than the sarcastic sort, and a high tone of feeling is to be traced even in some of the lightest dialogue. The play has been so long published, acted, and discussed by the criti that we will not repeat an often-told tale by describing the plot; we rather recommend our readers to judge for themselves, when we feel tolerably sure that they will agree with us, in declaring that Sir Bulwer Lytton has added another leaf to his bays by this production, and the manager of the Haymarket another standard play to his repertory. We ought to announce that the French Plays have been attracting, as usual, a fashionable and discriminating audience.- -Mr. Charles Kean has produced "Macbeth" at the PRINCESS'S THEATRE, with new decorations, in which all the traditions of a far-back savage period are preserved with wonderful skill; and in which the appearance of the ghost is contrived in a new and highly poetical manner. -At the ADELPHI a variety of favourite pieces have filled the house night after night. TOILET. (Specially communicated from Paris.) COSTUME FOR MARCH. Decidedly the short waists must abandon the hopes formed for a short time of being adopted. The Empress has decided the point. All her dresses have long waists and long basques; and when an Empress, and a young and handsome one moreover, sets the fashion, there is every chance of its being followed. Her evening-gowns are with draperies and long points. Here is a description of a pretty ball-dress for a young person-a dress composed of gauze à disposition, with a border of small roses without foliage. The skirt is double; the lower petticoat, or skirt, is ornamented at the bottom with two rows of these small roses. The upper skirt forms a tunic, opened on the sides, also ornamented with roses down the openings. The corsage is charming. It is formed by a series of large folds on the chest, and held at the waist by a wide sash, the ends of which fall gracefully over the front of the skirt. The sleeves are à l'Empire; that is, very short, and with puffings. These puffings are the long way, and each is held by a trimming the same as that of the skirt, and one row round the bottom of the sleeve. effect of this gown may be obtained at much less expense by employing tarlatane, or, better still, soft muslin, with ribbons instead of flowers. You may thus have a set of trimmings of different colours, by which means you may vary the dress. The coiffure is composed of roses, or ribbons the same colour as those on the dress, and it is placed round the knot of hair behind; two long ends of ribbon fall from it on each side of the shoulders. The front hair is turned back in two rolls. The For visiting-dress, a dark silk dress with three deep flounces, in festoons, and trimmed with passemente rie is much worn. The corsage has basques évasées at the waist, and is trimmed like the flounces: three bows of ribbon, the lowest of which has long falling ends, are placed one above the other on the front of the corsage. The sleeves are opened and rounded at the sides, and at each extremity is a knot of ribbon. The collars are à dent, with the fronts plaited; bouffantes of muslin appear between the opening of the sleeves. Another pretty mode for the evening-dress of a young lady is a tight corsage, ornamented with a double revers, forming a rounded berthe behind and a V in front; the plastrou, or centre of the front, has rows of blonde, placed one above another, across it. The sleeves-very short, not bouffantes-have two volants, or flounces; the lower one twelve centimetres deep (two-and-a-half centimetres make one inch); the second, forming the top, six centimetres. The skirt has three flounces, each of twenty-five centimetres deep. The corsage grec is now occasionally made with a point; but I warn my readers that this is difficult to achieve successfully. A great improvement in this form now is, that, instead of leaving the front loose, as formerly, the folds are fastened imperceptibly; there are five at each side, widening gradually at the top, and united at the waist, forming a gerbe, where they are confined by two small bands, one above the other; leaving, of course, a space between. I must not forget to mention the fold in the middle, where the brooch is placed. The sleeves are straight, and pass the elbow; they are opened to the top, from the top of the arm to the middle of the upper part of it; these openings are held together by two small bands, similar to the trimming of the gown. The skirt has three flounces of 30 centimetres each, with dents, rounded. The sleeves of the corsage grec may be made short and looped up in the middle. I saw, the other day, a novelty in the basquine slceves; which were opened to the top, and held at equal distances by little bands of velvet embroidered in jet; and between these bands, the under-sleeve, in embroidered muslin, was seen. In morning-dresses there is little variety for the make; they are generally open to the waist, with or without a belt; the point is oftener rounded than long. The bonnets are very small, and promise to be smaller. For young ladies I have seen some pretty and simple capotes in dark colours-such as gros blu, dark green, with little black velvet bands mixed with the trimming; the crowns are very low, the fronts opened and round, with a quantity of trimming in the inside. There is not much variety in the articles of lingerie. The fichu gilets, in embroidered muslin or lace, are still worn for demi-toilette: this mode is so pretty, so convenient, and so becoming, that it is likely to last a long while. The coiffures and evening-caps are generally made with a point in front, à la Marie Stuart; they are profusely ornamented with blond and flowers. Almost all of them represent a small fanchon, or are composed of a simple rond behind, more or less covered with blond and ribbon, posé on a foundation of black tulle fastened to the pape, or head-piece. On each side of the head-piece are placed the flowers, the blond on the front slightly veiling them; behind each ear a bow, with long ends, is fastened. Caps worn at home are made in white, covered with black tulle; the lace, which trims the front and comes next the face, is in white. The ribbon is of very narrow gauze, of different colours, in touffes. Veils are generally adopted, from the handsome black lace to that in tulle, with pois in chenille worked on it; or the more simple black tulle, with the pois, or round spots, in application. Those in chenille are about five francs; the others about half that sum. GARDEN.-MARCH. I yearn for Spring; and ah! 'tis not in vain- A sudden but not unexpected change of weather has altered the appearance of things entirely; a fall of snow exceeding in quantity that of many years has overwhelmed all the outward works, and put a stop to many things which were in hand at its commencement; while the fact of its coming on without any previous frost, renders wheeling and carting equally impracticable as before the storm, except in those cases where the snow was removed from the road-ways, and other spaces operated upon the night before a severe frost, when it was rendered hard enough to bear wheel-carriages of all kinds. This duty we hear has been done in many cases, and though we have no hopes of it being of service to our readers after the time this reaches them, yet it may give them a hint that may be useful hereafter. A person with a broom will sweep a great length of wheel-barrow roadway in a few hours, and the unevenness being smoothed, at the same time a nice path is presented to work upon the next day. PLANT HOUses. Conservatory.-Attention to fires will be one of the principal duties here if the weather keeps severe, and be sure never to leave a fire for the night that is at all doubtful. Many hot-water works are heated by fires constructed more for novelty than use. An attempt made to economize the fuel employed has often led to preserve it altogether; for it not unfrequently happens that it will not burn at all, except with an amount of labour and attendance more than double the value of all the heating materials that ought to be wanted in a year. On this subject we shall have something to say hereafter; in the meantime, while severe weather lasts let nothing be omitted likely to endanger the proper heating of this and other houses and pits used for forcing or preserving exotic plants, as it sometimes happens the WESTBY GIBSON. neglect of a few hours on a sharp night is attended with consequences to plants which years cannot restore. But while urging the requisite care, we do not by any means insist on the same heat being wanted as usual in milder weather; the thermometer may safely sink five degrees on a severe frosty night below the average heat of other nights without auy harm being done-in fact it is better to do so than keep up that severe amount of fire-heat required to maintain so high a temperature. And while the frost lasts, let all inside work be proceeded with, and any of an extra kind that may be wanted should now be done. Vinery. While severe weather lasts do not urge on so much fire heat; rather let the house get warm by the little sunshine we often get in the day time, than be over-heated at night by the dry harsh warmth which an overstrained fire is sure to present, while large supplies of moisture supplied to soften the heated air is likewise objectionable; nevertheless, a certain amount of the latter commodity must be there, otherwise the drain upon the tender foliage will be too great, for most plants while in a growing state delight in a moist atmosphere, which can be furnished by placing shallow vessels of water over the heating apparatus, which replenish as required. Those now coming into bloom had better be kept a little drier, while those which have not yet been tied-in must be done now as they want it, stopping at the same time all shoots not wanted for long canes; the old plan of nipping off all such shoots one eye before the bunch has never been superseded by any later suggestion, but the method of thinning the shoots so as to have as few superfluous ones as possible is one certainly worthy of attention, and one we heartily recommend, especially with vines that are not too strong, and probably heavily loaded with fruit; when the reverse is the case an opposite |