FASHIONS FOR JUNE, 1812. EXPLANATION OF THE PRINTS OF FASHION. No. 1.-MORNING DISHABILLE. An high dress of fine French cambricor plain India muslin, richly embroidered round the bottom with a deep border; a demi sleeve, orna mented a-l'antique surmounting the long sleeve, which is finished at the wrist by a narrow ruffle the bust adorned partly en militaire, || partly a l'antique, to correspond with the demi sleeve: the whole of the upper part of the dress ornamente by a profusion of lace, and finished at the throat by an old English ruff. Peasant's cap, with two rows of lace set on full, confined under the chin by a band formed of the same material as the cap, and terminating || in a bow on the crown. Plain black kid or jean slippers. No. 2-EQUESTRIAN COSTUME. An habit of bright green, ornamented down the front, and embroidered at the cuffs à-lamilitaire with black. Small riding hat of black beaver, fancifully adorned with gold cordon and tassels, with a long ostrich feather of green in front; or a green hat with black tassels and black feather. Black half boots, laced and fringed with green. York tan gloves When this dress is worn as a curicle or walking costume, it is made as a pelisse with. out the riding jacket, and confined round the waist by a fancy belt of black and grɛen. This habit was made by Mr. S. Clark, 37, Golden-square. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON FASHION AND DRESS. Fashion, says a modern author, ought ever to have nature for its basis; and we may ven. ture to assert, that never were the laws of nature and taste so well observed as at the present period. The disguise of powder long thrown aside, the glossy beauty of a fine head of hair is now properly appreciated as it waves No. XXXII. Vol. V.-N. S. with natural ease, or with a little artful care is taught to twist in those beautiful ringiets, which formed the head-dress of those celebrated fair ones who composed the female part of Charles the Second's lovely Court; and such is now the most favourite way of dressing the hair. For out-door morning costume, we behold these ringlets peeping from beneath the small cottage bonnet, now almost as we once before observed, become a national bonuet: and instead of the flower, the more favourite ornament under the right side of the bonnet, is a full cock ide of ribbon, the colour correspond. ing with that of the dress. Spensers have taken the place of pelisses, and promise to be very general; the most prevailing are of rich figured sarsnet or pale pink shot with white; a few black velvet ones bave also appeared over white dresses, fastened over the bosom with a gold brooch. The cottage mantle of fine white net, trimmed all round with lace, the slope of the neck formed by plaits, and ornamented with a bow, with the corners imply rounded, made its appearance during the few sultry days in the beginning of May, together with black net shawls, worked in different colours, purple worked with amber, and black lace. Shawls fastened with a diamond brooch: these latter articles appeared chiefly in carriages or for evening costume. The whalebone, and the straw work of Russin invention, though rather heavy looking articles, seem much in favour, but chiefly we imagine from the high patronage they have obtained, and which patronage is ever readily afforded to encourage each new art, and employ the industrious female. An alteration has now taken place in the make of the gowns, of great advantage to the bust; the front forms a point before, and is considerably lowered on each side of the bosom; short sleeves are becoming universal, and round frocks made lower in the back, than for some months pist, are very prevalent. High dresses still continue to be worn only as a morning dishabille; and many adopt for a morning dress a simple frock, and shield the neck only with a plain Palestine tippet of the same material as the frock. The Portuguese sarsnet, an evident imitation of that beautiful article the French levantine, has lately made its appearance; but it has all the thickness of the levantine with. out its elegant softness, and seems best appropriated to travelling dresses. The trimmings for the spangled crapes, Opera nets, and other light articles made use of for full dress at this season, are now of the slightest texture; the Brandenburgh, so long in favour, now gives place to a beautiful gossamer kind of silk fringe, the dark and rich cheni'le is succeeded by the feather gymp, or light trimming of wreath flowers, while the delicate, yet costly pearl, yet retains its pre-eminence on the coloured crape or gossamer satin. Nuns veils, both black and white, bandeaux of various kinds, groupes of flowers, and white satin, or lace caps, ornamented with pearl tassels, and a diamond brooch fixed in front, form the most prominent embellishments for the head; but the favourite head-dress is the hair disposed of in a quantity of luxuriant ringlets, like that of Henrietta of France, wife to Charles I. or of Eleanor Gwynn, ornamented only with a few strings of pearls, for full dress, and a diamond comb at the very back of the head. F.owers are most worn in half dress; jewellery is more adopted on full dress caps, flowers being deemed too simple. elegant light, and apparently fragile, Lisboa chain; some of these ponderous chains are worth from fifteen to twenty guineas; we ge erally see depending from them a small French watch, in an enamelled hunting case, or a cherished portrait enclosed in the same concealment. Maltese crosses of every kind of jewellery are also worn in town, and cornelian hearts with a very'small key and padlock affixed to them. Fringed half-boots are universally adopted by our elegantés; and satin, silk, kid, and jean of various colours, in the form of the || Italian slipper, still continue to be worn in full or half dress. The prevailing colours are bright greens of various shades, cornelian blue, pale pink, Maria Louisa blue, jonquil, and slate colour. THE MIRROR OF FASHION. In a series of Letters from a Gentleman of rank and taste, to a Lady of Quality. LETTER XI. YOUR Ladyship expressed so much ples. sure in the perusal of the old Knight of Normandy's sentiments on dress, that it is with great alacrity I obey your injunction to apply again to the venerable adviser, and repeat to you the continuation of his hints on the momentous subjekt. Grave heads may smile at so stately an epithet being applied to so variable a matter; but a very politic noblemau has observed, "Whatever it is worth while to do, it is worth while to do well." on, In the article of jewellery, the aqua marina, || Hence, if it be necessary to array the human set round with pearls, now claims the pre-body in garments, it is necessary, by the laws eminence for brooches, bracelets, and head of taste and common sense, that we shall not ornaments; its verdant colour is more sumdisguise nor deform it by the raiment we put mer-like than the darker emerald. Brilliants for rings, set in clusters, are worn on the forefinger, and rings composed of smail enamelled heartsease, and the simple little blue flower called Forget me not, are elegant articles in fancy jewellery, and appropriate presents for friendship or love; they are at present worn by many of our fashionable brides, as guards to the golden fetter they have just put on. A massy chain of gold has now succeeded to the but rather display and adorn its native beauties to the best advantage.-Setting down this as an axiom, I shall not farther appologize for the deep attention I pay to these ornamental discussions; but, making my bow to my Norman friend, shall listen to his remarks, and report them to your Ladyship, He not only reproves the dames of his time, for the gorgeousness of their apparel, but also for the hours they devoted to their toilet. "Now-a-days," says he, " before these fair young damsels have combed their heads, and set their head dress in order, and fully attired themselves in their rich and gattering habits, the church procession is past, the masses sung, and divine service is finished." Our Kaight then admonishes his daughters || of the danger of seeing more faces than their own, if they bestow too many glances on their mirror. My dear children," continues he, "there once dwelt a lady so fast by the church, that she could not fail of hearing the bells ring for prayers; but she took so much time every day in dressing herself, that she never completed the business until the service was more than half over. However, it happened one Sunday,|| when she had been even longer than usual attiring herself, the devil was permitted to present himself behind her; and seeing his visage in the looking-glass, it was so horrible that she lost her senses, and remained in that deplorable state for many years, a warning to all the vain women who came to behold the awful judgment." Indeed, if we are to believe the statement which a certain dramatic poet who wrote in the sixteenth century (Authony Brewer, by name), gives of a lady's toilet paraphernalia in these ancient times, we shall not wonder that day sinks into night, and night rises to morn again before all the duties of corporeal adornment are performed. Our poet speaks of arraying a youthful companion for a frolic thus "It is five hours ago since I set a dozen maids to attire a boy like a nice gentlewoman; but there is such doing with their lookingglasses; pinning, un-pinning, setting, unsetting, formings, and conformings; painting of blue veins, and rosy cheeks; such a stir with combs, cascanets, purls, falls, squares, busks, bodices, scarfs, necklaces, carkonels, rabaloes, borders, tires, fans, palisadoes, puffs, ruffs, cuffs, muffs, pustles, fusles, partlets, frislets, bandlets, fillets, corslets, pendulets, amulets, ænnules, bracelets, and so many lets, that the poor lady of the toilet is scarce dressed to the girdle. And now there is such calling for fardingales, kirtles, busk-points, shoe-ties, and the like, that seven pedlars' mea. We no longer hear of our wives and daughters standing two hours under the hands of the mantua-maker, and sitting twice as many more beneath the curling irons of Monsieur Frizeur. All this waste of life our fair dames have redeemed from annihilation. We see the buckram suits of past days, with their sugar-loaf tetes, consigned to the oblivion they deserve, and our wives and daughters come ligh.ly, with the morning lark, from their rooms, attired with the easy grace of wood-nymphs, and with their beautiful tresses shining in the lustre of nature alone, and playing in artless beauty on their bloom:ug cheeks. Long may my fair countrywomen maintain this sensible and elegant deference for the behests of nature; long may they estimate time as of a value too incalculable to be sacrificed to the caprices of fashion. But while I congratulate your bewitching sex on the economical arrangement of their hours, I dare not, with the same warmth compliment them on their economy, at all times, in the quantity and quality of their habili ments. The seasous, my fair correspondent, are the best dictators on this affair. Shall I whisper to you a little hint on the subject, which no less a personage than the renowned Lord Burleigh gave to his pretty daughter, when a certain Lord, whom he much favoured, was coming a wooing to her? I suppose the fair Cecil was, like some of her beauteous descendants, too fond of allowing the outward air to breathe on her polished limbs; for he thus addressed ber : "In the Court of Philip and Mary there were two lovely sisters, the eldest of whom had been promised in marriage by her father, a knight of fame, to a young nobleman who was possessed of a fine figure, and as fine an estate. The day was appointed for the betrothed Earl to make a visit to the young ladies, for he bad not yet seen either. The ladies were informed of his approach; and the father desired them to appear in habits suitable to their rank, to do him and themselves credit. The eldest, who was the handsomest of the twain, aud of a person of the most beautiful proportions, was so eager to shew her delicate shape and slender waist, that she clothed herself in a garment called a coat-hardy, without any lining or fur, which sat so close to her, that you might see the very heaving of her breast, and almost every throb of her little vain heart. It being the depth of winter, this vest, though suited to display the figure, was ill adapted to the severity of the season; and hence she appeared to great disadvantage, for the cold seized her limbs, benumbing their motions, and so petrifying the otherwise free flow of her blood, that she looked pale; nay, black and blue, and shivered, and spoke with chattering teeth, and looked like any thing but a beauty. Meanwhile her sister, regardless of shape, had invested herself with thick garments, well lined with fur, and so appeared warm and healthy, with her complexion fair as the lily, and cheeks glowing as the rose. The consequence was, that the youngest lady attracted the attention of the nobleman, so that he totally neglected the intended bride, and, having obtained the consent of the father, in a few days married the prudent damsel in the pelereen." This story of Lord Burleigh reminds me of one to which I was an eye-witness, some dozen years ago, in Germany. My scene lies likewise in the most inclement of the winter months. I was then at The young Elector of the neighbouring State had been affianced to one of the Princesses of the Court where I then was. He had never seen her. A time was announced for his visit; and the young bride, willing to see whether the heart of her noble suitor could single her out from amongst her ladies, determined to leave him to guess. Accordingly, when the herald auDounced the Elector's arrival, she set off with two of her ladies, and a small escort of gentle. men (one of whom was your humble servant), on a riding party. She left orders that the Elector might follow her if he pleased. Whilst we were coursing the country, a tremendous shower of snow and hail fell. The Princess and her ladies were dressed in scarlet habits, embroidered with gold. Their comparat vely slight texture was soon penetrated by the wet. Sir Walter Ral igh-like, 1 led the way to lay my coat at the Princess's feet; two gentlemen did the same to the female attendants, but they rejected the offer with contempt. The Elector with his splendid train was then in sight, and they refused to put on the coats, and appear frights in the eyes of the approaching Court. Not so the lovely Princess, she threw my blue coat over her delicate figure, and buttoning it across her breast, certainly looked more like a country marketwoman, than a young beauty approaching a princely lover. But in the action the lover descried the noble mind which disdains outward trappings wheu opposed to propriety; and, springing from his horse, he hailed the lady of the blue coat as his Princess, aud kissing her fair haud, led her away with soft whispers; whilst a loud laugh was raised against the dripping finery of the lady attendants, and their perversity. Urania, the Princess of my heart, will have too much good seuse not to pardon the motive of this long story from her PARIS. MONTHLY MISCELLANY, INCLUDING VARIETIES, CRITICAL, LITERARY, AND HISTORICAL. FINE ARTS. · THE EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.-The character of the Exhibition of the year stands very high in respect to por traits, which is now the only lucrative brauch of art, with some few exceptions, which the painter can pursue. There are very few historical pictures in the present Exhibition, aud, with the single exception of one by the President, Mr. West, there is none which lays claim to any great degree of praise. and, upon the whole, we pronounce this to be the very best historical picture which the artist has produced. No. 126-Lavinia -H. Thomson, R. A. This composition consists of two figures, Lavinia and her mother; the character of the mother is certainly not well imagined; but that of Lavinia has great tenderness and beauty; her eyes are most with tears, and the expression of her face is peculiarly happy; the colouring is very appropriate to the subjet, and the work itself is entitled to high No 162.-Saul before Samuel and the Prophets, B. West, P R. A-This is a fine historical landscape: the subject is that of Saul, filled by a sudden and astonish ng inspiration, stretched naked on the ground, and prophesying before Samuel. The figures are very numerous, and the groupes are distributed and balanced with great judgment. In the centre is Saul, naked; his crown is on his head; his mind under the impulse of inspira-praise. tion, and his body labouring with the sacred agitat on. The groupe on one side consists of Samuel and the attendaut prophets; immediately next to Saul is a youth whom we sup pose to be David, and the groupe next to Saul on the left is composed of priests and attendants. In the back ground is the city of Naioth in Ramah, and immediately before the buildings are pastoral groupes employed in agriculture, vine dressing, and the common works of industry; cattle are introduced, and numerous groupes of men, women, and chil dren. The landscape is at once grand aud beautiful. This composition does the artist great honour. It has all the strength and fidelity of the Roman character of art, as seen in the finest works of Raphael, combined with the grand style of the Caracci, and the classic fancy of Pouss:n. Upon the whole this picture must delight every one who has judgment to undersand its merits. No. 163.-The Infuncy of Jupiter —H. Thomsọn, R. A.—This picture, though it has something of an academical stiffness about it, and wants that liberal flow and unrestrained grace which belong to compositions of this kind, does great credit to the ingenious artist, who improves is almost every work which he produces. The figure of the infant Jove, sporting with the mimic thunder, is very fine; it has a mixture of grandeur and sweetness; the union of infantine simplicity wish the marks of nascent greatness. The head is very fine indeed, and the attitude and movement of the figure are extremely beautiful. The groupe of Cretan nurses, and all the other append ages of the scene, are very fine and well conceived. The colouring is extremely happy, (To be continued.) LYCEUM. DEVIL'S BRIDGE.-A new piece has been produced by the Managers of this theatre, under the title of the Devil's Bridge. It is an opera, and the music is composed by Horne and Braham. The fable takes a wide sweep of romantic possibility, which admits almost every incident within the verge of nature to astonish and surprise; and which, as not restricted by the necessity of copying manners, and drawing characters with the pencil of truth, indulges in an unlimited range over the region of fancy, and sports with beings of its' own creating. The romantic fable, however, is very well suited to an opera, of which the prominent merit should be its music, and which surly critics will put to the test of probability, and torture by the canons of nature and truth.-The Devil's Bridge abounds with fine music and striking incidents; and, from the scene being laid among the Piedmontese Alps, the painter has been called in to aid the fforts of the author and composer. The concluding scene, which represents the Frozen Pinnacle of Mount Cenis in the back ground, and the Devil's Bridge in front, was highly creditable to the machinists and painters. The blowing up of the bridge with gunpowder, by which the career of a band of assassins was suddenly put an end to, leaving the hero aud neroine to the tranquil er joyment of the cem pauy of each other for life, is one of the most striking denouements in any modern drama: as it was, it made the piece conclude with more than usual splendour. Braham exerted his great powers, both as an actor and a sirgers |