FROM OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT. BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS, July 28th, 1857. CHERE AMIE, A new material has appeared in Paris, quite calculated for the season; it is named Toile de bois, and, from its texture, is most suitable for travelling, country excursions, etc. It has the appearance of silk, and is made in small checks, stripes, shades of the same, or plain, in which case the flounces are edged by a rather wide velvet-one, the colour of the tea-rose, was with three deep flounces, edged by a velvet two inches deep, the basque similarly trimmed, on the body revers of velvet, and Dalmatic sleeves encircled with velvet noeud at the bend of the arm. Coloured muslins of small designs, delicate stripes, checked or spotted, form pretty toilettes, the skirts covered with numerous small flounces of graduated widths, and edged by Valenciennes. As many as eighteen flounces are sometimes put; the body high; also ornamented by very narrow frills at the skirt, placed in brandenbourgs across the front of the body; the sleeves terminate at the elbow by a deep frill, covered by five narrow ones edged with lace, and a small trimming forms a jockey on the top, under sleeves of a large bouillonné formed of insertions of lace and embroidery. The taffetas dresses are almost as light as muslin, and delicate colours in small checks have the skirts ornamented on each side by five rows of ruches placed as quilles, much larger towards the bottom; the bodies high, ornamen.ed by double ruche, placed as a berthe Raphael; Venetian sleeves, in deep folds at the top, divided one from the other by a ruche, the bottom of the sleeve ornamented by a double ruche; others are with double skirts, ornamented by two rows of grelot buttons placed on each side the front breadth; square body, edged by buttons. Muslin dresses are at this moment at the height of their season. Some are with three flounces à disposition, with low body, and pelerine of the same, trimmed round with a fluted frill matching the flounces. Some have the skirt covered by five flounces, the heading of which is a ruche of pale green taffetas, another ruche edging the flounce, and at intervals ruches are placed perpendicularly up the flounce; high body, full, with long ceinture of ribbon; sleeves of three frills, with ruches at the flounces. Jaconet dresses are particularly adapted for flounces, which are placed on them in great numbers. Some, however, content themselves with only two flounces, giving the effect of a double skirt, or a single very deep one, headed by a bouillonné; the body low, with fichu Marie Antoinette trimmed with ruches or bouillons. Jean is worn in long basques when the toilette is not completed by the casaque jupe, trimmed all round with buttons, and a trimming en brandenbourgs, with buttons. Printed jeans are used as peignoirs in large folds, and stomacher of white galons buttons or grelots, which are continued down the skirt en tablier or quilles, a ceinture of jean with clasp or buttons to fasten it. Morning dresses are made of white jean, with skirt and small loose jacket braided; the skirt corresponds, or the braid may be replaced by small grelot buttons of white cotton. Muslins, embroidered in colours in small flowers, are very fashionable, generally made with plain skirts and jacket body of the same, high and tight, the basque not extending much below the hips, and having a frill with heading simply hemmed, which descends to the bottom of the skirt. This toilette requires short wide sleeves, with frill as the jacket; round the throat a small fluting of the same style, continued down the front, concealing the fastening of the body under a kind of double frill. Some high bodies are made with a demi pelerine, taking the contour of the shoulders, and fixed at the waist behind where the point forms a kind of basque; in front this pelerine crosses, the ends falling on each side; the sleeves of tulle bouillonné, and long, surmounted by a jockey Pompadour. The basques lancieres are more particularly worn on robes of taffetas; these are short, and only behind, terminating at the hips; the Montespan, on the contrary, are very deep, and continue all round the body. Both are equally fashionable. The low bodies, so much worn now, are accompanied by fichus Marie Antoinette, fichus paysanne, round pelerines, basquines of muslin or lace. VOL. 30. Sleeves are of one or two bouillons, or without any trimming; but then they are accompanied by small mousquetaire cuffs of lace; if for evening dress, of embroidered muslin in demi toilette. Burmouses are very fashionable of black taffetas, trimmed with a double row of ribbon plissé à la Vieille, which is repeated round the hood. Some are with rich trimmings of velvet or lace; these are likely to continue in favour, being at the same time simple and elegant; many are also made of light tissues Algerienes, striped white on white, brown on white, blue on white, etc. Some are with fringes, and always with large tassels at the extremity of the hood and in front; but the acmé of elegance in this article is certainly those made of muslin embroidered. They are extremely pretty on toilettes of white or delicate colours, such as mauve mais sea green, a colour so fashionable now. Very pretty mantelets are made of organdy or muslins, with bouillonnés surmounting a deep frill; ribbon is passed through the bouillons. One made of organdy had white satin ribbon through the bouillons; the clearness of the materials showed the brilliancy of the satin, and had an elegant effect, the frill terminating with hem, on which the ribbon was seen. The bonnets inclining on the forehead and spread open at the sides are very fashionable this season. One of paille de riz was ornamented with long grass and brown and red fruits; the bunch of grass was placed quite in a point, near the edge on the front, and separating in two, fell in profusion on the bavolet. This arrangement is extremely pretty. Bonnets of sewed Leghorn are made with silk crowns, with feather to match, placed à la Marie Stuart. Straw bonnets, spotted with velvet, are quite new. One spotted with bois colour had four small flat feathers, shaded white and bois, fixed on the centre of the front, and separating two and two, fell back to the bavolet; a white blond edged the front, and bunches of rose-buds inside, and cordon across above the bandeaux. These straws are made in various colours, and the trimming partakes of the colour of the velvet spot. A bonnet of white crape, with plain front, was edged by a green ribbon, and had two bunches of marabouts shaded green and white placed backward, and a blond round the edge drooped on the forehead, whilst another much wider blond placed at the edge of the ribbon with which the bonnet is bound, fell back, covering the front, crown and bavolet slightly raised by the marabouts, which it veiled. Ostrich feathers as well as marabouts are very much in fashion this season, curled, knotted, or shaded; birds of paradise, aigrettes, heron, etc., are used in every variety of style. A new kind of ornament for bonnets is being made in Paris, all ready to place on the bonnet. Thus ladies who travel, by procuring several, may vary their single bonnet of straw, and obtain variety without being encumbered by packages. One of these trimmings was composed of coques of mais ribbon intermixed with branches of black casses; the same with blond for the inside; another of light green ribbon and white blond, forming rose leaves and jessamine. Flowers are much used now on the round Leghorn hats worn by children. Wreaths of small delicate flowers suitable to them, as lilies of the valley, forget-me-nots, daisies, etc., encircle them; little girls must also have redingotes and vestes of jean to wear with their flounced skirts; their toilettes of solid materials are bordered by biars of popeline as taffetas, a style of trimming not rejected by their elders. We can only repeat that their dress is but the miniature of ours. DESCRIPTION OF ENGRAVING. PLATE I.—Promenade Dress.-Robe of grenadine; the skirt with three deep flounces, edged by a band of green taffetas; high body in fulness at the waist; sleeves with frill and bouillons; noeuds of green ribbon. Bonnet of paille de riz, with trimmings of pink ribbon. Child's Dress.-Frock of checked barège, with flounces edged by fringe; square body, with revers and fichu of spotted muslin, trimmed with narrow lace, crossing in front, ties behind. Dinner Dress.-Robe of lilac taffetas; with very full plain skirt; low body, covered by a pelerine of black lace and bouillons, through which a lilac ribbon is run; sleeves of spotted tulle in double bouillons. Carriage Dress.-Robe of pink taffetas, in small checks; the skirt is entirely covered by pinked flounces; the body is open, with revers; and the sleeves of frills corresponding wtth the skirt; guimpe of embroidered muslin. Bonnet of white crape. Walking Dress.-Robe of green moire, with plain skirt, and jacket of the same, terminating with deep frill, headed by a ruche. Bonnet of pink crape and lace, with field flowers. PLATE IL-Public Déjeuner Dress.- Robe of tarlatane, with flounces edged by white lace; mantelet of taffetas, same colour as the dress, trimmed with broad white lace. Bonnet of pink silk and white lace. Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with jacket to match; open in front, and scolloped all round, with ruche edge and small rosace in each scollop; under-dress of checked silk. Bonnet of green silk. Little Girl's Dress.- Frock of lilac taffetas, with jacket body, buttoning up the front, and ornamented by bretelles made of a plissé of ribbon, which also edges the basque. Leghorn hat, with feather and ribbon to match. Dinner Dress.-Robe of pink checked barège, with flounces and jacket body; fichu of black lace. Coiffure of black lace and flowers. Carriage Dress.- Robe of green silk; with double skirt ornamented by bands of velvet; jacket body, trimmed with velvet: mantelet of white lace. Bonnet of pink crape, with marabout feathers. PLATE III.-Promenade Dress.-- Robe organdy à disposition, with flounces and manteau of the same. Bonnet of black lace, with flowers. Walking Dress.-Robe of checked silk; with flounces edged by a fringe and scroll of narrow velvet above; jacket body to correspond. Black lace bonnet, with trimmings of ribbon. Little Child's Dress of silk, with jacket trimmed with fringe and velvet ribbon. Walking Dress.- Robe of taffetas, with double skirt; and high body with basque; mantelet of black silk, trimmed with rich lace. Bonnet of paille de riz and crape. LISBON, Coimbra, and Santarem have severally disputed the honour of being the birth-place of Luiz de Camoens, the prince of the poets of his time. The strongest arguments, however, are in favour of the firstnamed city, in which it is certain he was residing in the year 1550, besides being mentioned in his poems in terms of peculiar affection. According to the most correct statement he was born about the year 1524. Little is known of the early youth of Camoens, beyond the fact of his having been sent, at the age of thirteen, to the University, then transferred from Lisbon to Coimbra, and there he steadily pursued his studies, evincing a decided partiality for philosophy. While there, it is said he became deeply enamoured with a young lady of rank, whose name, however, the subject of much controversy, has not been handed down to posterity, even by the poet himself; and the verses written at this period of his attachment are full of delicacy and feeling. The position and fortune of the object of his attention were barriers to their union; and her parents, who were powerful at court, interfered, and obtained an order which sent Camoens into exile. The date of this occurrence is supposed to be in 1547. During the two years he was absent, he composed several sonnets, and three comedies-"El Rey Seleuco," "Filodemo," and the "Amphitrions," besides a portion of his celebrated poem the "Lusiad," the subject of which he had contemplated from his infancy. In 1549 he obtained permission to return to Lisbon. He was then twenty-five years of age, and the Portuguese being at war in Africa, the Brazils, and India, he resolved upon adopting the career of arms, and proceeded to Africa, where he signalized his first campaign by acts of great courage and daring, particularly in a naval engagement, in which he lost the sight of his right eye by a shot. He received this wound while combating by the side of his father, Simao Vaz, who was commander of the vessel in which he served as volunteer. During his sojourn in Africa, the pen of Camoens was as active as his sword. He there composed his second elegy, "Agnelle que de Amor," and the sad and beautiful stanzas on the "Inconstancy of the World." It is believed that he sent these poems from Africa to his friend Dom Antonio de Noronha-rather an austere present for a young man scarcely sixteen years of age. Camoens returned to Lisbon in 1552, in the expectation of obtaining promotion for his services; but the coolness of his reception disappointed the poet, whose talents were not recognized, and his military efforts depreciated. He resolved, therefore, to undertake a voyage to India, and embarked in the month of March, 1553, in the Sao Bento, one of the four vessels that escorted Fernando Alvares Cabral to India. At the Cape they were assailed with such violence by a tempest, that three of the ships did not arrive Bridal Dress.-Triple skirt of white glacé silk; the lower one ornamented by large bouillons of tulle; the upper one looped up at the side with flowers, and bunches of flowers on the intermediate one; pointed body, with berthe formed of bouillons. Head-dress; a veil of point lace, and wreath of flowers. PLATE IV.-Hat of Tuscan straw, trimmed with a wreath of cornflowers, and ears of barley, and yellow ribbon striped with black. Promenade bonnet of orange-coloured satin, trimmed with white lace, and narrow black velvet; strings of plaid ribbon. Second ditto of purple tulle, trimmed with white jessamine and narrow purple velvet. Dress cap of white blonde, trimmed with narrow scarlet ribbons : strings of broad ribbon of the same colour. Morning cap of white lace, and pink satin ribbon. Evening cap of white blonde, with a bunch of white roses, and emerald satin ribbon bow. Second ditto of lace, trimmed with light blue striped ribbon, and white china asters. Third ditto of black and white blonde, trimmed with purple ribbons. Berthe of white blonde, trimmed with a ruche of white satin ribbon, edged with blonde, and three large pink roses in the centre. White sleeve of jaconot, trimmed with green ribbon bows. Second ditto of spotted muslin, with rosettes of crimson ribbon velvet. DESCRIPTION OF THE MODEL. The accompanying pattern is of a mantelet in taffetas, or of white or black tulle, embroidered or braided, ornamented with trimmings of the same, or of lace; a ruche of ribbon, or bouillonné of tulle, or narrow guipure gimp of silk or bugles, forms heading to the frill. At at Goa until the following year. The Sao Bento reached her destination in September, 1553, and this was, perhaps, almost the only occasion on which Camoens could congratulate himself on his good fortune. Goa he found the viceroy engaged in preparing an expedition against the King of Pimenta, and obtained permission to serve in the fleet, which set sail in November, 1553. This campaign, the second in which Camoens was concerned, terminated successfully, and he returned to Goa towards the close of 1554, where he learned the death of his friend Noronha, killed, at the age of seventeen, at the siege of Ceuta, and whose loss he deplored in the touching eclogue of "Umbrano e Frondelio," and in other parts of his works. Dom Afonso, who was able to judge of his bravery in the actions against the King of Pimenta, was re-called, and Pedro Mascarenhas took the reins of Government in 1554. At this period Camoens wrote a letter to a friend in Lisbon, which gives an excellent idea of the mode of living at Goa, and displays the witty and elegant style of the poet. The first important measure taken by the new viceroy was the equipment of a fleet to cruize at the entrance of the Red Sea, and close this passage from the Moors. Camoens joined the expedition, and returned to Goa in 1555, where another governor had replaced Mascarenhas. The installation of the new dignitary, Francisco Barreto, occasioned some ceremonies that were distasteful to the inhabitants of Goa, and a satire appeared, under the title of "Jokes upon some men who are not enemies to wine," and which, attributed to Camoens, excited the wrath of the governor against him. about this time, also, he wrote the "Disparates na India" (follies in India), stigmatizing the cupidity and dissolute manners of his countrymen, at that period, throughout India. It was Although this work was free from personality, Francisco Barreto, who eagerly sought for revenge, pretended it was an attack on his authority, and sent Camoens to prison. A vessel leaving Goa soon afterwards for China, the governor directed him to be placed on board, and left at the Moluccas. Some verses by the poet show how deeply he felt this injustice: "may," he said, "the memory of this exile remain written in iron and stone." This was all his vengeance, for, through generosity or disdain, he never afterwards named his persecutor. He left Goa, for his new destination, at the commencement of 1556, and little is known of the nature of his occupations during the three first years of his banishment. It is believed that he was disembarked at Malacca; and, from allusions in his poems, it is certain he visited the island of Ternato. It was in this painful situation, at this extremity of the known world, and three thousand leagues from Lisbon, he received intelligence that the object of his early affections was dead. The verses composed on this event are expressive of profound grief. At length his prospects improved for a time. In 1558, Barreto was replaced in the Government of Goa by Dom Constantine de Braganza, who appointed Camoens curator of vacant successions at Macao, to which place he proceeded in 1559. This pretty town, with a mixed |