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bridge, of simple and elegant

crown them. Here the vine begins chitecture, beneath which, after to display itself on a verdant carpassing over a pavement construct-pet, and it has already begun to

ed for the better security of the bridge, the Cherasca hastens to unite its waters with those of the Doveria.

Immediately every object in the view inspires repose in the traveller: his eyes wander with pleasure over the meadows, over gentle hills clothed with chesnuts, and over the mountains that rise behind and

wind itself into festoons. In various situations he beholds villages glittering in whiteness; and the difference in the forms of the buildings, the elegance of the steeples ascending above them, the freshness of the shade that surrounds them, and a clear and smiling sky, all indicate a new and happy climate.

REMONSTRANCE AGAINST LARGE BONNETS.

I AM sure that there is no man in the three kingdoms who is a more ardent admirer of the fair sex, and especially of the ladies of Great Britain, than I am. I have travelled a good deal at various times in early life in foreign countries, I have been a close observer of modes and manners, and I can safely say, that however I may have been pleased by the graceful dignity of the Spanish, the agreeable sprightliness of the French, the winning sentiment of the Italian, or the strong sense of the German ladies, I have always returned to England with a confirmed conviction, that none were so graceful, so sprightly, so winning, or so sensible as my countrywomen.

This opinion I took up some fifteen or twenty years ago, and in this opinion I remained until about the year 1815, or soon after the peace of Paris. Happy indeed should I have been had it continued unaltered; but at the date I mentioned, or soon afterwards, so sudden and so awful a change took place in the appearance and habits of English ladies, and particularly

of those who had “taken a trip to Paris," that I was reluctantly compelled to admit, that though the majority might yet possess all or many of the good qualities I at first attributed to them, yet that there was a considerable number who were as vain, giddy, and fond of finery, frippery, and folly, as any of their neighbours. I need not dwell on the instant and singular change that took place in 1815 in the dress of the ladies of Great Britain, the pages and plates of your Miscellany are a lasting evidence of it: those who had been to France imitated the ladies of Paris, and such who had not been, copied from such as had.

I do not dwell on the amazing flounces and frills that were piled upon the formerly graceful figures of my countrywomen, nor upon the pains they took to make their waists appear to the full as broad as their shoulders; I pass these over with the more willingness, because I am told, that in this respect an amelioration has lately taken place, and that ladies are beginning to be persuaded, that there is something

attractive in a fine figure. But the | and then on that, I can now and

then catch a glimpse of the actor, and am content to take the words he utters through the medium of mountains of straw, muslin, and Leghoru. Thus my innocent plea

most monstrous evil of all yet remains, and for aught I know is likely to continue-I mean the huge bonnets carried by our ladies, which appear to be so increasing in size every day, that a fashionably dress-sures are greatly abridged, and I ed female will soon appear like nothing so much as a walking Brobdignag mushroom. The crowns of these edifices are also of enormous height, and surmounted with flowers and feathers, like a tower tower crowned with ivy, or a hillock with trees. A humorous acquaintance of mine the other day made the following epigram on this subject, which is worth printing here, as it is very applicable and well pointed: Epigram on a Lady in a huge Bonnet.

Each bonnet's a Tower of Babel;

And the wearer exhausting her lungs In talking as fast as she's able,

Makes the real confusion of tongues.

am sure that the ladies themselves must be often greatly annoyed by what is now the subject of my complaint and remonstrance. It is not to be expected, that the proprietors of the theatres will, by raising the back of the pit, give the auditors a better chance of hearing and seeing; that would occasion a beavy expense, and after all might not be effectual, for as bonnets increase in magnitude every day, it is impossible to say, that ere long they

will not interfere with the chandaliers, and even run the risk of being consumed by the gas in the

centre.

This nuisance you will readily perceive is not confined to places of amusement, but is found even in our churches: though the clergyman is raised so far above his congregation, it is difficult for many of them to ascertain the mode in which he delivers his discourses.

I and my play-going friends having suffered patiently under this growing evil for some time, have determined at length to do our ut

But, sir, joking apart, this is certainly a serious evil-an evil requiring a remedy, for it may now truly be asserted to have grown to a head. I am a frequenter of the play-houses, and like many others of my old-fashioned acquaintances, I always go into the pit, because in the boxes one pays more and hears less. Of late, however, my pleasure has been greatly diminished by the obstruction both to eyes and ears afforded by the struc-most to put an end to it; and as a tures ladies carry on their heads, first effort, I have been instructed, which put to shame the old sign of at a meeting held for the purpose, the Elephant and Castle. Instead to write this letter for your Reposiof having a full view of the stage, tory, knowing that its pages are and an opportunity of hearing dis-open to such topics, and that whattinctly all that is said, I now think myself lucky if, by the contrivance of sitting on one side or on the other, in an uneasy posture, or by bobbing my head first on this side

ever appears in them usually meets with considerable attention on the part of those to whom I particularly address myself. I am the more emboldened to resort to this ex

pedient, because the inconveni- | ers will remove them during the ence is felt both in town and coun- performances." try; as I find not only by letters from several friends, but from the following paragraph, extracted from the advertisement issued by the stewards of the Derby musical meeting for the present year:

"N. B. It is particularly requested by the stewards, that ladies will not attend the meeting in large bonnets, or that if worn, the wear

A similar notice was annexed to the bills of a concert at Brighton last season, and happy I am to say that it produced some effect. If gentlemen in courtesy are bound to remove their hats, ladies, I think, are doubly bound to take off their bonnets. I remain, &c.

WESTMINSTER, Sept. 22.

P's & Q's.

THE PORCELAIN PAGODA.

We mentioned some time ago, || altogether, a period of nineteen that a correspondent had furnished years in building. us with a translation of the descrip- The sum of money expended in tion of the wonderful Porcelain completing the precious glazed Pagoda at Nankin, which is the tower, was two millions four hunadmiration of the whole Chinese dred and eighty-five thousand four nation, and is considered the most hundred and eighty-four ounces of astonishing erection in the uni- silver. In the construction of the verse. It is called the Temple of ornamental globe on the pinnacle Boudah, one of the gods of the of the roof of the tower, forty-eight Chinese, and being constructed kin* in weight of gold (sixty-four entirely of earthen-ware, is certain- pounds), and one thousand four ly a singular erection. The de- | hundred kin in weight of copper, scription and history which follow were consumed. The circumferare given to all persons who visitence of this globe is thirty-six chef, the building. or forty-two feet. Each round or story is eighteen che high. In that part of the tower called the Quang were consumed four thousand eight The representation of the pre-hundred and seventy kin weight of cious glazed Tower of the Temple brass. The iron hoops or rings of Gratitude, in the province of on the pinnacle of the roof, are Kiang-Nan. nine in number, and sixty-three che each in circumference. smaller hoops are twenty-four che in circumference, and their total weight is three thousand six hundred kin‡.

The Dwelling of Security, Tran

quillity, and Peace.

This work was commenced at noon, on the fifteenth day of the sixth moon of the tenth year of the Emperor Yong Lo*, of the dynasty of Ming, and was completed on the first day of the eighth moon of the sixth year of the Emperor Siuen Té, of the same dynasty, being,

* 1413 of the Christian era.

The

* A kin is one pound and one third. ↑ A che is about fourteen inches.

This part is obscure, and will be better understood from Le Compte's de

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