cousin of mine, lately returned from Algiers, was only prevented soliciting the HONOUR of dancing with the whole dozen of them, by his galanterie to us ladies; and I do believe he heartily wished us at Algiers, for the annoyance our presence gave him at the moment. In the evening, the public buildings were illuminated; a concert took place in the gardens of the Tuileries, and the fêtes closed by a magnificent display of fireworks. The bouquet particularly excited our admiration.

A shocking catastrophe took place a few days since in Paris. A young man who in the morning had been forced into a marriage with his cousin, shot himself the same evening. Good God! how dreadful must her feelings be. Who was the cause of so deplorable an event! Can she ever see a happy moment again?

The weather here has been insupportably hot until this last week. We had such a deluge of rain a few evenings since, that not only the cellars but several shops were inundated. The ruisseaux in the streets became impassable, and hackney-coaches plied across at the rate of four sous each passenger!

Adieu! Chère et aimable Amic, je t-embrasse bien tendrement. Aime ton Amie. L. de F

(No. 17.)-WALKING DRESS.-Hat of crape, the crown high, and nearly pointed at top; the front trés-evasée, and descending low at the sides, where it is rounded off. The trimming consists of two bands of wide gauze ribbon, encircling the crown, and finishing by a large bow in front; a rose unique is placed high at the front of the calotte. The

bavolet is deep and very full, and set on in gathers. A wreath of small roses is placed beneath the front of the hat immediately over the brow. The hair is in bandeaux lisses (see plate). Dress of gros de Naples, with two flounces; corsage tight to the bust. The sleeves à l'imbecile, are excessively full all the way down, and gathered a little above the wrist to fit the arm. The plate gives the pattern of a very elegant mantelet, made in India muslin, with a large falling collar, trimmed all round with lace, and fastened down the front with bows of ribbon to match the dress. Cravatte of gaze Dona Maria, fastened with a brooch. Brodequins of satin royal. White gloves. The sitting figure gives the back of the dress.

(No. 18.)-DRESS OF INDIA MUSLIN.-Corsage à l'enfant, sleeves à double sabot. The dress is ornamented with a rich lace mantille, and two splendid lace flounces, set on in festoons, with bows of foulard ribbon (see plate). The mantille is finished in front by a bow of the same ribbon, which descends in front beneath the ceinture like the ends of a scarf. The ribbon, as may be seen by the plate, is of an immense width; the ground black, with a running pattern of roses, pink, lilac, and yellow. The coiffure is entirely a new style; the division of the hair going round the head, as in the plate: the long hair is formed into two coques or bows, with a large bunch of curls at the left side. The front mixed with the lower part of the back hair forms a large twist, which is turned into a ring just above the ear, and which encircles a bouquet of mixed flowers on each temple. A band of pearls crosses the brow. The necklace consists of three rows of pearls. Long white kid gloves, silk stockings, and black satin shoes.

KING'S THEATRE.-Like joys most relished when they have passed away, now that the Italian Opera has closed, we begin to reflect on the pleasures it has afforded us, notwithstanding the disappointment we recorded on Rossini's last effort.

It is a melancholy consideration, that this leading school of music, in all the capitals of Europe, should with us have ever been, in its management, a scene of disquiet as to remuneration of all concerned in it. It is true, that abroad it is very much a concern of the governments; but then prices of admission are lower, even after calculating the different value of money. However, the season which closed since our last is, we believe, acknowledged to have been remunerative, and so we hope may be the next.

It is true there was little novelty; but the company was not disjointed as on other occasions, and the chorus has been well sustained. The introduction of "Grisi" alone

--

would cover a multitude of sins in Laporte, (who, after all, we fear, is more sinned against than sinning), so powerful, and yet so gentle, and then so kind-hearted is Grisi! Her Ninette and Rosina charmed our souls. In all she did there was something to elevate the mind." Ivanoff" is another introduction worthy of the favour of the British public; and what we delight to honour is, that both we have named are sure to increase favour.

VAUXHALL.-The "Royal Gardens" and their Simpson have continued the attractions with which they commenced, or rather increased, them. An endeavour has been made to elevate the style of music, which we fear could hardly repay the proprietors. All their usual fêtes have been given with their wonted éclat, down to the celebration of the King's birth-day, on Friday, 22d, when, as the placard stated, "all the world was expected to be present." The fireworks on

that evening, by Southby, were surpassingly brilliant, and included a clever representation of storming a castle. The illuminations reached the highest effort of art.

BEULAH SPA.-We take shame to ourselves for deficiency, in not having paid due attention to the delightful “Fêtes Champétre" of this lovely and imposing scene. We shall do better in future.

Treatise on Singing. By J. WILLIAMS.

A person though but possessed of limited natural power, may, with a correct ear and some taste, obtain a command of voice and execute difficult passages in music with its assistance. It contains also much anecdote. Sing Hey! for the Bottle, that unsurpassed Gem! Sung by Mr. ROBINSON: Poetry by EDWARD LANCASTER, Esq.: Music by W. KIRBY.

Mr. Lancaster seems to have imbibed the true inspiration of Anacreon on his subject; and Mr. Kirby to have caught an ample

portion of it for his music: of all which Mr. Robinson well knows how to avail himself in "the feast of reason and the flow of soul."

"Who shall awake the Spartan fife,

And call in solemn sounds to life

The youths, whose locks divinely spreading Like vernal hyacinths?"

was sung of old in relation to other circumstances on looking over this effusion and the music, we should be induced to answer, these gentlemen. Since ladies are no longer excluded from witnessing the soirées, now often directed to the most beneficient of purposes, we may claim their full pardon for joining in what we are sure will be the general commendation of all who hear this song.

The Measureless Sea. The Words by O. H. R. Esq.: Music by J. THOMPSON, Esq.

The words present a seaman's song, adapted with great taste.

We have been lately looking over the various histories of the English stage for a century and a half, and have marvelled much at the facts which it presents, so similar to some that are prominent in the accounts of the Grecian drama, and others in the earlier history of our own. We have smiled at the labours of honest Chetwood, the prompter, in recording, day by day, the performances of his time, as we did when we saw the prices obtained for files of playbills at the sales of a defunct bibliomaniacyet these things have their value; and if we are to take the players, according to Shakspeare, as "the abstract and brief chronicles of the time," and their end to be-" to hold as 'twere the mirror up to nature, to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time, his form and pressure," we ought certainly, as he directs, to "let them be well used;" but then it should be, provided they attend to the directions which the immortal bard has laid down for them.

We are not disposed to visit either actors or authors with the severity of some dramatic critics of our day: we have a full impression of the antithesis of Johnson"The Drama's laws the Drama's patrons give, And those who live to please must please to live."

Yet it were unjust to real talent to enhance the value of what is unworthy; we will, therefore, content ourselves with continuing to furnish brief notices of what is passing before us-catching a moral where we can from writers, and a ray of histrionic genius wherever it shall burst forth.

Having said thus much, we must be unkind indeed if we did not pay our tribute of

It will be easy to conceive the state of this highly-gifted man, with a large family around him, struggling even for bread during long years; and when at last, through an exertion of the polished, the talented, and though successful yet unassuming, Macready, he had attained, and it might be said almost revelled in public notice, finding even a double exertion necessary-and still in vain, further than to enable him to expatriate himself and family, to do better for them in another sphere!

This is not complimentary to the state of the British drama,-yet we would hope it may produce a good result both for it and for Knowles. As a poet he has already made himself immortal! His farewell benefit at the Victoria theatre (why not in London ?) was profitable; he made a hasty speech to his benefactors of the night. He was well received and treated at Liverpool. He has sailed. HAYMARKET.

We were glad, though

surprised, to see our old favourite theatre distinguish itself on the 11th of August by the production of Mr. Vandenhoff in " Macbeth." This performer is evidently making his way, though slowly, surely; and it is no small feather in his cap to say that this is about his best character. He evinces the skill required in this "fitful" part; and though a difficult thing to say, we think his declamation new to the stage, as well as correct. His pauses have been subject of complaint; yet they are pauses of eloquence. He will doubtless occupy an important place in the national drama. If we might venture to throw out a hint, it should be, not to attempt generalising his talent-at least for a considerable time. He, however, knows best his own forte, and it is hard to circumscribe genius. Poor dear Mrs. Glover, as Mrs. Inchbald would say, was the Lady Macbeth, and not only went through the character respectably, but made some very fine points; yet we could not help thinking there was too much of the certain mannerism of her Emilia, for the dignity of her who managed the thane in all his moods. We would say it is not well for her to compel us to recollect the Siddons. Perhaps by the time Mr. Vandenhoff may repeat this character at the winter theatre, for which we understand he is engaged, Ellen Faucit may have completed her novitiate in the provinces; and then, perhaps, we shall have a new series of dramatis persona.

On the 20th was produced, first time, a comedy, entitled "Married Life." It is from the fertile pen of Mr. Buckstone; and its plan is directed to the laudable object of neutralising those little variations in the felicity of the marriage state, which the uninitiated are often so mistaken as to call quarrels !

Hence we are first introduced to the breakfast table of Mr. Lionel Lynx (Vining) and his lady (Mrs. Faucit); the latter, having no little of that very natural concomitant of love called jealousy, has secretly written a proposition for an assignation of gallantry to her husband, and he unsuspectingly accepted it, from which she has determined to settle the question of his gallantry. To them enter at the moment their neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Coddle (Farren and Mrs. Glover): the former a chill phlegmatic being, constantly inveighing against air-draughts and open windows; the latter delighting in refreshing breezes and currents of air. To rally her husband, Mrs. Coddle whispers to Mr. Lynx; but instead of the intended effect, arouses the jealous spirit of Mrs. Lynx, who necessarily dismisses her the house sans ceremonie. This excitement has scarcely taken place, when a Mr. and Mrs. Younghusband arrive (Brindal and Mrs. Humby), to communicate information of a Mrs. Dove's inquiries for

Lynx to obtain payment of an account for the board of a young lady, named Harriet Seymour, whom he had formerly placed with her. This extraordinary addition to her suspicions determines Mrs. Lynx upon inviting all parties to dinner, for the purpose of eclaircissement, and coming to such an understanding with her husband as he appears to merit. Mrs. Dove, a retired schoolmistress (Mrs. W. Clifford), having just married her footman (Buckstone), he is also of the party; and his ultra-cockaigne English forms the agreeable diversity of the constant school correction of his lady. Another couple are added, Mr. and Mrs. George Dismal (Strickland and Mrs. Tayleure), who incidentally mention having seen Mr. Lynx the same morning in earnest conversation with an elderly lady in black. "All seems yellow to the jaundiced eye," and thus Mrs. Lynx is worked up into the height of that exquisite sensation known only to ladies who "love, not wisely, but too well." The very Coddles receive an apology and invitation. Thus are these various characters all brought before the audience to exhibit each their own little matrimonial varieties, and a general determination on disunion: Mrs. Coddle on a suspicion of bigamy in her husband, flies him, and he determines on drowning himself if the water be not too cold; Mrs. Lynx and her husband quit their homes; the Younghusbands divide on the question of gift of a silver thimble--he contending for the aunt, and she for the uncle, as donor; the very Dismals break, one going to, and the other from, home; and Mr. Dove, impatient of grammatical correction, takes an opposite route to that of his superior lady. The last act displays Coddle in a garret by candlelight, having determined never more to see the day. At this moment auspiciously correct information is brought out, by which all parties become assured of the folly of their conduct, and are reconciled. Why the offensive fact of Mrs. Lynx being in the hands of a seducer on Mr. Lynx's return should have been introduced, we cannot tell. There are also some points in the piece not purely original; but, on the whole, it is evident that there is ample amusement to be derived from it, particularly in the hands of such actors; and so thought the audience, when its annunciation to be performed every evening until further notice was received with great applause, and the author called for, in the vulgar abuse of a French custom towards their distinguished dramatists. Buckstone had the good sense not to answer the call.

Coddle has a valedictory tag on the duties of married life; if it produce mutual forbearance in any quarter where it does not exist, the author will not have written in vain.

ENGLISH OPERA.-We ought, perhaps,

to include this mention under the head of music; but that Mr. Arnold has chosen to mingle sense with his sound.

We have already described the beautiful new theatre, and gave a hasty notice in our last of the opening. We must now take a brief view of some of the performances.

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Nourjahad" stands first on our list, from some recollections of its author, the proprietor of this theatre having successfully produced it as an acting drama at DruryÎane theatre, somewhere about the time when he rendered great services to that establishment. It is now brought forward as an opera, as we cannot help thinking was the author's original intention. Whether or not, he has now had the advantage, as he has, we believe, before had, of introducing to the public a new and highlytalented aspirant to public favour. This is Mr. E. J. Loder, of Bath, the representative of a family of musical talent; one excellent member of which, if we are not mistaken, has long been a baroness in a foreign country. With this, however, neither the public nor ourselves have any thing to do; it is sufficient to speak of the music to this new opera; and of this the chief fault seems to be with some, that it is too scientific. This is certainly an odd fault to find with a young musician, when we know how easy it is to acquire the sweet intonations of melody, such as it has become in our days. We will hazard our faith with the ladies, that this music will bear both their critical examination and pleasing practice.

our

The "Dead Guest" seems as if it was determined that we should have odd recollections to present themselves next to notice. It is from one of the mad German stories, of which we give a specimen in our present number. The Foreign Quarterly Review has, we believe, made known the origin in an author named Zschokke; a Mr. Becke put it in the form of a dramatic interlude; and Mr. Peake has made it into what it is, turning wisely the grave into gay-which is what we want just now. A. Lee has given music which remedies the fault, if so it be, of Mr. Loder; and Miss

Novello of herself is sufficient to save a much worse piece. The plot is told in a few words, as well as its travestie. Once in a century a gentleman in black visits a German town, on a certain day, and beguiles the affections of three brides, who are all found dead on the next morning, with their necks twisted round! On the anniversary, a gentleman (Reeve) arrives to marry a lady to whom he is betrothed, and happening to wear dark clothes, is represented by a rival to be the identical visiter, and is consequently shunned with horror. Hence arises fun and equivoque which keep the audience in good humour, and with the former piece keeps possession of the stage. The music is more than pretty, and two chorusses particularly good. Miss Novello, also of a good musical school, sings with her usual taste and timidity; which latter does not make her less charming, though it may sometimes mar her finer efforts.

Mr. John Barnett has determined to justify English music by a new opera, entitled "The Mountain Sylph," on which much expense has been bestowed by the management. VICTORIA. Of "Who'll lend me a Wife," a laughable trifle from the French, for the translation of which two adapters contend, we shall only say it is unfit for the English stage. "The Heiress of Bruges," a melo-drama from Grattan's novel, bas one good hit at a certain order of duelists, who encourage others to fight while they never fight themselves! But it was coarsely performed. "Caught Courting," an adaptation of Baucis and Philemon, is a sort of vaudeville, to old music, by Mr. A'Becket; an extensive author in the minor way, not lacking talent. It is kept alive by witty political allusions, much relished.

But this theatre has now returned to its old management of Mr. Glossop, who promises a rival opera. We would advise this gentleman to bear in mind Naples, Milan, Lisbon, Cadiz, &c., and, above all, would entreat of him not to attempt the retrogradation of the charming De Meric in his arrangements. His views, it seems, are exalted and extensive. We shall see.

CANADIAN AND AMERICAN COOKERY.Soup is unknown in these parts. The gridiron, if to be found at all, is only an ornamental, not a useful implement of an American kitchen: its place is usurped by the frying pan, and every thing is deluged with grease and butter. I saw, some days ago, in the New York Spectator, a clever announcement of a work about to be published, by a fair spinster from somewhere down cast, (as she herself, being a New Englander, would say,) on American cook

ery. The lady is brenempt Miss Prudence Smith; and it appears that in America the mysteries of cookery, like those of the Druids of old, have been preserved by oral tradition, which this young lady is now about to collect, arrange, and classify in a code of transatlantic culinary economics, and thus will become the Justinian and Napoleon of her national gastronomy-the Meg Dodds and Hannah Glasse of the New World. I have no acquaintance with Prudence, yet I sincerely wish her success in her patriotic un