bosom. is trimmed round with a bouillonnée, formed by a rouleau of flame-coloured satin in the centre. This trimming descends down the front, and encircles the bottom of the skirt. Manche à la Duchesse d'Orléans, trimmed en suite. White satin hat, round brim of a moderate size, the crown rather high, but placed very far back: the crown is trimmed with white marabouts, and a knot of ribbon; the interior of of the brim is trimmed with a wreath of flowers, from which a gerbe descends on each side.

EVENING DRESS.-Green velvet robe, lined with white satin, and worn over a white satin petticoat. The skirt is looped on one side by a knot of gold blond lace, which is formed by an agraffe of gold and coloured gems. Low corsage decorated with a pelerine fichu of gold blond lace; short tight sleeves, finished with manchettes en suite. They are decorated, as is also the pelerine, with jewellery. Headdress, an Egyptian turban bordered with gold blond lace.

REMARKS ON THE PREVAILING PARIS FASHIONS.

Easter Sunday, which this year falls late, has thrown our spring fashions somewhat in retard. Indeed, the number of public end private balls occupies the attention of our élégantes so much that they have little time to think of any thing but their ball dresses. However, we have it from good authority, that hats and bonnets will be smaller, and that some new materials will appear for both. It is also confidently said, that neither rice nor Italian straw will lose any thing of their vogue. Some spring shawls have already appeared; they are cashmere, but of an excessively light texture, and of new and beautiful patterns. Next month we shall be able to enter more into detail on the subject of out-door dress, now let us take a glance at the toilettes in those superb re-unions, the splendour of which reminds us of the wonders of the Arabian Tales. Hold! we must first see what is the most approved costumes for social parties.

The robes are of silks or satins of a very rich kind, but of quiet colours. The skirt as wide as usual, is trimmed with a single flounce, with a full heading, which is edged with very narrow dentelle de soie, the corsage made very high behind, and partially en cœur all down. The front is also edged with

blond lace, and forms in a slight degree a lappel. The sleeves are of the form styled à la jardinière. Caps are the favourite head-dresses with married ladies; for these parties, the prettiest are of tul grec, and of a very simple form, arranged in flat plaits on the forehead, and two bouffants on each side; a tuft of hortensia in each bouffant, and a wreath of the same flowers round the caul, are the ornaments employed to decorate these pretty little caps. If the coiffure is en cheveux it is often ornamented with black lace lappets intermingled with flowers; as, for instance, a sprig of roses attached on one side of the head by a knot of black lace, the ends of which fall upon the neck. Another favourite style of ornament is a knot of velvet with long floating ends; it is attached near the hind bair by two gold pins.

At the last court-ball, the robes of those ladies who danced were either of crape or tulle. Some of the prettiest were of citron-coloured crape, ornamented with bouqnets of velvet flowers; yellow and brown intermingled, and the hair decorated with wreaths of the same flowers. A good many dresses, both of crape and tulle, had two skirts of the same; the one of the tunic form, the other as a robe. We may cite as an instance of this fashion, which was much admired, a dress of white tulle, the tunic skirt of which was trimmed with a wreath of silver flowers, the foliage being in different shades of green. Another double robe was of white gauze, trimmed with silver fringe, in such a manner as perfectly to mark the tunic. A robe of blue gauze, trimmed with flounces of the same material, had the same flounces and also the manchettes, which were likewise of gauze, bordered with broad chefsd'argent; the effect of this trimming was striklingly elegant and original. Those ladies who did not dance were in brocades, or satins splendidly trimmed with gold or silver blond lace. The head-dresses were either toques or dress hats, many of them adorned with jewels. A great number of English ladies were present, and both in beauty and dress they were powerful rivals to the elite of the French ladies. The new spring colours are expected to be pea-green, emerald green, different shades of roses, lemon colour, lilac, both grey and red, poussiere, écru, pearl grey, cherry colour, and several fancy hues.

THE RESIDENCE OF THE AUTHOR OF
CLARISSA.

While in the zenith of his popularity, and towards the close of his life, Richardson, the celebrated novelist, resided in the house above represented, at Parson's green, near Hammersmith. The house has been pulled down some years, but it stood at the south-west corner, facing the road to London. The admirers of Grandison, Clarissa, and Pamela, will view with interest this relict of an author, whose admirers are always enthusiasts. Hence he dated many of his published letters, and here he entertained the most intellectual society of his time. Nothing could be more pleasant and cheerful than the site of the house-a pleasant green-handsome country houses, and a very cheerful road, were always present from its windows-while the gardens behind were open and spacious.

Richardson was a printer in a court in Fleet-street. His estimable character was thus drawn after his decease :-"He was a plain man, who seldom exhibited his talents in mixed company. He heard the sentiments of others with attention, but seldom gave his own; rather desirous of gaining friendship by his modesty than his parts. Besides his being a great genius, he was truly a good man in all respects; in his L. 38. 1.

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family, in commerce, in conversation, and in every instance of conduct. He was pious, virtuous, exemplary, benevolent, friendly, generous, and humane, to an uncommon degree; glad of every opportunity of doing good offices to his fellowcreatures in distress, and relieving many without their knowledge. His chief delight was doing good. He was highly revered and beloved by his domestics for his happy temper and discreet conduct. He had great tenderness towards his wife and children, and great condescension towards his servants. He was always very sedulous in business, and almost always employed in it; and dispatched a great deal by the prudence of his management. His turn of temper led him to improve his fortune with mechanical assiduity; and having no violent passion, nor any desire of being triflingly distinguished from others, he at last became rich, and left his family in easy independence; though his house and table, both in town and country, were ever open to his numerous friends."

BENHADAR.

BY J. K. PAULDING, AUTHOR OF "THE SPANISH GIRL OF THE CORDILLERAS, ," "THE EVE OF ST. JOHN," &c.

A certain bashaw of Smyrna, being on his way to Constantinople, by order of the commander of the faithful, with his retinue of janissaries and servants mounted on fifty camels, arrived about noonday at a fine grove of oranges, in the midst of which a pure spring bubbled forth from beneath a rock, and wandered about like a snake in the grass, diffusing a richer tint of green wherever it passed. The camels hesi tated, pricked their ears, and looked wistfully towards the gurgling waters and cooling fountains. "Halt here," said the bashaw to his troop, "and let us rest in this shade." The bashaw sat down on a rich cushion of silk, ordered his pipe to be brought, and, crossing his legs, directed his poet, or story-teller, to relate some tale to pass away the time. The poet bowed his head, and began as follows:

A merchant of Balsora, who was called Benhadar, one day sat smoking his pipe under the shade of the pomegranates, in his garden, and amusing himself with summing up the items

of his wealth. "Let me see-I have fifty thousand piastres in merchandize with the caravan which will soon be here; I have twice that sum invested in my two ships coming from the Indies with rich spices and silks; have eighty thousand owing to me by the great bashaw, Albacil: and my house and gardens are worth as much more. Truly Benhader, thou art rich; enjoy thyself and be happy." He was interrupted by a messenger, who came, in breathless haste, to inform him that the caravan, which was bringing his merchandize, had been overtaken by a whirlwind, and buried in the sands of the desert. Another came in equal haste, to say that his two ships had been wrecked on the isle of Serandib, where they were plundered by the natives, and their crews massacred. A third followed with the news that the great bashaw; Albacil, had fallen under the displeasure of the commander of the faithful, who had sent him the bowstring, and confis cated all his property. Here the Bashaw of Smyrna looked a little uneasy, but said nothing.

Benhadar, continued the story-teller, rolled himself in the dust in despair; he tore his head, and scattered his hair to the winds. “Ọ Allah!” cried he, "what sort of a world is this, and what short-sighted mortals inhabit it! a moment ago, and I was happy in the imaginary possession of boundless wealth; now I am a beggar. I fancied myself rich, when I was not worth a piastre. Miserable,-miserable mortals, that we are! why cannot we know what will happen, as well as what hath happened in this world! had I known the former, I would neither have adventured my wealth to be sported with by the whirlwinds of the desert, nor the tempests of the ocean, nor, what is still more uncertain, by the freaks of fortune, who delights to pull down the pageants that she sets up. I that am a descendent of the prophet, and have the privilege of wearing a green turban, know no more of what shall take place the next moment than the camel that fears no God. Why is this, O Allah ?”

"Who calls on Allah?" answered a voice that smote upon the heart of Benhadar, who gazed bewildered around.— "Who calls?" again repeated the voice. Benhadar looked towards the spot whence it seemed to come, and beheld what appeared a vast column of mist, gradually swelling into the outlines of a human figure of gigantic size. As he continued