EVENING DRESSES.-FIRST FIGURE.-The robe is white satin-royal, the corsage cut low and round at top, is draped in a profusion of folds, and trimmed with a row of blond lace standing up plain round the bust, and knots of ribbon in the centre of the drapery, and on the shoulders; it descends in a very sharp point at the bottom of the waist. Short tight sleeve, terminated by a blond lace ruffle intermixed in a very novel manner with coques of ribbon. The skirt is trimmed with a flounce of the same material disposed in large hollow plaits; it is set on in the drapery style, being raised on each side, and ornamented with a knot of ribbon. The hair disposed in platted braids at the side, and crescent bows behind, is ornamented with a blond lace scarf arranged en diademe on the forehead, interlaced with the bows behind, and the ends floating over the neck.

SECOND FIGURE.-Black velvet robe, the corsage low and tight to the shape, is trimmed with a double fall of Brussels lace disposed à l'enfant; the ends of the second fall are arranged as a stomacher, and descend to the bottom of the point. The corsage is ornamented from the top to the bottom with knots of crimson ribbon placed at regular distances. Bouffant sleeve, intersected with knots of ribbon, and finished with an antique ruffle of Brussels lace. The front of the skirt is trimmed on each side with lace disposed in the form of a broken cone, and intersected with knots of ribbon; a very deep lace flounce, to which this trimming serves as a heading, terminates it at bottom. Turban of embroidered tulle, of a very novel form, the folds confined by gold bands, and the ends trimmed with gold fringe.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, CONSISTING OF TALES, ROMANCES, ANECDOTES, AND POETRY.

de R————, and a more mischievous little imp never lived. How I escaped being dashed to atoms every day of my life is a paradox to me. Sometimes Monsieur le Marquis would kick me while sitting on his mother's lap, or, if left alone for a

BY MISS DE PONTIGNY.

"O for a magic wand, to wave back upon that senseless surface, the visions of beauty it has reflected!"

Pencillings by the way, N. P. WILLIS.

I think no one will deny that my reflections have been more numerous, if less profound than those of Locke, Bacon, or any other philosopher of ancient or modern times. I first saw the light, or rather the light first reflected itself in me, in a venetian manufactory from whence I was dispatched to Paris where I made my appearance in one of those retreats of luxury and elegance-a lady's boudoir. I was set in a very costly frame, and being a Psyché or whole length swing glass, I was really worthy to be presented to the royal princess whose apartment I was destined to ornament. It is said that Marie Antoinette, when Dauphiness, once looked at me and even gave me a smile, but so many princesses and ladies came in and out of my mistress's boudoir, that I really cannot vouch for this as a historical fact. My high position, however, was not destined to last long-possibly because though a courtier, I was never able to flatter-this much I only know, that after reflecting faithfully for a while all the dames of the palace, pretty or ugly, I was given as a new year's gift to Madame la Présidente Ra young and handsome woman, who proved the high estimation in which she held it, by denying herself for a couple of days to all her acquaintances, trying on gowns from morning till night, and indulging in the pleasure of solitary contemplation. Although it was mortifying to descend from a palace to a private abode, on the other hand I was here "first in a village," being far handsomer than the rest of the furniture, while there I was amongst my peers, (I intend no pun on the word pier) and, best of all, my mistress was so pretty that it was really a pleasure to show her the truth. She understood well the arts of the toiletI don't mean rouge and such like abominations, for of these she had no need, but the far more effective arts of choosing well the colours she wore, and putting on her clothes to admiration. My mistress had one child—a son who was called the Marquis

his strength would allow of-but luckily he was sent to school before he grew old enough to do me more deadly mischief, and to my great relief I lost sight of him for a considerable time. When I saw him again, he was a very handsome young man, evidently thinking a great deal of his dress and person, as I had ample means of perceiving during a half-hour's conversation that he had with his mother, in the course of which he looked at me slyly twenty several times at least, to speak without exaggeration. The Présidente's object in this tête à tète was to persuade her son of the advantage it would be to marry Mademoiselle de la Tourière, a young lady of large fortune, and who, she assured him, was the prettiest creature imaginable. As Mademoiselle Euphrosine had never appeared in society, and was only to leave the convent where she had been educated, on the very day of her marriage, the Presidente had all the advantage on her side. But the son remained obstinately unconvinced, as I could judge from all the gradations of expression in his countenance, which I faithfully pourtrayed, varying from contempt to disbelief, and then bursting out at last into an explosion of hatred against poor Mademoiselle de la Tourière, whom he had never seen, but whom he pronounced to be a bigot and an awkward, unfashionable son, whom he would be ashamed to call his wife. After this I did'nt see the Marquis de R― for a long time-then only at intervals. He was still unmarried and flirting with half the ladies about court. His dress and equipage were the theme of universal admiration, and he was one of the most successful beaux of his day. The Présidente still reminded him every now and then that it was time to think of marrying, but he showed such determined aversion to the scheme that she at last began to despair of succeeding.

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Two years passed away, and the Présidente had serious cause to fear that Mademoiselle de la Tourière, who was strongly addicted to a religious life, would devote herself to Heaven, and thus her vast property be lost for ever to her reckless son, whose debts stood in great need of some such assistance towards their liquidation. The fortune of the family was not very considerable; and my mis

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