OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT. MY DEAR C, When I say that March has been an ill-fated month in "le plaisant pays de France," as Mary Stuart called her adopted country, I do not exaggerate. After having spring in February, we have had winter-cold, snowy, dark winter-in March. Add to that, rumours of war with Prussia and an alliance with Austria, great annoyances of the majority in the Corps Législatif from the attacks of the opposition, who desire to be consulted on a question before it is accomplished-not after, as in the affair of the garden of the Luxembourg, which has been diminished and changed according to Mr. Haussman's taste a good deal of money spent for nothing; and now he asks the permission of the "Corps Législatif." Several journalists and orators have been condemned for disrespect to his Majesty. But what has most excited the public indignation, is the horrible discovery at Montauban, of the wholesale murder of children by the woman Delpech. Nine poor little skeletons were found buried in her room, belonging to babies she acknowledges to have killed by pouring boiling water over their heads, and the jury found extenuating circumstances! But such horrors are not good to dwell on: let us rather look on the sunny side of humanity, and, thank God, humanity has good sides also. There is Monsieur Paulˇ Demidoff, who in memory of his late lamented young wife, has just established a kind of refuge for poor women whose babies and children are taken care of and instructed, while work is given to the mothers. I cannot enter into the details, but it is admirable, quite worthy of an English philanthropist. The Prince Imperial's birthday was celebrated at the Tuileries by a dinner of young gentlemen of his age. He was thirteen on the 16th of March. In the morning his cousin, the Princess Matilde, sent him a very handsome "vélocépède." On his side he made a present of the same fashionable vehicle to twelve of his young friends. Vélocépèdes become more and more the rage, they are in the taste of the age— go ahead! As the best comes from England, I conclude that the malady exists in London as well as in Paris. The spring races have already commenced, and in spite of the bad weather, the fair Parisians are in numbers. A new costume is now "de rigueur:" short dress of dark or black silk, with a long train of the same added. This train surrounds the bottom of the dress when the lady reclines elegantly in her carriage, and is very much prettier than the short petticoat alone. When she alights the train is looped up by a cord passed in the waistband, on the left side, a kind of scarf mantle of the hame material as the dress, and a high crown hat with long feathers finish the costume, and make the beauty quite irresistible. Gentleinen are expected to lose both heart and senses before the end of the season. It is with regret I have to record the loss of the musician and composer Berlioz, of fair fame in our gay capital, as well as in foreign parts, but known in England as the husband of the tragedian, Miss Smithson, who, in 1833, directed an English theatre in Paris. Berlioz was then a young man, a musical student, who, at a representation of "Romeo and Juliette," "became passionately enamoured with Shakespear and Miss Smithson, although he did not at that epoch understand a word of English; and could only follow with the aid of a translation. Both families were against the match; but when Miss Smithson became ruined and in debt, Berlioz married her, in spite of both families. She died about five years ago. His parents were greatly incensed, and would give nothing to the young couple, and although he was what we call here "a prix de Rome," he was glad to accept a place of chorist in a secondary theatre. His last work was "Les Troyens," which met with only a half success. Critics say that his compositions are very learned, but cold; some refuse him inspiration. At a festival once, where Berlioz directed his own compositions, a funeral-march rather too long began to send some of the audience into a gentle doze. A colleague of Berlioz, who was behind him, pulled him by the tail of his coat: "Friend," said he, "the cemetery, then, is at a great distance?" Berlioz was once at Vienna, organizing a concert at the old Prince de Metternich's, who was very ignorant in music. "It is you, sir," said the Prince, addressing Berlioz, "who compose pieces of music for five hundred musicians!" "That does not often happen to me. More generally I only compose for four hundred and fifty," answered Berlioz, very seriously. Speaking of musicians recalls to my mind an anecdote of Liszt-now l'Abbé Liszt, but who was far from being an abbot at that time (ask Madame d'Agoût). He and Rubini gave a concert in a large town of France. Fifty spectators alone honoured them. The celebrated musicians could scarcely believe their eyes-they who attracted crowded rooms in Paris and London! Rubini sang, Liszt played, the audience yawned. "Gentlemen and Madam [there was one lady], I think you have had enough music: may! venture to ask you to come and sup with us?" said Liszt, in his most seductive manner. The company looked at each other; found the proposition original, and accepted. The supper cost Liszt £50, but he did not give a second concert. The theatres have been rich in succesnes thin month. Three real "hite" at least. "Les blancs et les bleus" of Alexandre Dumas at the Chatelet, after much hesitation on the part of the censors, has at last been given to the public; and the "Chant du départ," which was feared would excite the good Parisians, only pushed them to "encore" it four times. L'Opera-Comique has given "Vert-vert," by Offenbach, full of gaiety and spirit. The words are a reminiscence of the celebrated poem, "Vert-vert," by Gresset, published in 1734: a graceful badinage, full of wit and playfulness. The history of a parrot brought up and educated in a convent, but who became perverted on board a ship conveying Poll up the Loire, while going on a visit to another convent. But the most brilliant success of all is "Patrie," at the Porte St. Martin, by Sardou. The drama takes place in Flanders, under the reign of Philip II., when the atrocious Duke of Alva filled that country with horrors. The inhabitants had called to their succour William of Orange; a conspiracy was formed in Bruxelles to admit that valiant captain with six thousand men, but Dolorès' the unfaithful wife of the Count de Rysoor, one of the conspirators, to get rid of the impediment to her marriage with Karloo, betrays her husband. Karloo is a friend of the Count's, and, unknown to Dolorès, is also a conspirator. The Count finds out that Karloo has seduced his wife, but when on the point of plunging his sword into his rival's heart, he thinks of his country, and spares Karloo. Meanwhile, the patriots find out that they are betrayed, though they little expect who the traitor is. Dolorès has asked for the price of her treason a safe conduct and the life of her lover Karloo, which is accorded. The fire is lighted, and the conspirators are conducted to the stake. Karloo alone is told that his life is spared; but before parting with the Count he receives a poignard from him, which he swears to plunge into the heart of him who has betrayed their country. The Count kills himself with the poignard, after the oath. Karloo is conducted to Dolorès, who is waiting for him in a room in the Palace, the windows of which look on the place of execution. Dalorès, palpitating with fear and criminal hope, flies to him and tells him that it is she who has saved him. Karloo, horrified at finding out who has betrayed Flanders, recoils with disgust. The enchantress folds her arms round him, clings to him, and Karloo is about forgetting his oath, when the rolling of the drums recalls to him the burning pile beneath the windows. He seizes the poignard, plunges it into Dolarès' heart, after showing her the scene, and then leaps out of the window into the flames. The poet Longfellow has just arrived in Paris. It seems he is enchanted with the cordial reception he met with in England. I suppose we shall not be less desirous of feting one who has also celebrated the beauties of France: in fact, for the moment, Americans are at a premium-that is, the lady part: they pass for being so rich, and we have so many ruined men to provide for. A curious decree of the Bishop of Coutance's "We allow vegetables during this last Lent: prepared with butter; but neither eggs, fish, However, nor meat, except in particular cases. the faithful may eat for their collation' small shell and other fish that, by their nature, can never become large ones!" "Why do you tell so many lies?" said a judge to a prisoner, who was trying to get out of an intricate case: have you not an advocate for that?"* Au revoir, S. A. * We regret that, while in the course of being printed, a portion of this letter was destroyed by fire, and the rest much mutilated.--ED. THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN. Though the University education and examination of women is an experiment new to England, it is by no means, as some of our contemporaries have too readily taken for granted, a perfectly novel institution. It has already found favour to some extent among our transatlantic cousins, and those who are familiar with the history of Italy ought to know that at Bologna, at Milan, and at other Italian Universities, women were not only educated, but in some cases the professorial chairs were occupied by learned and distinguished creatures of the better sex. In 1732, La Dottoressa Laura Bassi became Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Bologna, in which she had passed the brilliant days of her undergraduateship, and when she died, honoured of all as she deserved, her Doctor's gown and her silver laurel wreath were carried in funereal pomp to her grave. One of the most successful teachers of the Greek language known at any time in Italy was Clotilde Tambroni, a lady Professor at Milan University. We are by no means inclined, with some writers, to attribute the comparatively high education of Italian women to that reverence for the gentler sex which comes naturally, we are told, from "the cultus of the Blessed Virgin," with its tendency to elevate woman in the scale of society. We, on the other hand, solve this problem, simply by pointing out the fact that the Italian language is to the old Latin very much what the Italian woman is to the old Latin matron, as we find in each the essential elements still extant. Now, of all women of antiquity none displayed a more marked predilection for arts and literature than did the Roman. The position of a Roman matron was the very reverse of a Greek wife. The Roman presided over her whole household educated her children, and, as the materfamilias, she shared the honour and respect due to her husband. Italian women have degenerated less from the old Roman type than have Italian men, notwithstanding that their minds have been thwarted and twisted by the pernicious influences of Popery. Another solution may be found in the fact, that Italian women are more remarkable for their public than their private virtues and capacities; and a country that was once ruled by a Pope Joan is by no means a country unlikely to encourage a staff of female professors in its public Universities. Cordially do we rejoice at the prospect now spread before the educated womanhood of this country. It is to our reproach, as a nation, that the higher education of women amongst us has declined since Queen Elizabeth harangued a University in Latin, anu Lady Jane Grey wrote Greek. It is something for the Universities to put forth worthy aims and objects to those who would otherwise be aimless and objectless in their studies. It is something to encourage studies which have a marked and incontestable tendency, not only to supplement the wants and to strengthen the weaknesses of the female mind, but to add grace to its grace and beauty to its beauty. It is something to bring the heads of our girls to apply themselves to what is more valuable and during than chignons, and to subtract something of the time and attention now dissipated upon the modiste, for the purpose of investing the mind with a garment of glory and beauty which changes with no changing fashion and grows in beauty as it grows in years. It is something for our big girls to practically learn by patient study and settled plans, and a rigid economy of time, those moral and social virtues of patience, self-denial, self-restraint, regularity, and order, which go very far to make up the good woman, the exemplary wife, and the true and tender mother, as well as those intellectual excellencies, such as judgment, taste, prudence, and quickness of apprehension, which, when sanctified by religion, strengthen en the weakness of women, and entrench her behind a wall of adamant. Such, we conceive, are some of the social advantages which may be derived by the fairer portion of society from these University examinations. Of the literary advantages we say nothing, as these speak for themselves. We are especially pleased to notice that Cambridge has not forgotten its duty as a Christian University in holding forth the study of the Christian religion to its aspiring candidates. Without a knowledge of God, in truth, all other knowledge is but folly. The light that leads to Heaven is verily worth more than all other lights, and sad evermore is the life voyage of him or her "On whom there shone All stars of heaven except the guilding one." Knowledge and wisdom are not far apart from each other. Society has no such ally in the cause of civilization and Christianity as that of a woman, true to the innate tenderness and the purity of her sex, going forth with a richly cultivated intellect, with a disciplined mind, and a heart sanctified by the indwelling spirit of her God, to teach by the silent eloquence of a noiseless, charitable, gracious, and gentle life, the invaluable lessons of living Christianity, to live the light and joy of her own home, and the fruitful blessing to her own generation. In conclusion, to all who seek to benefit themselves by such examinations, whether women or men, we must remind them not to rest content with making their brains temples of light, however brilliant, but to dedicate their hearts as temples to Him who has promised, if we are in Him, to dwell in us.-The Rock. "LITTLE PITCHERS."-We do not wonder at the rapid increase of the deplored fault, under the circumstances. If you wish to cultivate a gossiping, meddling, censorious spirit in your children, be sure, when they come home from church, a visit, or any other place where you do not accompany them, to ply them with questions concerning what everybody wore, how everybody looked, and what everybody said and did; and if you find anything in this to censure, always do it in their hearing. You may rest assured, if you pursue a with intelligence; and, rather than it should be unincourse of this kind, they will not return to you unladen teresting, they will by degrees learn to embellish in such a manner as shall not fail to call forth remarks and expressions of wonder from you. You will, by this course, render the spirit of curiosity-which is so early visible in children, and which, if rightfully directed, may be made the instrument of enriching and enlarging their minds-a vehicle of mischief, which shall serve only to narrow them. THE LADIES' PAGE. THE NECKTIE OR LAPPET. FOR RIBBON. MATERIALS.-Walter Evans and Co.'s Boar's-head crochet cotton, No. 16, Tatting Pin No. 2, and a small shuttle. For a coarse Trimming use Boar's-head Cotton No. 10, Tatting Pin No. 3. For Children's Dresses or other fine Trimming use Cotton No. 20. THE FIRST SIDE. 1st Rosette.-Commence a loop, work 4 double stitches, then (1 pearl and two double alternately 7 times): 2 double more to make 4 in all. Draw close. Reverse the work, and always leave the eighth of an inch of thread before commencing the Rosettes and Dots. The Dot.-Commence a loop, work 4 double. Make an extra pearl loop by turning the cotton twice round the pin, then 4 double. Draw close. Reverse. 2nd Rosette.-Commence, work 4 double, join to the last pearl of the previous Rosette; then two double, (1 pearl and 2 double, 6 times); 2 double more, draw close. Reverse the work. Centre Rosette.-commence a loop, work 2 donble, then (1 pearl and 2 double 11 times). Draw close. Reverse the work. 3rd Rosette.-work a Rosette as the 2nd. Rosette. Commence again at the Dot, and repeat until the length required is made, ending with the 3rd Rosette, then reverse. The Round End-The Dot.-Commence at loop, work 4 double, join to the next pearl of the centre Rosette; then 4 double, draw close. Reverse, Work a Rosette as the 2nd Rosette; then repeat the Dot and the 2nd Rosette alternately until five Dots are made; then make a joining to the next pearl of the centre rosette; and to form the other side of the pattern work as follows: THE SECOND SIDE. 1st Rosette.-Work the 2nd Rosette as in the First Side. Reverse the work. 1st Dot.-Commence, work 4 double, join to the extra pearl of the previous Dot, then 4 double._ Draw close. Reverse. 2nd Rosette.-Work a Rosette as before. Then join to the centre pearl of the centre Rosette. Repeat the two Rosettes and the Dot. working the other end to correspond. LACE EDGING. MATERIALS. To make a Lace one and a half inches in depth, use Walter Evans and Co.'s Boar's-head Cotton No. 14, Tatting Pin No. 2, and one Shuttle. For a finer Lace use Cotton No. 20, and for a coarser size Cotton No. 6 or 10, and Tatting Pin No. 3. 1st Rosette.-Fill the shuttle, and, commencing a loop, work 2 double stitches, then (1 pearl loop and 2 double stitches alternately 11 times); draw quite close. 1st Dot.-Commence a loop, work 3 double (1 pearl and 3 double twice); draw close. Turn this Dot down under the left thumb. Always leave the eighth of an inch of cotton between the Dots and the joinings unless directed otherwise. 2nd Rosette.-Commence a loop, work 2 double, then (1 pearl and 2 double alternately 8 times); draw close. Turn this Rosette and and the Dot down so that the 1st Rosette is at the top. 2nd Dot.-Commence, work 4 double, join to the last pear! but one of the 1st Rosette; then 4 double; draw close. Reverse the work so that the 2nd Rosette is at the top. 3rd Dot.-Commence, work 2 double, join to the last pearl but one of the 2nd Rosette; then 2 double, 1 pearl, 4 double; draw close. Reverse the work. THE TREFOIL. 1st Oval.-Commence a loop, work 5 double, join to the next pearl but one of the 1st Rosette, then 3 double, (1 pearl and 2 double 3 | times); 1 double more, 1 pearl, 3 double; draw close. 2nd Oval.-Commence a loop close to the last Oval; work 3 double, join to the last pearl of the 1st Oval; 2 double, then (1 pearl and 2 double 7 times); 1 double more; draw close. 3rd Oval.-Commence a loop close to the last Oval; work double, join to the last pearl of the 2nd Oval, 3 double, then (1 pearl and 2 double 3 times); 1 double more, 1 pearl, 5 double; draw close; make a joining to the pearl of the last Dot, leaving the same space of thread as before. 4th Dot.-Commence a loop, work 4 double, 1 pearl, 4 double, draw close. Make a joining to the next pearl but one of the 2nd. Rosette. 5th Dot.-Commence, work 3 double, then (1 pearl and 3 double twice); draw close. Turn this Dot down under the thumb. 3rd Rosette.-Commence, work 2 double, 1 pearl 2 double, join to the pearl of the 4th Dot; 2 double, 1 pearl, 2 double, join to the last pearl of the 3rd Oval, then 2 double, (1 pearl and 2 double 7 times); draw close. Commence again at the first Dot and repeat the direction. The Heading.-Use cotton two sizes finer than the Tatting, and Walker's Uncotopic Crochet Needle No. 4. Work 3 chain and 1 plain in each pearl of the Dots, and also in the two centre pearls of the Rosette. THE TOILET. (Specially from Paris.) FIRST FIGURE.-Dress of black tulle with not imagine what an aristocratic grace this new small gold-coloured spots. Deep double fantasie possesses. In old Mecklin or English flounce at the bottom of the skirt. Camargo appiqué, the effect on black velvet is very elepanier of black tulle very large. A scarf of gant. At the first concert at tha Tuilleries the black gros-grain festooned with gold begins at Empress threw the light of her beauty on a very the waist and ends under the panier. Another simple half-mourning toilet, composed of white wide band of gros-grain also festooned falls at satin with a tunic of pearl-grey Chinese crape, the side on the puffings of the skirt. Tulle very much relieved at the sides and very long corsage with faille braces embroidered in gold behind, trimmed with a number of little folds. and fastened by bouquets of gold tendrils. In the hair a wreath of gold vine-leaves, and grapes. Black satin shoes trimmed with gold lace. SECOND FIGURE.-Bride's toilet in white poult de soie. The dress is plain at bottom. Fly's-wing panier, open and trussed up on the middle; it is trimmed with a roll of white satin and bordered by a handsome fringe of twisted silk. Corsage high with a standing collar of Mechlin lace, something like a ruff. Wreath of orange blossom in the hair. Bouquet of the same attached to the corsage, and descending on the skirt. Tulle veil enveloping the whole toilet and concealing the face. Mechlin lace cuffs under a tight sleeve. Dauphine shoes of white gros-grain with a Louis XV. bow. In the morning we go to hear a sermon, in the evening we dance. This is life at Paris. People are invited to a soirée musicale, but when the concert is finished, some one sits down to the piano and plays a polka, when a dance is sure to ensue, and as the carnival is to be so short, there is an excuse. Moreover, Lent does not prevent réunions; on the contrary, they are so numerously attended that we suffer from them. The company arrive in crowds at certain distinguished mansions; and therefore, though it be a season of mortification and humiliation, ladies must dress. Here are a few hints upon this topic. Sleeves in the mode Medicis, made with a fan of lace falling on the hand, are a success. With high open corsages the frill Medicis is worn, it is elevated en evantail at the back and forms two large révers on the corsage. a little imperceptible wire is passed through the frill which is very finely plaited. You can One of the most remarkable toilets that have appeared at the réunions, was a robe of Prussian blue satin, garnished upon the sides with a flounce of point d'Angleterre, opening on an apron of sky-blue satin. The skirt was mounted behind at a certain distance from the waistband, in hollow plaits, like a headed flounce, and the plaits bound with sky-blue satin. A waistband of bleu de ciel, with long ends lined with Prussian blue satin fell on the skirt: the corsage was acutely pointed. So we "go forward and back, so we go round and round," as the old nursery rhyme has it. We perceive a presentiment of spring already in evening toilets: velvet is almost invisible, and tarlatane in the ascendant for young ladies. If tarlatane is worn over white, it has not only a charming but at times a magnificent effect; upon white silk, for instance, with one deep-headed flounce and five or six narrow ones, with a little gathered one set foot to foot, forming a heading to the whole series. The corsage should be ornamented with the same, a flounce forming a little point upon the shoulder. This is the true robe nuage. We have seen the bonnets for the demi-season, which are very small, and generally made of tulle assorted to the toilet. Par example a blue tulle bonnet with a little blue plume at the side, and an aigrette of scattered feathers in the middle of the front. On the summit of the head, in place of a bow, are four coques formed of a bias-piece of blue velvet. The barbes are of blue tulle fastened with a bow of blue velvet. This style of bonnet is reproduced in pearlgrey, with a diadem of bronze flywings. In vert clair, Van Dyck red, in mauve, violet, and pensée, with bouquets of Parma violets. |