LONDON . very peculiar faculties of expan- to be ever so hard) compressed, as sion and action at the same time. they must have been, by its pas- When his head and neck had no downwards. other appearance than that or' a " The whole operation of com- serpent's skin stuffed almost to pletely gorging the goat occupied bursting, still the workings of the about two hours and twenty mi- muscles were evident; and Ids pow- nutes; at the end of which time,

er of suction, as it is generally but the tumefaction was confined to

erroneously called, unabated : it the middle part of the body, or was, in fact, the effect of a con- stomach, the parts, which tractile muscular power, assisted had been so much distended, hav- by two rows of strong hooked teeth. ing resumed their natural dimen- With all this he must be so formed sions. He now coiled himself up as to be able to suspend, for a time, again, and lay quietly in his usual

his respiration ; for it is impossible torpid state for about three weeks to conceive that the process of or a month, when, his last meal ap- breathing could be carried on while pearing to be completely digested the mouth and throat were so com- and dissolved, lie was presented

1 pletely stuffed and expanded by with another goat, ' (not alive we the body of the goat, and the lungs hope,) " which he devoured with themselves (admitting the trachea equal facility."

FASHIONS.

LONDON FASHIONS. FLATli 1. —EVENING . rows of roses, set on at small dis- A I! lack crape over a black tances, and without leaves, which

sarsnet slip : the body is composed are composed of black crape mixed of white crape tastefully ornament- with clienille, complete this ele- ed with deep Vandykes of black vel- gant and novel trimming. Head- vet, each vandyke finished at the dress, a white crape , for the

point by a little light ornament of form of which we refer to our print : black chenille. Short full sleeve it is elegantly ornamented round of intermixed black and white the front with chenille, and finish- crape; the fulness drawn to the ed by a diadem of white crape roses. middle of the arm, and confined in The hair is dressed full on the tem- three separate folds by Vandykes of ples, and much parted in front. black velvet. The bottom of the Ear-rings, armlets, necklace, and is finished by a row of black cross composed of jet. Black sha- velvet Vandykes, surmounted by a moy leather gloves and slippers, the large rouleau of white crape, en- latter ornamented with rosettes of twined with black chenille. Above white chenille. A black China this is a piece of white crape tuck- crape scarf, richly worked at the ed byas, and finished at the edges ends in an embroidery of white by rows of black crape leaves: two flowers, and finished by a rich bjack 54 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON AND DRESS. fringe, is thrown carelessly thin long lawn, the borders edged over the shoulders. with black. Black slinmoy leather PLATE 5. — CARRIAGE DRESS. sandals and gloves. Ridicule, com-

Bombazeen high dress : the bo- posed of black velvet, ornamented dy, which is made quite plain, fast- at the corners with white tassels, ens behind. There is no collar, and a rich white silk trimming but it is full trimmed round the round the . throat with black crape. Plain We are indebted to the taste and long sleeve, finished at the wrist by invention of Miss M'Donald of No. a puckering of crape, intermixed 84, Wells-street, for both our with rich black silk trimming. The this month. skirt, which is of a moderate width, is trimmed round the bottom with GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON a double row of black crape, dis- FASHION AND DRESS. posed in a light and novel manner. The mourning garb of our fair This is surmounted by a row of votaries of Fashion has experien- Spanish puffs, which are let in very ced little alteration since the pub- full ; they are of a round shape, lication of our last number. In the and the middle of each is formed promenade , com- of a piece of black satin disposed posed of black cloth, lined with in full plaits. Over this is a 70?/- black sarsnet, and trimmed with leau of intermingled black crape black crape, are most in favour. and rich black silk trimming, and There is nothing novel or striking above the whole is placed a row of either in the form or trimming of Spanish puffs, composed wholly of these pelisses. The latter consists black crape, and something smaller of a plain broad band of black than those beneath. crape, or else a piece of about half

With this dress is worn the Rus- a quarter i:i breadth cut byas, and sian wrapping-, composed of disposed in very small tucks: it is tufted mole-skin cloth, and lined finished at the edges by rouleaux with black sarsnet. The form of of either crape or black satin. this cloak, as our readers will per- Indiascarfsare frequently thrown ceive by our print, is novel and over these pelisses, but swansdown striking. A pelerine of enormous or ermine tippets are considered as size, and a large full , render much more elegant; they have this one of the most comfortable also a better effect. Fancy furs be- envelopes we have seen for a con- gin to be in great estimation; and siderable time. muffs, which are always of a mode- Parisian , composed of a rate size, are considered an indis- new material; the is of a pensable appendage to the walking moderate height, the brim is large, costume. and the edge finished by a full Bonnets are composed always of band of crape, and crape roses set black straw, Leghorn, or tepg silk, on at small distances : it is orna- intermixed with crape; they are mented with a wreath of black- in general very large in the brims, flowers. but the are of a moderate Morning composed of size: they are usually lined with GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON FASHION AND DRESS.

white crape doubled, and the edge Dinner dresses are now frequent- of the brim is finished either by a ly made of a three-quarter height. puffing or a narrow plaiting of black Black sarsnetand /Y/Msilk are worn crape. Full bows of byas crape are by many ladies in dinner dress, but considered more genteel than crape the trimming is always composed flowers, though the latter are par- of black crape. tially worn. The only novelty in dinner cos- In the carriage costume there tume is, that three-quarter dresses seems to be in some measure a de- are in general estimation. They parture from the strict etiquette of' usually fasten behind; the court mourning, as black satin and are trimmed with flounces in the black velvet spencers are in much manner described in our last num- estimation. The former are always ber. The bodies have sometimes made tight to the shape, very short two narrow but very full falls of in the waist, and with a sleeve of a crape round the bust, which have very moderate width. The trim- a heading to correspond with the ming of these spencers consists in bottom of the dress : when this is general of an intermixture of black the case, the bottom of the sleeve crape and tufted silk cord. Some- is generally finished to correspond. times the crape forms a full rouleau Other dresses are ornamented round the throat, and the cord is round the bust and at the bottoms twisted through it: the wrist is or- of the sleeves with wreaths of black namented with small rouleaux, and crape, disposed in the form of coc- the half-sleeve corresponds. kle-shells. This trimming, long as

Other spencers have a high square it lias been in favour, is still consi- collar cut in. points. This collar dered very fashionable. stands up round the throat, and is Full dress is invariably composed covered with black crape, laid on of black crape, but we have seen very full, and formed into shells by some evening dresses made of black an intermixture of the trimming we spotted silk. The bodies of even- have just mentioned. The sleeves ing dresses continue to be made are cut at bottom in points to cor- extremely low, and short sleeves respond, and these are surmounted are almost universally adopted. by two or three rows of cord or Evening dresses, especially for rouleaux of black crape. These grand parties, continue to be very

spencers have no half-sleeve. much trimmed ; the trimming is aU Satin spencers are generally trim- ways of white crape intermixed med with satin only. with black, unless for ladies very The principal novelty, and the far advanced in life. White crape one which promises to continue flounces, surmounted by rouleaux

longest in favour, because it is most of white crape, wreathed with black

appropriate to the season, is the: chenille or silk trimming, are in wrapping-cloak in our print. estimation; as are also wreaths given | much The bonnet worn with it is also, of intermingled black and white

both in form and material, the only i roses; wreaths of cypress -leaves and one which we have seen worthy of of cockle-shells are also adopted by

the attention of our fair subscribers. I many elegantes. All these trim- 56 I-UENCIl FEMALE FASHIONS. tilings are pretty, and if tasteful!}' traction, and to fair- haired hellvs and moderately used, would have they are certainly particular!}' be- an elegant effect; but in the pre- boming. sent rage for full-trimmed , In full dress the hair is arranged all attention to the becoming is to- in various forms, but the hind hair tally disregarded : tall and short, is always dressed high. Sometimes plump and slender ladies arealike it is formed into a profusion of attired in dresses trimmed prepos- bows, among which jet ornaments terously high ; and the consequence are placed. Sometimes it is dis- is, that a number of pretty and posed in two or three full tufts at tolerable figures are absolutely the back of the head ; and frequent- spoiled. ly one half of the hind hair is Head dresses continuetobe worn brought up to the crown of the as described in our last number, head in a large full tuft; while the with some slight alterations. Ar- other, arranged in alternate bands tificial flowers are now worn in and plaits, is brought round the wreaths instead of bunches: these head, and the ends form a full wreaths are sometimes of inter- bunch of curls at the left side. The mingled black and white. Roses front hair continues to be much predominate. We have observed parted, and it is curled fuller on some that had light sprays attached the temples, and lower at the sides, to each flower. White roses, inter- than last month. mingled with black cypress-leaves, In half dress, continue to are also in estimation ; but jet orna- be worn, but we have observed no- ments have lost none of their at- thing novel since our last number.

FRENCH FEMALE FASHIONS.

Pari?, Dec. qo. puffings of satin, and generally fi- My dear Sophia, nished by a half-sleeve composed Quit promenades at present of velvet, slashed in five or six exhibit a great variety of dresses: places with satin. The collar usu- spencers, carricks, and pelerines ally corresponds with the half- of fur are all in estimation ; and it sleeve; but it is almost always con- would be difficult to tell which cealed by a scarf twisted in a very predominates. Spencers are com- unbecoming manner round the posed always of velvet; black, pur- throat, and tied in front to display ple, and bottle-green are the fa- the ends, which are richly embroi- vourite colours. They are now al- dered.

ways made quite tight to the shape, The carrick is a of a form and the velvet cut byas. Waists at once comfortable and becoming. are still short, but not quite so They are generally composed of much so as they were worn a month fine drab-coloured cloth; some- back. Sleeves continue to be made times one sees them in dark co-

nearly tight to the arm ; they are lours, but very rarely. They just ornamented at the wrist by full meet in front, and are richly orna-