therefore by noticing such as appear most worthy of delineation.

women, except as wraps for the Theatres; the satiated eye turus overpowered by their universal glare, to rest on more chaste and more refreshing shades. Mantles and pelisses are now considered more elegant when trim-splendour. It is trimmed with gold lace, and a

med with gold or silver lace, or binding; or with black velvet, bound, or laid flat, and which is sometimes finished at its terminations with a narrow gold edging, or flat braid. Some are decorated with borders of coloured chenille, but these can only consistently belong to the carriage costume.

Bonnets continue to be formed of the same materials as the coat or mantle, and trimmed to correspond. The Patriotic helmet, and the College bonnet, each worn with short white lace veils, are amidst the most novel and attractive articles of this kind. The purple and the green beaver hat, somewhat of the Spanish form, turned up with a loop and acoru tassel of gold, falling towards the left eye-brow, and ornamented with a small Persian plume of the same colour, is making its appearance, and as a carriage decoration, possesses much becoming attraction. The fair pedestrian, however, discovers a due discrimination of taste and judgment, when she appears in this article divested of the feather and gold ornament. The former is far more genteel and consistent formed of silk, the colour of the hat; and for the latter, we cannot so far deviate from our expressed ideas of that proper distinction we have ever recommended as to allow them a place in the walking or morning dress. Feathers, however constructed or disposed, and gold, however introduced or applied, may become fashionable on these occasions; but can correctly only belong to full dress. The morning habit will best recommend itself to females of a just taste, by a neat, unstudied, and unobtrusive elegance. The construction of gowns and robes are at this time exceedingly various and attractive. In the morning dress, whether the gown is formed as a wrap, Spanish jacket, or round frock, it is invariably worn high in the neck; either with the arched collar semblable with that given in No. 1, of our Prints of Fashion, or with a vandyke ruff, or collar & la-spencer. The antique cuff is attached to every species of long sleeve. In full dress, however, the loose Turkish sleeve, falling in a point at the elbow, where it is sometimes finished with a correspondent tassel, is in the first style of novei elegance. Were we to attempt a description of the several attractive garments displayed by our fair fashionables at this season, we should find it an Herculean labour, so numerous are the claims to a tasteful distinction. We shall content ourselves

The robe à-la-Dido, formed of Tyrian bright velvet, or sarsnet, ranks high in fashionable

Roman girdle of gold tissue, confined in front
with a rich embossed clasp, ornaments the
bottom of the waist. The hair is secured with
a caul, or gold net behind, and ornamented
with a bandeau or diadem in front. The
Carthage cymar, or fancy scarf, formed of
Paris net, with gold embossed border and
stars, shades the shoulders, which this splen-
did costume would otherwise too much expose;
but we remark that sometimes in full dress
the robes are made to sit bigh in the neck,
like morning habits, but more ornamented
about the throat and bosom: we cannot, how-
ever, in any way subscribe to a fashion which
levels`a just distinction. The throat and
bosom, if well formed, should be exhibited in
full dress, as far as may be permitted without
infringing on those rules of delicacy which
propriety proscribes, and which can never in
any instance be departed from without danger
and disadvantage. The fair and uncovered
throat allows a place for the necklace, which
almost exclusively belongs to this species of
costume, and which can never appear to ad-
vantage when worn over the robe. Muslin or /
net round dresses, are worn over coloured
satin or sarsnet, with a deep biuding over the
same round the bottom; or trimmed with a
deep vandyke lace : we, however, never re-
collect the period when coloured dressta
were so universally adopted. Those of the
intermediate style are made round with demi-
trains, and a simple cuff of deep antique lace;
the same falling flat round the bosom, with a
plain drawn tucker above. There is much
appropriate neatness in these well-contrasted
habits. Trinkets at this season exhibit much
taste and splendor. Diamonds, and every species
of gem, set transparent, and judiciously adapt-
ed to the dresses with which they are worn,
adorn our fair fashionables in full dress.
Bracelets are now worn broad, the size of the
wrist, and corresponding with the armlet.
This latter ornament is not, however, very
general. Clasps of the most brilliant cut
steel succeed those of gold or silver, and in
absence of the diamond and other valuable
gems, we know of none to exceed it in splendour.
Combs of steel also rank amidst other fashion-
able ornaments for the hair. Shoes are now
very much trimmed, and are more showy than
we have observed them for some years. Half-
boots of cloth, the colour of the pelisse or
mantle, are also much in request. The ap-

in Grosvenor-square, is one of the most spacions and sumptuous mansions in town. It is just furnished in the highest style of the

propriation of gloves will speak for themselves to every female of a correct taste; otherwise we refer them to our former remarks on this head of our subject. The most genteel colours | present mode. The drawing room comprises

are Saragossa brown, various shades of green, amber, and pale geranium; the most general, purple and scarlet.

LETTER ON DRESS,

EXPLANATORY AND DESCRIPTIVE.

Be convinced, my dear Frederica, by this my haste in fulfilling the promise I gave you at parting, that however beguiled by the fascinating pleasures of this gay metropolis, they will never be suffered to intrude on those emotions sacred to friendship and to you. I shall during my sojourn here, give you a full and particular account of my pursuits and my pleasures-my rovings and my wanderings, should I be so affected. And if any attack of the arch God should assail this hitherto stubborn heart, you shall have a faithful detail of the combat-whether I cominence open hostilities, or surrender to terms of capitulation. I have already found that love in the country and love in the city is quite a different sort of thing. No sighing and whining here. Our Cupids abound in native roguery, and approach us clad in smiles. Here the rosy God rejects constraint and flies controul, and shoots his arrows free as-air. You, who are well acquainted with my disposition, will therefore readily perceive that I am in more danger from a town than a country Cupid. In the latter there is more sentiment and more deception; in the former more fire and more fairness, and that agrees best with my spirit and my candour. But truce to a subject in which I have only theoretical knowledge.

a most attractive assemblage of the Greek and Chinese. The cating room is the most convenient, novel, and elegant desigu I have ever witnessed, and serves at once as an emblem of our advancement in luxury and genius, as well as our just sense of what constitutes the comforts of affluence.

But I must not pass over the unique clegance of the sleeping rooms; to each of which is attached a boidour, fitted up in the most tasteful and appropriate style. A private door, ingeniously contrived, leads to the sleeping rooms, while a public one leads to the grand stair-case. The drapery, furniture of mine, is a mixture of pea-green and pale rosecolour, representing the damask patterns. The poles and Grecian longes are bronze, twined with raised oak-leaves and berries in gold, and the cabinets and bookcases are rosewood, inlaid with ivory and ebony after the Chinese taste. The windows are filled with native and exotic flowers and shrubs. The ground of the carpet is shaded green, with red and white roses scattered over, in true Arcadian taste.

This elegant retreat I call my Sanctuary; for it is here that I fly to regulate my mind when shaken by the whirlwinds of pleasure; it is here that in the turning over the pages of some well-inspired author, I compose my dis. tracted senses, and learn lessons of reason and rationality. But to quit my sober strain, let me proceed to tell you that we have already had one most brilliant concert and ball since my arrival. The first public and many private singers lent their voices on the occasion. The dancing was exquisite, but I thought it favoured rather more of public science than private elegance. The dresses of the ladies were of unrivalled attraction. Some very splendid robes of velvet and cloth, in green, purple, and orange, trimmed with gold and silver, with rich antique stomachers, and military fronts, in gold mosaic patterns, had a large share of my attention. Sometimes these dresses were relieved by trimmings of antique lace and beading, while the same was introduced in various fanciful directions in the bosom and sleeves. But as this letter will be accompanied with a long list of general informatiou, I shall accommodate you with a few particular delineations, and then close my

Let me now proceed to give you some account of this stylish family, with whom I have the prospect of passing a most agreeable season. It consists, first, of a host and hostess; the former a most accommodating good humoured sort of a husband enough, aged fifty; the latter, an elegant stylish woman, about forty; two daughters, very pretty, endowed with every fashionable acomplishment, aged from seventeen to twenty; a gay and dashing brother, three years older, heir to the fortune and honours of the family; and an elegant and interesting man, about thirty, who is like myself, on a visit of courtesy, but who has stronger claims to hospitality, from being a cousin of the lady of We are all going on Saturday next to a grand the mansion. The house, which is situated || ball given by the Countess of L-; and I know not how better to folül my intention / were never more in vogue than at this period : than by giving you a description of our several dresses which are chosen for the occasion.

London: Printed by and for J. BELL, Southampton-street, Strand.

OR,

Bell's

COURT AND FASHIONABLE

MAGAZINE,

FOR MARCH, 1809.

EMBELLISHMENTS.

1. An Elegant PORTRAIT of the RIGHT HON. LADY CHARLOTTE DUNCOMBE.

2. TWO WHOLE-LENGTH FIGURES in the FASHIONS of the SEASON, COLOURED.

3. An ORIGINAL SONG, set to Music for the Harp and Piano-forte; composed exclu

sively for this Work, by Mr. M. P. KING.

4. Two elegant and new PATTERNS for NEEDLE-WORK.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF ILLUS- || BEAUTIES OF THE BRITISH POETS.

London: Printed by and for J. BELL, Proprietor of the WEEKLY MESSENGER, Southampton-Street, Strand, April 1, 1809.

TO OUR READERS.

WE submit to our Subscribers in our present Number a Specimen of the improved manner in which we shall give our Plates of Fashion. In our subsequent Numbers we shall expect to improve further upon this specimen.