babes are no longer to be taken to the "mairie," to be registered as until now; but that the magistrates have decided on sending an officer to people's houses to see that parents do not register a girl instead of a boy, and thus defraud the conscription. Monsieur Magne, our Minister of Finances, is said to want to decrease the public expenses, and that he and Marshal Niel, Minister of War, have very warm discussions on the subject. M. Magne pretends that the military expenditure is too great, and that reductions might be made. The Marshal resists. After a long debate on the budget, M. Magne exclaimed, My dear colleague, it is all very well for you to talk 66 thus, but I think I also have a right to com- OUR LIBRARY TABLE. S. A. many, of which he and de Briesbach are na tives, is easily accounted for. After an interval of two years, during which Otho has distinguished himself as a volunteer in the service of the Sardinian monarch (Charles Emanuel), and has been rewarded with a captaincy in the regiment he had served in from the commencement of the campaign by the king himself, he receives an intimation from his uncle that his plans are nearly completed, and a request to join him at Genoa. It may be as well to state, that the portion of the tale relating to the Cor BROKEN FETTERS: a novel in three vols. By Frank Trollope.-(T. Cautley Newby, 30, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square.)—To those who love a stirring romance, full of daring adventure, high emprise, and hairbreadth escapes, with a love-story, or rather a brace of them, running in between, and sometimes mingling with these bolder accessories, we recommend Mr. Frank Trollope's new work. Breaking new ground for the site of his story, he takes us from the banks of the Rhine to the romantic Island of Corsica, the wild scenery of which is in true keeping with the incidents and charac-sican revolt and the kingship of Baron Newters introduced. Banditti, smugglers, soldiers, Jesuits, and revolutionists, for the period of the tale is that in which the Corsicans, weary of the tyrannical rule of the Genoese, sought to overturn their Government, and aimed at forming themselves into an independent kingdom-a scheme which their poverty, and the pusillanimity of the nobles, rendered abortive, and which ended in the transfer of Corsica to the Government of France. The characters are too numerous, the story too complex for us to follow its windings and reveal the plot, even were such a course fair, either to the author or reader. The hero-Count Otho de Briesbach, true gentleman and valiant soldier with his fine person and lordly mien, is just the knight fitted to win the love of the fair Vannina, who, however, has the misfortune to be affianced by her father to the Count de Carignano, who, tall and handsome in person, and insinuating in manner, with a reputation for skill and bravery in the use of sword and pistol, while no mean soldier, was also a cruel and extortionate commissary. The hate of this young noble to his more fortunate rival leads to some of the most startling situations in the volumes. The Corsicans, being in open revolt, and on the look-out for a king, the uncle of de Briesbach, Baron Newhoff-a man of adventurous disposition and unbounded amAs the travellers entered the now shallow stream bition, seizes upon the idea of offering himself of the torrent of the previous day, the Baron rea candidate for the throne of Corsica, but does marked, "Had I not witnessed the broad and furious not inform his nephew of his idea. He is rest-flood, I should have disbelieved anyone who told me less, and a traveller, and his absence from Ger- that so insignificant a rivulet could, in the course of an hoff are semi-historical. The latter, in the meantime, had visited many European courts, and had used the greatest interest to influence their monarchs in the cause of a brave and misruled people; and, according to his assertions, with so much effect, that two or three of them had promised, not only to support the scheme of Corsican independence, but to afford subsidies for that purpose. In the end, however, all this was overturned, and Corsica transferred to French rule. While travelling in Italy to join his uncle, de Briesbach makes the acquaintance of a fellow-traveller, with whom his after-life and adventures becomes inextricably interwoven, and saves the lady who is to play the principal feminine part in this very dramatic story, from banditti, who after having waylaid and pillaged the carriage in which she and her friend the Countess de Sera are travelling, detain Vannina prisoner. The details of her escape, under the protection of de Briesbach, affords some very striking situations-not that there is any stint of them where the rest of the dramatis persona are concerned. They crop up in this land of brigands, and Salvator Rosalike scenery in rapid succession. The following paragraphs show the author's style of conversational writing: "I have been in Germany, and have both ascended and descended the noble river you speak of," quietly replied the stranger. "There is, in truth, but little resemblance between this track of country and the hills of the Rhine. Still, we have nothing to complain of, for there is much beauty in this coast scenery; besides, on our left we have the sparkling and broad sea in compensation for the rapid waters of the Rhine. Did you know any of the possessors of those noble mansions to be seen studding the country from Bonn to Linz ?" "I am acquainted," said the Baron, with one or two noblemen residing within a few leagues of Drachenfels." "Indeed!" said the stranger: "then it is probable we may know the same persons. In travelling how strange, sometimes, are these chance encounters! Without being inquisitive, Signor, might I inquire the name of my travelling companion ?" "Mine is Orsini. I am a native of the Eternal Cty. Numerous as are the characters, the author has conferred individuality to each, and, wild as are the adventures (and their name is legion), there is an air of probability in the manner of their occurrence. The country, the times, and the conditions are all favourable to the commission of lawless acts; and the reader is led along, without weariness, to the conclusion of the Baron de Newhoff, and the happy union of story, which ends with the flight of King Theodore the lovers-a consummation that, at one time, seemed very doubtful, when, towards the end of the third volume, we find both Vannina de Matra and the Count de Briesbach in the hands of Count de Carignano, who has brought over a Franciscan friar to perform the marriageceremony between himself and the former, whose refusal he asserts shall be the signal for her lover's death, who, while she hesitates, is seen in the court-yard bound to one of the posts of the frame-work of a deep well, while a dozen of the Republican soldiers are leaning on their heavy muskets, on the rampart wall, a few paces above where de Briesbach is stationed. As Vannina sunk upon her knees before Carignano the Franciscan friar made a sudden movement forward, but checked himself as Carignano said in a triumphant tone: 'Mercy! Yes, lady, he shall have mercy. Give me this hand," he raised her from the ground, "and the Count de Briesbach shall be free. Refuse me again, I raise my hand to yonder window, and he dies the death of a rebel." * * * He had scarcely ceased speaking before a loud shout from without reached their ears, followed by an instantaneous report of a dozen muskets in the courtyard below. With a wild shriek of anguish, Vannina threw up her hands, and fell senseless into the arms of Martha. Our space will not allow of our making further extracts. To those who love the wonders of romance, we can thoroughly recommend "Broken Fetters." Dangers in endless variety, escapes the most extraordinary, and adventures without end, keep the reader on the qui vive from the beginning of the book to its last page. [We are compelled to postpone the notices of "Merry Tales," and "The Art of Dressing Well."] THE THEATRES. "LEAH," AT THE HAYMARKET: YELLOW PASSPORT." THE higher class of plays and comedies for public support, and that establishment remains open for the greater part of the year, drawing good houses by performing dramatic works of sterling worth, with a respectable company. It is here that the Haymarket diverges occasionally from its legitimate programme to vary the amusements it provides with such eccentric pieces as Mr. Sothern appears in; but latterly farcical pieces, like "The American Cousin" and "Lord Dundreary Married," &c., have been abandoned for a better class of piece, in which Mr. Sothern has played with considerable effect as an actor of light comedy and refined melodrama. Mr. Sothern is not now the chief performer at the Haymarket, the equally famous Miss Bateman (so remarkable for her statuesque and pic The fact that Lord Lytton's poetical play, "The Rightful Heir," is en permanence, attests the vitality and popularity of the intellectual drama whenever it is associated with moderately good acting. Were it possible to find histrionic genius to interpret it, the poetical drama would, indeed, revive so completely, that we think such superior productions would be found to exclusively support at least one metropolitan theatre, and render the speculation permanently profitable; but, failing adequate talent, of course the hypothesis would not hold. But it ought to be remembered that for many years the HAY MARKET theatre has chiefly depended upon the turesque style of acting) having superseded the creator of the unique Lord Dundreary with a very different kind of drama. But what is the form of piece in which Miss Bateman is preeminent? It is (to invent a term) intellectual melodrama. Dr. Mosenthal's intellectual, though somewhat sombre, play, known to this country under the biblical title of "Leah," possesses some unpopular elements, such as alone the abilities of Miss Bateman can excuse; but "Leah" is a work of art inspired by the true poetic spirit, and in its high morality almost touches upon sacred ground. No one can witness this semi-religious drama without being impressed with its purity of purpose, and the depth of human interest which its primitive form reveals. The most puritan of minds could find no fault with "Leah," which, with Miss Bateman, is now attracting large audiences to the Haymarket. THE NEW BALLET AT DRURY LANE, Although the principal drama of the evening at Drury Lane, "The King o' Scots," with Mr. Phelps as the pedantic monarch James, and Trapbois the miser, in the same piece, continues to be performed with unabated attraction, the energetic manager of the national theatre, Mr. Chatterton, has, nevertheless, produced another novelty. The new production is a ballet afterpiece, entitled "Beda," which employs the talents of those excellent danseuses, Anais Tourneur and Miss Grosvenor. These ladies are supported by Mr. Charles Lauri, who enacts the hero and lover of the story of "Beda.” The music (composed by Mr. W. C. Levey) is of a lively character, and the mise en scene is animated by the presence of a large corps de ballet. THREE NEW BURLESQUES. Our avocation as a play-goer has called upon us to visit several of the fashionable minor theatres at which burlesque or extravaganza novelties have lately been produced. We have seen, successively, a burlesque on the old stock tragedy "The Stranger," at the QUEEN'S; a burlesque on another, and more famous tragedy, viz., "Richard the Third," at the NEW ROYALTY; and a burlesque on a third tragedy (not the less so for being lyrically interpreted), viz., Donizetti's opera of "Lucretia Borgia." We suppose the concoctors of the above It is satisfactory to observe that other important theatres are, at the present time, occupied with the performance of new dramas, that possess fair claims to be regarded as coming within the pale of sound dramatic literature. "The King o' Scots," at DRURY LANE (noticed in our November number), embodies, with due veneration, the artistic excellencies of one of the best of the historical novels of Sir Walter Scott, "The Fortunes of Nigel;" and although the "Monte Cristo" of Dumas, now performed at the ADELPHI, is French in tone and wild in character, the work of Dumas is, nevertheless, a wonderful speci-"follies" lay no claim to anything more than a men of imaginative force and intellectual power. "The Yellow Passport," lately produced at the OLYMPIC theatre, may be justly included in the category of plays above the common ruck of realistic pieces that have far too long obtruded themselves upon an uncritical public. This new adaptation of Victor Hugo's powerful, but eccentric novel, "Les Miserables," has met with only moderate success, we hear; but the adaptor, Mr. Henry Neville, has done all that could be done in the manipulation, for stage purposes, of a very intractable plot, and a very wild dramatis persone. Mr. Neville has a part in his own piece, not unlike that he performed in "The Ticket of Leave Man." He plays the French forçat, with a judgment which is most creditable to his abilities as an actor; but the fact must be stated that there is no great judgment manifested in the original drawing of such a character as Jean Valjean, who is an impossibility and a monstrosity: nevertheless, there are many real touches of nature to be found in "Les Miserables," several observant and complete sketches of French life and character, and, above all, a noble philanthropy pervades the novel. Some of these attributes the dramatic version manages to convey to the minds of the audience; and no one can dispute either the soundness of the moral or the intellectual powers indicated by the stage-version of M. Victor Hugo's eccentric and voluminous novels. playright's ingenuity, in having constructed extravaganzas which only actually serve as vehicles for the introduction of alluring feminine attractions, and those primitive products of the stage inseparable from a theatrical licence-" singing and dancing." We confess we looked in vain in the new extravaganzas for the satire, point, and humour which characterized the great prototypes of burlesque pieces, "Bombastes Furioso" and "Midas." The best of the three pieces lately produced is "The Rise and Fall of King Richard the Third"-the ROYALTY novelty, which is almost as funny as, and even more vulgar than, "Darnley; or, the Field of the Cloth of Gold," at the STRAND. In some respects there is a similarity in the mode of treatment of both pieces, "Darnley" being, however, a less heterogeneous concoction than "Richard the Third." The latter most comically travesties the crook-backed tyrant's wooings, bombastic manners, cunning, wheedling, and arts of cajolery; but it is hard to recognize the historical character itself amid the surroundings of nigger-melodist, can-can dancers, mimic armies, composed of ballet-girls in burnished breast-plate, and so on. However, there is really an immense deal of fun and 66 go" (chic our French neighbours call it) to be found in the New Royalty extravaganza, supported as it is by the beauty and talents of Miss Oliver and her bevies of coryphees. We have left ourselves small space to descant upon the peculiarities of the extravaganza on "The Stranger," at the QUEEN's, and the "Lucretia Borgia" of the NEW HOLBORN; but we will observe that, although of course they cannot be tested by strict rules of art, they are, notwithstanding, immensely amusing productions, on account of the great variety of stageattractions pressed into them. While noticing the burlesque theatres, we ought not to omit to mention that the STRAND theatre continues to take the lead as the glittering home of the extravaganza, MISCELLANEOUS. THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE AND CIRCUS, Holborn, has achieved an unequivocal success with the great Carre Troupe, with their magnificent stud of fifty caparisoned and performing horses. THE CHRISTY MINSTRELS, at the St. James's Hall, constantly vary their programme, which at all times is interesting, and forms the means of spending a decidedly pleasant evening. THE POLYTECHNIC has been giving a new lecture, by Prof. Pepper, with illustrations, on the Eclipse of the Sun, as seen in India, &c., which agreeably varies the numerous and instructive entertainments. At the ALHAMBRA PALACE a new ballet has been produced, entitled "The Festival of Bacchus," in which the new première danseuse, Mdlle. Petteri, performs much elegant dancing, supported by a multitudinous corps de ballet. H. M. THE TOILET. FIRST FIGURE.-Black silk skirt trimmed at bottom with three flat ruches. Tunic also of black silk, opening in front apron fashion, and forming behind a pannier trimmed all round with a narrow hemmed flounce laid in flat plaits. The corsage is of a piece with the skirt. The sleeves of the jacket, wide and short, leave visible those of the corsage, which are tight-fitting. The trimming and epaulets consist of two black velvets ending in tassels and a silk fringe. Collar and under-sleeves of fine linen stitched. Black satin boots. SECOND FIGURE.-Petticoat of shot poult de soie, having a deep flounce at bottom surmounted by two rolls of satin. Tunic likewise trimmed at bottom with a flounce surmounted by two rolls. Lamballe mantelet composed of a round pelerine with very short ends, simply trimmed with two rolls. The waistband reproduces the flounce with a plait. The sleeves of the corsage are tight-fitting, and trimmed with satin cross-strips. Fanchon bonnet, made of black velvet, trimmed with a lace diadem in the Maintenon style, with wild roses at the side. Barbs of black lace falling over the hair, and coming forward to tie in front. Dull kid boots. For dinner dress, or soirées intinmes, very few low bodies are worn. The mode Louis XV., that prevailed above all others, has produced this result. The corsages known as la Raphael, or en cœur, are much worn, and are cut very high on the back. These are very elegant in bright colours, such as the May-rose and the tender shades of green, as well as in white. The glace silks for evening dress reflect a white ground, which gives them the irredescent appearance of mother-of-pearl in the light, which has a truly charming effect. These robes should be ornamented either with The white or black lace. To be in good taste, we should put the white lace on the brightest shades, and the black on the lightest. sleeves of these dresses are finished with epaulettes according to fancy. The epaulette à l'Espagnelle is a mixture of lace and passementerie, which gives much grace and richness to these half-high dresses. These present another advantage-that of doing honour to beautiful lingerie, a form of elegant luxury which has been too much neglected of late years I have just seen a bridal trousseau, in which are some lovely square and open guimps and chimesettes, the modelling of which has brought to light family laces of great value, but which could not be made use of for fichus or mantelets. and The antique quipure in relief, made up magnificently for the guimps worn with corsages à la Raphael. Though envelopes adjusted to the costume, which have proved a decided success, are still worn, those for the expected cold weather are long and large, especially when made of cloth. They are generally black, whether of cloth or velvet, though coloured ones are also made; but the material, when of cloth, is very thick, or what is called milled. Of course the garments manufactured of velvet are not 80 voluminous. We have absolutely abandoned the tight-fitting casque, but make those with the waistband. Bonnets are still made to discover the whole of the ear-a dangerous fashion, and not as a rule becoming. Velvet and lace are the prevailing materials, and black is made the foundation of nearly all the models. In general the ornaments are very voluminous, and consists of tufts of flowers and plumes. The fanchon is persistent, but the toque is also worn. THE LADIES' PAGE. TATTED TREFOIL EDGING. MATERIALS: For Baby's Clothes: W. Evans & Co.'s Boar's-head Crochet Cotton No. 16, Tatting Pin No. 3, & one Shuttle.-For Petticoats, Morning Dresses, &c.: Boar's-head Cotton No. 10, and Tatting Pin No. 3. 1st Rosette: Fill the shuttle, and commencing a loop work 2 double, then (make 1 pearl loop and work 1 double stitch alternately 5 times); 1 double more to make 2 double; draw quite close. Reverse the work, so that this rosette turns down. Always leave the eighth of an inch of cotton before commencing the dots or rosettes. The pearl loops should be made very loosely round the pin, so that they may be the full size. The Dot: Commence a loop, work 2 double; make an extra pearl loop by turning the cotton twice round the pin; then work 2 double, make another extra pearl, 2 double; draw close. Re verse. 2nd Rosette: Commence a loop, work 2 double, join to the last pearl of the previous rosette; then 1 double (1 pearl and I double 4 times); 1 double more; draw close. Reverse, and commencing again at the Dot repeat it and the 2nd Rosette until the length is made. The Heading: Use Walker's Uncotopic Penelope Needle Nos. 3 or 4, and commencing in the 1st pearl of a Dot work 4 chain stitches; then putting the needle into the next pearl of the same Dot, and also into the first pearl of the next Dot, work a plain crochet stitch. Repeat to the end. BABY'S INSERTION, IN CROCHET. MATERIALS: Penelope Crochet Hook, No. 4, and Boar's-head Crochet Cotton No. 20, of Messrs. Walter Evans and Co., Derby. Commence by making a chain the length required. 1st Row: Turn, miss 4, and work 1 long, then 2 chain, miss 2, and 1 long to the end of the row, and fasten off. 2nd Row: Through each of the loops of 2 chain work 1 double, 1 chain, 1 treble, 1 long, 1 treble, 1 chain, and 1 double; and along the other side work a row the same as 2nd, and fasten off. This simple little insertion looks very pretty, and is very strong when worked with care. NIGHT SOCK. MATERIALS: Three ounces of white four-thread fleecy Wool, and four Pins No. 15. Cast on twenty-four loops. On each of three pins knit two pearl, two plain, alternately for twenty-four rounds; then knit one nail in length plain knitting, pearling the centre stitch on one pin for the back seam; divide the loops in half, arrange thirty-six on one pin, the back seam in the centre, and thirtysix on the other two pins. Now form the heel, by knitting the loops on the one pin for one nail and a half more in length, narrowing in the last three rows on each side of the seam. Knit to the seam stitch, double the heel, and cast off. Take up the loops on each side on the third pin, increasing by making a stitch after every fourth; knit these loops with those on the instep, narrowing at each side in every alternate round for twenty-six rounds. Knit one nail and a half more for the foot; then narrow for the toe as follows: Knit two together two loops from the beginning and end of each of the side pins, till reduced to a point. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. in South Wales;" " A Dream in Chertsey Church" (We regret that the execution of these articles is not equal to the intention. The latter especially affords subject for a charming paper, if properly thought out. Music, books for review, &c., &c., must be sent in by the 10th of each month, to receive notice in the next number. TO SUBSCRIBERS.-In the January part we commence publishing the "Original Correspondence of Lord Byron," promised in November. PRINTED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 265 STRAND. |