Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

I hear the letter very much misus'd-
Poor letter H! how sadly thou'rt abus'd!
I have known ladies of superior station
Make dreadful slips-in their pronunciation,
Which rather dims (I think) their fascination,
And gentlemen, exceedingly well bred,
Who yet might profit if the book they read.
I heard one ask-this really is no sham-
The other day, three separate times for "Am"-
I only hope, when next he dines with me
He'll ask for Ham, if ham there chance to be.
I give one sample ('tis as good as any),
And one example shall suffice for many.

Ladies and gentlemen, you're asked to read
The book, that friend indeed a friend in need;
Think, if you heed its apt elucidations,
How it may mend your own pronunciations,
Your carelessness, or want of crudition,
Sins of omission, and (far worse) commission!
You do not hear, perhaps, your friends' attacks,
The reason is--they sneer behind your backs;
Nor do you hear the laughter of your friends,
For laughter, like plain truth, sometimes offends.

Defy their laughter and their ridicule

Study the book, and go once more to school;

There, if your aspirations are acute,

You'll learn when "H" should not and should be mute.

The habit may be bad to laugh or scoff,

But yours is worse; so bad, pray cast it off-
Your aspirations will continue wrong

Till you have learnt aright your mother tongue;
And, O believe me, you may rest assured
You'll never ask for "ham"-unless you're cured.
FREDERICK RULE.

SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOURS,

5, PALL-MALL EAST.

The private view of this Society took place on Saturday, the 24th ult., and was more fully attended than we ever remember to have seen it. In our next we shall have the pleasure of noticing the pictures, for which we are too late this month.

THE THEATRES.

'SCHOOL," AT THE PRINCE OF WALES'S THEATRE: "DREAMS," AT THE GAIETY.

Having made a sort of study of the comedies of Mr. T. W. Robertson, we now propose to devote a few remarks to this clever dramatist's latest productions, viz., "School" and "Dreams."

"School," which maintains a highly successful run at the PRINCE OF WALES'S THEATRE, is, in our opinion, the most complete and perfect work of the author, while possessing every element of popularity in addition to its claims as a work of art. This elegant comedy, besides upholding a novel and interesting, although somewhat slight, plot, deals with the manners of the day with much observation, tact, and perception of character. The story of the piece seeks to illustrate, in the form of a modern comedy, the fable and the model of the famous fairy tale of "Cinderella and the little glass slipper." The following is the sketch of the leading incidents of the piece: Two young men-Lord Beaufoy (Mr. H. J. Montagu) and Jack Poyntz-both connected with the family of a country gentleman the ci dévant Beau Farintosh (Mr. Hare), being on a shooting excursion, stroll near Cedar Grove House, a boarding-school for young ladies. One of the young fellows having found a lady's morocco slipper, and the other a pair of goloshes, in the fields, they meet the young ladies, to whom they suppose the lost articles belong. The girls are, one after another, accosted by the young

men, who desire to return the lost property. Thus a speaking acquaintance is formed with the ladies, which the young men endeavour to improve at every step. Lord Beaufoy professing to feel much interest in Bella (Miss C. Addison), the school girl he has addressed, and Jack Poyntz doing the same by Naome Tighe (Miss Marie Wilton), the young girl in whom he takes a special interest. The second act is devoted to a "breaking-up" holiday at Cedar Grove House, and before which a school" examination" takes place, at which Lord Beaufoy, Jack Poyntz, and the owner of the "shootingbox"-Beau Farintosh-assist. By this means the young men improve their acquaintance still further with the pupils, discover that Bella is a poor dependant in the school; while Miss Tighe is a heiress. The next scene is a "Flirtation" in the grounds of the school, which goes on between the two pairs of lovers. Fast love is made on both sides in the course of the flirtation scene, which is attended, however, with evil consequences in the case of Bella, who is, indeed, dismissed the establishment for having contracted a clandestine engagement with Lord Beaufoy. The next scene finds the love affair between Jack Poyntz going on thrivingly with Miss Tighe, the heiress; they holding their meetings clandestinely in the grounds of the school. But their affair is unfortunately interfered with by Beau Farintosh, who has family objections to any alliance between Poyntz and Miss Tighe-indeed, Beau Farintosh has destined the heiress in his own mind for Lord

Beaufoy. A regular "scene" having occurred on this account, we next meet with a great surprise in Bella returning to the school from her visit to town, and being warmly and generously received by her close friend and fellow-pupil Miss Tighe, Bella imparts to Miss Tighe that she has been privately married to Lord Beaufoy. The last act is devoted to winding up the double love-affair by the celebration of the nuptials of both pairs of lovers. Such is a mere sketch of the plot of the new comedy of "School." We have named only the leading incidents; but there are numerous subsidiary incidents and characters also which go to fill up and diversify the piece. The boardingschool scenes in and about Cedar Grove House are admirably sketched; although we think the presence of a certain malignant usher (Mr. Krux) might have been dispensed with without the slightest injury to the play itself. But the unpleasantness of Mr. Krux's character is compensated by the genial nature of old Dr. Sutcliffe, the school examiner, latin master, astronomical lecturer, &c.-a part well played by Mr. Addison. The dignified, but straightlaced schoolmistress (another Mrs. Chapone) is represented by Mrs. Buckingham White, than whom no one could have better acted the part. Each act of "School" is in itself a brightlycoloured miniature picture of actual phases of society. The hunting party formed of Beau Farintosh and his family and friends, who assemble to an al-fresco luncheon in the wood appeared a close realization of actual life at a country gentleman's shooting-box. The retinue of sportsmen, the servants in livery bringing in the portable tables and chairs and the other surroundings, are striking actualities, which gratify the eyes of the audience immensely. The scene also serves to introduce an original character in the person of Beau Farintosh: he is the wreck of a London exquisite, and roué, who is now a country gentleman, but who dresses with extreme foppishness, is polite and punctilious in manners, but idiotic in conversation, and being constantly brought up by a shortness of memory, which requires frequent promptings by those about him. This part is ably filled by Mr. Hare, who imparts to the gait of the old beau a sort of St. Vitus's dance. The sentiments uttered by the dramatis personce of "School" have here and there a tendency to fall from the sublime to the ridiculous. Admiring, as we do, the author's polished dialogue, we object to such fine writing and sentimental talk as that between Bella and Lord Beaufoy in the "flirtation" act, where the lovers, standing in the moonlight, apostrophise their shadows! Apropos of shadows, the ghost in white satin, which appears in the person of Miss Tighe to her lover Jack Poyntz, at the garden-gate, is of course a reminiscence of a similar scene enacted in "Don Juan," Byron's celebrated epic. Of the way in which the fairytale of "Cinderella" is symbolized by the incidents and action of a modern comedy, we

cannot say much, as the Cinderella incident of the "little glass slipper" is only typified by the finding of a lady's shoe in the first scene, and the production of a pair of gilt slippers as a wedding present at the end of the piece. In all other respects "School" and "Cinderella" have no affinity whatever.

We now proceed to notice another new piece, produced by Mr. Robertson at the new GAIETY THEATRE, once more under a monosyllabic title, viz., that of "Dreams." This novelty is in five acts, and employs the talent of the whole of the Gaiety company, including Mr. Alfred Wigan, Mr. Robert Soutar, Mr. John Clayton, Mr. Maclean (from the Olympic), Mr. Eldred, Miss Madge Robertson, (sister of the dramatist), Mrs. H. Leigh, and Miss Rachel Sanger. "Dreams" is called "a new and original play," and its elements are certainly rather those of melodrama than of comedy. The pervading idea of the author would seem to be to place on the stage a dramatic Lady Vere de Vere, associated with patrician and parvenue surroundings, suggested by the rich ballad of Tennyson. Mr. Alfred Wigan as Rudolphe Harfthal, enacts a rather melodramatic part with discretion, but is not suited with the kind of part to afford a fair display of his finished, polished, and refined style of acting. Mr. R. Soutar, as John Hobbs, has a comic character to sustain, which he does justice to. Mr. Clayton represents the Earl of Mountforestcourt, the great landowner, and Oxfordshire aristocrat, with the requisite dignity, as does Mr. Maclean, the Duke of Loamshire, another county magnate. But the gem of the characters is Old Gray, the peasant, whose lowly condition is contrasted with the grandeur of the venerable peer, his landlord. A scene in which the aged nobleman and the aged peasant converse on their opposite stations in life, is idyllic and full of pathos. Miss Madge Robertson as Lady Clara Vere de Vere is all that could be wished: the patrician beauty full of pride, hauteur, and disdain for parvenues. Miss Rachel Sanger, as Lina, proved herself a promising debutant, and Mrs. H. Leigh was efficient as the Frau Harfthal. The scenery of "Dreams" is beautiful, particularly Mayence, in Act I., Castle Oakwood, near Windsor, Act II., and "Love Lane" in Act V., by Grieve. The lighter pieces, or vaudevilles, which precede and follow the pièce de résistance of the evening at this elegant theatre, are stylishly put upon the stage, and afford the necessary change and variety from the more serious interest of the principal drama. A new vaudeville, entitled "An Eligible Villa," is an agreeable little operetta, eliciting the musical abilities of Miss Loseby, (a good soprano), Miss Tremaine, Mr. Crellin, and Mr. Terrot. The splendidly-mounted burlesque of "Robert the Devil" brings the performances to a conclusion. The acting, singing and dancing of Miss E. Farren is especially dashing in the burleeque.

E. H. MALCOLM,

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

WINDOW CURTAINS IN SQUARE CROCHET.

MATERIALS.-W. Evans & Co.'s Boar's-head Crochet-cotton, No. 8, with Crochet Hook No. 16, Bell Gauge, 1 C, 1 O, 2 C, 3 0, 1 C, 7 O, 1 C, 2 O, 2 C, 2 O, 1 C, 4 0, x repeat.

One pattern requires 120 stitches; and as three patterns make about the width of a yard, a curtain two yards wide will require six patterns, or 720 chain, and one chain over. If you desire to have a wider curtain, add the number of chain for one, two, or more patterns, taking care that there are always so many times 120 and one chain over.

This pattern forms a very pretty Anti-Macassar, done with Evans's Boar's Head cotton, No. 12 or 16, and Crochet Hook No. 18, Bell Gauge. When the chain is inade, work thus:

1st Row. 9 C, 6 O, 9 C, 4 O, 8 C, 4 O, X repeat. Finis every row with a De stitch.

2nd. x 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 4 O, 1 C, 6 O, 1 C, 4 0, 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 4 0, 1 C, 60, 1 C, 4 0, x repeal.

3rd.-Like 2nd.

-

12th. x 3 0, 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 4 O, 2 C, 4 O, 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 6 O, 4 C, 2 O, 4 C, 3 0, x re peat.

The 13th to the 24th rows, inclusive of both, are like those already given, being worked inversely; the 13th and 12th alike, the 14th like the 11th; and so on until the 24th is done like the 1st.

25th.- -x 3 0, 1 C, 16 O, 1 C, 3 0, 1 C 14 O, 1 C, X repeat.

26th. -x 3 0, 1 C, 16 O, 1 C, 40, 1C, 12 O, 1 C, 1 O, × repeat.

27th. -× 30, 1 Č, 16 O, 1 C, 5 O, 1 C, 4 0, 2 C, 4 O, 1 C, 2 O, × repeat.

28th. 3 0, 1 C, × twice, 3 O, 2 C, †

4th.-X 4 C, 4 O, 8 C, 4 O, 9 C, 6 O, 5 C, 3 0, 1 C, † twice; 6 O, 1 C, * 2 O, ,1 C, X, repeat.

5th. x 1 C, 3 O, 1 C, 14 O, 1 C, 3 O, 1 C, 16 0, x repeat.

6th. x 1 C, 4 0, 1 C, 12 O, 1 C, 4 O, 1 C, 16 0, x repeat.

7th.-x 1 C, 5 O, 1 C, 4 O, 2 C, 4 O, 1 C, 5 0, 1 C, 16 0, x repeat.

8th.-x 1 C, 6 O, i C, 2 O, 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 6 O, * 1 C, 3 O, * twice, 2 C, 3 O, 1 C, 3 0, x repeat.

9th. -x 4 C, 4 O, 3 C, 2 O, 3 C, 4 O, 4 C, 4 0, 8 C, 4 0, x repeat. 10th.- ·× 3 0, 1 Č, * 4 O, 2 C, * twice, 4 O, 1 C, 7 O, 2 C, † 1 O, 2 C, † twice, 4 0, x repeat.

11th. x 3 0, 1 C, 3 O, 2 C, 1 0,1 C, 2 O,

three times;

O, t. 29th. -× 4 C 4 O, 8 C, 4 O, 4 C, 4 O, 3 C, 2 O, 3 C, 4 O, × repeat.

30th.

× IC, 7 O, × 2 C, 1 0, x twice; 2 C, 7 O, 1 C, * 4 O, 2 C, * twice, 4 0, ×.

31st..— × 1 C, 7 O, 1 C, 2 O, 2 C, 2 O, 1 C, 7 0, 1 C, 3 O, 2 C, 1 0, 1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 10, 2 C, 3 O, × repeat.

32nd..-- × 1 C, 6 O, 4 C, 2 O, 4 C, 6 0,1 C, 2 O, 1 C, 4 O, 2 C, 4 O, 1 C, 2 O, × repeat.

33rd like 32nd, 34th like 31st, and so on, backwards, to the 40th, like the 25th. This completes the pattern, and must be repeated until the curtain is a proper length. Two rows of Sc should be worked down each side, in order to work the ends securely in.

KNITTED OPERA HOOD.

MATERIALS.-Two skeins of white and one of coloured eider yarn. For the hood a pair of knitting pins, No. 11 bell gauge, and one pin, No. 19. For the border, a steel netting needle, and a mesh No. 2. Commence with the white wool. Cast on 141 stitches rather loosely, using one of the large pins. The small pin is only used in every fourth row of the pattern.

1st row. Knit the 2 first stitches together, and the rest of the row quite plain.

2nd-The same as the first row. 3rd-Pearl the 2 first stitches together, then pearl the rest of the row.

4th-With the small pin knit the 2 first stitches together, *, then make a stitch and knit every 2 stitches together. Repeat from * to the end. "To make a stitch"-the wool is brought forward between the pins.

These 4 rows form the pattern, and they are to be repeated until the work is reduced to six stitches, it having been decreased one stitch each row.

Cast off the remaining stitches.
THE NETTED BORDER.

Fill the needle with the white wool. Commence on a foundation string, and, using No. 2 mesh, net 780 stitches, this being the number

required to make sufficient trimmings to go all round the hood; it may, however, be worked in two pieces, netting 360 for the back, and 420 for the sides and front.

After the 1st row is worked net 2 rows more plain; then with the coloured wool, doubled, net a plain row.

These 4 rows are now to be turned, running the string in the coloured row; then on the other side work with the white wool two rows more, and one row with the coloured wool; take out the string, as this completes the netting.

To plait the trimming, use a rug-needle and the white wool; commence in the centre row of the netting, and make a box-plait with five stitches, sewing it together in the centre; then leave one stitch between the plaits, and continue forming them until all the netting is used.

These plaits are now secured at the top by tying every six stitches of each side together, in the row under the coloured one; the stitches should only just be caught together, and the ends of the wool knotted and cut close.

:

THE TOILET.

(Specially from Paris.)

FIRST FIGURE.-Dress of plain black faille with a single headed-flounce at the bottom. Corsage low, square and plain, with an embroidered muslin chemisette under it. Nacarat coloured bow in the middle of the corsage. White cashmere cloak lined with nacarat silk and having the old woman's hood. The lining is turned over the edge las a cross-strip all round. Red coral necklace; pomegranate flowers placed as a puff on the top of the head behind.

SECOND FIGURE.-Dress of white tarlatane with rather wide puffings down the skirt, separated by cross-strips of mauve silk. Tunic en pannier and corsage of mauve silk. A round bertha of drawn blond, ornaments the body, and is itself decorated at intervals with small cockades of mauve ribbon matching the dress. The very short sleeve is also made of blond. Coiffure consisting of three leaves of mauve velvet surrounded with pearls and having an agrafe of pearls with a tassel falling behind; white feathers placed at the side.

THIRD FIGURE.-BALL TOILET.-First skirt of white tarlatane with a very deep flounce plaited à la russe. Tunic of lemon-coloured faille cut in large vandykes bordered with a double row of black velvet. Second tunic and corsage of white faille cut in small vandykes bordered by black velvet and pendant ornaments. The sleeves very short with the same points, have pendant ornaments similar to those on the white tunic. At each side of the tunic and at the head of each vandyke a spray of roses with foliage is placed. White waistband bordered with black velvet. Black pearl necklace of three rows fastened by agrafes. The coiffure consists of a double diadem of pale tortoise-shell with balls on the top and a garland of roses placed very backward. White kid gloves with three buttons. Shoes with Louis XV. heels made of white satin with a blond rosette.

their robes. At present cashmere, grenadine, and crepon de Chine, are favourite materials for these confections; we reserve the ever elegant faille for dress toilets. For the most part they are disposed in the casque form as far as the waist, and the skirt divided into four large rounded dents, garnished with a pinked flounce, the head of which is fulled and makes a heading. The dents, or basques behind, are very ample and sufficiently long to be very bouffantes when disposed in the form of a pannier. If worn in walking costume, we simulate with an ornament which encircles the neck behind, but it is square in front, the form of a low body. It is very pretty if really cut decolleté. The ceinture is round with a bow without ends. The sleeves are to be worn or not as desired, they are made large in order to show an under-sleeve; this model is very convenient because the undersleeves may be made of the same colour as the skirt. Shawls, to reintroduce which great efforts are being made, are only worn with trained dresses. A pretty new form which approaches that of an adjusted mantle, is likely to be looked upon with favour.

For ordinary dresses, changeable winsey, mohair, thin serges, poplin, alpaca, and many mixtures of silk and wool, and wool and cotton are in demand; the latter are cheap in price but spoil in the first shower. Changeable silks, stripes, and checks, will all be worn. Black and white promises to be again in favour, and the useful raw tussor silk is in demand for morning wear. Here we seem to be getting more and more Spanish in our style of dress, and I should not be surprised if one of these days we throw off the bit of lace, rosebud, and two straws, of which a modern bonnet is said to be sometimes composed, and adopt the mantilla. The prevailing colours are soft shades of fawn, grey, lavender, pearl colour, light brown, green, &c. Rather wide stripes of two colours will also be worn; but, except on tall women, they are not becoming. French chintzes, percales, and muslins, with delicate grounds sprinkled with bouquets of flowers are of course in request. Hats of the Louis XV. style are much worn, and are admirably adapted to stylish-looking persons. It is rumoured that three and four graduated skirts will be worn this summer instead of two which prevail at present. One deep fluted flounce, or two three or more pinked ones are in favour. Straw, silk, tulle, or crape bonnets. A great many are still made with diadems, but the diadems of flowers are not The compliment or finish to walking or visit-posed in front, but at the back; and the barbes ing dress, the above all-the envelope--or whatever here comes under the head of confections, must of necessity be black, except in the case of ladies who wear tunics and panniers to match

FOURTH FIGURE.-Dress of green silk, trimined at bottom with two gathered flounces, one deeper than the other, and each surmounted by a row of black lace or guipure falling over the flounce. Louis XVI. corsage, high behind, low and square in front bordered by a narrow flounce forming a head to a row of lace like that at bottom. Short sleeves. Coiffure with a châtelaine puff of violet velvet surrounded by pearls, and completed by a white frizzed feather placed at the side. Chemisette of fluted white tarlatane. Kid gloves. Dauphine shoes of green gros-grain silk with a square bow of black lace.

are attached by a bouquet to match. For dress bonnets I announce a charming innovation, these are garnished with white lace. A bonnet of Belgian or rice straw is bordered with black

gros-grain, and trimmed with a knot of the same. The barbes, composed of a little volant of point d'Angleterre, pass behind the bonnet and are attached by a large bow of black grosgrain. They descend to the middle of the

breast, and are fastened with a large knot of black gros-grain. White lace is also used with other coloured trimmings above all with grosseille and mauve, but with black it makes amélange extremely distingue.

THACKERAY'S WOMEN.

The secret of Thackeray's failure in the delineation of female character is embodied in the following sentences, from one of "Mr. Brown's Letters to a Young Man about Town:" "A set has been made against clever women from all time. Take all Shakspere's heroines: they all seem to me pretty much the same-affectionate, motherly, tender-that sort of thing. Take Scott's ladies, and other writers; each man seems to draw from one model. An exquisite slave is what we want; for the most part an humble, flattering, smiling, child-loving, tea-making, pianoforte-playing being; who laughs at our jokes, however old they may be; coaxes and wheedles us in our humours, and 'fondly lies to us through life.'"

Now, in the spirit of the above sentences one might only see the vein of sarcastic raillery intended to characterize these burlesque letters to a young kinsman; but take them in connection with Thackeray's writings, and you will perceive that they are the real spirit, the actual embodiment, of his positive and veracious views of women, their sphere, condition, and duties. These ideas and opinions regarding women are what he has been regularly trained and bred up to in his heart of hearts. There is a sentiment of real devotion to and chivalrous admiration of woman as she ought to be, and oftentimes is, notwithstanding these conventionalities, that every true man must feel, and to which Thackeray can, upon occasion, give utterence in dulcet tones and beautifullyrounded periods: but he has been so trained and reared amid women of this tame order, this low stamp, and tutored by inen holding these lowering views of women, that he cannot bring his imagination to the point of conceiving, or his pen of delineating, a fine and elevated woman-a clever one, as he terms her-though his man-heart does justice to her claims. In his novels, he has portrayed, with his caustic powers, femininie personages, neither flesh-andblood women-they have not a redeeming trait of humanity, nor a touch of nature-nor demons; heartless, soulless figures, that giitter and amaze us, thrust into animation and seeming action by his fine strokes of satire, brilliant and sarcastic thrusts and dashes at errors and frailties, that have not even power to fill us with horror or disgust as a really bad woman would, What is Beckey Sharp? Is she a living, breathing woman? Rather a concentration of all the vices, follies, and degrading efforts of an age, draped about a senseless block, as they show

off the fashions on a wooden shape in a shop. And yet his attempted portrayal of the good and lovely ones, the heroines of his books, is a faithful carrying out and depicting of the sentiments above quoted. So insiped and tame are they in their "humble, smiling, flattering, childloving, tea-making" excellence, as to be dull enough in the mere perusal, not only to excuse a lover like George (if he had not been so insipid himself) for lighting his cigars with her billet-doux, but also to make every girl who fain would become a heroine, almost rush into Becky Sharp-ishness, or any other kind of sprite-like mischief, rather than be one of those same good, sweet, gentle Amelias, even with the prospect of such an undying, never-failing attachment as that of a Major Sugarplums. Men must still nature's impulses, urging their admiration of the real woman, in obedience to the received and accredited spirit, laws, and opinions of society and the age; and if authors write down to the level that has compelled Thackeray, in spite of his better nature, to make his heroines the heartless, insiped things they are, yet it is the adoption and carrying out of such views and principles in regard to women by men, whom they are born, to serve, to please, to love, and to endeavour to delight, that makes so many of them seemingly what they are, "humble, flattering, tea-making, piano-playing deceivers ;" and more talent, more time, art, ingenuity, and patience are necessary to pervert nature's master-pieces of love and tenderness into this senseless, silly, deceptive mother and slave, than with open manliness, enlightened views, and a free and generous insight into her capacities and position, man-her brother probationist, ere he becomes her lord-might have expended to form an open, upright, candid, truth-loving, fervent, devoted woman, wife, friend; forbearing to faults, tender to frailties, forgiving to errors; devoted with keener, and livelier, and humbler, because more expansive, love to his welfare, his honour, and his interest.

Oh! cannot men see and feel wherein this error lies, and conquer it, for the sake of their own hearts, homes, and of their unborn sons ? When standing together on the home-hearth in the holy twilight's deepening gloom, drawing nearer to each other tenderly as the nightshades deepen and the day declines, ere the candle-light flares on them, would it lessen the softness, derogate from the sweetness and gentleness of this hour of love, if each (that young husband, that up-looking, confiding wife) had,

« AnteriorContinuar »