ON THE CLOSE OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION AND OTHER POEMS. By the Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley. (Wright.)--After the insane rant with which Mr. Warren indulged the public under the title of the "Lily and the Bee," it is really quite delightful to take up the present volume, in which fine imagination is even in its loftiest flight not divorced from common sense and reason. Not long ago we drew our readers' attention to the admirable volumes from the pen of Lady E. Stuart Wortley, suggested by recent travels in the United States, in which a clear judgment, a kind heart, and a hopeful spirit were brought to bear, in describing one of the most interesting countries in the world and no wonder that on her return to England this eventful year her ladyship's enthusiasm kindled anew, en revanche for having expended so much of its force in praises of our well-beloved brethren athwart the Atlantic, found an utterance of homage to the glories of the Crystal Palace. In truth Lady Emmeline is a high-minded, cultivated Englishwoman, a poet by nature, and one who has improved her rare opportunities of study and observation. In all she does there is the evidence of the reveren tial spirit, and the thoughtful, clear-seeing mind, that learns its daily lessons of Life and Experience, and takes a constant interest in the world's progress. In her graceful, melodious poem on the Great Exhibition, the author forcibly expresses what multitudes have felt, but only vaguely uttered, and hence it is welcome. The poem has many pretty fancies interwoven; for instance, one carried out through several stanzas of the Crystal Ark being chartered with the Coronation Jewels of that "glorious Queen-the World." Of the building it she writes, still carrying out the metaphor Shaped thine anchors were in mighty heats, in a Mrs. Robert Wilson. (Masters, London; NEW ZEALAND, AND OTHER POEMS. By Deighton and Laughton, Liverpool.)—The first poem which gives its title to this little volume, is certainly smoothly written, and displays a most intimate knowledge of the subject of which it treats; but if, instead of playing the part of reviewer, we adopt that of friendly adviser to the accomplished author, we must say to her in all honesty, "Do, do for the future, write what you have to tell the world in the same style of vigorous prose as that you have adopted in your preface and notes;-then the world, not nearly so thankless a monster as you may imagine it, will be glad of your books, and cry out for more. But wake from the delusion which is evidently upon you, that jingling rhymes and measured metre make Poetry." Indeed, many passages which would have been eloquent in vigorous prose, are wire-drawn and distorted from being forced into the trite, common-place mould of the so-called "heroic" measure. The shorter pieces, too, contain thoughts which might have had considerable value if artistically worked up lost in the cloud of words about them. It is in simple, earnest language-but are needless to add that, did not the volume contain proofs of talent, we should not waste these remarks upon it: but our reverence for the divinest of the arts is too great, for anything which calls itself Poetry to remain unchallenged. The pass-word is always to be found if we look for it; we have searched here, and cannot see it. FULCHER'S LADIES' MEMORANDUM BOOK AND POETCAL MISCELLANY, 1852; PAWSEY'S LADIES' FASHIONABLE REPOSITORY, 1852.—(Longman.)—The pocket-books and almanacs for the ensuing year always seem to come in with the roasted chesnuts and foggy twilights of November, reminding us of the flight of time, and the swiftly recurring seasons. The blank pages, too, for the diary, that has to be written! How suggestive are they of the doubtful future and its half-fledged hopes, if we chance to be in a moralizing vein! The two pocket-books be; fore us contain the usual amount of tales and poems (Fulcher's, we are bound to say, have the higher literary merit), engravings, almanac, enigmas, &c., and they are in reat and apparently very strong bindings. HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF SKINS AND FURS. By J. A. Nicholay, Chairman for Class 16, Local Commissioner for the Borough of Marylebone, and Juror for Textile Manufactures. Group C. (82, Oxford-street.)—This is a very clever and instructive little work, to which we shall certainly refer again for extracts. Now that the clear frosty weather makes us gladly gather our muffs and cuffs and boas about us, the subject of furs seems particularly interesting, though those who have only cursorily dipped into it are little aware how nearly inexhaustible a theme it is. The thought that the northern portions of America, Asia, and Europe are ranged by hunters amid perils and hardships scarcely possible to exaggerate, that the wealthy denizens of civilized countries may be luxuriously clad, is suggestive of teeming associations; and antiquarian records are full of quaint stories about sumptuary laws and old customs. But Mr. Nicholay joins to antiquarian knowledge a vast amount of practical experience-and thus his account includes information of all the recent improvements in the dressing of furs, and descriptions of those which have been recently introduced. The grebe, for instance, and the curious mode of preparation of the beaver, and the seal-skin, by which they become in a manner fresh articles of commerce. Every visitor to the Exhibition must have remarked the proud array made in the British department by Mr. Nicholay, the Queen's Furrier, and can hardly fail to recollect his exquisite paletots of seal-skin which by the new method is made to resemble the richest velvet. The beaver muffs and trimmings were, from their beauty and novelty, scarcely less noticeable, while the skins, of choice sable and black or silver fox, appealed to the experienced judges of these precious articles. Fine furs are like fine cashmeres, the sure sign of a refined taste in the wearer; and when a fine taste is not divorced from a well-filled purse, it is a delightful gratification to mark the result. In these democratic days, however, manufactures cater for the general public as well as for the few patrons; and it is surprising to find how beauty and comparative cheapness may be combined. We say comparative, for fine furs are too scarce, and are brought from too great a distance to be absolutely common; but then they wear, as the proverb hath it, "for ever;" and we are thoroughly certain the gentlewoman of even limited means had far better visit a firstrate establishment, such as Mr. Nicholay's, when she wants to make a purchase, than suffer herself to be deluded and cheated by puff advertisements, which to the initiated bear falsehood on the face of them. AMUSEMENTS OF THE MONTH. genuine sensibility with her never exaggerating into bathos or rant, and alternating with that This theatre-always one of the pleasantest in piquant vivacity which we are accustomed to London-opened on Monday, the 17th ult., with find chiefly among the French actors. Macfareven more than ordinarily fair prospects. Mr. ren's opera of "Charles the Second" has been Webster, with his usual judgment and energy, given most admirably, the chief characters being made the most of his short vacation by renovat- supported by Miss Pyne, Madame Macfarren, ing the interior, and thus preparing it for the and Messrs. Weiss and Harrison. The beautiélite audiences he so well deserves to attract. ful ballad-" She shines before me like a star," The alternation of Comedy and Opera seems to and the Dibdin-like song of " Nan of Battersea," be his design; and with such an excellent com- eliciting deserved applause: indeed, the encores pany for each, there can be no doubt of his suc- the first night were almost too numerous, almost cess. "The Ladies' Battle," so successful at interfering with the action of the piece. We the Olympic, seems likely to enjoy a second hear that new operas by native composers are to triumph here-the cast by-the-by being some- form a distinct feature in Mr. Webster's managewhat stronger than at the former theatre. Everyment; but he must have other objects in view of one who wishes to see a piece of first-rate acting should witness Mrs. Stirling's admirable performance of "The Countess": indeed, this lady now takes rank as the very first in her line-a comprehensive one, too. We cannot call to mind any actress on the stage who equals her in the pathetic delineations of the domestic drama no less importance, if we are to judge from his engagement of Mr. and Miss Vandenhoff. We are glad to announce the reproduction of "Tartuffe," Mr. Webster's delineation of the character being a master-piece of subtlety and sustained power. "The Serious Family," so often noticed before, “An Alarming Sacrifice," and ADELPHI. doubt they will prove as mirth-exciting as performances here usually are. SADLER'S WELLS. other stock pieces are running and amusing the public. And just as we are going to press a new farce, called "The Two Bonnycastles," has been produced, with immense success, Mr. | Buckstone sustaining the principal character. This little Islington theatre keeps up the good repute it has now for some years borne. Sterling plays are always in the bills, and good acting is always to be found: at least, it is the rule-the reverse being the exception. Murphy's comedy of "Three Weeks after Marriage" has been a recent revival, and afforded that promising actress Miss Fitzpatrick fair scope for her talents There is a freshness and individuality about her style that compensate for some faults of inexperience. This is the temple of Mirth. "Good Night, Signor Pantalon" has reached upwards of its hundredth night. Mr. Silsbee, the American actor, keeps the audience in a roar; and Miss Woolgar, the most graceful and captivating of "Bloomers," displays her usual vivacity and thorough intelligence. There is a rumour of novelties in preparation for Christmas, and no 1 FASHIONS FOR DECEMBER. Plain velvet of dark hues, particularly black velvet, increases in favour for public promenade chapeaux. Some have the exterior trimmed with plumes, terminated by pluies of bugles of the very smallest size, or by rings of bugles forming drooping chains. The interior is decorated by satin flowers, intermingled with bugle foliage. Chapeaux continue to be very much trimmed; some, indeed, have the exterior too much so, particularly since the introduction of bugles and small-coloured beads. The wideness of the brims renders a fulness of ornament necessary in the interior; but a little moderation for both would have a better effect. We may cite, as among the most remarkable in this last respect, a chapeaux of garnet-coloured velvet, trimmed with black lace, and ornamented with two garnetcoloured feathers, bordered with small beads of the same hue: two bunches of Muscat grapes decorate the interior of the brim; also there are some of pensée velvet, decorated with ribbons, and a long ostrich feather of the same colour. Mancinis in fleurs-de-pensée ornament the interior of the brim. Dark blue is a colour very much in favour for chapeaux, both for promenade and half-dress. Several of the forms are composed of velours frisé, trimmed with satin ribbons of the same hue, and a bouquet of four ostrich feathers to correspond: tufts of larkspur of the same shade, and very full, are placed low on each side of the interior of the brim. When chapeaux are composed of two materials, velvet and velours épinglé are more predominant than either of these materials with satin. We may observe, also, that where the exterior is composed of black velvet, the interior is frequently lined with coloured velours épinglé. Several of these chapeaux are decorated with a membrane of a paradise plume on each side of the exterior, and tufts of flowers in the colours of the feather in the interior of the brim. One of the latest and most elegant novelties is the Victoria; it is of azure blue velvet: the exterior is trimmed with a white marabout, spotted with a deeper shade of blue. The interior is entirely covered with narrow white blonde lace, quilled in rows one above another: a white plume, spotted to correspond with the one on the exterior, but very small, is attached on one side by a knot with floating ends of narrow white satin ribbon broché, blue. Some chapeaux in half-dress have the brims a little pointed in the Marie Stuart style; but this is the case only when the chapeau is composed of blonde or tulle, and destined for visits of ceremony, or for evening dress. I shall cite, in that style, a chapeau of tulle bouillonné, each bouillon divided by a very narrow velours épinglé; biais in different shades of green. A feather in all these shades is placed on one side; the beards are frizzed so as to give the feather the appearance of a panache of moss: the same moss is intermingled in the interior of the brim with small roses-pompons. The brides, in ruban guipure, are of moderate width: very broad ones are now no longer fashionable. The lightest and most tasteful of these chapeaux are those à la Pompadour: one of the prettiest has the brim entirely formed of narrow blonde guipure, laid flat alternately with narrow tulle ruches; a marabout panache, rose, blue, green, and white, droops gracefully on each side. The interior of the brim is adorned with tufts of small rose, blue, green, and white marguerites. The materials for pardessus are still the same. Our plates for the two last and present numbers represent so many elegant models, that it would be difficult to add to them. Opinions are still divided as to the forms that will predominate when the weather becomes very severe; but that is a point that cannot yet be determined; for, although a number of mantles have been made of a three-quarter length, and extremely ample, none have yet appeared completely enveloping the figure, in the Witzchoura or Manteau Arabe style, that were fashionable a few seasons ago. Cloth appears to be still more in favour: some mantles composed of it are made with pockets, and all with sleeves. The garnitures are mostly galons and velvet; but furs also begin to be seen, and are expected to be very fashionable. A few satin mantles have a double revers, by which the sleeves are formed: the fronts, en etole, are embroidered. A good many velvet mantles are still trimmed with lace. Bugles are also greatly employed in trimmings for velvet and satin mantelets. Several are embroidered in passementerie, mingled with bugles: others are trimmed with galons and bugles; and, when to these last are added broad rich effilés, composed half of silk and half of bugles, they form a very novel trimming, and one that is equally elegant and expensive. But fashionable as these garnitures are, they must divide the vogue with lace and fur: the former still predominates in half-dress. A Talma or point de Chale of black or dark velvet, trimmed round the bottom with a deep |