his choicest morceaux, but because we feel assured (well known and appreciated as he is) that one day, not far distant, Charles D'Albert will hold a very high station among the composers in that department of the art which he has adopted.

The compositions of D'Albert and Jullien are essentially different, and in this respect D'Albert's works produce their effect when performed on the pianoforte. Jullien's, on the contrary, require all the resources of a large band. D'Albert's music always lies well for the hand, and demands but small exertion from the performer; it seems composed for the instrument. Jullien's again is the reverse; the player is constantly reminded that he is imitating the effect of a large orchestra. We do not, by any means, wish to underrate the dance music of Jullien. On the contrary, we entertain the highest opinion of his abilities; but we wish to point out clearly the difference between his works and those under consideration.

Let it not be thought that we consider D'Albert deficient in orchestral construction. The published orchestra-parts of his works, and their constant performance at all our minor theatres, concerts, ball-rooms, &c., fully show the contrary. D'Albert depends upon no monstrous instrumental effects. Simple, catching, and elegant melodies, effectively arranged, is all he aims at. It is surely an excellence where beauties are produced by the simplest means!

La Belle Suisse, the first valse on our list, is of the usual construction-four movements, and a coda, preceded by an introduction. The latter opens with the "Ranz des Vaches," followed by a sweet Tyrolienne air. The valses are all catching, but the first is our favourite. The Genevieve Valse is on the same plan, and equally pleasing. The spirit of dancing seems ever to watch over this composer.

The Flower of the Field, we feel assured, will become an universal favourite with the public. The introduction is a beautiful little andante, followed by one of the most sparkling and spirit-stirring suite of valses we ever remember to have heard.

Le Bouquet de Roses is an extremely elegant and effective "valse a deux temps." The clever arrangement for the pianoforte is remarkable.

Les Clochettes is more quaint than its predecessors, but not the less pleasing on account of its peculiarities. The "clochettes" in the first movement (consisting of three bells) is well introduced.

The Queen of Roses is not a whit behind the others we have just named, both in elegance and facility of performance.

The Express Polka scarcely needs our praise. It produces all the effect necessary for this popular species of composition, without any of those absurd "jerkings" and "twistings" which too commonly abound in dances of this description. D'Albert certainly excels his contemporaries in the composition of polkas.

Such is a cursory notice of the two or three of D'Albert's pieces lying before us; but in judging of him as a composer of dance music, we speak from an intimate acquaintance with his works, and not from

a few isolated specimens. We cannot, therefore, in conscience, take leave of this talented composer without predicting for him (if he persevere in the course he has marked out) a high place in the Temple of Fame at least a niche between the statues of Apollo and Terpsichore.

Paris Fashions for January, 1853.

(From our own Correspondent.) Rue de Richelieu, à Paris, Dec. 28.

MA CHERE AMIE,-Our winter season has set in most brilliantly, with its fetes, balls, re-unions, and above all, splendid toilette. Are we not to have a cour, and probably an Imperatrice? Already is there a robe called 'Imperatrice; the reason given for its bearing this name is that the form was one which the Empress Josephine was particularly partial to, and that it displayed to advantage her graceful figure; it was the most admired at the great representation at the Opera Comique the other evening, when the toilettes were more brilliant and beautiful than they have been this long time; the material was a rich lampas, with splendid bouquets of flowers half velvet, half velours epingle; the foliage in satin; the corsage was made with draperies, coming from the arm-holes instead of from the epaulette, which was plate, and gracefully rounded; the front pieces were cut on the bias without plaits or nerveures, and with a seam in the middle: this form makes the waist appear smaller. A gold galon formed the contour of the chest and shoulders; the sleeves were very short and bouffantes, each little bouillonne was marked by a gold galon; down the middle of the front of the skirt was also a gold galon, small at the top, and growing larger by degrees down to the bottom.

Chapeaux. Many chapeaux of velours epingle are decorated only with coloured blonde; these blondes are, however, apparently declining in favour. Some chapeaux that are much admired are of a delicate shade of lemon-colour; they are seen both in velvet and satin: the garniture for the exterior is a plume, white at the base, and deepening as it reaches the top, from the palest shade to the deepest of yellow; the interior is decorated with tufts of small flowers on similar shades of yellow.

Ball dresses are principally made with pointed corsages. whilst those for dinner parties have the corsages round at the waist with girdles or sashes; it even forms the ornament of vestes for full toilette, whether made of satin, cachemire, or watered silk.

Numerous elegant Dresses for evening toilette are composed of black crape embroidered with gold roses. These dresses open in front over a petticoat of white puckered taffeta, and are very recherche.

Manteaux and Wraps.-The materials for the new pardessus, intended for cold weather, have already appeared. We may cite, among those that, in our opinion, unite at once comfort and elegance, the Manteau

d'Hiver, composed of dark gray drap cachemire, wadded and lined with crimson satin; it is made long, sufficiently wide to envelope the figure, but being cut bias, it sits easily round the neck, without being ungracefully full; it descends in folds, deepening as they feel, and very wide at the bottom, and is made with sleeves falling low on the hand; it fastens invisibly down the front. The capuchon, intended for use as well as ornament, is sufficiently large to cover the head, provided the ornaments of the chapeau are not too voluminous. The finest Siberian sable is employed for the mantelet, capuchon, and sleeves.

Fashionable juvenile toilette consists of a felt hat or silk capote. A Talma cloak with a hood. A chequed or plain poplin dress. Trowsers bordered with lace or embroidery; sometimes beaver capotes are preferred.

Capotes. We may mention among the prettiest capotes of the varied kind that have appeared, those of rose-coloured azure blue; and seagreen satin bouillonnee; the crown is made, without any stiffening or bride, by six bands of peluche, of the colour of the satin; they issue from the brim, and are disposed horizontally in the form of a star, in six points, in the centre of the crown; the interior of the brim is trimmed with flowers only; they are of a small size, and more sparingly used than they have lately been, but a mixture of flowers and blonde is more general; narrow ribbon is sometimes added to them. The flowers may be of velvet or cambric; the latter are a good deal employed. Brides are again worn very long and broad.

The different materials that we have already announced for chapeaux and capotes are all employed, but velvet is most in request for the former. Some of the most fashionable for public promenade are of groseille satin; they are decorated on the outside with black satin ribbon. about an inch in breadth, and on each side a tuft of flowers, half velvet and half cambric; the interior is boullonnee, with tulle, or lightly covered with blonde, disposed in the large, hollow plaits called dents de loup, through which very small sprigs of flowers are scattered.

Another capote is dahlia-coloured velvet, forming pointed dents, bordered with black lace. On each side of the calotte is a bouquet of ostrich feathers in black and dahlia. This has a decidedly elegant effect.

Sleeves. The full short sleeves will be worn to dresses having pointed capes: plain sleeves to those with berthes; the full folds crossing the top of front from the shoulders will be again worn with low bodies.

Feathers for hair coiffures are very fashionable among our elegantes.

Dresses for morning and general wear will have the bodies more or less open in front, some quite to the waist; these styles have small square basquines; fringe is the most favourite trimming for this style; the plain high body closing to the throat has the waist round, with ceinture of broad ribbon, the ends floating.

Sorties de Bal are composed of white wadded satin or cachemire, with hoods lined with colours and terminating with a gold tassel.

In cloaks, Talmas are still in great favour: the Balmoral is the most novel of the season; it is exceedingly graceful and becoming to the figure.

Hair Coiffures are variously ornamented, many with wreaths of flowers, some of which are in the form of a diadem. There are also various wreaths, the flowers of which are composed of crape and the leaves of satin or cambric.-Adieu, ma chère amie, votre devoué,

M. de W.

The Drama.

DRURY LANE.-This ever celebrated theatre, doomed to everlasting change, has at length passed into the hands of a manager who, having been successful in one of the suburban theatres, has essayed to solve the problem so many have suffered in endeavouring to elucidate. The pieces chosen for the opening night were another version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and a new pantomime. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" we may briefly dismiss; the subject is almost exhausted for dramatic purposes, and the sentiment of the nation too much kept by it in a state of tension. The pantomime has been taken great pains with, and has many points of attraction; some of the scenery transcends in splendour any we have seen, and it is filled with dancing and gorgeousness. The introductory part consists of representations of old and modern times, the one represented by Antiquity, and the other by the genius of Improvement, and each advocates the different principles. The good genius of improvement maintains her cause in some smart rhymes and striking scenes, One was especially approved, which shows the new Crystal Palace, and its gardens, with innumerable fairy nymphs, disporting in the moonlight. The village of Sumware, a golden harvest scene, was very much liked, as was the transformation at the close of the first part, which was full of tasteful forms, as well as resplendent with colour and light. The introductory story is partly and ingeniously framed on Hudibras and his Squire Ralph's adventures, which are connected with Charles the Second's escape. The masks were excellent, and the burlesque idea very fairly worked out by Mr. E. L. Blanchard, its author; and it has some sharp punning dialogue that will tell very well when the actors and scene-shifters are a little easier in their utterance and work. We take this to be a far greater proof of the genuine merits of the pantomime, than any analysis a theatre-hardened mind like our own could pass; and we can, therefore, safely advise our friends to take their children to this theatre; and we can more especially urge this, as the prices are now within the reach of the most prudent of parents.

HAYMARKET. This popular theatre, though last night patronised by a numerous audience, exhibited none of the noise, pressure, and confusion so often experienced on holiday ocasions, and an opportu

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nity rarely enjoyed on Boxing night, was accordingly afforded of listening to the performances, which were of a varied character, with come degree of ease and comfort. The bill of fare consisted of comedy, burlesque, and farce, each excellent of its class, and all receiving the well-merited approbation of the audience. "Masks and Faces" commenced the evening's performance, and after it followed a grand burlesque Esopian extravaganza called "Leo the terrible," written by Mr. Stirling Coyne and Mr. Francis Talfourd, who, in providing the festive humour for the Christmas visitors of the Haymarket this year, have shunned the beaten track of classic fable and fairy lore. They have not ransacked the volumes of the Countess d'Anois. The Arabian Nights has to them been a sealed book. Shakspeare has not been parodied, nor Sophocles or Euripides burlesqued. They have devoted their energies to the production of an entirely new and original extravaganza. The Haymarket has long been remarkable for the excellence of the matter, and the admirable manner in which comic extravaganza has been got up, but seldom has it produced one more calculated to run through many successful nights than "Leo the Terrible." The scenery is admirably got up, and would alone be sufficient to gratify the sight-seers and to insure the success of a far inferior performance.

SADLER'S WELLS.-As usual, the managers of this well-conducted theatre have not been behindhand in catering for the amusement of their patrons at this festive season of the year, Mr. Greenwood having exercised his ingenuity in concocting the new pantomime. The performances commenced with the favourite tragedy of "Douplas," but only at intervals could a sentence be heard, from the noise and uproar that prevailed. In anticipation, however, of a combat between Norval and Glenalvon, there was comparative calm for a few minutes ; but the disappointment was great when Lord Randolph rushes forward to prevent it, and much laughter was occasioned by a fellow in the gallery shouting to him, "Let them have it out." Some delay necessarily occurred before the commencement of the pantomime, and the screaming and the noise became almost deafening; even the introductory music was but partially listened to. At length the curtain rose, amidst a general cry for order, and quiet was speedily obtained. The pantomime is entitled "Whittington and his cat; or old Dame Fortune and Harlequin Lord Mayor of London." The well-known story of Whittington furnishes abundant materials, and Mr. Greenwood avails himself of the leading incidents for the groundwork of the introductory portion. The piece opens with the " Mis-managed abode of Miss Fortune, by Moonlight," which presently changes to the Palace of Riches, in which is exhibited the revolving wheel of Fortune, and here we are introduced to old Dame Fortune (Mrs. Dixon), surrounded by her happy and light-hearted attendants. The seene then changes to the exterior of Hugh Fitzwarren's general warehouse, on the banks of Old Father Thames, when the various characters make their appearance. Dick Whittington, afterwards Harlequin