New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-16
EUROPEAN GOSSIP.

EUROPEAN GOSSIP.
| From our oo-,ipns Correspondent.
LONDON March 81, l5j7.
AT Last the Spring is coming. If not in the sky
and the meadows, its beneficial influence Is already
felt in Regent street and Oxford street. The rays
of the sun have not it is true, been powerful
enough to produce leaves on the trees and prim-
roses on the hills, but pink tulles and lilac musns
in great variety spring up with enchanting beauty
at the shop windows. Who could number the SEN
timental rambles of the white daughters of Albion
spending their best hours in admiring these light
premature children Of the Spring and casting their
most fascinating glances on those graceful first fruits
Of the renovated season. But, if the light stuhs
are displnyed in the fashionable warehouses, they
are not vet seen on our elegant bellies. On the
pavement in the park or the church, you behold
nothing but yaricgatcd satin or dark velvet and er-
mine mufs and cOahs lined with anonymous fur.
Indeed this year has witnessed the invention OF
number Of wild beasts whose existence Is alto
cether unknown to natralists, and which have, IN
fact never lived III any other form than that Of boa
or tlppef.
New modes are concocted, but we are afraid the
extrayagaDcc Of the toilet will still remain the same.
Our ladies' are by no means inclned to renounce
founces, lace or feathers. Husbands and fathers
dwell in vain on the advantages Of an elegant sim
plicity" In vain they deliver the most arguments
live and impressive dissertations OH the favOrlte
theme: That woninn CONNIE II fam should avoid
"whateyer would render her conspicuous, and that
grand attire with jewels, flowers and feathers
".hUuld be reserved for great occasions. Ahs :!
tley preach in the desert and make no conversions
A few wears ago thc case was different; then the
"elcgant simplicity" WAS fashionable, and ladies'
went 70 the thcatcr with modest bonnets, simple
Al 4 Iross.a WHY il that pn
yinble state of things changed Quantum mutatus
alb lilo
Let us confess that the men have in some degree
to answer for IT, For whenever there appeared in
hex a showilv- dressed woman, with diamonds and
a garland If roses, and bare shoulders, &c., &c,
with rusting silk and embroidered opera cloak
thouah shc was not CONNIE IL tam, this star OF am
bpuous brilaancy attracted much notice that the
husband left his elegantly simple wife To have
better Glance at her: that the father turned his back
on his modest daughter to peep through his glass
The ladies thus rit to their reflections did not lose
their time aud as the female mind Is generally acute
and logical the result is what We beh0d-a luxury
which knows no limits, an eleganlncSS when recOg-
uzcs no laws, mode which bOrrows It's denom-
nations from every country, every century every
principle every crowned head i'll Europe The history
Of France and England the geography OF the Old and
the New World tire violations Of constitutions and
tbe oyerthrows Of monarchies might be learned III
single number Of lie IOiid. Alas the days of
white muslin and black paca are gone 1t Is no
use to extol the modest mcrlnO ana 10 sing the
praises of the humble tarlatan. Ii is To no purpose
10 assert that MORE antique and br6cadcd silk do not
wear well: the ladies have remarked that those
dresses Of which il is said they do not wear well are
generally the prrttiest.
have recently met with two merrCiHeuSts, both
dressed in blue silk, black mantle and pink bon
net and in looking ut them really asked myself,
IL k..tx1 MI
| bonnet and pink bonnet, between ope pretty wo-
| ran and another pretty woman! lam at loss to
account for il, unless employ the words Of Fene-
| lon Who when he found himself unable to define
that seduction Of eoquensc which the eye, the ear
| and The mind can understand, but which language
| cannot empress called il THAT | know not what,
&c e ne sdS quoi. And yet il is this e ne sdis quo'
which makes the hole difference between the pretty
lcuneers On the bouleyards and the fair walkers in
Regent street.
Am losing toe much time in speaking Of that
hnblc subject toilet | do not think SO, whatever
Lady Blessington may have said to the contrary in
| her Desuhory Thoughts. She pretended that to
| praise the style Of IN author more than his
thoughts was the same thing ms to extol the tole
of Il woman at the expense of her beauty style and
| costume being mere accessories However IN
pcni,us this reflection may be, |, at least for one,
| de- not adopt IT, To render beauty conspicuous can
not be said 10 divert attention from IT, Victor Hugo
according 10 Madame DE- Grardin, talking one day oi
| style and beauty, while he was playing with pm
representing natural fly mounted IN gold, SAID:
| " Here yOu have nice representation OF both.
| Alone this fy is but an insect; mounted in gold,
| il is jewel" A handsome toilet is exactly this
mounting, especially as the 5u'Jjry;' mounted
is not necessarily fJ: diamond. will do quite as
well. trust, in consequence, that my lair readers
Will not refuse 10 be mounted in pure gold.
| This year thanks TO ne elections. the sumptuous
warehouses Of Regent street and Bond street will
have stored up III vain the richest products of the
Indies, the maryels Of the manufactures Of Lyons,
the most dazzling novelties from Paris. Alas, poor
| Amscks The POLKA is forgotten and the Lancer's
| Qusdrle has lost It's charms The fashionable
Young lords have other cares than to make love or
| to pleuse az a hall. They still mediate decl-
ration but they think Of delivering il 70 a public
| quite different from their customary fair hearers.
| How can man in bis scnses prefer ugly
| electors (for elec,or s goneraly ugly)
With bald heads to the fuxen curs Of II
| bio, ming girl Ambition is the ruin Of mankind; ;
and thus marriages are interrupted invitations are
Suspended, the ladies' gazues are left unopened
the hfs ddnsantS Ga new nyertion) are indefinitely
adjourned, Ike the House Of Commons, and all
these ea5l calamities fa upon Us for the sake Of