, 1866-06-12
ANOTHER LETTER.

Extrnvagnnce OF Drcss-Lon: Trail.
and small Ronncts-Dentt,o OF Fasher
Ptont - His PecuaIhrIiicB- -Dl4rae ell
Caueht-Fhe Championship Farce
f:1D cnt uf the American Co IN
n1ihhloheFs mt Paria-Viscount STRAIT
ford DC lkedcltaess Poetry.
tCnnetpondcncc Of the Chicaeo TsibuneI
LONDON, May &C, 1866.
There has never been time during the
present reign Ia England, when SO much
money has been spent MS ut the present period
upon dresses. Onr fair ones are running a
racc in extrayagauce. In many families the
cost per person for dress averages 1000 q
year-this, Of course, exclusive of jewelry.
For single dress, prices varying from e4o to
e15o arc frequently paid. 1t Is in the rnro.
ness Of material and its amount that the OK
cess usually consists, not in the skill or art Of
the design. During this week have been
present at the opening Of what is term
cd IN international Horticultural Exhibition,
In the fashionable part of London-an occa-
sion On which the tickets of admission were
one guinea aud there saw the prevalent
wastefulness displayed in the morning dress.
Trains of satln-some yards long, were seen
dragging over gravel walks and collecting all
foreign matter from the grass. Lacc was
there in shawls aud cloaks, which used to be
worn only in very small quantities by our
ernndmothers. As to our bonncts-very soon
they viii disappear, ii they continue to dtmiu
ish ut the rate they have followed for the
last two or three seasons. They have
dwindled into something Of the sizc OF q
broad piece Of ribbon, but the shapes that
'are chosen arc scarcely to be numbered.
Watching the 1no figures of many
Of our English girls surrounded By an
immense breadth Of some exquisite 'tprecious
stuf," and wearing on their heads some odd
tumble OF ribbons and flowers, We are fre-
quent|y forced to admire; but Ii, In the midst
Of our tions, the form arises in our
few years back, with its simple adornment
and harmony with the native grace of a
classical erapery such as Mdlle Rachel used to
wear in her tragedics-these walking bales OF
goods, these drnpers' and dressmakers' mod
els, cease to charm. Can any kind Of dress
be suited to rs which prevents the exercise oi
muscles ahd limbs? Tlecountesscs mud duch-
csscs whom I saw On Tuesday at Kensipgton
were exposed to hundred mishaps. To walk
with such t5appfngs Is difficulty, but
to walk, and to stop, and to turn round
is danger. You may take your hat OF to
ia0y OF thc6c days, but If you advance to
shake her little hand, you flnster her, for You
may tread upon her dress. II she Is alarmed,
her admiTer Is still more SO. Some men have
acquired the greatest dezterfty In avoldInguu
unfortunate step, for there are men who can
stand On anything, on the spire of St. Paul's,
but 10 the average, the modern garb of our
ladies Ia snare and q ye1ation. II Is con-
demned alike By considerations Of moderate
economy, by taste, and by convenience.
English journalism has lost witty mem
Der Ii Father Trout, who dice the other day
in Paris, where he had lived for some few
years as correspondent Of the Globe. You will
see long notices Of this singular man in many
Of our prints he was great puzzle In some
respects. Was privileged with his friend
ID his society but there vas much |
about him, could not understand. He had |
been pliest, and Jesuit priest, but had be- |
come bitter opponent Of Ultramontanism,
and had ceased to perform any clerical du-
ties, and wrote some Of the bittercst things /
which have ever been composed of the Papacy |
Is political institution yet was he never |
inter1ered With by the Roman Catholic au-
thorities. He would not allow any one to |
question him Oh such matters, but the Infer
cucc his associates drcw from his couEersa-
tion was that he had no theological conyic-
be had made his peace with the Church, and |
that priest administered the sacrament to
him In his last moments, and suppose 1t was |
true.
Not many of your readers perfectly remem-
Der the contributions Of father Propt {whose |
real name was Mahouey) to Fraser and Bent
'ey: They had wit and learning enough 10
them to create reputation In Europe. 6eme |
Writers Tho could not haTe known ai2 rcry l