The Pianist's Hand-Book: a Guide for the right Comprehension and Performance of our best Pianoforte Music. By CARL ENGEL. London: Hope & Co. THE lessons appear to be happily conceived and admirably executed; they are peculiarly fitted for use in families; and young women may study them with advantage, as supplying them with models of excellence and examples of avoidance-as also by inducting them into a course of study in which they have more than ordinary interest; while confirming by precept and example the lesson which the teacher perhaps begins so well, which the changes of life so often appear to interrupt, and probably obliterate, for want of a monition in some such agreeable a form as the present volume. We give an extract from Intellectual Conception:

"Good music not only gives a faithful representation of human feelings, but it also expresses them in a beautiful manner. A good performer must therefore not only comprehend how true the music is, but he must be able to appreciate its beauties. The susceptibility for that which is beautiful in music can, strictly speaking, not be taught it is an innate gift which is possessed in a higher or lower degree by most men, and can be awakened and developed like any other talent. Nothing tends so much to the awakening and development of this talent as that ardent study which leads to an intimate acquaintance with our master works....... Nor is it out of place here to observe that a true appreciation of the beauties of nature, or an enjoyment of the sublime ideas of a Shakespeare or a Goethe-in fact, anything which elevates the soul-must also have an ennobling influence on the taste. Many performers spoil the intention of the composer by giving too much expression. Every exaggeration has generally the contrary effect to what is intended. It is therefore necessary that the performer should not be led exclusively by his feelings, which might lead him astray; and he must consider and understand what would be the right expression. He must beware of an affected and untrue manner of expressing. There is a certain sickly sentimentality into which many of our modern performers have fallen, which is partly the cause of that incessant playing in tempo rubato which destroys one of the greatest beauties in music, that of regularity in time and rhythm. How refreshing, after such painful caricaturing, to hear a sound and simple melody given in a sound and simple way!"

A FARM-YARD PICTURE.

Ir was in the beginning of May; a heavy shower of rain had just ceased. The wind sprang up in the south, blew mild and fresh, and chased herds of white clouds over the brightening heaven. The court at Temb, which had been desolate during the rain, now began to be full of life and movement. Six ducks paddled up and down with great delight in a puddle of water, bathing and beautifying themselves. The chanticleer, called the knight, scratched in the earth, and therefore began to crow merrily in order to make it known that he had something nice to invite to; and as two neat grey-speckled hens sprang towards him, he let first one grain of corn and then another fall out of his beak, of which, agreeably to a clever heninstinct, they availed themselves without ceremony or compliments. How easily the creatures live! turkey-cock was in great perplexity, and had a deal of

The

accepted the invitation of the chanticleer (which she protrouble to keep his countenance. His white lady had bably thought was general), and sprang forward as fast as she could to have a share of their treat. The knightly young chanticleer on this, with some surprise, and a cerback, but for all that was too much of the "gentleman" tain astonished sound in his throat, drew himself a little to mortify, in the least, the foreign presumptuous. But the grey-speckled hens turned their backs upon her. Her neglected spouse gobbled in full desperation, and swelled himself out, his countenance flaming with anger, by the side of his black wife, who was silent, and cast deprecating eyes up to heaven. By the kitchen wall the black cat and her kittens romped amid a thousand twists and turns, whilst above them the mice, in the waterspout, peeped peeringly and curiously forth, drank of the rainwater, snuffed in the fresh air, and afterwards crept quietly again under the house tiles. The flies stretched their legs, and began to walk about in the sunshine. In nest; and many magpies-candidates for the airy palace the court stood a tall ash, in whose top waved a magpie's -made their appearance there-flew screaming round about-wished to get possession of it, and chased one another away. At length two remained as conquerors of the nest. There laughed they and kissed under the springblue heaven, rocked by the south wind. Those that were chased away consoled themselves by fluttering down upon the yard-dog's provision-trough, and plucking out of it, whilst the proud Alfiero, sitting outside his kennel, contemplated them in dignified repose.-Bremer's Works: Bohn's Standard Library.

PATCHWORK.

"Be moderate in all things," as the boy said to his school-master when whipping him.

The cure of all ills and wrongs, the cares, the sorrows, and the crimes of humanity, lie in that one word-Love. A judicious silence is always better than truth spoken without charity.

People marry, not so much for what they know of each other, as what they hope to find.

Courtiers may be described, in the argot of the silversmith, as "a set of spoons, Queen's Pattern."

There can be no real sympathy between a beautiful and an ugly woman; their feelings, hopes, and experiences, are as different as their outward beings.

A man marries at twenty for love, to please the heart; at forty, for expediency, to gratify worldly interests; and at fifty, for sensuality, to secure creature comforts.

Woman raises herself by elevating the object of her affections-a wife glories in her husband's ability; but a man forgives every defect in his wife, except superiority.

Peace! peace! cries the Manchester man; peace at any price but more especially the price of cotton. Every medal has its reverse, and ever meddler deserves to meet with one.

In proportion as our self-esteem lessens, we become covetous of worldly respect.

FROM

OUR FRENCH CORRESPONDENT.

BOULEVARD DES ITALIENS. June 27th, 1855.

CHERE AMIE, DRESSES of moire antique for evening wear are with quilles or flounces of point lace; taffetas dresses are very numerous, and tulles with several skirts are worn by young persons with chatelains of flounces made of crape, which have a very light effect, and scarf mantelets of lace are not unfrequently thrown over the shoulders. Some crape dresses are entirely trimmed with flowers made of straw. Marron is a colour still worn, the heaviness of the tint being relieved by embroidery representing wreaths of blue bells, roses, &c., of light colours; the corsages are with basques, on which these wreaths are repeated, or, instead of embroidery, feather fringe is also used to edge the flounces, &c. Taffetas dresses with double skirts, merely hemmed at the bottom, are worn by young ladies, with plain bodies or white cannezous; these dresses in violet taffetas, blue, or malachite green, are sometimes finished at the waist by a deep fringe, and a narrower one round the bottom of the sleeves, the body always closing to the throat by a row of fancy buttons. These dresses are for very young ladies; those worn by married ladies are ornamented in every variety; those of black taffetas have Grecian designs in coloured velvets: the basques correspond: the front, closing with green buttons, the sleeves formed in deep plaits from the shoulder to the elbow, terminate with a trimming. Other dresses, with double skirts, have the under one hemmed: the other, finished by a fringe falling half-way down the hem of the under skirt, the fringe headed by a ruche. Lilac, pearl gray, and pale green are the favourite colours this season. The taffetas dresses of these colours are either covered with flounces or double skirts; the most elegant are with chicories or ruches of ribbon at the edge of the flounces, which are covered by a flounce of black or white lace, the body high, worn with a mantelet écharpe of lace. Barège dresses this season are mostly confined to negligée toilettes, though they still preserve their pretty simplicity; but cachemire materials they are on grounds of every colour. On the three or five flounces are placed small stripes of cachemire on large pines of mixed colours; another style is with stripes of colour

are newer:

VOL. 28.

contrasting with the colour of the ground. Some plain barèges have the flounces edged by a ruche of taffetas pinked, and they are supported by a lining of taffetas; the bodies of barège and organdy dresses are made full, without basques; the flounces of organdys are edged by a small guipure or lace edging the top flounce, left open in front as tunic, which gives the effect of a basque; the bodies, when only slightly open, are finished with a bouillon extending to the waist; the sleeves are tight at the top, and finished with frills headed by a bouillon; the backs of barège dresses are made full and with ceintures; they also ornament them with berthes rounded behind, and descending as revers in front, or with small trimmings placed on as bretelles or forming small fichu, crossing in front, terminating behind at the waist with bows and ends. This style, however, is only useful for young persons: the sleeves, formed of three bouillons or triple ornaments, giving the effect of a triple sleeve. When the barège dresses are without basques, the bodies are full, with ceinture of wide ribbon and floating ends; but the basques are more generally preferred. There is a new material of still slighter texture than barège, but less flimsy; they, as well as barèges, are worn over silk skirts flounced, which is preferred to lining the flounce.

Stripes have so much the effect of diminishing the size of the waist, that they consequently are much in favour. Moires in this style are very elegant, with broad white stripes edged by a narrow line of contrasting colour with the watteau body, basques, and deep flounces.

Black and white intermixed is the rage of the day, and in every article of toilette may equally be seen. Narrow black velvet is so much in fashion, that there are few toilettes on which it does not appear in some form or other; even the black laces that trim the mantelets or dresses have narrow velvets worked on them in patterns, and loops of very narrow velvets are invariably introduced in trimmings.

Pailles de riz is the bonnet always reserved for the summer season, and rivals with blond, crape, and leghorn. The Pamela is a form much resorted to in paille de riz, tissu d'aloes, and fancy straws. Leghorns are not so numerous as in former years, the size worn is so small that it would require the sacrifice of an expensive material; but many very pretty mixed straws are made, having the effect of dice or lozenges; they are ornamented by roses and field flowers. Straw mixed with chenille are also fashionable. Small fancy voilettes are much worn at the edge of bonnets, and the orna

ments are often drooping flowers placed on the crown, falling on the front and bavolet as streamers of ribbon. Many bonnets are ornamented with noeuds on the crown, with four loops drooping low on the bavolet, whilst others are as bunches or plumes at the sides. We are glad to find a tendency to introduce bonnets that really come on the head. The extravagant manner in which they have been worn will, no doubt, lead to a change. At present they do not come under the name of bonnets.

Very pretty bonnets are made, the fronts being of paille de riz, with crown of pink crape and blond, with demi voilette of blond, and bunches of wild roses. Though marron would be considered, perhaps, a heavy colour for the season, it is nevertheless fashionable, even for bonnets made of crape or ribbon, and bands of open straw. Capucine or orange is a colour also used at present, intermixed with open straw and black velvet. Belgic straws are also ornamented by narrow black velvet, and trimmed with black, edged by black lace coquillés; a nœud of black velvet is placed very near the brim on one side the other is ruché, with black face and straw. The cap inside is with wheat ears and wild flowers.

The mantelets écharpe continue to be those most in favour; but there appears to be a returning to favour of the tight basquines, which are very elegant with slight tall figures, but they require to be very handsome. China crape shawls are now again in demand, and, from the richness of their embroidery, form very elegant additions to rich toilettes. The coldness of the season has hardly yet admitted of the elegant lace and muslin toilettes so generally seen at this time; but the sunny warm days, we hope still in store, will quickly cause their appearance on the promenade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVINGS.

PLATE I.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of taffetas, with high body and basques; skirt with three flounces, ornamented by a bouillon of ribbon put on in vandykes. Mantelet of violet taffetas, with vandyked frills of the same and deep fall of lace. Bonnet of paille crape in folds, with flowers.

Carriage Dress. - Robe of grenadine, with graduated stripes forming tucks wove in the material; high body, with lace collar. Mantelet of white lace. Bonnet of pink crape trimmed with white lace.

Public Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of pink barège with triple skirt, each edged by a wide ribbon, and narrower one above; jacket-body to correspond, with bretelles of ribbon; bouillon sleeves terminating with frills. Capote of paille de riz and lace.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas with jacket-body and triple sleeves edged by a narrow velvet; the skirt with flounces to correspond. Bonnet of fancy straw and guipure.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of pearl gray moire; jacket-body a little open in front and laced across; the basque in tabs also laced, and sleeves to match, not extending below the elbow; full bouillon and lace sleeves under. Bonnet of paille de riz and white silk with flowers.

PLATE II.

Promenade Dress.-Robe à disposition, of taffetas in alternate stripes, violet and green; the body is high, with bretelles terminating in long ends of green taffetas, the body being of violet, and the sleeves formed of frills of the alternate colours. Capote of crape and lace ruche at the edge, the nœuds being formed of crape edged with lace.

Walking Dress.-Robe of barège; the body full; the skirt covered with flounces. Pardessus with sleeves of blue taffetas,

Child's Dress.-Frock of muslin, the skirt covered with flounces, and the body ornamented with bretelles. Leghorn hat with pink rosettes and brides.

Young Ladies' Dress.-Robe of mousseline cachemire, the skirt covered by flounces, ornamented with rows of narrow black velvet; jacket-body, the basque and bell sleeves trimmed with narrow velvet to match. Capote in bouillons of taffetas and bands of straw.

Walking Dress.-Robe of taffetas; high body with basques; bell sleeves trimmed with velvet. Capote à caulisses with lace edge.

Carriage Dress.-Robe of striped silk with full plain skirt, and body with basques. Mantelet of embroidered muslin, and pink crape bonnet.

PLATE IV.

Déjeuner Dress.-Robe of chiné taffetas with flounces; high body, with revers and triple bell sleeves. Bonnet in bouillons, with crape flowers.

Young Ladies' Dress.-Frock of checked silk, with high body and bretelles of ribbon; bouillon sleeve terminating with frill. Straw bonnet trimmed with ribbon.

Promenade Dress.-Robe of foulard, with double skirt edged by bias; jacket of the same, trimmed with frills, and sleeves to correspond. Bonnet, lace and paille de riz.

Walking Dress-Robe of striped silk, ornamented up the sides of the skirt by bands of velvet and buttons; the body and sleeves corresponding. Mantelet shawl of taffetas trimmed with two rows of lace. Capote of tulle and lace.

Walking Dress.-Robe of spotted muslin with flounces, and full body with ribbon ceinture. Talma cloak of taffetas, ornamented with velvet trimmings. Bonnet of tissu paille, and taffetas with flowers.

PLATE V.

Little Girls' dress, made of pink silk, and trimmed with puffings of the same, edged with white gimp.

Carriage bonnet, of fancy straw and white satin ribbon mixed with blond.

Promenade chapeau, of primrose silk, with narrow bands of purple velvet across the crown. The cap is of blond, with purple heartseases in it.