A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4419, 12 July 1884, Page 3

A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON.

Femlnfcw Facts, Fonoies, Foiblos, and

Frivolities.

BY ELISE,

The London Season—Nkw Zealand Folk in Town—The Auadehy Private View—Miss fortesque—plctohks ov note—mohoana no Marhiaok of thb Giiand Duke ov Hksse—An Bbclandhe—Poou Beatrice— Oiiikitonh—Shopping in Heoent-stbebt and OxFOHD-STKEBT- PaBAHOLB—TIIE lIKALTH Exhibition—Makino Lollies, Soap, and SCKMT, MODISL IUICKUIKS, KTtt—NEW JiOOICB —Two SONOB—Till! COAOHINa CLUB MKISTFOSTfICIHI'T.

London, May 23. Dear Mv Editor,—Of all placos in tho wido world I think London in at tho prosont time tho most dolightful. Some peoplo protond to prefor living down in tho country at this timo of tho year, but that is .simply bocauso thoy don't know what's good. Lator on in tho season, tlio woathcr gets too hot and town becomes opprossivo, but dining tho early part of May,when tho sun shinos brightly, tho Parks aro a shower of groon, our toilotCH aro fresh and now.and our ploasurew as ondlcss as thoy arc multifarious, ono docs enjoy life Tho other day Tom brought homo an old Christchurch f riond of ours, who has como to Europe to show his eldest hopo (a nico lad of 17) somo of tho sights of tho Old World. Tho boy was on joying himself intonsely. " I should nover liavo thought London was bo beautiful," ho said to mo enthusiastically. " Ouo sees nothing of tho misory and poverty I havo read about, only boundless wealth and luxury, and itn unending panorama of boautiful sight". Till wo ourao Homo wo scorn only to havo existed, now I live tkurouyhly overy hour of the day." His father shook his hoad over this youthful oxhuberance, remarking to mo presently that he foared ho had made a mistako in bringing tho boy, as it would probably lead to his being discontented with tho colonios. Moth Tom and myself atrenuously combated this idoa. We aro both groat advocates for lads who havo careers boforo thorn in tho colonies spending a few ycara of their youth in Europe. So far from rendering them discontented, it broadens their minds, enables them to draw fair comparisons botwoon tho Old World and tho Now, and to boo clearly tho special advantages and drawbacks of colonial life, Men who live thirty-fivo or forty years at tho antiixxlos, and thon eomo to Europe, seldom if ever enjoy thoinwlves or crcato a good impression. Some day I will toll you about a uiriking example of this theory, but not now. Already too much timo and spaco hftvo boon wasted ovor "gush." It in rather late in tho day to tell you about tho privatoviowattheAcademy,so I'll simply content myself with remarking that I nover beforo saw such a throng of peers, statesmen, actor*, artists, soldiorn, bishops, poots, judges, and wvunti under ono roof boforo. Miss Fortcscuo, in a black lace gown, with a small white lace bonnot and mud', wiw ono of tho most observed of observers, and divided attention with a romarkublo Amorican boauty in a whito ottoman silk skirt with n short plush jackob iv a lovely shado of green. Tlie hut worn with it was of immense sizo, and made of tho same plush as tho jackot. Altogether, a most eccentric get up. Next to Mr Vicat Colos's lovely landacapo of " Maplcdurlmm Lock," tho oil painting in thin yoar'i Academy I should liko to havo beat in " Tho King and Ills Hatollites," by Mr Briton Rivioro, It is a picture showing a lion— [minted in a very strong and forciblo mar nor —standing in tho desert watching the dawn slowly breaking, with a crowd of cunning, cruel jackals prowling in all attitudes boliind him. The noble dignity of tho king of boasts, as well as his evident loneliness, lltU! been admirably portrayod, and contrasts powerfully with tlio moan, cringing orowd of jackals. Mr Riviere painted this as a companion picture to tho three liona prowling at nightfall nmoii[' tho Tombs, which created such a favourable impression threo years ago. Tho Royal wedding festivities at Darmstadt wound up, an you have probably heard, with something extremely liko an cwlaiidrt, Tho Grand Duko himself has for somo yoaru been secretly attached to a very rich and very beaut if ul divorcee, Madame do kalemino, and on tho evening of tUo Princes* Victoria's innrriago with I'rince Louis of Battonburg, ho absolutely conkractod a morganatic union with hor. This happened, ploaso remember, under our rigorously respectable Qnoon's very nose, and at a time wnen tho dooeaso of hi* first wifo w«s (consequently on tho publication of horlotters) fresh in ovoryone'sminds. Only a fow day* previously tho disconsolate widower snd tho rocontly-borcavod mothor had mingled their tear* together ovor tondor momorios of Loopold and Alico. Tho Queen wont to Darmstadt specially to do honour to tho Grand Duko. On tho day of tho royal wedding sho blessed him graciously, but tho noxt morning, when news roachod her of his morganatic union (porforniod at nightfall, and not even solemnised by tho Church) with a lndy of by no means stainless rcputo, hor wrath was exceeding great. The Crown Princess of Prussia loft Darmstadt at onco, but tho Queon rosolvod on tho wisor course of ignoring tho wholo affuir, moroly visiting her anger on tho Grand Duke personally. Morganatic marriages aro very common in Gormany. To go no furthor than tho Grand Duko's own family, liia brothor Henry is married to tho daughter of v. Hessian Colonol, PrincoCharlesofElectoral Hesso to the daughtor of Count Grote, and, to como still nearer homo, Princo Louis of Battonborg is tho eon of a Hossian Princo, and tho ConnteßS of Hancko, whoso children by a spcoial law aro known as Princes and Princesses of Battouborg ; while the Tocks aro tho children of a Wartomburg Royal Duko and of a Countess of Hohenctein, who never took hor husband's rank.

The other day I visited sovoral shops in Regent, Oxford, Bond, and Sloano-atreets rospectlrnly, that I might toko notes for tho bonefit of my colonial readers ; straining memory to retain details no loss than to possess myself of thoso general impressions which often have to aerve in place of details too lengthy to bo given here. I observed at a largo and fashionablo draper's a number of sunshades apparently made of some thin flaxen material spotted with coloured bird seye spote. Thero was no lining to them, the ribs showing plainly through. Those were intended for wear With tho now cambrics nndombroidorod nuns' veil drosses, which are also eprinklod with coloured spots and other fancy figures. These small patterns aro very gonoral. Fashion is in extromos just now. Eithor tho designs aro immense— embracing tulips, peonies, rosos, and other largo flowers; or otherwise, fashionablo materials are powdered with minute dots, tiny squares, half-moons, and similar designs. Palo bluo cambrics and nuns' veil, with red, dark blue, bluo and white, and red and white patterns, aro visible in all tho shop windows. Bluo cambric handkerchiefs, with coloured boardori, and hoso to match, can always bo purchased en suite. In colours, palo, pink, and blue aro rivals, but tho lattor is certainly first favourite Tho rago for accordian plaiting oxtonds oven to parasol covers. At ono vory fashionable shop I noticod both whito and cream-coloured sunshades overlaid with lace, accordinn fashion ; othor shades wero massed with cream or white patterned note, tho folds being so voluminous as to provont their closing in any compact form. Simpler parasols hare a shell pattern in laco on each section, with a wide flounco of laco below. This flounco is attached by means of beads of pearl or jot according to tho colour of tho shade to be decorated. Tho beads are sewn on about two inches or less apart. Pearshapod pearls are often used instead of the more common round ones. At the top tho lace is often turned up to form a cup. A train of velvet wallflowers has a very pleasing effect when placed in a slanting direction extending downwards from tho apox. Rod parasols in satin and Turkoy twill aro vory general, but they only look well with aii all-black toilet, or with on« in which thero is some harmony of colour. I saw tho other day a red sunshade carried by the wearer of a pale blue dress dashed with crimson, and thought it effective, but I should hardly care to repeat those effects too often. For women who have not large allowances for dress it is better, in my opinion, to buy two or perhaps three inexpensive parasols to match the various dresses they possess, rather than a single costly sunshade, which beautiful though it be in itself, will never appear to advantage if ill-contrasted with any dress to which it ia tho prominent adjunct. A plain black parasol, covered with beaded not or otherwise trimmed with lace, is an excellent " stand by." A creamcoloured parasol will harmonise with many fflte dresacs, and there aro also some inexpensive sunshades in solf-colouvod materials fined with chintz, which aro vory proity; or the buyer may selSct ono all-red shado, making a complement of throe or four modwate-priced eim-protectors, which will

ensure harmony in this important detail of * the out-door summer toilet. The most useful en tout cas which serve to protect from sun and shower alike are principally made in shot silks, with great porcelain knobs as terminations to the handle. Wo went to sco tho revival of " Tho Rivals " at the Haymarket the other evening, and were much pleased with tho mounting, which, despite all the critics say, is simply perfect. Mrs Bornard Beere played the usually second - rate part of "Julia," with extraordinary effect, looking a perfect picture in a riding dress of dark claret velvet with a largo hat and long drooping feather. The newly-oponed Hoalth Exhibition lies within a fow minutes' walk of this house. Wo havo been thero onco or twice and taken a hurried scamper through the principal galleries, but to investigate them all thoroughly would occupy weeks. Being of a housowifely disposition, the portion that interested me as much as any was tho western gallery, where tho processes of sweetmeat - making, jam, mustard, and chocolate manufacture aro carried on daily. With children there is no stand in tho wholo exhibition so popular as that of tho Messrs Allen and Sons, who keep 25 people omployed there in tho making, packing, andjsalo of sweets. Tho other afternoon tho cooks wore busy ovor aoid, poar, and pinoapplo drops, and very delicious thoy proved. I boliovo Volckmann supplios tho colonial market with boiled sugar goods, but I can honestly Bay I never cither saw or tasted any at all o-iual to thoso of Allen and Sons', of Bishopgato-Htreet. Thero are endless othor stalls of sweets at tho Exhibition, most of them much moro expensive, but Allen's wore tho best. In tho saint way, after watching the process of soap-making, wo awarded tho palm to Pear's rather than Cleaver's. CosneH's "Blush Rose" bouquet wasonall hands pronounced the moit delightful scent, and Beach's jams the finest preserves. In my next lotter I shall try and describe some of tlio features of tho dress departments, which contain many interesting and useful novelties. Tho model bakeries, dairies, and gymnasiums must also bo noticed, as well u« tho street of furnished rooms, which aro marvels of luxurious comfort.-

Passing out of tho Exhibition on Tuesday, wo camo upon a grill for Australasian mutton, and noar it tho Vegetarian Society supply a filling meal of all sorts of oddities for ninepence. The popular meals with the multitude, however, t-eem to be the sixpenny and shilling dinners provided by the School of Cookery, who hold lectures, practically illustrated, twice a day. Tom gave mo such a strange, clever book to read the other day. - It is called "The lliddon Picture," and was written by a young girl—a Miss Carrick Brodip—who has made the hit of tho season (so far) with it. Tho scene is laid in Italy, at the timo whon tho French, ruled by the first Napoloon, were supremo there, and the story deals with the thrilling advontures and hair-breadth escapes of Nina dc Castcllas, daughter of a rebel duko, I'ho supreme interest of tho tale, however, centres in a terriblo walk underground, which the hero and heroine aro driven to undortako to save thoir livee. The passage traverses the family vaults and burying places of many Florence nobles, and some of them aro full of ghastly sights and of corruption. Miwsßrodit describes her heroine'ssensations with wonderful power; in fact, tho halfdozen chapters that deal with this episode would aloive suilice to stamp her as.a very clever woinun.

All who liko thoatrioul gossip should road Irving'n " linpreßsioiiH of America." It in naturally a very ephemeral work, written to meet the taste of tlio hour, but you can tako v volume of it at any time and read a bit anywhere. Mr Joseph Hatton makes the utmost of Ilia material, and Home of the great tragedian's jcitx d'csi>rit are well worth chronicling. Cheap editions of .Mr Edward Kennard's snorting story. "The Hight Sort," and of Hamilton AiduV " Introduced to Society," tiro announced, and out of compliment to the Diiko of Albany (who was much interested in it when ho died), Mr Bentley moaiiH togivo uh a six shilling edition of .F.S. 1,0 Fann'a ghastly ghost Htorie?, "In ;i GUvr Darkly." I have not heard any new song* myself lately, but Mr Louis Engel speaks very highly of two by Mies Louisa Gray, " Kvoning Star "and " She and I." \\a attended the meet of tho Coaching Club on Saturday, nnd a tino turnout it was. Twenty-eightdrogs und all superbly horsed. I liked a team of blue roans bent, but with tho majority of onlookers, Lord Charles Bcresford'* splendid bays seemed most popular. |».S.—lt is now stated that the Duko of Hcase's morganatic marriage with Mdmedo Kalomoino will not bo consummated. Tho nowly-woddod couple eepnrnted directly after tho civil ceremony, nnd I hear tho Queen has persuaded her son in-law to go no further in tho matter. Somo of tho paper* pretend Her Majesty knew of the affair beforehand, but of couree that is nonsoiso. Sho would either have interdicted tho ceremony or left Darmstadt at once as the Princess Koynl did.