LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 28, 11 July 1891, Page 156

LONDON.

Dear Bee, May 18. We aie having a cold spring, though not so bad as that expeiienced on the Continent. I see that the Riga Bay, which had been opened for the season, has been closed by ice, imprisoning twenty-nine steamers. The little King of Spain is to be posed for his statue as ‘saluting the national Hag.’ For a long time the sculptor could not hit upon a happy attitude, until one day the child spiarg up as a legimental band passed the Palace and saluted. He looked so nice that the sculptor at once decided en that pose. The little king said: ‘Please, sir, make me big, very big, and with a long moustache.’ 1 was very glad to notice that the London Graphic gives apiiminent place to a letter from a lady, who says: ‘lf you could but induce fashion not to abolish the shoit skiit of the days when lawn tennis was new—a dress which everyone welcomed, and which no one, to my knowledge, has wearied of—you would do more to increase the world's happiness than if you had abolished the toothache.’ In a previous issue a gentleman suggests that walking dresses should not lengthen after a young lady enteis her teens. This may not suit eveiyone, t ut surely no woman in her senses would object to a walking diess two inches cfl' the ground. I ice that in I'aris the circular deep ca|es, known as <sii:ails, are beirg all sold < tf at a very low figure— a proof that their day isover. In England they wilH.eworn until the hot weather makes us take to dain'y little fichus and capes of ribbon and lace. Laige hats and in all bonnets are much worn.

Sheffield has suH’eied terribly from the inHuenza, the rate of mortality having risen in one week to 57 per I.CCO per annum. Some wiseacres say this heavy death-rate is due to dreadful overcrowding in Sheffield. I went to the Royal Academy the other day, and greatly enjoyed the pictures, though the critics tell us that the exhibition is decidely inferior to that of last year. I suppose it has been too cold to [taint. A picture that is sine to attract is called ‘ On Strike,’ and repiesents a life-sized British workman leaning against bis cottage door; his wife, who has a very weak, pale little child in her arms, is laying her hand on liis shoulder, as though entreating him to go to work. It is by Mr Hubert Herkomer. Have you ever danced a cotillon ? They are very popular at our balls just now, and are great fun. The • RailwayTicket ’ figure is quite new and sure to become popular. Do you know it ? A lady and gentleman stand within a screen, and distribute tickets with the names of different towns on them. Those who get the same towns have to dance together. But so many gifts aie introduced into the figures that the cotillon’ becomes rather an expensive affair.

It is such fun, dear Bee, hearing clever people produce marvellous scientific theoiies to account for the bad weather and the inHuenza. One idea is that we have used up too much electricity for lighting and motive power, and so have destroyed the balance of the atmosphere. Conservatives put it all down to Mr Gladstone, as if the grand old man could or would do anything which would in any way bring evil upon bis beloved countiy.

The Queen has been so distressed at the cruel treatment of horses and mules at Grasse, that she has requested the Society for the Pievention of Cruelty to Animals to send an officer to repoit on the subject. Her Majesty sets a very good example to us all. The way ladies leave their horses and coachmen and footmen waiting about in the cold whilst they discuss afternoon tea, or ‘ look in ' for an hour or two during the night at various balls and ‘ at homes ' is absolute cruelty to animals if you like. Of course I have been to the Royal Naval Exhibition at Chelsea, but I was rather disgusted to be chivied, as Tom calls it, from place to place, from gallery to gallery, because the Royal Party wished to make an uninterrupted tour of the exhibition, and we ordinary folk were hustled out of their way. Why could they not have paid their visit when the general public was not admitted? However, I am truly loyal, and rejoiced, in the Heeting glance I caught of the Queen, to see how- well she looked. Her Majesty was taken round in a bath chair, and appealed very much interested at the effect shot and shell have on heavy armour, also with a diver who showed how he went down to examine the keel of a vessel. The Queen went inside the huge iceberg, which contains pictures of those ships of Arctic exploration fame which were nipped in the ice. There was also a mimic naval battle on a tiny lake, which was very interesting. But perhaps a description of the dresses worn by the Royal visitors will interest you. The Princess of Wales looked lovely in moss green velvet, the long plain skirt being hemmed with gold. She had a pointed vest of beautiful gold embroidery, with revers of fox fur. The bonnet was of gold passementerie, trimmed with moss green velvet, and green and gold ospreys in front. H.R.H. does not believe in following any fashion which is not becoming, so objects to ugly Hat hats with nothing to relieve the face. Princess Maude of Wales hail such a stylish dark blue cloth gown, made with a centaur belt of blue velvet braided all round with silver. She also wore a black fancy straw hat, in a soit of turban shape, relieved with dark red roses. Princess Christian, mother of the Princess Louise who is to marry Prince Ariber t (does not that sound Cockney ?), was in black with wide bands of turquoise blue strapped over the shoulders. Princesses Victoria and Louise had similar gowns of tan cloth, short black velvet mantles, and gold and black hats. The Princess of Wales opened the Exhibition with a little golden key. Are you interested in theosophy ? Some people I knoware quite wild about it. They are great admirers of Madame Blavatsky, who pretended to perform wonderful miracles, such as reading sealed letters, etc. But it was found out that the envelopes had been opened by steaming them with hot water. Mrs Besant believed in her until her death, which took place a few days ago. She was really an excellent mesmerist, and could make people do all sorts of funny things. She smoked heaps of cigarettes. She was twice married, but ran away from General Blavatsky directly the wedding was over. I suppose you ate shivering with cold, and will go on shivering whilst we are just going to get warm. Alas 1 for the hopes of some of our politically enthusiastic women. Almost all the leading men in the House of Commons have voted against female suffrage. Is it not sad ? But one leading paper suggests that women might agitate successfully for equality in the divoice laws. A lady was deserted by her husband, who had gone off to your part of the world with another woman The cast off wife wanted a divorce, but was refused because cruelty from her husband to herself was not proved. Had she been the deserter, the husband would have easily obtained a divorce. It is not fair that men should make laws for women.

I have just been reading an account of the menu at the Royal Academy banquet, in Truth. The writer declares she thought artists ate roses and lilies, and is amazed they should condescend to such dainties as turtle soap, saddle of mutton, spring chicken, and new potatoes. Her description of some of the dresses worn at the private view at the new gallery is so much better than the one 1 had prepared, that I venture to quote a few items: ‘A veiy tall and graceful actress wore an old-world dress of pale blue and green shot silk, and a picture hat crowned with feathers. A sweet-faced woman in fawncolonr had a waistcoat of brocade, and her revers turned back with pinkish silk to match the roses on the brocade. One girl had a gown of pale fawn woollen material, with a large bow of palest green Liberty silk tied at her throat, the wide ends falling straight to her feet. A thick tweed gown was dotted all along the outlines with small Huffy bits of yellow and oiange, exactly like dried everlasting Howers. I saw a very sweet gown in Bond-street in silk striped cri-pe of the ] akst biscuit-colour. It was made with a long polonaise. The bodice was full from the shoulders, the sidie-picces under the aims and the greater portion cf the I ack being made of grey shot silk with golden fawn stars. These sides are continued to form a long tasselled sash, which falls to the feet in fiont. The silk underskirt is braided with white round the edge, which produces a very good effect when [>eeps of it aie seen be-

neath the polonaise. The bodice has a deep collar and revers turned back from biscuit coloured emoroidery, the sleeves of the shot silk. Among the capes was a fawn cloth gathered into a green collar, encrusted with lines of emeiald, gold, and jet. It was lined with black velvet, and could be turned up or down. Epaulets matched the embroidered collar.’ Black tulle hats are very stylish, trimmed with roses and jet, also with convolvuli.

A City Mouse.