wall of the staircase, near the top of the tower, are some Latin hexameter verses, comprising the abbreviated names of the British sovereigns from William the Conqueror to Charles the First.

These lines were, in all probability, the effusion of some poetical inmate of an upper apartment of the building, in the time of the monarch last named; the votaries of the muse, having been, as it would appear, no uncommon inhabitants of the place, several pieces of poetry are extant containing allusions to Islington and its most interesting architectural relic. The following is a specimen, and supports the statement that in the course of its various fortunes the sons of song honoured

it :

"Old Canonbury tow'r, an ancient pile,

To various fates assign'd, and where, by turns.
Meanness and grandeur have alternate reign'd.
Hither in later days, hath genius fled,

From yonder city, to respire and die.

Here the sweet bard of Auburn sat and tun'd
The plaintive moanings of his village dirge.

Here learned Chambers, treasur'd lore for men,

And Newbery here, his A B, C,s for babes."

Canonbury, the various families into which the property has passed, the number of persons known to fame that have occupied its apartments, and the historical events with which it is identified or connected, if treated of fully, would fill a goodly volume.

LINES.

ON SEEING THE PORTRAIT OF A LOST FRIEND.

TAKE from my sight those dyes so calm, and cold!
Not thus they looked on me in days of old,

Those orbs so stilly set,

While mine with tears are wet,

Thy soul more soft, thine heart of gentler mould.
Turu, turn away that cold, unmeaning smile,
Round lips beloved, in silence sealed the while:
They smiled to cheer my gladness,
Tney sighed to soothe my sadness
They breathe no more, my fond heart to beguile!
In vain I seek some cherished sign to see
Of living love, in yon pale shade of thee:
Crossed on the tranquil breast,

Those arms, in passive rest,

Stretch forth no more, with joy to welcome me!
Take from my sight the semblance sad and cold,
Of face and form I may no more behold:
Fond memory's faithful part
Outlives the limner's art;

And throws a varying hue, a living grace.
Around her portraits of the once-loved face

COTTAGE FLOWERS.

I.

On look ye on the damask rose she is the garden's pride
With her fragrant buds unfolding in beauty by her side;
How like a crowned queen she sits, upon her graceful stem,
And the dew-drops of the morning are her fairy diadem!

The lily standeth near her, with her breast of stainless white,

And the jasmine flowers, that gleam like stars amid the silent night;
Her scented breath upon the air the honeysuckle flings,

And midst the grass beneath our feet, the lowly violet springs.

II.

Oh, flowers are ever beautiful, but loveliest I ween,

When clustering round some cottage-door, their graceful forms are seen; Lending to poverty a grace, a charm without alloy,

And gladdening hearts that may, perchance, have little else of joy.

The wealth, the pride of lordly halls, the peasant knoweth not,
His hopes, his fears, are gathered round one lone and lowly spot;
Yet there the glancing sunbeams play, the dews as softly fall:
And the flowers, a blessed boon are they, that God hath given to 11.

LONDON FASHIONS FOR THE MONTH.

We need hardly observe that full dress is in its greatest splendour this month; independent of the impetus given to fashion by our Gracious Sovereign's nuptials, this month is one in which the winter fashions are always more brilliant because they draw near their close, for April if fine, will bring with it some slight changes in the demi saison style, but these are as yet totally undecided; let us see then what variations we have to announce at present.

Those in out door costume are very slight indeed: cloaks continue their vogue both in plain walking dress and carriage costume; those of cachemirienne figured in colours seem to be most in request in the former, they are made in a plain style, and without trimming. We should observe that they are intended only for complete negligé. Shawl cloaks of satin or rich plain silk of dark colours are also in favour in walking dress, they are handsome without being too dressy, - they are always made with hoods, and bordered either with chenille fringe, or fancy velvet. It was supposed that fur trimmings would increase in favour as the season advanced, but the contrary has been the case, for they are less seen than ever. Drawn bonnets and wadded ones have totally disappeared, those of velvet or silk, with the materials laid on plain, being the only ones adopted: there is no alteration either in their forms or trimmings.

A change in the forms of bonnets is however confidently talked of, and indeed has already partially appeared in carriage dress; but even if it does not take place, which it is not yet a matter of certainty, it will not become general till the summer fashions are announced. The crowns of these bonnets instead of being placed quite horizontally, are moderately high, though not exactly perpendicular; the brims are shorter at the ears, decidedly wider, and a little but very little deeper; they are made in the usual materials, velvet, rep velvet, or satin; the latter seems to be more in favour than it was in the beginning of the season. We have seen some groseille satin bonnets trimmed with white lace draperies, and white marabouts; the draperies are arranged so as to form a triple row of points falling over the crown, they are terminated at the bottom of it on one side by a nœud of ribbon with floating ends, which droops upon the brim; and on the other by a tuft of fancy feathers, the tips of which descend upon the neck.

Furs are not much more seen in carriage than in walking dress; a few shawls or cloaks are indeed bordered with sable, but chenille fringe and fancy silk trimmings of various kinds are much more in vogue. This is not however the case with the cloaks or shawls adopted as wraps for evening parties, the majority being trimmed, and many lined, with ermine or sable.

Evening robes are composed of plain or rep velvets, and the rich silks or satins, either plain or figured, that we have already cited. Figured or flowered silks with large patterns or stripes are adopted by many élegantes, but they are by no means in a majority: they are however upon the whole more worn than small patterns, but plain materials are still more generally adopted.

Peaked corsages continue their vogue in full dress; indeed no others are worn; the upper part of the corsage is however left to the fancy of the fair wearer-it may be either draped, plain, or disposed en cœur according to the kind of ornaments with which it is intended to decorate it. Some draped à la Tyrolienne in front, are trimmed in the mantilla style with lace round the back and shoulders. Others are made plain, but ornamented either with a round or pointed Berthe of foreign lace. Speaking of lace we must observe that antique point retains its supremacy; if the front of the bust is decorated with folds en cœur, the lace is usually disposed standing up round the bust, but in any case the corsage is cut low round the top, so low indeed that we have more than once wished that a tucker, one

of those really delicate appendages to full dress that our great great grandmothers styled a Modesty Piece, would once more become fashionable. In truth a reform in this respect is very much wanted, and we would just hint en passant to our fair readers, that it would be a measure of policy as well as delicacy. But we are forgetting that we are the describers and not the inventors of fashions. To return then to our subject, lace when employed to decorate the corsage is generally used also for the sleeves, and the border of the skirt: there are however some exceptions to this rule, for we have seen dresses with the corsage and sleeves adorned with lace, and the border with fancy silk trimming,-this is not unusual with velvet robes. Short sleeves, the lower part disposed in two bouillons are those most in favour.

The style of head-dresses is not less magnificent than that of robes. The various superb coiffures which we have already noticed continue their vogue. We may cite as novelties in great request with youthful matrons, velvet toquets, and lace caps a la Ninon. The first are of various colours, but we think that white and some full shades of red predominate. The front of the Aurcole form, is composed of folds of velvet, and ornamented either with a sprig of silver foliage placed so as to droop from one side to the other, or a bouquet of marabouts arranged in the same manner with a jewelled ornament attached at the base of the bouquet. The caps (if caps they may be called) are composed of lace lappets of a large size : one is attached on each side of the front hair and tastfully intermingled with a sprig of flowers, which droops over it; there is no caul, consequently while these pretty coiffures ornament the hair in the most graceful style; they also display it in all its luxuriance. Fashionable colours have experienced no change since the appearance of our last number.

IT is from evening and ball dress that we must this month draw the materials of our article. Robes in the first are composed of the rich silks, plain and fancy velvets and satins, which we have announced in our preceding numbers. Some, but not the majority are ornamented with ermine, which in some instances is disposed in a broad band encircling the border, and in others is arranged down the fronts, and round the bottom of the skirt in the tunic style; in this latter

case the ermine is disposed in the form of a V on the corsage, and is tastfully intermingled with the bouillons of the sleeve. Lace trimmings are however in a majority, particularly those both black and white, with the patterns wrought in gold thread. An excessively pretty trimming, and one that is very novel, is composed of puffs of gold or silver gauze, inserted obliquely in the borders of silk or velvet dresses.

Crape, tulle, and organdy are the materials employed for ball robes. The tunic form retains its vogue. Several have the front of the skirt ornamented with nœuds Pompadour ; the tunic is raised in drapery on each side by means of a rose, or blue ribbons intermingled with a trimming composed of bouillons. For ball dresses of a splendid description, the border of the robe is frequently embroidered in gold or silver in a light pattern, with which the tunic corresponds. Velvetflowers are also a good deal employed for the decorations of ball dresses: dark green velvet foliage, intermingled with small gold berries is a favourite ornament for looping the sides of the robe or tunic. The draperies of the corsage, and also the manchettes and mancherons are similarly decorated; and it is de rigeur that a wreath to correspond should adorn the hair. Another and still more novel ball dress-ornament is composed of sprigs of coral; they are made of the most extreme lightness, and employed to loop the trimming or sometimes the skirt of the dress. Coral, which has not during several years, been in fashion, for trinkets, is now very much in vogue. Coral wreaths, sprigs of flowers, or single flowers are very fashionable for head-dresses of hair. We must observe that the style of hair-dressing remains nearly the same as at the beginning of the season. Soft loops and platted bands are fashionable, but ringlets are in a decided majority; the hind hair is dressed as low as ever, but there is a greater display made of it. Several head-dresses of hair are ornamented only with a row of pearls which cross the forehead, and are attached on each side by large gold pins with the heads wrought in gold filigree work.

Turbans retain their vogue, particularly velvet ones. Some of the most elegant are made without a foundation so as to suffer the hair to be seen. Others are made with a very small foundation of gold-net or pearls. A new and very beautiful fancy feather called Oiseau Royal, is very much employed to decorate turbans. Several of those of point lace are ornamented at the sides with points of lace, looped at the temples, either by jewelled clasps, or half-wreaths of roses. We have no change to announce in fashionable colours this month,