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otters of fashion there have been very few | silk, with four flounces, and corresponding waistchanges since our last publication. We are in coat. The waistcoat now takes the first place in a the midst of the gay season, but its modes, until lady's toilette, and may be considered a triumph disturbed by the approach of spring, were fixed of luxury and elegance, reviving every description before the holidays, and for the most part have of embroidery, and forcing the jewellers to be conalready been reported. The Paris journals, we stantly bringing out some novelty in buttons, &c. may remark, however, dwell much on the unusual It is made very simple or very richly ornamented: ascendency of black, in furs, velvets, cloths, and for instance, those of the most simple description other heavy stuffs, for walking and carriage dress- are made either of black velvet, embroidered with es, and on the greater demand than in recent win- braid, and fastened with black jet buttons, or of ters for every species of embroidery. cachemire; and a pretty style, of straw color. embroidered in the same colored silk, and closed with fancy silk bell buttons, whilst a few may be seen in white, quilted and embroidered with oak leaves and rose-buds. The rich style of waistcoat being covered with embroideries, and being closed up the front with buttons of brilliants. neral rule, the waistcoat is made high up the throat, round which is a fall of lace, or opens en caur, having a fichu à plastron of embroidery, worn under. The waistcoat has also two pockets.

In the first of the above figures, representing a promenade costume, we have a high dress of rich silk; the skirt has plaided tucks woven in the material; it is long, and very full. Manteau of velvet, very richly embroidered; a broad black lace is set on round the shoulders in the style of a cape, and the cloak is embroidered above it. Capote of white silk, of a very elegant form, with deep bavolet or curtain; a droop of small feathers on the left side. The second figure, or visiting costume, of heavy

As a ge

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THE AZTECS AT THE SOCIETY LIBRARY. ba, Copan, or Papantla. In the great work OR several weeks the attention of the cu- of Lord Kingsborough are collected many to a remarkable ethnological exhibition at and learning; Mr. Prescott has combined the Society Library. Two persons, scarcely with a masterly hand the traditions of the larger than the fabled gentlemen of Lilliput, country; and Mr. Stevens and Mr. Squier have (though one is twelve or thirteen and the done much in the last few years to render us other eighteen years of age), of just and even familiar with the more accessible and probably elegant proportions, and physiognomies strik- most significant ruins which illustrate the civing and peculiar, but not deficient in intellectilization of the race subdued by the Spaniards; or refinement, have been visited by throngs of idlers in quest of amusement, wonder-seekers, and the profoundest inquirers into human history. Until very recently, Mexico was properly described as Terra Incognita. The remains of nations are there shrouded in oblivion, and cities, in their time surpassing Tadmor and Thebes, untrodden except by the jaguar and the ocelot. A few persons, indeed, attracted by uncertain rumors of ancient grandeur in Palenque, have visited her temples and tombs

There to track

Fallen states and empires o'er a land

Which was the mightiest in her high command,
And is the loveliest-

but no one has been found to read the hiero-
glyphics of Tolteca, to disclose the history of
the dwellers in Anahuac, to make known the
annals of the rise and fall of Tlascala, Otum-

VOL. V. NO. III.-19

but still Central America is unexplored. In the second volume of the work of Mr. Stevens, he mentions that a Roman Catholic priest of Santa Cruz del Quiche told him marvellous stories of a "large city, with turrets white and glittering in the sun," beyond the Cordilleras, where a people still existed in the condition of the subjects of Montezuma. He proceeds:

"The interest awakened in us, was the most thrilling I ever experienced. One look at that city, was worth ten years of an every-day life. If he is right, a place is left where Indians and a city exist, as Cortez and Alvarado found them; there are living men who can solve the mystery that hangs over the ruined cities of America; who can, perhaps, go to Copan and read the inscription on its monuments. No subject more exciting and attractive presents itself to any mind, and the deep impression in my mind will never be effaced. Can it be true? Being now in my sober senses, 1

dren" have the phrenological and general appearance of the ancient Mexican sculptures, and may well be regarded for their probable origin, their physical structure, or their mere appearance, as among the most wonderful speciinens of humanity." We assent to the following paragraph by Mr. Horace Greeley, whose testimony agrees with the common impressions they have produced:

do verily believe there is much ground to suppose that what the Padre told us is authentic. That the region referred to does not acknowledge the government of Gautamala, and has never been explored, and that no white man has ever pretended to have entered it; I am satisfied. From other sources we heard that a large ruined city was visible; and we were told of another person who had climbed to the top of the sierra, but on account of the dense clouds rising upon it, he had not been able to see any thing. At all events, the belief at the village of Chajul is general, and a curiosity is aroused that burns to be satisfied. We had a craving desire to reach the mysterious city. pensity in human nature-an 'organ,' as the phre No man if so willing to peril his life, could under-nologists would phrase it—that finds gratification take the enterprise, with any hope of success, within the inspection and scrutiny of Joice Heths, out hovering for one or two years on the borders of the country, studying the language and character of the adjoining Indians, and making acquaint

ance with some of the natives. Five hundred

"I hate monstrosities, however remarkable, and their truthfulness. Assuming that there is a proam rather repelled than attracted by the idea of

Woolly Horses, and six-legged Swine, I would rather have it gratified by fabricated and factiand would rather not share in the process from tious than by natural and veritable productions, which that gratification is extracted. There is a superabundance of ugliness and deformity which one is obliged to see, without running after and nosing any out.

It was, therefore, with some reluctance that I obeyed a polite invitation to visit the Aztec children, and ratify or dispute the comcolumns and elsewhere. I did not expect to find mendations hitherto bestowed on them, in these ogres nor any thing hideous, but, among all simiTom Thumb, I could not hope to find gratification lar exhibitions, remembering with pleasure only

nances.

men could probably march directly to the city, and the invasion would be more justifiable than any made by Spaniards; but the government is too much occupied with its own wars, and the knowledge could not be procured except at the price of blood. Two young men of good constitution, and who could afford to spend five years, might succeed. If the object of search prove a phantom, in the wild scenes of a new and unexplored country, there are other objects of interest; but, if real, besides the glorious excitement of such a novelty, they will have something to look back in the sight of two dwarf Indians. But I was upon through life. As to the dangers, they are disappointed. These children are simply abridgealways magnified, and, in general, peril is discov-ments or pocket editions of Humanity-bright ered soon enough for escape. But, in all proba-eyed, delicate-featured, olive-complexioned little bility, if any discovery is made, it will be made elves, with dark, straight, glossy hair, well-proby the Padres. As for ourselves, to attempt it portioned heads, and animated, pleasing counte alone, ignorant of the language, and with the moThat their ages are honestly given, and zos who were a constant annoyance to us, was out that the boy weighs just about as many pounds as of the question. The most we thought of, was to he is years old (twenty), while the girl is about climb to the top of the sierra, thence to look down half his age and three pounds lighter, I see no upon the mysterious city; but we had difficulties reason at all for doubting. That they are human enough in the road before us; it would add ten beings, though of a low grade morally and inteldays to a journey already almost appalling in the lectually, as well as diminutive physically, there perspective; for days the sierra might be covered can be no doubt; and they are not freaks of Nature, with clouds; in attempting too much, we might almost realize in bodily form our ideas of the but specimens of a dwindled, minnikin race, who lose all; Palenque was our great point, and we determined not to be diverted from the course we 'brownies,' 'bogles,' and other fanciful creations had marked out."- Vol. ii., p. 193-196. of a more superstitious age. Their heads, unlike those of dwarfs, are small and not ill-looking, but Mr. Stevens appears to have had some with very low foreheads and a general conforma confidence in the Padre's statement, and ex- tion strongly confirmatory of certain fundamental presses a belief that the race of the aboriginal assertions of Phrenology. Idiotic they are not; inhabitants of Central America is not extinct, but their intellect and language are those of childbut that, scattered perhaps and retired, like ren of three or four years, to whom their gait also our own Indians, into wildernesses which assimilates them; but they have none of childhave never been penetrated by white men hood's reserve or shyness, are inquisitive and resterecting buildings of "lime and stone," "with less, and articulate with manifest efforts and difornaments of sculpture, and plastered," "large ficulty. To children of three to six or eight years, courts," and "lofty towers, with high ranges their incessant pranks and gambols must be a of steps," and carving on tablets of stone myssource of intense and unfailing delight. The story terious hieroglyphs, there are still in secluded that they were procured from an unknown, scarce cities" unconquered, unvisited, and unsought ly approachable Aboriginal City of Central Ameriaborigines." It is stated in a pamphlet before tains and rarely visited by civilized man, may be ca called Irimaya, situated high among the mounus, that such a city was discovered in 1849 by true or false; but that they are natives of that three adventurous travellers, and that one of part of the world, I cannot doubt. To the moralthem succeeded in bringing to New York two ist, the student, the physiologist, they are subjects specimens of its diminutive and peculiar in- deserving of careful scrutiny and thoughtful obser habitants the persons now being exhibited in vation; while to those whose highest motive is Broadway. Of the credibility of this account the gratification of curiosity, but especially to we express no opinion, but the "Aztec Chil-children, they must be objects of vivid interest."

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A DAY AT CHATSWORTH. THE PRISON OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, AND PALACE OF THE DUKES OF DEVONSHIRE.

residence, but Sir William began to build another at Chatsworth, which he did not live to finish. Ultimately, Elizabeth became the wife of George

Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury; she was one of the most remarkable women of her time, and the foundress of the two houses of Devonshire and Newcastle. Her second son, William, by the death of his elder brother in 1616, after being created Baron Cavendish, of Hardwick, was in 1618 created Earl of Devonshire. It was happily but was seldom shown in his discourse.' His son, said of him, his learning operated on his conduct, the third Earl, was a zealous loyalist; like his fa

AMONG the most magnificent of the palatial homes of England-indeed one of the most rich and splendid residences occupied in all the world by an uncrowned master-is Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, the most beautiful district in the British islands. With some abridgment we transfer to the International an account of a recent visit to Chatsworth, by Mrs. S. C. HALL, with the illustrations by Mr. FINHALT, from the Janua-ther, remarkable for his cultivated taste and learnry number of the London Art-Journal. Our agreeable authoress, after some general observations respecting the attractions of the neighborhood, proceeds:

"We are so little proud of the beauties of England, that the foreigner only hears of Derbyshire as the casket which contains the rich jewel of CHATSWORTH. The setting is worthy of the gem. It ranks foremost among proudly beautiful English mansions; and merits its familiar title of the Palace of the Peak. It was the object of our pilgrimage; and we recalled the history of the nobles of its House. The family of Cavendish is one of our oldest descents; it may be traced lineally from Robert de Gernon, who entered England with the Conqueror, and whose descendant, Roger Gernon, of Grimston, in Suffolk, marrying the daughter and sole heiress of Lord Cavendish in that county, in the reign of Edward II., gave the name of that estate as a surname to his children, which they ever after bore. The study of the law seems to have been for a long period the means of according position and celebrity to the family, Sir William Cavendish, in whose person all the estates conjoined, was Privy Councillor to Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary; he had been Gentleman-Usher to Wolsey; and after the fall of the great Cardinal, was retained in the service of Henry VIII. He accumulated much wealth, but chiefly by his third marriage, with Elizabeth, the wealthy widow of Robert Barley, at whose instigation he sold his estates in other parts of England, to purchase lands in Derbyshire, where her great property lay. Hardwick Hall was her paternal

ing, perfected under the superintendence of the famous Hobbes of Malmesbury. His eldest son, William, was the first Duke of Devonshire; the friend of Lord Russell, and one of the few who fearlessly testified to his honor on his memorable trial. Wearied of courts, he retired to Chatsworth, which at that time was a quadrangular building, with turrets in the Elizabethan taste; and then, as if his mind rose upon the depression of his fortune,' says Kennett, he first projected the now glorious pile of Chatsworth;' he pulled down the south side of that good old seat,' and rebuilt it on a plan so fair an august, that it looked like a model only of what might be done in after ages.' After seven years, he added the other sides, yet the building was his least charge, if regard be had to his gardens, water-works, statues, pictures, and other the finest pieces of Art and Nature that could be obtained abroad or at home.' He was highly honored with the favor and confidence of William III. and his successor Anne. Dying in 1707, his son William, who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, spent the latter part of his life at Chatsworth, dying there in 1755. It is now the favorite country residence of his great grandson, the sixth Duke and ninth Earl of Devonshire.

"The Duke's tastes, as evinced at Chatsworth, are of the purest and happiest order;-and are to be found in the adornments of his rooms, the shelves of his library, the riches of his galleries of art, and the rare and beautiful exotic marvels of his gardens and conservatories. Charles Cotton, in his poem, the Wonders of the Peak, wrote, two centuries ago, of the then Earl of Devonshire-and

no language can apply with greater truth to the the great cascade, even the smaller fountains Duke who is now master of Chatsworth:

"But that which crowns all this, and does impart
A lustre far beyond the pow'r of Art,

Is the great Owner; He, whose noble mind
For such a Fortune only was design'd.
Whose bounties, as the Ocean's bosom wide,
Flow in a constant, unexhausted tide
Of Hospitality, and free access,
Liberal Condescension, cheerfulness,
Honor and Truth, as ev'ry of them strove
At once to captivate Respect and Love:
And with such order all perforin'd, and grace,
As rivet wonder to the stately place."

"Although carriages are permitted to drive from the railway terminus at Rowsley, to the pretty and pleasant inn at Edenson, by a road which passes directly under the house, the stranger should receive his first impressions of Chatsworth from one of the surrounding heights. It is impossible to convey a just idea of its breadth and dignity; the platform upon which it stands is a fitting base for such a structure; the trees, that at intervals relieve and enliven the vast space, are of every rich variety, the terraces nearly twelve hundred feet in extent the emperor fountain' throwing its jet two hundred and seventy feet into the air, far overtopping the avenue of majestic trees, of which it forms the centre. The dancing fountain,

(wonderful objects any where, except here, where there are so many more wonderful) sparkle through the foliage; while all is backed by magnificent hanging woods, and the high lands of Derbyshire, extending from the hills of Matlock to Stony Middleton. And the foreground of the picture is, in its way, equally beautiful; the expansive view, the meadows now broken into green hills and mimic valleys, the groups of fallow deer, and herds of cattle, reposing beneath the shade of widespreading chestnuts, or the stately beech-all is harmony to perfection; nothing is wanting to complete the fascination of the whole. The enlarged and cultivated minds which conceived these vast yet minute arrangements, did not consider minor details as unimportant; every tree, and brake, and bush; every ornament, every path, is exactly in its right place, and seems to have ever been there. Nothing, however great, or however small, has escaped consideration; there are no bewildering effects, such as are frequently seen in large domains, and which render it difficult to recall what at the time may have been much admired; all is arranged with the dignity of order; all, however graceful, is substantial; the ornaments sometimes elaborate, never descend into prettiness; the char

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