taken from that in Goethe's Wilhelm Meister, has been seduced by Alphonso, son of the viceroy of Naples, and has been imprisoned by his father, to break off a connexion which interferes with his own ambitious projects. On the morning of Alphonso's nuptials with Elvira, a lady of his own rank, Fenella escapes from her prison, and rushing into the palace, claims the bride's protection. The pantomimic acting of Mademoiselle Alexandrine in this scene is very effective: she makes the story of her sorrows perfectly intelligible, and engages the sympathy of Elvira. The marriage, however, takes place, and then it is that she discovers her betrayer in Alphonso, and flees from the palace to the shelter of her brother's cottage. Masaniello is meditating plans of freedom and revenge, which his sister's arrival and the story of her ill-treatment determine him to put into practice. The oppressions of the Spanish soldiery upon the country-people in the market-place have exasperated them; and on the attempt of the viceroy's troops again to seise Fenella, the storm bursts out; Masaniello strikes down one of the soldiers, the populace rise, and make themselves masters of the place. These events fill the first two acts. In the third, Masaniello is in his hut with his sister, when Alphonso and Elvira, fugitives from the rage of the mob, crave shelter. Fenella conquers the first desire of vengeance, which arises from seeing her betrayer and his bride in her power, and prevails upon her brother to give his promise that they shall be safe. A band of armed fishermen rush in, seeking Alphonso, and when they are restrained by Masaniello, his interference rouses their suspicions, and they resolve to destroy him. The canvas wall of the hut is drawn aside, and a deputation of the magistrates and citizens of Naples appear, offering Masaniello the keys of the city, which he accepts, and, mounting a white horse, goes off in triumph. In the next scene, which is the last, the fishermen are seen carousing in the palace, and one avows that he has administered poison to the upstart usurper. They are now called to arms, and Masaniello is desired to lead them against their armed enemies. He appears enfeebled by the effects of the poison, singing snatches of his former songs, and unable to recognise friends, or to understand his own situation. When at length he is made to comprehend the danger that threatens them, he seises a weapon from one of the men, and rushes

out at their head. In again rescuing Elvira from their attack, he is killed. At this time a tremendous eruption from Vesuvius takes place, Fenella perishes in the stream of lava which rushes down, and the Spanish troops attack and drive away the fishermen.

The music, which is beautiful and characteristic, was very well executed. The fishermen's barcarole, and a hymn which is sung by the whole populace in the market-place, kneeling, both of which are delightful compositions, produced great effect. Mr. Braham not only sang with his usual excellence and taste, but acted the part of Masaniello, (and it is a difficult one) with great feeling and power. Miss Betts was also very successful in the songs allotted to her in the personation of Elvira.

As a drama, the piece has no great pretensions beyond that of exciting a considerable interest respecting Fenella and Masaniello; but, as a scenic representation, it has the highest merit. The crowds of persons that are introduced, and the way in which their actions are arranged, engage and keep up the attention of the audience in a very striking and agreeable manner. A scene on the shore, in which some of the fishermen are dancing, while others are employed in different amusements and occupations, was highly effective; but that in the marketplace was the most so. At this part of the piece, beside some very ingeniously devised dances by the corps de ballet, a bolero was performed by Rosa Byrne and M. Gilbert. The child's dancing is very clever; but the man's, beside being sufficiently graceful, is a most accurate representation of the national dances of Spain. The scenery is remarkably fine. The display of the market-place of Naples, in itself exceedingly picturesque, is executed with extraordinary ability, and the effect of light upon it is very cleverly managed.

A new farce has been very favorably received at this house. The plot is not very natural, nor can its incidents pretend to particular novelty. The principal feature in it is, that Captain Hector Tempest, of the Dragoons, to gain a wife and a fortune, assumes the years and pretensions of his uncle, Captain Hector Tempest, of the royal navy. The uncle, of course, arrives just in time to afford opportunity for a number of ludicrous equivoques. The old captain is congratulated on the happy occasion, and

MONTHLY CALENDAR OF FASHION.

WHILE Fashion is running her giddy round, and all the resources which novelty can offer to her seem exhausted, she returns to former inventions; and we find ancient modes dignified by new titles. Neither we nor our grandmothers can recollect the time when such modes prevailed; but we can see them in old pictures, and read of them in the records of past ages.

The only present novelty displays itself in out-door costume. At the beginning of May, when the weather still continued damp and chill, we saw a beautiful pelisse of cinnamon-brown gros de Naples, trimmed on each side of the front (where it was fastened down the skirt) with the neck of the Canadian drake. Nothing can equal the brilliant green of this glossy plumage, the soft texture of which is superior in delicacy to the finest Chinchilla fur. Cachemire shawls are still favorite envelopes; they are adapted to mild weather, being so light that they are never cumbersome; it is this which renders them so valuable; in point of outward beauty our own-certainly excel them. Long have these been fashionable in England, where they were introduced before the year 1776. Pelerines, either of white muslin richly embroidered, or the same as the dress, promise to be very fashionable as the season advances. Silk pelisses are at present very much worn; they are simply elegant, having very little trimming, and are of delicate spring colors: the skirt is plaited full round the waist, and the sleeves are wide, with a deep gauntlet-cuff.

The bonnets are in great variety, in different colors of gros de Naples. They are generally trimmed at the edge with a deep blond; and we have seen a very handsome Leghorn bonnet for walkingdress trimmed with bows of striped satin riband of bright summer colors, with a black Chantilly blond at the edge, of a rich and beautiful texture. The bonnets in general are close, and are tied down gracefully on one side, and the hats are fastened down by a mentonnière of white blond. We never saw the ladies so long in laying aside their black velvet bonnets; they were so partial to them that many retained them until the middle of May. It is true they were exceedingly becoming; and we hoped that their charming form portended a favorable change in the hats and bonnets for the

more verdant season; but those which have recently appeared have too much of the old leaven about them.

Though chintzes of the most lively and beautiful patterns are in great favor as well as printed colored muslins, yet white dresses now begin to be very general. Some of these are superbly embroidered, either on the flounces which trim them, or on the dress itself; those for half-dress are of fine cambric, on which the raised satin-stitch has a beautiful effect, especially when open-work is united to it; those for the evening are of very fine India muslin, and the patterns worked in embroidery are most splendid; lace is let in down the seams of the sleeve, and also adorn the cuffs; and though the body is made à la Vierge, as much lace as possible is there introduced.

Dresses of gros de Naples are much worn by married ladies in demi-parure; they are trimmed at the border by a deep flounce, set on very full, and cut in bias, which adds to its extension; nevertheless, on a slender figure, they have a very graceful appearance. Sometimes with

these dresses a white muslin canezou spencer is worn, superbly embroidered ‘and trimmed with lace.

An expected dress for quadrille parties is of pink crape over white satin; the border is sometimes flounced with white blond; sometimes, only a few small ornaments, bound with pink satin rouleaux, form the trimming. The body is made plain, to fit the shape, and the sleeves are short, At evening-parties, ladies wear dresses of beautifully striped crêpe-lisse, with long sleeves of the same, or dresses of gros de Naples, made low and with short sleeves: these gowns are generally of very brilliant colors, such as appear to advantage by candle-light.

Turbans are worn at all times of the day by matrons, except at the breakfasttable; and, when young married females wear any head-covering, it is generally a tasteful blond cap, ornamented either with ribands or flowers. These caps, however, are very slightly decorated; their elegance consists in the exquisite beauty of the blond of which they are composed; off the head they are frightful, becoming only when well put on. The turbans worn at evening-parties are magnificent, and in the true Eastern style: they are formed of folds of colored velveteen satin, and gold or silver gauze; accessories to these turbans, which are so splendid in themselves, are not requisite. On the

berets, white plumes are generally seen, gracefully bending over the front. The turbans for home costume and for halfdress, are of richly figured colored gauze or black net; and black blond caps, of a very becoming shape, adorned with rosebuds, are much admired in half-dress.

The most approved colors for dresses and pelisses, are fawn colour, pink, lavender, canary-yellow, buff, and Hortensia; for turbans, bonnets, and hats, nùlkchocolate, pink, blue, jonquil, and lilac.

MODES PARISIENNES.

IN carriages and in the public walks, but especially for visits of ceremony, are seen white scarfs, the ground of which is figured in imitation of Chantilly lace. These scarfs, however, have not all white grounds, for some are of bright colors. All the borders consist of two wreaths of very large flowers. The skirts of the riding-habits are of cloth, the color terre de Morea; the jacket is a canezou of white muslin. The petticoats of ridingdresses are made very long behind. Canezous of muslin are worn over highdresses in out-door costume: the newest are of white muslin embroidered in colors

to suit the petticoat worn with them. Over a white dress, a colored fichu is worn as the only additional covering, when the dress is high, and the weather favorable.

Among the prettiest bonnets seen lately, one was formed of straw-colored gauze riband, ornamented with roses. Almost all the white chip hats have blond at the brim. The great change for the better, in the shape of the hats, is, that they are very short at the ears. The duchess de Berri appeared about a week ago in a bonnet ornamented with marabouts in the weeping-willow style, of cherry-color. On Leghorn hats, a simple branch of flowers, or one large flower with green foliage, is the most general ornament. The strings are mostly tied under the chin, and edged by a narrow quilling of blond. The bonnets of colored silk have blond at the edge, and have round

crowns.

Sleeves à l'Amadis are now in vogue; and when the sleeve is of a thin texture, there is always a short full sleeve beneath. The long sleeves have ruffles at the wrists; these are double, and are divided in the centre.

BIRTHS.

SONS to the countess of Miltown and the viscountess Dungarvon, and to the wives of lieutenant-colonel Carmichael, captain C. Hope of the navy, the rev. H. G. Keene, Mr. J. Carmac Morris, Mr. J. W. Bowden, Mr. May (the consul for the Netherlands), Mr. J. Hastings the surgeon, Mr. H. Young and Mr. H. S. Montagu of Dulwich, the rev. T. C. Brown, and Mr. A. Matthews of Chelsea.

Daughters to lady Georgiana Cathcart and lady Poore, and to the wives of Mr. Henry Dance, Mr. C. Augustin Smith, archdeacon Hill, the lieutenant-colonels Burgoyne and Desbrowe, Mr. J. H. Vivian, Mr. C. A. Smith of Black-heath (twins), and Mr. Wills, the proctor.

MARRIAGES.

The earl Cornwallis, to Miss Laura Hayes.

The rev. J. C. Stapleton, to the daughter of the earl of Caernarvon

Mr. John Houblon of the county of Essex, to the daughter of captain W. Dundas of the navy.