The sad hurricane in the West Indies, which has been so fatal to the shipping as well as to life, is an almost unprecedented calamity, and the Royal Mail Company will be severe sufferers, the worst being not yet, we fear, ascertained. Whilst on the subject of steam companies we may congratulate the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company on obtaining the contract on favourable terms for twelve years certain. No other result was expected, as with the exception of the French Company, to whom it would have been most unpatriotic to have given it, we believe no other tenders were sent in. With the turn of the year we hope the financial affairs not of the P. & O., but of the country at large, will be in a more satisfactory position; in the meantime we should alleviate to the utmost those who are likely to be sufferers by the approaching inclement season, and we are glad to see that the initiative has been taken in the matter by the "Censor" of the Evening Star, who has opened a subscription-list for their benefit. If this was more general the winter prospects of the poor would be more cheery, and much real good might be effected at small individual cost.

The Ferndale Colliery explosion, some rail. way accidents, the Abyssinian expedition, the opening of the Parliament for a winter season for the first time since 1857, and the Fenian meetings, with the meteoric shower, are events that have recently occupied public attention; whilst the most gratifying occurrence we have to record is that hopeful tidings of Livingstone have been received by Sir Roderick Murchison. The "Dickens dinner" was a triumph, the only drawback being the impossibility of providing a third of those who wished to be present with seats, which created some unavoidable discontent; but the event itself was a great success, the Lord Chief Justice and the guest of the evening particularly distinguishing them selves on the occasion. The way in which Mr. Dickens manages a not very powerful organ so that every word is clearly heard, is very remarkable, and is not the least charm of his

Lytton was quite inaudible beyond his table, though the matter of his speech as reported was excellent. Sir Edwin Landseer, one at least of the lions of the evening, was unheard even in the immediate neighbourhood. In proposing the toast of the drama, Mr. Tom Taylor, who spoke for the volunteers, was very happy and exceedingly distinct, but the room cannot be good for sound, as even Mr. Webster must have felt in returning thanks for the drama. In acknowledging the toast of the ladies, Mr. Buckstone wound up the proceedings in a way that created. considerable laughter; but playing in a broad farce Mr. Buckstone is one thing: speaking on such an occasion, though at an advanced period of the evening, is another. Mr. Dickens shares the authorahip of his Christmas number with Mr. Wilkie Collins, and we have been informed that "No Thoroughfare" has been written in such a way as will leave the responsibility of each to be discovered by the reader.

"The cry is still they come," these magazines; and we are to have Bond-Street a musical journal in the style of Hanover Square in which the music-hall element is to be introduced. In a different line Judy appears to have taken a stand, the illustrations being good, and the paper and printing worthy of all praise. Mat Morgan's Tomahawk cartoons (as it is the fashion to call such designs) are very vigorous, but those in Banter are weak, and the same remark will apply to the letterpress, which is in the discursive style of George Augustus Sala, but not in his happiest vein. Banter and Toby surely must die a natural death, with so many formidable rivals in the field. Apropos, is the Halfpenny Punch, lately started, still in existence? We have a copy of The Manx Punch, a journal recently published in the Isle of Man; and we notice those new papers with different views, namely-The_Witness (religious), The Fenian (political), and The City Clerk (mercantile and gastronomic).

Now that "The Double Marriage" is withdrawn at the New Queen's, there is a greater chance of Mr. Wigan meeting with the success we wish him. Certain it is that there is no finer performance of its kind to be witnessed in London than his life-like portrait of the poor old actor who is anxious for his daughter's début, whilst the artistic repose and finish of the original representative of John Mildmay has been universally acknowledged.

The comedy of "The Way to get Married," at the Olympic, has not been a particularly fortunate revival, but the elder Morton cannot be compared to Foote, whose play of "The Liar," as altered and compressed by Charles Mathews, proved so successful at this house.

FIRST FIGURE: Visiting Toilet.-Silk dress of a white ground, with small pink or lilac or blue stripes either colour is pretty. The body, close-fitting and very high, is closed with nine buttons to match; sleeves quite tight. Black satin jacket fitting close to the waist, and cut away square at the front of the body, to leave the dress visible; a second skirt of black satin, reaching a little below the knees in front, is trimmed apron-wise at the bottom with a narrow lace edging, and ribbon trimming to match the colour of the dress; the side and back breadths are a quarter of a yard longer, and the former are draped in the centre, and finished with a bunch of ribbons to match the trimming, which is continued all round the garment. The top of the jacket is finished with the same ornament, and a fall of lace forms an epaulet on the top of the tight-dress sleeve.

SECOND FIGURE.-Toilet of faye silk. The jacket-body, open in front, and not tight fitting, has large square basques slit up at the sides; sleeves tight, with epaulets formed of rows of velvet to match, bordered with a fringe, forming five tassels. The wrist-band is tight to the arm, and ornamented with a fringe forming a tassel; long tassels also finish the corners of the basques. The skirt is long, and is trimmed up the gored seams and round the bottom, and has two ornaments of velvet fringed at the end, on each side of the front width, which is also trimmed up the centre. Fanchon bonnet of the same colour as the dress, ornamented with foliage, and a veil of the same shade. This veil, against taste, principle, and common-sense, falls at the back.

Open corsages en cœur are a success. Many ladies of good taste have adopted shawl-shaped lace collars, which are very becoming to the visage, and others that vary a little from the severity of the straight collar. We are making'

many costumes of cloth; the skirts are always cut with bias seams, and have often only one plait behind round the waist. We see also skirts fully plaited, a compromise to some tastes, which it is not wise or reasonable to wholly exclude.

Amongst the novelties, I must not forget to mention one for completing an evening toilet, or varying it a little; it is called the corsage Catalan, and is composed of white tulle boullonnes, separated by black ribbon velvets pearled with gold at top and bottom.

This corsage is high, and is made with a basque, at the bottom of which, each point of velvet is finished with a golden pearl; at the top of the corsage the velvets are doubled on themselves in little points pearled with gold, which forms a species of collar.

Here is the description of a dinner-dress which is quite new: The robe is composed of a first skirt of white satin, garnished at the bottom with a little pinked ornament of granet faye; the second skirt, or polonaise, which is the better name for it, is of granet faye, cut at the bottom in front en tablier Marquise. A row of flat satin buttons of the same colour are placed on each seam of the skirt.

The corsage, open en cœur, is worn over and under one of white satin, made high.

The sleeves of this corsage are of satin, split a l'Italienne to the elbow, above which a bouillonne of tulle depends; the nature of this toilet admits of several variations, and nothing can be more charming than the freplacing of the polonaise by a tunic of Chantilly lace, relieved at the sides by sprays of white lilac. Upon the satin sleeves above and below, bracelets of Chantilly, agrafes with a delicate little tuft of the same blossom. This Chantilly tunique should have a high body.

PROSE received, and accepted, with thanks."The Flowers and Fruits of Palestine;""The Season in Alderney;" "The Headsmen of France;" 'Jetty;' "The Story of Old Jowler;" "Life in Paris;" "Goethe's 'Faustus." Declined, with thanks.-" Colonel Dace;" "Female Figures and Fashions" (had this paper been less coarsely written we should have had pleasure in publishing it); "Dwale Bank” (too morbid); "The Poacher's Penalty." "MISS W., Wye-side, Monmouth."-Circumstances

having changed since we addressed this lady, we shall have pleasure in giving the MS. an appearance. "ROCK FERRY."-Our correspondent shall hear from us shortly.

POETRY received, with thanks. "The Legend of Durant;" "Little Coro."

TO SUBSCRIBERS.-A new Novellette will be begun in our New-year's number. WORK-TABLE.-We are sorry to inform a "Subscriber from the First" that it is not intended to introduce the illustrations.