e of the
prettiest, too, for summer's wear, and with the addition of some bows
of delicate-coloured riband, or a _bouquet_ of fresh flowers, forms a
most becoming dress. The lowness of the price of such a robe enables
the purchaser to have so frequent a change of it, that even those who
are far from rich may have half-a-dozen, while one single robe of a
more expensive material will cost more; and having done so, the owner
will think it right to wear it more frequently than is consistent with
the freshness and purity that should ever be the distinguishing
characteristics in female dress, in order to indemnify herself for the
expense.

I was never more struck with this fact, than a short time ago, when I
saw two ladies seated next each other, both young and handsome; but
one, owing to the freshness of her robe, which was of simple
_organdie_, looked infinitely better than the other, who was quite as
pretty, but who, wearing a robe of expensive lace, whose whiteness had
fallen into "the sere and yellow leaf," appeared faded and _passee_.

Be wise, then, ye young and fair; and if, as I suspect, your object be
to please the Lords of the Creation, let your dress, in summer, be
snowy-white muslin, never worn after its pristine purity becomes
problematical; and in winter, let some half-dozen plain and simple silk
gowns be purchased, instead of the two or three expensive ones that
generally form the wardrobe, and which, consequently, soon not only
lose their lustre but give the wearer the appearance of having suffered
the same fate!

And you, O husbands and fathers, present and future, be ye duly
impressed with a sense of your manifold obligations to me for thus
opening the eyes of your wives and daughters how to please without
draining your purses; and when the maledictions of lace, velvet, and
satin-sellers full on my hapless head, for counsel so injurious to
their interests, remember they were incurred for yours!

Mr. and Mrs. Hare dined here yesterday. They brought with them Madame
de la H----, who came up from near Chantilly to see them. She is as
pretty as I remember her at Florence, when Mademoiselle D----, and is
_piquante_ and _spirituelle_. Counts Charles de Mornay and Valeski
formed the party, and Count Maussion and some others came in the
evening.

I observe that few English shine in conversation with the French. There
is a lightness and brilliancy, a sort of touch and go, if I may say so,
in the latter, seldo