are of Spanish leather, without any heels, but when they go out they put on pattens, or silk sandals fastened with gold clasps, by which they are raised several inches from the ground. They wear paint, not only on the cheeks, but on the shoulders also.

It is said by many authors that the manners and customs of the Jews and Moors are still, to a certain degree, retained in this country. Perhaps from them they derive their love of jewels; even the fishwomen wear gold necklaces and bracelets. The women who sell fruit frequently wear boots instead of shoes or sandals, and black conical caps.

The higher orders of the Portuguese do not appear to admire gaudy colours; black is almost universally worn, ornamented with fringes of gold and colours.

In the Memoirs of Madame Junot are many amusing descriptions of the dress of the Portuguese court. A hoop was there considered an indispensable part of the toilette of Madame l'Ambassadrice; and she thus describes her dress, which was arranged according to the fashion of Portugal: "Je mis pardessus cette monstrueuse montagne dont j'étais flanquée de chaque côté, une belle robe de moire blanche brodée en lames d'or, et rattachée sur les côtés avec de gros glonds d'or, absolument comme aurait pu l'être une draperie de croisée. Je mis sur ma tête une toque avec six grandes plumes blanches retenues par une agrafe de diamants, et le fond de la toque était brodé avec des épis de diamants; j'en avais au cou, aux oreilles; et ainsi harnachée, je partis pour Quelus."

The same writer then describes the dress of the Princess of Brazil. Her gown was of white India

muslin, embroidered in gold and silver; the sleeves were very short, and the robe was fastened on the shoulders with large diamond clasps. Her hair was dressed in large puffs and plaits, interspersed with splendid diamonds and pearls; her ear-rings and girandoles were quite magnificent.

In another part of this work we read of the following coiffure worn by an old Portuguese lady: "Elle avait ses cheveux blancs relevés sur le bout de sa tête avec un ruban, comme on le voit encore dans quelques tableaux." And, in a note, we find: " " Il y a encore beaucoup de Portugaises de haut rang qui restent ainsi coiffées chez elles. Dès qu'elles sortent, elles se mettent à la Française; mais, par exemple, dans l'intérieur des provinces, j'en ai vu qui ne portent jamais d'autre coiffeur."

The costume of les dames du Palais is thus described: "C'était la plus étrange mascarade qu'on puisse imaginer de faire revêtir à des femmes Chrétiennes. C'était une jupe de taffetas bien fort, bien épais, d'une couleur bleu foncé, avec une large broderie en or au bas, et puis ensuite une queue, une robe, je ne sais quel morceau d'étoffe d'un rouge éclatant qui leur pendait en manière de traine derrière elles. Les plus âgées, comme le camariera-môr, portaient un petit toquet, une façon de bonnet assez serré à la tête (c'étaient je crois, les veuves) et sur ce bonnet était une fleur gros bleu, comme la jupe."

Speaking of the ancient dress of Spain and Portugal, Appian says: "We know that the Hispanians and Lusitanians wore the saie, fastened with a buckle or brooch; but we are ignorant of its form, and no remains of antiquity have yet been found to explain

it." Strabo, too, mentions this garment being in use with the Lusitanians. He also says: "That the Moors wore their hair frizzed and curled, and that they combed their beards."

When Isabella of Portugal went to France to marry the Duke of Burgundy, she wore a tabard, or stomacher of ermine, a robe of splendid embroidery, tight sleeves, a cloak reaching to the ground behind, but so narrow that it only fell over the shoulders, and a curious head-dress of white muslin. She had no ornaments of any kind.

THE TOILETTE IN SWITZERLAND.

CHAPTER XXV.

HE dress of the Swiss peasantry is admired by all who visit their country. It varies considerably in most of the cantons, and each separate district is easily distinguished by the colour and shape of the garments worn by its inhabitants. Laws relating to dress have, however, been found necessary, even among these simple people, to restrain a wanton extravagance and luxury of attire, which spreads so rapidly when once allowed a free indulgence.

The dress of the higher ranks is usually very plain. Black is the colour invariably worn for full dress. On Sundays the women dress in black in the morning,

and in colours in the evening. In the arrangement of their hair they follow the French modes.

Of all the numerous costumes

seen in this country, that of the canton of Berne is the most ad

mired. The men wear immense broad-brimmed straw hats, brown jackets, and large breeches. The women plait their hair in long tresses with ribands, and let it hang down their backs. They have a very becoming straw hat, a jacket without sleeves, a black or blue petticoat, edged with red or white, red stockings with black clocks, and no heels to their shoes. The shift, or under garment, has short full sleeves, and reaches to the throat,

where it is fastened with a broad black collar ornamented with red: they frequently have silver ornaments passed between the shoulders and under the arms. On fête days they often wear a black lace cap, of large size, almost like a fan, tied under the chin, and long green gloves.

The costume of the canton of Lucerne is described as extremely becoming for the young, to whom the gay colours of which it is composed impart a charm of appropriate interest. The paysanne's dress consists of a large flat straw hat, decorated round the