of the hair which peeps from beneath it. Sometimes the hat is nearly as flat as a plate, surrounded with bows of riband and edged with black velvet.

At Neufchâtel and Geneva, probably from the visits of numerous foreigners, the paysannes have abandoned their national costume, and generally appear in gowns, caps, and shawls, of a French make.

In the Pays de Vaux the boddice is worn without a stomacher; it is often green, the jupe striped in white, scarlet, and blue, the apron of snowy linen, fastened with a pink riband, and a pink fiche over the neck completes the dress. The large straw hat is placed on one side, and within it is a cap of black lace, which sets off

the complexion most becomingly. The crown of the hat is curiously shaped.

In Moore's "Travels in France" we find the following description: "At Murat the Swiss peasant's dress is peculiar. They wear little round hats, like those worn by Dutch skippers; their coats and waistcoats are all of a coarse black cloth, their breeches of coarse linen, like sailors' trousers, but drawn together in plaits below the knees, and the stockings are of the same stuff. The women wear short jackets, with a great superfluity of buttons. The unmarried pride themselves on the length of their hair, which they separate into two divisions, and allow to hang at full

length. When married they twist the hair round the head in spiral lines, and fix it to the crown with silver pins; wear straw hats and black ribands. They fix their petticoats so high as to leave hardly any waist."

THE TOILETTE IN HOLLAND.

CHAPTER XXVI.

HE merchants and better classes of the Dutch nation all follow the French modes, with this difference, that they have not, as in that country, a dress suited to each varying season of the year.

The costume of the Dutch

peasants is but little affected by fashion. The men's coats have little shape, and are made tight, without any fulness, and with very high, large pockets. Their breeches are immense, their waistcoats long; they wear a kind of round hat or bonnet, and stockings and shoes of a clumsy form.

The costume of the Dutch women is singular;

their petticoats are very full, and exceedingly short, the sleeves long and tight, and the boddice laced in front, with a handkerchief An apron always

pinned over the neck. An
forms part of this dress.

The stock

ings and shoes are neat. They hardly ever wear any head-dress, simply tying up their hair, and binding it with knots of black riband, or covering it with a hood. The Dutch paysannes are generally very large and unwieldly, and the elderly women formerly wore hoops to increase their size. The ladies preferred what is called the bell-hoop, or pannier, but the maid-servants, who always used them on great fête days, were only allowed the hoop that spreads out at the hips.

In the province of Guelderland the richer of the peasantry are very smart. The coat and waistcoat are adorned with gold and silver buttons, which are placed close together all down the front; the waistband of the trousers is ornamented also with immense buttons; the shoes glitter with large silver buckles. A silver clasp is also worn at the throat, and silver buckles at the knees. This costume looks exceedingly gay and brilliant. The women of this province ornament their dress with gold; they place gold in their hair, and have golden trinkets hung about them on every part of their garments.

For the amusement of our readers we will add the description of the attire of an Amsterdam belle of the last century, in holiday guise. "To begin with her head it is covered with a small muslin cap, and a tiny round black silk hat, which is balanced upon the

back of the head. A neat white handkerchief is fastened across the bosom with a pin, and carefully pinned underneath the arm; round her neck, upon the handkerchief, hangs a necklace, made of rows of gold beads. Her upper garment is a short, striped cotton bedgown; the body is laced before, the gown part reaching just below the hips, which are swelled out to a large size by her hoop; the sleeves of this garment are tight, and do not fall beyond the elbow; the petticoat, which reaches to the ankles, is of a red or green stuff, spread out to the size of a barrel, forming a strange contrast to the small head; the feet are encased in black shoes, with red heels and enormous buckles."

The following is the costume of a beau of that period: "The hair is rolled up above the ears, the hat is three-cornered, and in size about three-quarters of a yard from corner to corner; the white waistcoat is very long, the coat closely buttoned, and the shoes ornamented with Brobdignag buckles."

"The Dutch burgomaster always dresses in black. His lady appears in a bell-hoop, and a lace headdress worth 100l.; but the daughter not unfrequently walks between this antiquated couple tricked out in all the bravery' of the last Paris fashions.”

The dress of the peasants of French Flanders resembles that of the Burgundians. The women wear a kind of nightcap, with a plaited border, gold earrings, a gold cross hanging from the neck, a jacket, petticoat, and slippers. The petticoat is short and full, and the jacket is laced up the front. A black bib, and short black cloak, are also occasionally worn. No hats are ever seen in this part of the country; the