by the height of a turban and the colour of a slipper.

The fair imprisoned inmate of the harem, whose life glides away in all the dull monotony of seclusion, whose only means of cheating the lagging hours is by employing them in embroidery, or in watching the graceful movements of the dancing girls, may be pardoned for devoting so much time to the amusements of the toilette.

Shaping the eyelashes with antimony, increasing the lustre of the eyes by drawing between the lids a fine pencil dipped in kohol, and dyeing the nails and ends of the fingers with the leaves of henna, require much attention and time; so also does arranging the folds of the dress as to give a graceful and elegant tournure; placing the turban skilfully in the exact position; braiding the tresses in the proper number of plaits; selecting the jewels that match the colour of the dress; and, lastly, throwing over the head the light and snowy veil.

Neither do the lordly Osmanlis disdain to bow their proud and turbaned heads at the footstool of "Fashion." Let me here borrow the words of the author of "Anastasius," who thus describes a Turkish petit-maitre: "His turban attracted the eye less even by its costliness of texture than by its elegance of

form. A band of green and gold tissue, diagonally crossing the forehead, was made, with studious ease, completely to conceal one ear, and as completely to display the other. From its fringed extremity always hung, suspended like a tassel, a rose or a carnation, which, while it kept caressing the wearer's broad and muscular throat, sent up its fragrance to his disdainful nostril. An hour every day was the shortest time allotted to the culture of his adored moustaches, and to the various rites which these idols of his vainglorious heart demanded; such as changing their hue from a bright flaxen to a jetty black, perfuming them with rose and amber, smoothing their straggling hairs, and giving their taper ends a smart and graceful curve. Another hour was spent in refreshing the scarlet dye of his lips, and tinting the dark shade of his eyelids, as well as in practising the most fascinating smile and the archest leer which the Terzhana could display. His dress, of the finest broadcloth and velvet, made after the most dashing Barbary cut, was covered all over with embroidery of gold, so thickly embossed as to appear almost massive. His chest uncovered down to the girdle, and his arms bared up to the shoulders, displayed all the bright polish of his skin. His capote was draped so as, with infinite grace, to break the too formal symmetry of his costume. In short, his hanjar with its gilt handle, his watch with its concealed miniature, his tobacco-pouch of knitted gold, his pipe mounted in opaque amber, and his pistols with diamond-cut hilt, all were in the style of the most consummate petit-maître."

This splendid costume is that of, more or less, all the grandees in Turkey. We will now describe that

of the lower classes. Their ordinary dress consists first of a shirt, with very wide sleeves, drawers made of linen, which join their stockings, these latter being formed of the same material,-cloth breeches or short trousers, a vest which reaches to the knees, or a jacket ornamented in gold or

silk twist, a robe which falls down to the feet, and over this a kind of great-coat, with short sleeves, and on the feet scarlet slippers.

The Turks of better rank always wear the long dress, and over it robes of fine cloth, or pelisses of the most costly furs, while their poniards and yatagans are studded with silver and precious stones. When in-doors they wear a mestler, which is a thin shoe without any sole; when they go abroad it is thrust into the papoosh, or slipper.

In a work entitled the "Turks and the Russians," we read the following description of the dress of the Turks: "Trousers very loose to the calf, thence tight to the ankle; a close waistcoat, open at the neck, and covered below by a shawl tied round the waist; a jacket, with very full and short sleeves, shewing the equally loose sleeves of the shirt; a turban on his head, and yellow boots or slippers on his feet, form the usual and very becoming dress of a Turk: the trousers, waistcoat, and jacket, are of various colours, and ornamented with embroidery; and the turban is white, green, or otherwise, according to the rank and privileges of the wearer."

Emirs or shirrefs (descendants of Mohammed's daughter) are alone allowed the high honour of adorning their heads with green turbans; and the Turks allow none but themselves to appear in yellow slippers. The men of high rank are in the habit of carrying in their hands a tespi, or, as Moore calls it, a "ruby rosary," which is used as much for amusement as devotion. Gloves are never worn by the Turks.

All the attendants of the sultan wear splendid garments, particularly on days of ceremony, when they appear in dresses of the most gaudy colours, till at a distance they resemble a garden of tulips.

The immense width of the Turkish garments may be accounted for by the prevailing custom of sitting cross-legged.

In Bulgaria the women wear on their heads a cap somewhat resembling a mitre, ornamented with pieces of money; it covers the forehead, and the hair, plaited with shells, hangs down the back. The robe is long, and fastened round the waist by a girdle; the surcoat, which closes tightly round the throat, with a bow of riband in front, is curiously embroidered, and often adorned with jewels. Over this garment is worn a loose robe, not unlike a great-coat; it is shorter than the under vest, and has long sleeves, which, though wide at the top, become tight below the elbow to the wrist this garment is open underneath the arms as far as the bottom, and the sides are united with large bows of riband, placed at distances from each other. The slippers are very low in the quarters, and made high upon the instep.

The men wear round fur caps, a long robe that reaches to the knees, and shews the full trousers that

meet the stockings, which terminate below the knee this robe is quite open, and a shawl, twisted round the waist à la Turque, retains it in its place. Over this is worn a much longer garment, also open, with large wide sleeves. The legs are covered with bands of linen, which give them a clumsy appearance, and the feet are inclosed in sandals, or rather open shoes, laced across from the toes to the instep.

In Wallachia the women of high rank wear splendid silk or satin robes, often embroidered or brocaded in gold and silver. The upper garment is full and long, with long tight sleeves it is not confined at the waist, but hangs quite loose; it is open at the bosom, and shews a splendid jewelled stomacher, and is generally trimmed all round with fur. Beneath it is an embroidered vest, with a collar of precious stones and velvet encircling the throat. On the head is a cap of fur, made something in the shape of a turban.

The young girls wear their hair flat on the temples, and

twisted in a broad plait behind, interspersed with flowers. The silk jupe reaches to the feet, the boddice is sufficiently open to shew an ornamented stomacher, the sleeves are tight to the hands, and a coloured scarf, after circling the waist, falls to the feet. As stays are unknown in these countries a slim waist is never seen, and a French élégante would be